FHIS courses that fulfill “Ways of Knowing” breadth requirements

Students who begin a Bachelor of Arts program in September 2024 or later must take a set of breadth credits from multiple “Ways of Knowing” categories.

Courses from the Department of French, Hispanic and Italian Studies (FHIS) are categorized as follows:

  • Language as Meaning: FREN, SPAN, ITAL, PORT, CTLN
  • Humanities and Creative Arts: RMST
  • Place and Power: RMST 326

Since your major will automatically fulfill one of these categories (e.g. French/Spanish majors automatically fulfill the “Language as Meaning” category; Romance Studies major automatically fulfills the “Humanities and Creative Arts” category), you are required to take 21 credits from additional categories, to be distributed accordingly:

  • 9 credits (in one course code) from a 2nd breadth area
  • 6 credits (in one course code) from a 3rd breadth area
  • 3 credits (in one course code) from a 4th breadth area
  • 3 credits for Place and Power (which may also fall in one of the above or your major)

FHIS courses offered in the 2025-2026 Winter Session

Below is a list of courses that fulfill these breadth requirements, along with suggested course bundles.

We recommend using the ‘Ways of Knowing’ Course Planning Tool with this list to help you plan.

Humanities and Creative Arts

All RMST courses are taught in English and have no prerequisites (except for 400-level courses, which require students to have at least second-year standing).

Introduction to the Romance World: RMST 201 or RMST 202 

Italian Culture: RMST 140 or RMST 340 

Italian Cinema: RMST 250 or RMST 347 or RMST 355 

History of the Romance Languages: RMST 300 

Hispanic Cultures: RMST 280 

Special Topics: 

Comparative Romance Studies: RMST 201 + RMST 202 

Romance World Prose Fiction and Theatre/Poetry: RMST 301 + RMST 302  

Romance Languages and sociolinguistics: RMST 300 + RMST 306 

French and Francophone Literature: RMST 321 + RMST 324 

Hispanic Literatures and Cultures: RMST 372 + RMST 374 

RMST 400-level courses are only open to students with at least second-year standing. If you need special approval, please contact fhis.undergrad@ubc.ca 

Comparative Romance Studies (Required for Minor, Major and Honours): RMST 300 + RMST 301 + RMST 302 

Italian Cultural Studies: RMST 140 + RMST 340 + RMST 345 

Medieval and Early Modern Studies: RMST 321 + RMST 341 + RMST 455 

Italian Film Studies: RMST 250 + RMST 347 + RMST 355 

Or mix and match based on your interest!  

Language as Meaning

French

To ensure that students are placed in the appropriate level of French courses given their previous experience with the language, students who wish to take FREN courses are required to complete the placement procedure.  

If you are new to French:
Start from FREN 101

If you completed French 10 in high school:
Start from FREN 103 (This is a 3-credit intensive course that combines FREN 101 and FREN 102)

If you completed French 11 in high school:
Start from FREN 201

If you completed French 12 in high school:
Start from FREN 301 

If you completed French Immersion:

If you are a near-native speaker:

If you are new to French:
FREN 101 + FREN 102

If you completed French 11 in high school:
FREN 201 + FREN 202
 

If you completed French 12 in high school:
FREN 301 + FREN 302 
 

If you completed French Immersion:
FREN 401 + FREN 402
 

If you are near-native speaker of French: 

Language and Linguistics:

  • Translation: FREN 402 + FREN 353 + FREN 357
    You may need prerequisites to start with FREN 402 and FREN 353.
  • Introduction to French Linguistics: FREN 401 + FREN 352 + FREN 370
    You may need prerequisites to start with FREN 401 and FREN 352. 

Spanish

To determine which course level to begin with based on your previous experience with the language, use the Placement Questionnaire Tool.

If you are new to Spanish: SPAN 101 

If you completed only Spanish 11:

  • To advance to a higher level: SPAN 201 

If you completed Spanish 12:

  • To refresh and expand Beginner’s Spanish: SPAN 103
  • To refresh and expand Elementary Spanish: SPAN 203
  • To advance to a higher level: SPAN 301
  • To learn how to use Spanish in a professional setting: SPAN 308 

If you are a near-native speaker in Spanish:

  • Introduction to Hispanic Literature: SPAN 221
  • Tradition and Diversity in Spanish History and Culture: SPAN 321 
  • Further application of Spanish into the real world: SPAN 402

If you are new to Spanish: SPAN 101 + SPAN 102  

If you completed only Spanish 11 in high school:  

If you completed Spanish 12 in high school:  

If you are a near-native speaker in Spanish: 

If you are new to Spanish: SPAN 101 + SPAN 102 + SPAN 201 

If you completed only Spanish 11 in high school: SPAN 201 + SPAN 202 + SPAN 301 

If you completed Spanish 12 in high school: 

If you are a near-native speaker in Spanish: 

Italian

To determine which course level to begin with based on your previous experience with the language, use the Placement Questionnaire Tool.

If you are new to Italian: ITAL 101

If you have previous experience in Italian:
Please contact the Student Programs Coordinator (fhis.undergrad@ubc.ca) or the Italian Language Director, Luisa Canuto (luisa.canuto@ubc.ca).

If you are new to Italian:  

If you are fairly new to Italian, but you are another Romance language speaker: 

If you completed only Italian 11 or Italian 12 in high school:  

If you are a near-native speaker in Italian or have spent a few school years in Italy: 

If you are new to Italian:  

If you completed only Italian 11 or Italian 12 in high school:  

If you are a near-native speaker in Italian or have spent a few of your school years in Italy: 

The Italian Studies courses that focus on literature and culture rather than language are available under Romance Studies (RMST). Please see our RMST information and contact fhis.undergrad@ubc.ca if you have any questions. 

Portuguese


Additional resources

The “Ways of Knowing” breadth requirements are only applicable to new students beginning their degree in September 2024. Continuing students are not affected by this change and will keep navigating their degrees according to their original breadth requirements.

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