Admission categories, requirements, and procedures are outlined in detail in the Admissions section of this Calendar as well as the Faculty website.
Internal and External Transfer Credits
Any course taken at the University of Waterloo for which credit is granted, but the grade is not calculated in the cumulative averages, will be considered an Internal Transfer Credit. Students are encouraged to see their undergraduate advisor(s) for further guidance on what constitutes an internal transfer credit.
Any course taken at an accredited post-secondary institution, except Wilfrid Laurier University (see information below), will be considered for External Transfer Credit and, if approved, may be counted towards degree requirements. External transfer credits can be acquired through studies completed prior to admission to the University of Waterloo, through a University of Waterloo approved International Exchange agreement, or through courses taken on Letter of Permission (see information below).
For courses to be considered for external transfer credit a grade of 60% or better is required. The exception is Planning and Knowledge Integration, which require a grade of 65% or better.
External Transfer Students
Students applying for admission to the Faculty of Environment who have already completed courses at an accredited post-secondary institution, will automatically have their transcripts assessed for external transfer credit allowances. For maximum number of transfer credits allowed, see Transfer Credit Allowance below.
Letter of Permission
Students may request to take a course(s) at other universities for credit towards a Waterloo degree by Letter of Permission. A Letter of Permission is granted only to students who have successfully completed a minimum of four University of Waterloo courses and who are in satisfactory standing; that is, they have satisfied the minimum cumulative average requirements for their current plan.
A Letter of Permission must be approved by the student's advisor prior to enrolling at the host institution and it is subject to departmental regulations. More information about the Letter of Permission policy and procedures is provided on page two of the form.
Courses taken on a Letter of Permission must meet the requirements for External Transfer Credits as noted.
Internal Transfer Students
Students transferring to a Faculty of Environment plan from within the University, or former University of Waterloo students returning after an absence, will have their previous Waterloo courses assessed for Internal Transfer Credit. If it is determined to be in the student’s best interest, their prior University of Waterloo record will be cleared; that is, grades achieved in previous terms will not be included in the calculation of cumulative averages. All courses will remain on the student’s academic record. Cleared courses with a grade of 50% or better will contribute to the total credits required. For maximum number of internal transfer credits allowed, see Transfer Credit Allowance below.
Transfer Credit Allowance
The maximum number of transfer Credits (Internal and External) that are allowed to be counted towards a Bachelor of Environmental Studies or Bachelor of Knowledge Integration degree is:
- General Geography and Environmental Management: Any combination of Internal and External transfer credits that does not exceed fifteen courses (7.5 units).
- Environment and Business, Geography and Environmental Management Honours, International Development, and Knowledge Integration: Any combination of Internal and External transfer credits that does not exceed twenty courses (10.0 units).
- Environment and Resource Studies and Planning: Any combination of Internal and External transfer credits that does not exceed twenty courses (10.0 units) with a maximum of 5.0 units being granted at time of admission from an external accredited post-secondary institution.
Normally, external transfer credits cannot be used to satisfy Faculty of Environment Diploma requirements (Diploma in Environmental Assessment, Diploma in Ecological Restoration and Rehabilitation, and Diploma of Excellence in Geographic Information Systems).
Students are advised to refer to the departmental or Faculty sections in the Calendar, or contact their Academic Advisors for detailed regulations.
Wilfrid Laurier University Courses
Courses taken at Wilfrid Laurier University will appear on University of Waterloo records as graded courses and the grades attained will be included in overall and major cumulative averages.
Courses taken at Wilfrid Laurier University (maximum of ten courses or 5.0 units) will appear on University of Waterloo records as graded courses and will be included in overall and major cumulative averages. On the University's Schedule of Classes, a "W" following the course number, i.e., BUS 121W (see Laurier’s calendar), denotes a Wilfrid Laurier University course. Enrolment in these courses is achieved in the same manner as any Waterloo course, by using Quest. To enrol in a Wilfrid Laurier University course that does not appear on our Schedule of Classes, an Undergraduate Studies Cross-Registration form is used. More information about Cross-Registration policies and procedures is provided on the form.