Combined Honours

Pursuing an honours degree requires a higher quality of work than is required by the other undergraduate programs (such as a 120 credit hours Major). Students who intend to apply to graduate school or professional programmes (e.g. medicine or law) are especially encouraged to take a Honours degree as scholarships and program committees tend to look more favourably on students with Honours-level degrees. Choosing a Combined Honours degree enables you to pursue your studies in two disciplines, while demonstrating your seriousness and abilities as a student.

The History of Science and Technology Program (HOST) offers a Combined Honours BA or BSc program offered jointly by the University of King’s College and Dalhousie University.  Students combine History of Science and Technology with a second honours subject.

For the second honours subject, please see the degree requirements for BA and BSc Combined Honours (120 credit hours).

History of Science and Technology can also be taken in combination with Environment, Sustainability and Society.

Students are encouraged to apply to the program and seek advice on course selection as early as possible, even before registering for the second year. All students must meet the degree requirements for the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences or Faculty of Science program as detailed in the Degree Requirements section of this calendar. For each individual student, the entire degree program, including elective courses and honours requirements, is subject to supervision and approval by the two concerned programs.

All History of Science and Technology students are encouraged to acquire (through appropriate courses) competence in languages which are relevant to their degree, interests and future plans.

The joint Dalhousie/King’s History of Science and Technology Combined Honours Program is based on the general requirement that the full credits needed to graduate include:

1. In the case of a Combined Honours BSc degree, a minimum of 66 and a maximum of 84 credit hours beyond the 1000 level in the two honours subjects, but not more than 54 and no fewer than 30 credit hours being in either of them. Students may elect to complete only 24 credit hours in HOST, but require prior program approval to do so.  The larger number of honours credit hours must be in the science subject.
   In the case of a Combined Honours BA degree, a minimum of 66 and a maximum of 84 credit hours beyond the 1000 level in the two honours subjects, with no more than 48 and no fewer than 30 credit hours in either.
2. Six (6) to twenty-four (24) elective credit hours, depending on the number selected in the honours subject.
3. 12 credit hours of "core" courses in history of science: HSTC 2001.03: Ancient and Medieval Science, HSTC 3001.03: Scientific Revolution, HSTC 4001.03: Modern Science, HSTC 4600: Methodologies in the History of Science and Technology (or their equivalent). (With special permission from the Program Director HSTC 3031.03 may be substituted for one of the core courses).
4. An honours qualifying examination (see Honours Programs). BSc students must acquire this additional grade in their science subject.  BA students may choose to acquire this additional grade in either honours subject with the approval of both units. In the History of Science and Technology Program, the honours thesis (HSTC 4650.03) fulfills the requirement of the honours qualifying examination.

Students will be eligible to take an "Independent Reading" course only when they reach their third or fourth year. The permission of a member of the teaching staff and the Director of the Program is necessary in order to take one of these courses, and their availability is strictly limited.