Sexuality, Marriage and Family Studies degree

Sexuality, Marriage and Family Studies staff speak to prospective students

Get ready to talk relationships

Go beyond basic anatomical knowledge and sexual health! Use different perspectives to explore relationships; communication; parenting; how media affects our understanding of gender, sex, and relationships; the impact of culture on sexual values; and more, all from a social justice perspective.

Meanwhile, the program itself has a real family vibe. You’ll enjoy small classes and a tight-knit community at St. Jerome’s University, one of Waterloo's on-campus University Colleges.

With your Waterloo degree, you can choose from a slew of high-impact career paths, including teaching, counselling, social services, community engagement, and more. And you can always explore them early through the co-op stream.

What courses will you take in Sexuality, Marriage and Family Studies?

First-year courses

As an Arts student, you’ll choose your major at the end of first year. You’re encouraged to explore a second major in first year to discover potential new interests.

You will also take an Arts First course in either the fall or winter term of your first year. In this course, instead of going to a lecture hall, you and your classmates will work together to respond to an intriguing challenge. With only 25 students in this course, you might address topics such as The Science of Happiness, Are We Erasing History?, Games and Culture, and Writing About Poems and Songs.

You can choose to study Sexuality, Marriage and Family Studies through Honours Arts or Honours Arts and Business.

Honours Arts

September to December

  • SMF 101 – Introduction to Relationships and Families
  • Arts First requirement or elective
  • Prospective major #2
  • Two electives

January to April

  • SMF 204 – Introduction to Human Sexuality
  • Arts First requirement or elective
  • Prospective major #2
  • Two electives

This is a sample schedule. Courses or when a course is offered may change depending on availability.

Honours Arts and Business

September to December

  • ARBUS 101 – Introduction to Business in North America
  • ECON 101 – Introduction to Microeconomics
  • Arts First Requirement or elective
  • SMF 101 – Introduction to Relationships and Families
  • Prospective major #2

January to April

  • ARBUS 102 – Accounting Information for Managers
  • ARBUS 202 – Professional and Business Ethics
  • Arts First Requirement or elective
  • SMF 204 – Introduction to Human Sexuality
  • Prospective major #2

This is a sample schedule. Courses or when a course is offered may change depending on availability.

After first year

40% of the classes you’ll take will be Sexuality, Marriage and Family Studies courses. With your remaining classes, you can choose electives from many of the 100 subject areas at Waterloo.

Sample upper-year courses

SMF 207 – Parents, Children, and Family Relations
SMF 211 – Dynamics of Dating
SMF 215 – Sexuality and Popular Culture
SMF 310 – Sexual and Relational Ethics

Customize your degree

You can add additional areas of expertise by including one or more of the minors available to all Waterloo students.

Popular choices for Sexuality, Marriage and Family Studies students include Communication Studies, Counselling, and Human Services Practicum.

Faculty:
Faculty of Arts

Degree:
Bachelor of Arts in Sexuality, Marriage and Family Studies

Available as a co-op program?
Yes

Available as a regular program?
Yes

Available as a minor?
Yes

Build an awesome résumé. Looking for hands-on experience? We offer an eight-month practicum in fourth year and intensive research options. You can also gain 20 months of related paid co-op work experience through Waterloo’s Honours Arts and Business or Honours Arts programs.

15 electives = lots of choice. Our flexible curriculum includes 15 electives, freeing you up to add interests in other subjects (and opening the door to a double major, minor, or specialization). If you’re interested in counselling or social work, check out our counselling specialization.

Co-op = relevant paid work experience

By alternating school terms and paid co-op work terms throughout your degree, you can explore new career areas and types of employers as your career interests evolve.

Sample co-op job titles

  • Experiential learning marketing assistant
  • Recruitment assistant
  • Marketing coordinator
  • Guest services attendant

Co-op work-study sequence

Starting in second year, you'll normally alternate between school and work every four months, integrating your classroom learning with real-world experience. You can return to the same employer for a couple of work terms to gain greater knowledge and responsibility or work for different employers to get a broad range of experience.

If you choose to study Sexuality, Marriage and Family Studies through Honours Arts and Business, your first work term will be halfway through second year (January - April 2027).

Year September to December (Fall) January to April (Winter) May to August (Spring)
First Study Study Off
Second Study Co-op Study
Third Co-op Study Co-op
Fourth Study Co-op Co-op
Fifth Study Study -

or after second year (May to August 2027) if you choose to study Sexuality, Marriage and Family Studies through Honours Arts.

Year September to December (Fall) January to April (Winter) May to August (Spring)
First Study Study Off
Second Study Study Co-op
Third Study Co-op Study
Fourth Co-op Study Co-op
Fifth Co-op Study -

Learn more about co-op →

What can you do with a Sexuality, Marriage and Family Studies degree?

Graduates commonly pursue careers in teaching, youth support work, and sexual health education in schools, government, non-profit organizations, and more.

Recent graduates

  • Youth Support Worker — Argus Residence for Young People
  • Registered Nurse, Mental Health — Grand River Hospital
  • Client Support Coordinator — Planned Parenthood Waterloo Region
  • Case Worker — Christian Horizons
  • Human Resource Generalist — Magnet Forensics
  • Counsellor — University of Waterloo
  • Early Childhood Educator — Waterloo Catholic District School Board

A graduate's life-defining moment

Can you point to an experience that defined your career path? For Rahim Thawer, it was an elective course — SMF 208, a Sexuality, Marriage and Family course that dives into therapies and systemic oppression. For Rahim, this was a defining moment in his education, and set him on a career path in social work.

Listen to the podcast →

Tuition fees for programs in the Faculty of Arts

First-year tuition

Type of fees Tuition (8 months of school)
Domestic (Ontario residents) $9,000
Domestic (Out of province students) $9,000
International (visa students) $57,000
 
  • Estimated amounts listed include incidental fees. Fees based on 2024-25 tuition rates.
  • Visit our financing page to learn about scholarships, estimate your total expenses, and see how co-op can help pay for your education.

Admissions

Apply to Honours Arts or Honours Arts and Business and choose Sexuality, Marriage and Family Studies as your major at the end of first year.

Ontario students: six Grade 12 U and/or M courses including

  • Any Grade 12 U English (minimum final grade of at least 70%)

Admission average: Low 80s (co-op and regular)

Not studying in Ontario? Search our admission requirements for Honours Arts or Honours Arts and Business.

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