Fall first-year course selection | Arts

Transferring from another university or college?
Your next steps are different. Review course selection information for transfer students.

Applied to Honours Arts ONLN via OUAC?
Your next steps are different, as there are limited options for online majors. Our Centre for Extended Learning maintains a list of all Waterloo courses that are available online. You will be contacted by your academic advisor.

Accounting and Financial Management (AFM) student?
You will be automatically enrolled in your required first-year courses. Your academic advisor will contact you in July with your next steps.

Get ready for September

Review the Important Dates and Activities below for deadlines and due dates.

Important Dates and Activities

Follow Faculty of Arts SPECIFIC DATES regardless of other published dates you may encounter.

Date	Activity
After accepting your offer	Join the Waterloo Arts Discord channel and start connecting with current and incoming students! If you haven’t received your server invite and wish to join, email arts@uwaterloo.ca.
May 25, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. EDT	You @ Waterloo Day
June 5, 3:30-5:00 p.m. EDT	Course Approval Form Live Q&A - Virtual event to help guide students through the course selection process.
June 6	Course Approval Form (CAF) - The CAF is now closed. Missed the deadline? Email the Arts Undergraduate Office. Note that the Course Approval Form is to be completed by students admitted to 1A. Students with admitted to 1B or upper-year Arts do not use this form. Have Questions about completing the CAF? Review our FAQ page before contacting your advisor. Review your program specific information: Honours Arts Honours Arts and Business Global Business and Digital Arts Social Development Students
June 17	Course Approval Form due (closes end of day). Missed the deadline? Email the Arts Undergraduate Office.
Week of July 2	*Start checking your Waterloo Microsoft 365 account* daily*. All email communication from the University of Waterloo will be sent to your @uwaterloo.ca* email account. To set up your account, see the Accessing your Microsoft 365 account page. Waterloo undergraduates have access to an Office365 account including Outlook (email), Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Teams. If you have trouble with the Microsoft 365 login, visit the FAQ page.
July 11	Arts Ready Day
July 17	View your fall class schedule in Quest. Don't see all of the classes you requested? You can make changes to your schedule starting on July 18.
July 18	Add your Arts First course (ARTS 130 or ARTS 140) and, if needed, adjust your fall schedule. Add one of ARTS 130 or ARTS 140 to your fall schedule. Specific instructions will be emailed to you in early July. Make approved changes to your schedule, if needed. You can make changes to your schedule until September 17, however classes may be full.
Early August	Fall fees listed in your Quest account. Learn how to view your fees and account summary.
August 20	Fall fees due (to be paid). Learn how to pay your fees.
Late September	Winter course selection in Quest. Specific instructions will be emailed to you in mid-September.

Course selection information by program

Honours Arts

Transferring from another university or college? Your next steps are different. Review course selection information for transfer students.

Applied to Honours Arts ONLN via OUAC? Your next steps are different, as there are limited options for online majors. Our Centre for Extended Learning maintains a list of all Waterloo courses that are available online. You will be contacted by your academic advisor.

First-year Honours Arts course requirements

All of our courses are four months in length. You'll normally take five courses in your fall term and five courses in your winter term.

Fall (1A)

ARTS 130 or ARTS 140 (see Important course selection notes)
Prospective major choice 1
Prospective major choice 2
Elective or prospective major choice 3
Elective

Winter (1B)

ARTS 130 or ARTS 140 (see Important course selection notes)
Prospective major choice 1
Prospective major choice 2
Elective or prospective major choice 3
Elective

#	When	What
1	Early June	REVIEW the Honours Arts prospective major chart.
2	Early June	EXPLORE the first-year course list and descriptions. Discover elective courses available to you as a first-year Arts student. Numerous minors and diplomas are available. You may want take a course towards a prospective minor or diploma as a first year elective. Note that most Arts courses are held in person.
3	Early June	WATCH the course selection videos (available at the beginning of June). These videos will help prepare you for course selection: Prospective Major Chart tutorial Course Approval Form tutorial
4	June 6-17	SUBMIT your Course Approval Form (CAF) - The CAF is now closed. You must submit your CAF so your academic advisor can approve your course requests. Based on your Course Approval Form, we’ll upload all your Fall course requests into Quest. Missed the deadline? Email the Arts Undergraduate Office. Have questions about completing the CAF? Review our FAQ page before contacting your advisor.
5	July 17	VIEW your fall class schedule in Quest. Don't see all of the classes you requested? You can make changes to your schedule starting on July 18 at 9 am (EST).
6	July 18	ADD your Arts First course (either ARTS 130 or ARTS 140) in Quest starting at 9 am (EST). Follow the detailed instructions on how to add your Arts First course, found on the Arts First How you'll enrol page. MAKE approved changes to your schedule, if needed. Don’t see all of the classes you requested? If you didn't get into all of the classes you requested, you must add additional classes (to a maximum of 5 classes in total). ALERT! ALL Waterloo students have access to Quest to add fall courses as of July 24. This means available spots in classes will likely fill up quickly after this date.

Important course selection notes for Honours Arts

All new Arts students are required to take both Arts First courses, ARTS 130 (Inquiry and Communication) and ARTS 140 (Information and Analysis), in order to fulfill the Undergraduate Communication Requirement.
- Each section of ARTS 130 and ARTS 140 covers a different topic from various Faculty of Arts disciplines, however the overall learning outcomes and goals are the same for all topics in each course. Course descriptions can be found on the Arts First website.
- Both courses should be completed in your first year, one in the fall term and one in the winter term. For example, if you completed ARTS 130 in fall, you should enrol in ARTS 140 in winter, and vice versa.
Within the Faculty of Arts, Honours Arts is offered through three campuses to best serve our students:

Note: Academically the Honours Arts program is identical and a dedicated advising team is available wherever you are registered. The University Colleges offer a cohesive living and learning environment. For some students this smaller environment is a real plus!

