All Bachelor of Arts (BA) academic plans (e.g., majors, minors) should be declared in consultation with the appropriate academic advisor(s); see Invalid Credential Combinations.
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.
Honours (Including Arts and Business)
The University of Waterloo offers an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in either the regular or co-operative system of study. See the Arts Academic Plans section for plan-specific details.
Double Majors
Many honours plans may be combined within and between faculties. However, before choosing to pursue two majors, students are required to consult with the academic advisors of both majors. Students must meet all the requirements of both majors as stated in this Calendar and should be aware that combining some honours majors may require more than the normal number of academic terms to complete. When an Arts major is combined with a major in another faculty, it is referred to as joint honours (see below for further details).
Double Majors (Within the Faculty of Arts)
Any two honours majors may be combined for a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree, with the exception of French Teaching Specialization, Liberal Studies, and Mathematical Economics (BA).
Co-op students (either Honours Arts or Honours Arts and Business) who are interested in declaring a double major must understand that the co-operative dimension adds considerably to the complexities of doing so and may require more than the normal number of academic terms to complete.
Note
Enrolment by a co-op student in a double major does not provide grounds for changes to the study/work sequence.
Joint Honours (Honours Arts Major with Honours Major in Another Faculty)
When an Arts major is combined with a major in another faculty, it is referred to as joint honours. Honours Liberal Studies functions as a major for the purpose of joint honours.
- Faculty of Environment or Faculty of Health
- Arts students who wish to pursue joint honours with a major in the Faculty of Environment or the Faculty of Health should consult the major requirements listed in the appropriate Faculty's section of this Calendar to confirm that the major in question is available as a Joint Honours plan. Also refer to the Arts Academic Plans section of this Calendar for the honours requirements of the particular Arts major.
- Students enrolled in the faculties of Environment or Health may declare joint honours with an honours major in Arts (exceptions may apply). Refer to the Arts Academic Plans section for the honours requirements of the particular Arts major.
- Faculty of Engineering
- Arts students may not pursue a joint honours with the Faculty of Engineering.
- Students enrolled in the Faculty of Engineering may declare joint honours with an honours major offered by the Faculty of Arts (exceptions may apply). Refer to the Arts Academic Plans section for the honours requirements of the particular Arts major and to Joint Honours Plans in Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering section of this Calendar.
- Faculty of Mathematics
- Arts students who wish to pursue a joint honours major with Mathematics should refer to Joint Honours Academic Plans with Mathematics in the Faculty of Mathematics section of this Calendar. Also refer to the Arts Academic Plans section of this Calendar for the honours requirements of the particular Arts major.
- Honours Mathematics students may declare joint honours with an honours major offered by the Faculty of Arts (exceptions may apply). Honours Mathematics students pursuing joint honours with an Arts major must complete the Arts plan-level (major) requirements, but do not need to complete Arts program-level (BA) requirements. Refer to the Arts Academic Plans section for the honours requirements of the particular Arts major and to Bachelor of Computer Science and Bachelor of Mathematics Academic Plan Combinations in the Faculty of Mathematics section of this Calendar.
- Faculty of Science
International Joint Education Programs
The Faculty of Arts has negotiated agreements with several key universities in China to implement joint education programs at the undergraduate level. These programs operate under a 2+2 model where students spend their first two years at the Chinese university and the final two years at the University of Waterloo. Degrees are awarded by both the University of Waterloo and the Chinese university. Current 2+2 programs in Arts include Economics, History, and Mathematical Economics. The 2+2 program is currently available only to international students at the partner Chinese universities.
The University of Waterloo has negotiated an agreement with the University of Essex to implement a joint academic undergraduate program. Students who complete their first three years in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Waterloo and who meet other specific admission criteria are eligible to apply to the Faculty of Humanities Essex Law School; if admitted, and upon successful completion of the Essex LLB Law with Human Rights, students would receive a Bachelor of Arts Degree (Honours) from the University of Waterloo and an LLB Law with human rights law from the University of Essex.
Minors
A minor in an area of study within the Faculty of Arts requires the successful completion of four academic course units (eight courses) in the minor discipline. Students should consult with the appropriate academic advisors for details of more specific requirements.
Faculty of Arts minors 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 the Faculty of Arts.
See Arts Academic Plans for further information.
Minors offered by other faculties may be pursued by Arts students. Students should consult with the appropriate faculty for their regulations.
Diplomas, Certificates, and Specializations
Diplomas, certificates, and specializations are offered by certain Arts disciplines. See Arts Academic Plans for further information.