Humanities Skills Certificate

It’s no secret that you learn a lot of key skills when you study Humanities: critical thinking, research, communication, creativity, and problem-solving, to name just a few. But when you get beyond the classroom, how do you demonstrate that you have those skills? And how do you let people know how those skills apply to situations in everyday life – like a job, or a volunteer position? That’s where the Skills for Life certificate can help.

Skills Certificate Overview

The Skills for Life certificate, which you’ll take alongside your degree studies, focuses on foundational skills that are critical to your success – both academically and in your career. These are skills that employers regularly include among the skills they most value, like written and oral communication, digital literacy, collaboration, and problem solving.

Mandatory for all BA, Honours BA and combined Honours BA students in the Faculty of Humanities who are enrolled in Humanities I on or after September 2024, this 18-unit certificate is designed to help you demonstrate that you’ve developed important career-relevant skills during your undergraduate education. You’ll get the opportunity to practice those skills in real-life settings outside the classroom, and can also participate in extra-curricular activities, including networking and mentorship opportunities and career development assistance. You can also choose to do a part- or full-time internship. The possibilities are endless!

Course Breakdown

Level 1

9 units from:

HUMAN 1DL3: Digital Literacy for the Humanities – In this course, students will learn foundational digital skills and gain fluency in digital literacy to complement the skills developed in their disciplinary courses. Students will become familiar with key digital skills that will help them during and beyond their time at McMaster. Topics will include digital communication tools, digital collaboration, data management, and knowledge mobilization in the digital context.
HUMAN 1HL3: Humanities for Life: The Value of a Humanities Degree – In this course, students will learn how to critically reflect on the skills and capacities developed as part of a Humanities degree. Students will focus on critical thinking as a valuable skill that will serve them beyond their time at McMaster University in work and life. Topics may include social responsibility, social change, equity, diversity, and inclusion, citizenship, and the examined life.
HUMAN 1VV3: Voice and Vision: Words to Change the World – Writing is arguably the foundation of an education in the Humanities. We say this at a time when its practice is rapidly changing in relation to social media and the internet. Using freewriting, this course seeks to harness students’ verbal energy, while helping them to adapt it as a tool for success in all our Humanities programs.

Level 2-4

3 units from:

HUMAN 2CP3: Humanities Career Planning and Development – Utilize your education and skills toward career success. Learn how to analyze job postings and create effective applications. Identify strategies to ace interviews and create an online profile for networking and success in the workplace.

3 units from:

HUMAN 2AR1: Adaptability and Resiliency – In this course, students will learn about and develop the foundational skill of adaptability and resiliency that will enable them to lead richer and more balanced lives, while at university and as future working professionals.
HUMAN 2DU1: Diversity and Intercultural Understanding – In this course, students will learn about and develop the foundational skill of diversity and intercultural understanding that will enable them to lead richer and more balanced lives, while at university and as future working professionals.
HUMAN 2IC1: Social Innovation and Change – In this course, students will learn about and develop the foundational skill of social change and innovation that will enable them to lead richer and more balanced lives, while at university and as future working professionals.
HUMAN 2PS1: Problem Solving – In this course, students will learn about and develop the foundational skill of problem solving that will enable them to lead richer and more balanced lives, while at university and as future working professionals.
HUMAN 2TC1: Teamwork and Collaboration – In this course, students will learn about and develop the foundational skills of teamwork and collaboration that will enable them to lead richer and more balanced lives, while at university and as future working professionals.
HUMAN 3IF1 (Full time internship) or HUMAN 3IP1 (Part time internship)

3 units from:

HUMAN 2AR1: Adaptability and Resiliency
HUMAN 2DU1: Diversity and Intercultural Understanding
HUMAN 2IC1: Social Innovation and Change
HUMAN 2PS1: Problem Solving
HUMAN 2TC1: Teamwork and Collaboration
HUMAN 3IF1/3IP1: Full or part time internship
HUMAN 3CL3 – Community Leadership at McMaster
HUMAN 3CM3 – Leadership: Cross-Cultural Mentoring Lab
HUMAN 3LM3 – Foundations of Ethical Leadership
HUMAN 3W03 – Applied Humanities 1
HUMAN 4CM3 – Cross-cultural Mentoring and Coaching Practicum
HUMAN 4LC3 – Major Leadership Project: Theory and Practice
HUMAN 4RM3 – Boundaries and Bridges: Relationship Skills for Effective Leaders
HUMAN 4SI3 – Innovation for Social Impact
HUMAN 4W03 – Applied Humanities 2

Talk to an Advisor about the Skills for Life certificate

Are you a new student starting in Fall 2024? Contact an academic adviser to learn more about the Skills for Life Certificate.

Contact an Advisor

Start Your McMaster Journey Here

Are you thinking about coming to Mac for Humanities? Check out our Start Here website, where you can learn more about Humanities, and get in touch with our recruitment officer, Leanna Aref.

Learn more about McMaster