About the Faculty of Arts

The maximum number of transfer credits which can be granted by the Faculty of Arts is:

• 10.0 academic course units for a four-year degree;
• 7.5 academic course units for a three-year degree.

This total includes all and any credit given at the point of admission and any units completed by Letter of Permission, cross-registration or by registration in Wilfrid Laurier University courses appearing on the University of Waterloo Schedule of Classes. University of Waterloo disciplines that offer courses and/or majors jointly with Wilfrid Laurier University may be exempt from the transfer credit maxima.

• International Exchange Programs
  Courses offered through a department- and Faculty-approved international exchange program (e.g., Paris [French Studies], Waterloo in Germany [Germanic and Slavic Studies]) are treated as UW courses and are not subject to transfer credit maxima, except that:
  • such courses will normally receive a CR/NCR grade (as opposed to a numerical or alpha grade);
  • students who have already reached the transfer credit maximum will only be allowed to receive credit for an additional five academic course units (to be treated as UW academic course units) taken through such a departmental international exchange.

  Courses taken through international exchange programs other than programs which have been approved at the departmental and Faculty levels are treated as transfer credits, not as UW courses. Students should consult with their academic advisors for further information on international exchanges and transfer credits.

• Admission from Another University
  Upon admission to the University of Waterloo's Arts Faculty, a student from another university may be granted transfer credits for external university courses related to a Waterloo Arts degree in which a grade of 60% or better was obtained. Transferred courses will count toward the University of Waterloo degree; however, marks obtained in these courses will not be included in the calculation of the student's University of Waterloo averages.
  
  
• Admission from Another UW Faculty
  Transfer credit for students admitted to Arts from other faculties within the University of Waterloo will be assessed by the Admissions Committee in accordance with the student's previous academic record. Either:
  • all Arts Faculty courses with a grade of 50% or higher and all pertinent courses taken from other faculties with a grade of 60% or higher may be transferred, up to the appropriate maximum, in which case these courses will not be counted in the student's averages; or
  • all pertinent attempted courses (passed and failed) may be transferred, in which case all courses will be counted in the student's averages.
  
  
• Admission to a Second Degree
  Refer to the "BA Academic Plans" section of the Calendar.

Notes

1. C.A.A.T. and Bible College credits cannot be added to a student's record once he or she has accumulated a total of ten academic course units, from any or all sources, that may be counted towards a UW Arts degree.
2. The Faculty of Arts does not allow "Challenge for Credit."
3. The University reserves the right to grant or withhold transfer credit as appropriate.

Letter of Permission and WLU Cross-registration

Once admitted to a degree academic plan in the Faculty of Arts, students wishing to take a course at another university for credit toward a UW degree must obtain a Letter of Permission. A Letter of Permission/WLU Cross-registration is granted only to degree students:

• who have successfully completed a minimum of four University of Waterloo courses, and
• whose standing is at least satisfactory; that is, they have satisfied the minimum cumulative average requirements for their current academic plan.

A maximum total of ten academic course units (for a four-year degree) or 7.5 academic course units (for a three-year degree) may be taken on a Letter of Permission, or by cross-registration with Wilfrid Laurier University or by enrolling in a Wilfrid Laurier University course which appears on the University of Waterloo Schedule of Classes (see Transfer Credit policy above).

A Letter of Permission must be approved by the student's advisor prior to enrolling at the host institution and is subject to faculty and departmental regulations.

Upon completion of courses taken on a Letter of Permission, the student must arrange to have an official transcript from the host university sent to the University of Waterloo. Upon receipt, the transcript will be evaluated by the University of Waterloo for transfer credit to be awarded:

• Courses taken on a Letter of Permission at other institutions will appear on UW records as transfer credits (mark of CR) if a minimum grade of 60% or equivalent is attained.
• Grades of courses taken at WLU via cross-registration will appear on the UW record but normally will not be included in the UW average.
• Courses taken at WLU, regardless of the method of registration, require a minimum grade of 60% in order for credit to be given.

The Letter of Permission Form may be printed from the Registrar's Office website. More information about the Letter of Permission Policy and Procedures is given on page two of the form.

Notes

1. Courses taken on a Letter of Permission from universities which offer self-paced courses must correspond with the start and end dates of UW terms.
2. Letters of Permission are not granted for courses to be taken at post-secondary institutions other than universities.
3. UW students may not take courses at other universities on a "Challenge for Credit" basis.
4. Post-degree students enrolled at the University of Waterloo normally do not require a Letter of Permission to take courses at other universities. Letters of Permission are granted only for students enrolled in undergraduate degree academic plans for whom a statement concerning "academic standing" could be made.