All Bachelor of Arts (BA) academic plans should be drawn up in consultation with the appropriate academic advisor.
General
The University of Waterloo offers a General Bachelor of Arts degree upon successful completion of either a Three-Year General or Four-Year General academic plan.
The University of Waterloo offers an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in either the regular or co-operative system of study.
Note: See the Arts and Business Co-op and Regular section and the appropriate Arts discipline sections for details.
Joint Honours
In addition to existing explicit Joint Honours plans, many Honours plans may be combined within and between Faculties. However, before embarking on a Joint Honours plan, students are required to consult with the undergraduate advisors of both programs. Students must meet the requirements of both plans as stated in the calendar and should be aware that combining some Honours plans may require more than the normal number of academic terms to complete.
Some Joint Honours plans require the student to complete 21 (rather than 20) academic course units. In cases where a Joint Honours plan requiring 21 units is combined with one requiring 20 units, the student is required to complete 21 units.
Joint Honours BA (within the Faculty of Arts)
Joint Honours academic plans are available in most disciplines within the Faculty of Arts which offer an Honours plan. Any two Joint Honours plans may be combined for a Joint Honours degree, with the exception of the following Honours plans: Legal Studies/Sociology, Criminology Specialization; Mathematical Economics (BA); Medieval Studies; and Sociology/Legal Studies, Criminology Specialization. The undergraduate advisors of both disciplines should be consulted for any Joint Honours plan. Descriptions of the single Honours plans and each discipline's requirements for Joint Honours plans can be found in the sections under the specific plans.
Co-op students (either Arts and Business, or departmental co-op) who are interested in declaring Joint Honours major academic plans must understand that the co-operative dimension adds considerably to the complexities of Joint Honours. A Joint Honours plan undertaken in the co-operative mode may require more than the normal number of academic terms to complete.
Notes:
- Enrolment by a co-op student in a Joint Honours academic plan does not provide grounds for changes to the academic/work term sequence.
- In the case of a Joint Honours academic plan combining a discipline which offers departmental co-op with one which does not offer departmental co-op, the departmental co-op major is always listed first.
Joint Honours (Arts discipline with Honours discipline in another Faculty)
- Arts/Applied Health Sciences or Environment
- Arts students who wish to pursue Joint Honours with a discipline in one of Applied Health Sciences or Environment should consult the appropriate Faculty's section of this calendar. Also refer to the Arts Academic Plans section of the calendar for the Joint Honours requirements of the particular Arts discipline.
- Students enrolled in the Faculties of Applied Health Sciences or Environment who are contemplating Joint Honours with a discipline in Arts, should refer to the Arts discipline pages for information on the Joint Honours requirements of the particular discipline and the appropriate Faculty's section of this calendar.
- Arts/Science
Note: Enrolment in Joint Honours Science and Arts or Joint Honours Arts and Science initially requires approval by the Associate Dean of Science (Undergraduate Studies), and the Undergraduate Officer of the individual Joint Honours disciplines in Arts. The overall averages of the Faculties and of the individual disciplines must be met at the time of declaration of Joint Honours and must be maintained.
- Arts/Mathematics
- Arts/Engineering
- Arts students may not pursue a Joint Honours with the Faculty of Engineering.
- Students enrolled in the Faculty of Engineering should refer to the Engineering section of this calendar for possible Joint Honours combinations with Arts.
Note: It may take more than eight terms to complete a Joint Honours degree particularly if the student is enrolled in majors from two faculties and/or the co-operative system of study.
Minors
A minor in Arts requires the successful completion of four academic course units (eight courses) in the minor discipline. Students should consult with the appropriate undergraduate advisors for details of more specific requirements.
A minor in Arts may be pursued by students enrolled in degree plans. Students enrolled in degree plans in other faculties should consult with their Home Faculty regarding their eligibility before pursuing a minor in Arts.
Minors offered by other faculties may be pursued by Arts students enrolled in Honours or Four-Year General BA major plans. Students should consult with the appropriate Faculty for their regulations.
Minors are also available in Applied Language Studies, Catholic Studies, Church Music and Worship, Cognitive Science, East Asian Studies, Environment and Economics, Greek, Human Resources Management, Human Sciences, International Studies, Italian Studies, Jewish Studies, Latin, Management Studies, Mennonite Studies, and Studies in Islam, although there are no majors in those disciplines.
Diplomas and Certificates
Diplomas and Certificates are offered by certain Arts disciplines. See Arts Academic Plans for further information.