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.
- See Residency Requirement for further details.
This total includes all and any credit given at the point of admission (or readmission) 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.
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 academic record at the point of admission. 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 will be treated as transfer credit, up to the appropriate maximum, in which case the grades attained in these courses will not be used in the student's averages and will not be applied towards the Residency Requirement; or
- all pertinent attempted courses (passed and failed) will be applied directly to a BA, and are therefore not considered transfer credit, in which case the grades attained in these courses will be used in the student's averages and will be applied towards the Residency Requirement.
This will be determined at the discretion of the Admissions Committee. Students should consult with an Arts academic advisor.
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 other Accredited Post-Secondary Institutions
Transfer credits may be considered on a case by case basis. See Applicants from College or University for further details.
Admission from Advanced Placement, British System, Caribbean System, or International Baccalaureate
See Education Systems for further details.
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 to a Second Degree
See Second BA Degrees for further details.
Re-admission to an Arts Program after a Failed Academic Standing in Arts
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.
Notes:
- 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.
- The Faculty of Arts does not allow "Challenge for Credit."
- The University reserves the right to grant or withhold transfer credit as appropriate.