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 both from Arts and from your current faculty.

First Steps:

  • Consult with your current academic advisor to discuss options available within 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 advisor in the Faculty of Arts, Jennifer Book, before filling out or submitting any forms. You can book an appointment online with Jennifer in the Arts Undergraduate Office (PAS 2439), or call: 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, contact Kayla Lorentz 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)

Students interested in transferring 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 Jennifer, the Faculty Transfer advisor in Arts. Please refer to the Arts Academic Plans for specific plan requirements.  Majors are offered at an honours level or at a general level.

  • Honours majors require a major average of at least 70%
  • General majors require a major average of at least 65%

Usual conditions (these can vary slightly from student to student):

  • 65% term average including taking 3-4 Arts courses, no fails, no repeats of past courses, and no more than 2 classes in the same subject (the term average may be higher depending on your current Arts faculty average)
  • A 65% minimum Arts faculty average in all Arts courses completed, including failed course(s)
  • A 60% minimum overall cumulative average (all courses you've ever taken here at UW). If your cumulative average is below 60%, you may still be admissible after the qualifying or non-degree term but clearing will be initiated.
  • English Language Requirement

Deadlines and Forms:

  • After you meet with Jennifer, you must submit the Faculty Transfer Form at least one month before the start of the next term, or the term in which you'd like to use as your qualifying or non-degree term. 
  • Any Petition requesting a transfer to Arts will require the support of the Faculty Transfer advisor in Arts along with your current faculty advisor.
  • If you are in FRW standing in your home faculty and have been discontinued as a student, you must first apply for readmission to your home faculty. Please connect with your home advisor for assistance.

Things to consider:

  • There are 29 Arts majors and numerous minors.
  • If you are in first-year within 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 want to keep 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 that you:
    • Must be admitted to an Honours major plan (min 70% average) at the 2A level or higher
    • Must have completed at least two Arts and Business required courses with a combined average of at least 70%

Things to consider:

  • You cannot exceed more than 6.5 units (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 at least one work term 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)

Requirements:

  1. A minimum overall average of at least 75% is required for courses completed at the University. Fall, winter, and spring term courses are included in this average.
  2. Applicants must also ensure that if they have taken any required courses for the GBDA degree (ECON101, CS105, etc.), they have achieved a minimum average of 70% in these courses.
  3. The Admissions Committee will review your high school transcripts to ensure that your average is competitive against the application pool
    1. Last year, applicants needed a high school average in the mid-to-high 80s and 75% in Grade 12 U English to be admitted into GBDA.
  4. If you have withdrawn in your 1A term, your high school grades will only be considered when determining your transfer eligibility.
  5. You must be a full-time student. You can learn what is considered full-time at the University of Waterloo here.

How to Apply and Deadlines:

  1. The process for 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. Completed forms should be submitted to stratfordprograms@uwaterloo.ca
  2. 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.
  3. If you are in your 2nd, 3rd, or 4th year, you must meet with the GBDA Admissions Coordinator before submitting either the Plan Modification Form or Faculty Transfer Form by emailing stratfordprograms@uwaterloo.ca
    1. This meeting must be scheduled ahead of the transfer deadline for that term
  4. Deadline Dates:
    1. Fall Term: April 15th
    2. Winter Term: December 15th

Things to Consider:

  1. The GBDA program is held out of the Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business- this is a satellite campus of the University of Waterloo
  2. The GBDA program is an enhanced tuition program. To view tuition rates, please visit the website here. 
  3. 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.
  4. Taking the required courses for the GBDA degree will not factor into the transfer decision, so please do not prioritize taking these courses if they hinder the current program plan that you are enrolled in.
    1. GBDA subject courses are not open to students enrolled in any other program.
  5. Transfer decisions are made only after we have received your grades
  6. There are limited transfer spots available each term. Therefore, there are no admission guarantees as internal transfer applicants are considered within the context of the entire pool of applicants for the GBDA program. Meeting the above requirements does not guarantee admission.

What if I am not eligible to transfer or my application is not approved?

  • The GBDA Admissions Coordinator will contact you to inform you of why your application was not accepted.
  1. If your request to transfer is declined, please make sure you have a backup plan. Options include:
    1. Applying to another Arts Program
    2. Please meet with your current Academic Advisor to discuss a program that may suit you.
  2. You can apply for the next transfer term if you are set on the Global Business and Digital Arts program.
    1. You will still need to meet our admission averages, and your application will be reassessed.
    2. Admission is not guaranteed.

What happens if my transfer is accepted?

  1. You will receive a confirmation of transfer email from the GBDA Admissions Coordinator that you must respond to proceed with the transfer.
  2. You will have a mandatory meeting with the GBDA Academic Advisor to map out your new program
  3. The Registrar’s Office will be notified of your transfer to the GBDA program and as such, your seat in your previous program will be forfeited.

If you would like to chat more about this process or have any other questions, please email the Recruitment and Admissions Coordinator.

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, Calculus, or an equivalent, you will be asked to enrol 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 2025. 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 Sustainability & Financial Management (SFM), please contact SAF Advising.

Deadline: 

  • How do I apply? Students should submit a Faculty Transfer Form to SAF Advising by February 1, 2025. You cannot apply via OUAC - the Faculty transfer form functions as the application form. 

  • The above requirements do not guarantee admission to either 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: