Arts Degree Requirements

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree is awarded by the University of Waterloo upon successful completion of all program-level (your BA degree) and plan-level (your major) requirements. These include:

Program-Level (BA) Requirements

• Common to All Bachelor of Arts Degrees
  • 60-70% overall cumulative average, see Academic Standing Definition,
  • the Faculty of Arts Bachelor of Arts Breadth Requirements,
  • the Faculty of Arts Residency Requirement,
  • the English Language Proficiency Requirement,
  • the 0.25 credit course maxima, see Unit Weights.
    • Note: Most courses have a 0.5 unit weight. 
• Specific to the Particular Bachelor of Arts Degree
  • Three-Year General Academic Program
    a) 15 academic course units (30 courses),
    b) minimum academic course units above the 100-level: 8.0.
  • Four-Year General Academic Program
    a) 20 academic course units (40 courses),
    b) minimum academic course units above the 100-level:
    • Liberal Studies: 12.5
    • all major plans: 8.0.
  • Honours Academic Program (Regular)
    a) 20 academic course units (40 courses),
    b) minimum academic course units above the 100-level: 8.0.
  • Joint Honours Academic Program (Regular)
    a) 20 or 21 academic course units (40 or 42 courses) as specified by the major disciplines,
    b) minimum academic course units above the 100-level: 8.0.
  • Honours Academic Program (Departmental Co-op)
    a) 20 academic course units (40 courses),
    b) minimum academic course units above the 100-level: 8.0,
    c) minimum work-term units: 2.0,
    d) minimum Professional Development (PD) units: 2.0.
  • Joint Honours Academic Program (Departmental Co-op)
    a) 20 or 21 academic course units (40 or 42 courses) as specified by the major disciplines,
    b) minimum academic course units above the 100-level: 8.0,
    c) minimum work-term units: 2.0,
    d) minimum Professional Development (PD) units: 2.0.
  • Honours Arts and Business (Regular) 
    a) 20 academic course units (40 courses),
    b) minimum academic course units above the 100-level: 8.0,
    c) specific Arts and Business requirements.
  • Honours Arts and Business (Co-op)
    a) 20 academic course units (40 courses),
    b) minimum academic course units above the 100-level: 8.0,
    c) minimum work-term units: 2.0,
    d) minimum Professional Development (PD) units: 2.0,
    e) specific Arts and Business requirements.
  • Joint Honours Arts and Business (Regular)
    a) 20 or 21 academic course units (40 or 42 courses) as specified by the major disciplines,
    b) minimum academic course units above the 100-level: 8.0,
    c) specific Arts and Business requirements.
  • Joint Honours Arts and Business (Co-op)
    a) 20 or 21 academic course units (40 or 42 courses) as specified by the major disciplines,
    b) minimum academic course units above the 100-level: 8.0,
    c) minimum work-term units: 2.0,
    d) minimum Professional Development (PD) units: 2.0,
    e) specific Arts and Business requirements.

Plan-Level (Major) Requirements

• specific academic plan average and course requirements (see individual Academic Plan sections of the Faculty of Arts section of this calendar).