The Humanities First-Year Learning Community (FLC, pronounced "flick") is where you can discover research and writing norms in the humanities, think about different approaches to research and learn strategies to navigate University of Toronto Libraries. You will also build meaningful relationships with instructors, upper-year students and alumni from the humanities.
Apply to the Humanities FLC
- Application deadline: July 2, 2025 at 12 p.m. EDT
- All successful applicants will be informed of their acceptance into the FLC program and receive further details by July 15, 2025.
Eligibility
- First-year students in the Faculty of Arts & Science who have been admitted to the Humanities admission category on the St. George campus
- Students living off campus are encouraged to apply to the Humanities FLC
FLC Course Overview
By joining a FLC, you will have the opportunity to connect with a small group of students in regular FLC sessions and core first-year courses. Students in the Humanities FLC will meet at a welcome session during the second week of classes and then every week starting September 15, 2025.
In addition to your FLC sessions, you will select two of the following Humanities courses on your FLC application:
- HIS101Y1-Y: Histories of Violence
- ENG140Y1-Y: Literature for our Time
- PHL100Y1-Y: Introduction to Philosophy
- CLA170H1-F : Ancient Texts, Modern Worlds AND CLA160H1-S : Introduction to Classical Studies
If accepted, you will be automatically enrolled in the two courses (and any accompanying tutorials) you selected along with other students in your FLC who selected the same courses.
During course enrolment, you will have the option to choose additional courses to complete your first-year course schedule. The courses you are pre-enrolled in with your FLC are the core courses that your FLC peers will be enrolled in. However, if you have a conflict between these core courses and any new courses that you will be adding to your schedule, you have the option to change your course section. Visit the New Student Guide for more information about course selection and enrolment.
| Course Name | Course Code | Section | Day of Week | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humanities FLC | HUM099Y1-Y | Lecture 0101/0201 | Monday | 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. |
|
Choose two of the following: |
||||
| Histories of Violence | HIS101Y1-Y | Lecture 0101 | Tuesday, Thursday | 4-5 p.m. |
| Tutorial 0201/0202 or 0501/0601 |
0201/0202: Tuesday 0501/0601: Wednesday |
0201/0202: 12-1 p.m. 0501: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. 0601: 12-1 p.m. |
||
| Literature for our Time | ENG140Y1-Y | Lecture 0101 | Friday | 1-3 p.m. |
| Tutorial: 0201/0202/0203/0204 | Friday | 12-1 p.m. | ||
| Introduction to Philosophy | PHL100Y1-Y | Lecture 0101 | Tuesday, Thursday | 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. |
| Tutorial 0501/0601 or 0701/0702 |
0501/0601: Wednesday 0701/0702: Thursday |
0501: 9-10 a.m. 0601: 10-11 a.m. 0701/0702: 12-1 p.m. |
||
| Ancient Texts, Modern Worlds | CLA170H1-F | Lecture 0101 | Tuesday, Thursday | 1-3 p.m. |
| Course Name | Course Code | Section | Day of Week | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humanities FLC | HUM099Y1-Y | Lecture 0101/0201 | Monday | 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. |
| Choose two of the following: | ||||
| Histories of Violence | HIS101Y1-Y | Lecture 0101 | Tuesday, Thursday | 4-5 p.m. |
| Tutorial 0201/0202 or 0501/0601 |
0201/0202: Tuesday 0501/0601: Wednesday |
0201/0202: 12-1 p.m. 0501: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. 0601: 12-1 p.m. |
||
| Literature for our Time | ENG140Y1-Y | Lecture 0101 | Friday | 12-1 p.m. |
| Tutorial 0201/0202/0203/0204 | Friday | 12-1 p.m. | ||
| Introduction to Philosophy | PHL100Y1-Y | Lecture 0101 | Tuesday, Thursday | 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. |
| Tutorial 0501/0601 or 0701/0702 |
0501/0601: Wednesday 0701/0702: Thursday |
0501: 9-10 a.m. 0601: 10-11 a.m. 0701/0702: 12-1 p.m. |
||
| Introduction to Classical Studies | CLA160H1-S | Lecture 0101 | Monday, Wednesday | 1-3 p.m. |
| Tutorial 0201 or 0301 |
0201/0301: Friday |
0201: 10-11 a.m. 0301: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. |
||
Your FLC Faculty & Staff Team
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Title: Student Success Program Officer
About me: I'm currently the Student Success Programs Officer in the Office of the Faculty Registrars. I hold an Honours BA in Psychology with a specialization in Human Resources Management from the University of Waterloo, and a Master of Education from OISE at the University of Toronto, specializing in Higher Education: Student Development and Services in Post-Secondary Education. My professional experience includes roles in academic advising and learning strategy support, where I’ve focused on developing student success programs, fostering student development and helping learners thrive throughout their academic journeys. Outside of work, I enjoy reading with a good cup of coffee (Found Coffee is a go-to!) and spending time outdoors, especially exploring local hiking trails in the summer.
