FA Subjects in Pakistan: Full List and What You Can Study Next

FA subjects in Pakistan split into two parts: 4 compulsory subjects that every FA student takes, and 3 elective subjects you choose from your college's groups. FA stands for Faculty of Arts. It is a two-year intermediate program (Part 1 and Part 2) for students who want a humanities or general path instead of pure science. This guide lists every common FA subject, the standard elective groups, and exactly what you can study after FA.

What are the compulsory FA subjects?

Every FA student in Pakistan studies the same 4 compulsory subjects across both years. These do not change with your group.

• English
• Urdu
• Islamiyat (Islamic Studies)
• Pakistan Studies

You take English and Urdu in both Part 1 and Part 2. Islamiyat is usually in Part 1 and Pakistan Studies in Part 2 on most Punjab board schemes, but the exact split depends on your board. The compulsory subjects carry fewer marks than your three electives, so your group choice decides most of your result.

What are the elective FA subjects and groups?

On top of the compulsory subjects, you pick 3 elective subjects. Colleges bundle these into fixed groups, so in practice you choose a group, not three separate subjects. Common FA electives across Pakistani boards include:

• Economics
• Civics
• Education
• Psychology
• Statistics
• Geography
• History (and Islamic History)
• Fine Arts
• Computer Science (the FA IT track)
• Health and Physical Education
• Library Science
• Sociology
• Philosophy
• Persian, Arabic, Punjabi and other languages
• Journalism / Mass Communication (offered at some colleges)

Not every college offers every subject. Groups are built from what that college teaches, so check the prospectus before you apply. The list of FA subjects above is the pool. Your real choice is which group combines three of them.

FA IT (Faculty of Arts with Information Technology)

FA IT keeps the 4 compulsory subjects and adds Computer Science as one of your electives, usually paired with subjects like Economics and Civics or Education. It gives you basic IT and computer skills with a humanities base. It is lighter on math than ICS, so it suits students who want some computer exposure without heavy programming or physics.

FA General Science

FA General Science mixes general science subjects such as Mathematics, Statistics, Economics and Geography with the arts base. It is a middle path for students who want some quantitative subjects but not full FSc Pre-Engineering or Pre-Medical. The exact combination varies by board and college.

FA Humanities

FA Humanities is the classic arts route. Groups are built from subjects like Civics, Economics, History, Geography, Education, Psychology, Statistics and languages. This is the most flexible FA stream and the most common one for students heading toward law, teaching, civil service prep, or social sciences.

Common FA subject groups compared

Here are typical FA group combinations offered by Pakistani colleges. Each row shows three electives that sit on top of the four compulsory subjects. Use it to see which group matches your goal.

Group names and exact subjects differ between Punjab, Sindh, KPK and federal boards, so confirm the offered groups on your board's or college's official scheme of studies.

What can you study after FA?

FA leads mainly to arts, social science and professional bachelor's degrees. Your FA group does not lock you in tightly, but it helps to pick electives that match your degree. Common options after FA include:

• BA (Bachelor of Arts) in subjects like English, Economics, History, Political Science or Sociology
• LLB (law), a five-year program to become a lawyer
• B.Ed (education) to become a teacher
• BS Psychology
• BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) for design and art
• BS Mass Communication / Journalism
• BBA (business administration), open to FA students at many universities

If you want a clearer picture of how FA compares to FSc and ICS before you commit, read our guide on the FA, FSc and ICS full forms and career paths.

Does FA qualify you for MDCAT or ECAT?

No. FA does not qualify you for MDCAT or ECAT. MDCAT requires FSc Pre-Medical with Biology and Chemistry, and ECAT requires FSc Pre-Engineering with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. FA does not include these science subjects, so you cannot sit these entry tests on an FA background. To enter MBBS or engineering you would need to switch to the correct FSc stream.

If you are doing FSc Pre-Medical or Pre-Engineering instead and aiming at those tests, you can practice MDCAT and ECAT MCQs on Parhlai to track your weak areas before exam day.

How to choose your FA subjects

Pick your FA group based on the degree you want, not on which group looks easiest. A few simple rules:

1. Decide the degree first (law, teaching, business, fine arts) and work backward to the group that supports it.
2. If you want some computer skills, choose FA IT for Computer Science.
3. If you want quantitative subjects for business or economics, lean toward FA General Science or an Economics-Statistics group.
4. Confirm the group is actually offered at your college before admission, since not all groups run everywhere.
5. Remember FA closes the medical and engineering door, so only choose it if you are sure you do not want MDCAT or ECAT.

Cover image: "image" by Unknown via Unsplash, licensed under UNSPLASH LICENSE.