Faculty transfer to Arts

If you are enrolled in a University of Waterloo faculty but want to transfer to the Faculty of Arts, this page is for you. If you are an Arts student wanting to change your major or academic plan, please speak to your current academic advisor about a plan modification. If you are an Arts student interested in transferring to another faculty, refer to the Registrar's Office Transferring Faculties page.

Whatever your reasons are for wanting to transfer to Arts, there are minimum requirements and things to consider before transferring. Many times a non-degree or a qualifying term is required with permission from your current faculty.

First Steps:

  • Consult with your current academic advisor to discuss options available in your faculty.
  • Consult with a career advisor at the Centre for Career Action to discuss future career planning and to make sure Arts is right for you.
  • Consult with the Faculty Transfer advisors in the Faculty of Arts, Andrea West or Jennifer Book before filling out or submitting any forms.  
  • For more information book an appointment with the Faculty Transfer Advisor in the Arts Undergraduate Office if you are interested in Honours ARBUS or Honours Arts: PAS 2439, 519-888-4567 ext. 45870.
  • Math Double Degree students registered at WLU generally need to apply through OUAC again in order to be considered for admission to UWaterloo Arts. If you are a WLU DD Math student in Good or Excellent standing at or above the 2A level wishing to transfer to the Faculty of Arts at UWaterloo, contact Andri for assistance after reviewing your options with your Math advisor.
  • For students attempting a faculty transfer to Arts, the University Communications Requirement (UCR) is assessed and confirmed at the time of transfer.

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Student interested in transferring to the BA can learn more about the BA and program options by reviewing the BA Overview webpage.

Transferring directly into a major or program of choice may be an option. Your request is reviewed by the Faculty Transfer advisor in Arts. Please refer to the Arts Academic Plans for specific plan requirements.  Majors are offered as general level or honours level. Honours majors require a high major average (70%).

Minimum requirements:

  • At least 4 passed UW Arts courses with numeric grades
  • A 65% minimum average in all Arts courses completed, including failed course(s)
  • A 60% minimum cumulative overall average. If your cumulative overall average is below 60% you must meet with an advisor.
  • English Language Requirement

Deadlines and Forms:

  • After you meet with your advisors, you must submit a Faculty Transfer Form to the Arts Faculty Transfer advisor, at least one month before the start of the next term. 
  • Any Petition supporting a transfer to Arts will require the endorsement of the Faculty Transfer advisor, in Arts and your current faculty advisor.
  • A short student statement may be required.

Things to consider:

  • There are 30 Arts majors and numerous minors.
  • If you are a 1A student in your current faculty, your requirements may be different.
  • The maximum number of transfer credits that 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.
  •  Are you in co-op now? Do you still want co-op? See the details about co-op eligibility when transferring to Arts below.

Arts and Business Program (ARBUS)

Requirements:

  • In addition to the requirements listed above for the Bachelor of Arts, transferring to ARBUS requires you:
    • Must be admitted to an Honours major plan (70% average) at the 2A level or higher
    • Must have completed at least two Arts and Business required courses with a combined average of 70% average

Deadlines and Forms:

  • After you meet with your advisors, you must submit a Faculty Transfer Form to the Arts Faculty Transfer advisor, at least one month before the start of the next term. 

Things to consider:

  • You cannot exceed more than 6.5 units or 13 courses to be eligible for co-op in ARBUS.
  • If approved for a transfer, your appropriate academic level is based on the number of academic credits you have completed.

Co-op Eligibility 

When transferring to Arts, co-op may be an option for you. Please review all the requirements and considerations before requesting your transfer.

Requirements:

Things to consider:

  • You may be able to continue in co-op past the 2A level if you have already completed one or two work terms in your current or former faculty.
  • Co-op will affect how many terms it takes to complete your degree.

Global Business and Digital Arts (Bachelor of Global Business and Digital Arts, BGBDA)

June 30, 2023 update - for the winter 2024 term, GBDA will be considering applications for internal transfer. Complete forms are due on December 1, 2023. Late forms will not be accepted. Please see the text below for more information.