Why FLCs? I’m passionate about supporting students during one of the most critical and transformative phases of their academic journey — the transition into university life. With my background in academic advising, I’ve seen firsthand how early guidance and community support can make a significant difference in students’ confidence, engagement and overall success. I’m excited by the opportunity to help students build connections and feel a sense of belonging in their new environment.
Top tip for incoming students: Make space for setbacks, obstacles and failures — these are all part of the journey. They’re what will lead you to discovering who you are, and who you’re becoming as you journey through your time in university.
Preferred Name: Brianna
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Program(s): Women and Gender Studies and History major, Indigenous Studies minor
Year: Second
College: University College
Hometown: Ajax, Ontario
Why peer mentorship? I want to connect with and help younger students out! As someone who did this program already, I found it to be very helpful in my transition to university and I want to create that same experience for everyone else.
What are you looking forward to this academic year? I am looking forward to taking classes about things I am interested in! I say this every year though… I am also looking forward to all the events at U of T!!
What advice would you give to first-year students? It is so important to manage your time! Try and plan ahead with assignments and start them as soon as possible!
Preferred Name: Kaitlyn
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Program(s): Philosophy and Religion majors, Political Science minor
Year: Third
College: Trinity College
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
What activities have you been involved in on campus? Humanities for Humanity, Trinity Times, Religion Undergraduate Student Association (RUSA)
Why peer mentorship? In my first year, I joined a FLC and had a wonderful experience! I learned about so many different resources and opportunities, and got the chance to meet others in the Humanities! In my second and third year I got the chance to work as Peer Mentor, allowing me to meet so many amazing students and share all that I've learned in university. Overall, I've had such an amazing experience in peer mentorship with FLC, and I hope to provide more first years with great experiences as well :)
What are you looking forward to this academic year? Meeting and getting to know my group of FLCees is definitely something I am looking forward to! I am excited to share various different opportunities, resources and experiences, and just have a fun time together as a FLC.
What advice would you give to first-year students? Take advantage of different resources and experiences that interest you! U of T has so many different clubs, extracurriculars and resources for students, you are bound to find something that interests or works well for you :)
Preferred Name: Krity
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Program(s): Criminology & Sociolegal Studies and Philosophy majors
Year: Fourth
College: Victoria College
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
What activities have you been involved in on campus? Victoria Off-Campus Association (Events Director), Caffiends (Volunteer Barista), Victoria College (Commuter Don), Victoria College (Senior Commuter Don)
Why peer mentorship? After being a FLCee myself and leading my own FLC last year, I would love nothing more than to be a peer mentor again! I really enjoyed being a peer mentor because supporting first-year students with their transition to university, fostering a friendly community and watching my FLCees grow was a rewarding experience. The FLC program is a wonderful program to join and I am super grateful that I have the opportunity to be a part of this program!
What are you looking forward to this academic year? As a fourth year student, I am looking forward to learning about new things I haven't learned before within my programs. This past year, I had the pleasure of learning about Indigenous law, issues in the Canadian Immigration System and Sanskrit philosophy through my courses, and I gained so much knowledge and insight about these topics. U of T has so many interesting courses and I cannot wait to learn and discover new topics in my programs during my last year!
What advice would you give to first-year students? Do not be afraid to ask questions! No question is a bad question. It is better to ask and gain clarification than to be left with confusion. By asking questions, you can feel more confident about the course content and also have a good reason to talk to professors after class or during office hours.
Preferred Name: Serena
Pronouns: they/them/theirs
Program(s): Philosophy and Mathematics major
Year: Second
College: Innis College
Hometown: Richmond Hill, Ontario
What activities have you been involved in on campus? DEMO Magazine writer and designer, CIUT 89.5 volunteer, Legal Equity for Women social media coordinator.
Why peer mentorship? I learned a lot in my first year and I would love to share all my advice with incoming first years. Especially for programs of study and course selection, the process can be quite confusing; I wish I had an upper-year student to help me out when I was doing it, so I'd love to be that for someone else.
What are you looking forward to this academic year? I am looking forward to my courses: more specialized philosophy courses that align with my interests, multivariable calculus and an elective Mandarin course to improve my Chinese language skills.
What advice would you give to first-year students? Don't be afraid to reach out to people and make connections! It's super important to talk to those around you in lecture or tutorial and form friendships, they can really make your time at school so much fun. Reach out to professors and TAs as well, building a relationship with them can be really beneficial and insightful.