The  process f or a UW student to apply to GBDA, would be to  complete  a Plan Modification Form for Faculty of Arts students or a Faculty Transfer Form for non-Faculty of Arts students. Complete forms should be submitted to stratfordprograms@uwaterloo.ca.

Deadline to Apply:

  • December 1, 2023 for consideration for the winter 2024 term
  • March 1, 2024 for the fall 2024 term

If you are a 1A student who has withdrawn from your program within the last 12 months, the process still requires that you complete a Plan Modification Form for Faculty of Arts students or a Faculty Transfer Form for non-Faculty of Arts students. You cannot apply to the program via OUAC once you have registered for the Fall term at Waterloo and arranged fees, even if you subsequently withdrew from that 1A term. The deadline to complete this form is December 1, 2024 for consideration for the winter 2024 term and March 1, 2024 for the fall 2024 term.

The Admissions Committee will review your high school transcripts to ensure that your average is competitive against the application pool; last year, applicants needed a high school average in the mid-to-high 80s to be admitted into GBDA.

A minimum overall average of at least 75% is required for courses completed at university. Fall and winter term courses are included in this average. Applicants must also ensure that if they have taken any required courses for the GBDA degree (ECON 101, CS 105, etc.), they have achieved a minimum average of 75% in these courses as well. Taking required courses for the GBDA degree will not factor into the admission decision, so please do not prioritize taking these courses if it hinders the current program plan that you are enrolled in. GBDA subject courses are not open to students enrolled in any other program.

There are no guarantees of admission as internal transfer applicants are considered within the context of the entire pool of applicants for the GBDA program.

GBDA is a cohort-based program - internal transfer students are not granted advanced standing and will begin in the 1A term. Exceptions may be made by the Academic Advisor in exceptional cases; due to volume, advisors are unable to pre-assess academic records. For information about transfer credits, please visit the website here.

GBDA is an enhanced tuition program. To view tuition rates, please visit the website here.

If you would like to chat more about this process or have any other questions, you can book a meeting with the Recruitment and Admissions Coordinator here.

School of Accounting and Financial Management programs

Bachelor of Accounting and Financial Management, BAFM

Bachelor of Sustainability and Financial Management, BSFM 

Requirements:

  • Students must meet the BAFM or BSFM high school requirements. If you have not taken 4U Advanced Functions or Calculus or an equivalent, you will be asked to enroll in MATH 127 to be considered for transfer. 

  • Students must have a minimum 75% cumulative overall average by the end of the Fall term. 

  • Do I need to take some AFM courses to be eligible to transfer? No, your cumulative overall average can come from any course grades. 

  • Successful completion of the SAF Admissions Assessment (SAFAA). At the end of Winter term, the School of Accounting advising team will email students to confirm if their application is being considered for transfer.  

  • If your application is moving forward, you will receive an email in the Winter term with a link to write the online SAF Admissions Assessment (SAFAA) in April 2024. There is a non-refundable fee to complete the SAFAA. 

    Only students who have successfully applied by the February 1 deadline (see below) will be sent a link to the AFMAA.  

  • For students interested in transferring to Sustainabilty & Financial Management (SFM), please contact Kelly Millar

Deadline: 

  • How do I apply? To apply to transfer students should submit a Faculty Transfer Form to the SAF advisor by February 1, 2024. You cannot apply via OUAC, the Faculty transfer form functions as the application form. 

  • The above requirements do not guarantee admission to the BAFM or BSFM program and are minimum requirements only. The School of Accounting and Finance takes in a small number of transfer students each year and the process is highly competitive.  

Things to consider:

  • Can prior courses apply towards the BAFM or BSFM degree? The start date will be in the fall term at the 1A level, regardless of transfer credit.The 1A start is non-negotiable as AFM has required first-year courses. Students beyond 2A can still apply but it is not recommended as successful applicants start in 1A.

  • What if I am not eligible to transfer? If your request to transfer is declined, make sure you have a backup plan. Options include: 

Important Links:

Arts Undergraduate Office (AUO)

Arts Advisors

Undergraduate Studies Academic Calendar

Arts Enrolment Problems and Course Overrides