Honours Arts and Business

Transferring from another university or college? Your next steps are different. Review course selection information for transfer students.

First-year Honours Arts and Business course requirements

All of our courses are four months in length. You'll take five courses in your fall term. You'll take five different courses in your winter term.

Fall (1A)

ARTS 130 or ARTS 140 (see the Important course selection notes below)
ARBUS 101 - Introduction to Business in North America
ECON 101 - Introduction to Microeconomics
Prospective major choice 1
Prospective major choice 2

Winter (1B)

ARTS 130 or ARTS 140 (see the Important course selection notes below)
ARBUS 102 - Accounting Information for Managers
ARBUS 202 - Professional and Business Ethics
Prospective major choice 1
Prospective major choice 2

Required course selection steps

#	When	What
1	Early June	REVIEW the Honours Arts and Business prospective major chart and the first-year course list and descriptions
2	Early June	WATCH the course selection videos (available at the beginning of June). These videos will help prepare you for course selection: Prospective Major Chart tutorial Course Approval Form tutorial
3	June 6-17	SUBMIT your Course Approval Form (CAF) - The CAF is now closed. You must submit your CAF so your academic advisor can approve your course requests. Based on your Course Approval Form, we’ll upload all your Fall course requests into Quest. Missed the deadline? Email the Arts Undergraduate Office. Have questions about completing the CAF? Review our FAQ page before contacting your advisor.
4	July 17	VIEW your fall class schedule in Quest. Don't see all of the classes you requested? You can make changes to your schedule starting on July 18 at 9am (EST).
5	July 18	ADD your Arts First course (either ARTS 130 or ARTS 140) in Quest starting at 9 am (EST). Follow the detailed instructions on how to add your Arts First course, found on the Arts First How you'll enrol page. MAKE approved changes to your schedule, if needed. Don’t see all of the classes you requested? If you didn't get into all of the classes you requested, you must add additional classes (to a maximum of 5 classes in total). ALERT! ALL Waterloo students have access to Quest to add fall courses as of July 24. This means available spots in classes will likely fill up quickly after this date.

Important course selection notes for Arts and Business

All new Arts students are required to take both Arts First courses, ARTS 130 (Inquiry and Communication) and ARTS 140 (Information and Analysis), in order to fulfill the Undergraduate Communication Requirement.
- Each section of ARTS 130 and ARTS 140 covers a different topic from various Faculty of Arts disciplines, however the overall learning outcomes and goals are the same for all topics in each course. Course descriptions can be found on the Arts First website.
- Both courses should be completed in your first year, one in the fall term and one in the winter term. For example, if you completed ARTS 130 in fall, you should enrol in ARTS 140 in winter, and vice versa.
Electives:
- Do not take BUS 111W or AFM 123 as a substitute or elective.
- If you intend to major in Economics, you cannot take ECON 101 and ECON 102 in the same term.
Within the Faculty of Arts, Honours Arts and Business is offered through three campuses to best serve our students:

Global Business and Digital Arts (GBDA)

Transferring from another university or college? Your next steps are different. Review course selection information for transfer students.

First-year Global Business and Digital Arts course requirements

Fall (1A)

ARTS 130 or ARTS 140 (see Important course selection notes below)
GBDA 101 - Digital Media Design and Production or Elective (see Notes 1 and 2)
CS 105 - Introduction to Computer Programming 1 (see Note 3)
Language course (see note 2)
Elective

Winter (1B)

ARTS 130 or ARTS 140 (see Important course selection notes below)
GBDA 101 - Digital Media Design and Production or Elective (see Notes 1 and 2)
CS 106 - Introduction to Computer Programming 2
(see Note 3)
ECON 101 - Introduction to Microeconomics
Language course

All of our courses are four months in length. You'll take five courses in your fall term and five courses in your winter term.

Notes:

GBDA 101 can be taken in either fall or winter term. Space in the fall term is limited so if you request it but are not enrolled you will need to add an elective course in Quest starting July 18. Since some elective courses may only be available in the fall or winter term you will need to carefully plan your first year course requests.
If you are considering a minor or diploma, select one or two courses in that subject area in your first term
Students interested in pursuing a Computing minor are encouraged to speak with their GBDA advisor about the option to take CS 115 and CS 116 instead of CS 105 and CS 106.
Notes about second language courses:
- The second language requirement can't be fulfilled by taking a course taught in English (e.g., a culture course).
- Students choosing Chinese or Arabic are required to submit a placement form before enrolling.

Required course selection steps

#	When	What
1	Early June	EXPLORE the first-year course list and descriptions. Discover language and elective courses available to you as a first-year Arts student. Note that most Arts courses are held in person.
2	June 6-17	SUBMIT your Course Approval Form (CAF) - The CAF is now closed. You must submit your CAF so your academic advisor can approve your course requests. Based on your Course Approval Form, we’ll upload all your Fall course requests into Quest. Missed the deadline? Email the Arts Undergraduate Office. Have questions about completing the CAF? Review our FAQ page before contacting your advisor.
3	July 17	VIEW your fall class schedule in Quest. Don't see all of the classes you requested? You can make changes to your schedule starting on July 18 at 9 am (EST).
4	July 18	ADD your Arts First course (either ARTS 130 or ARTS 140) in Quest starting at 9am (EST). Follow the detailed instructions on how to add your Arts First course, found on the Arts First How you'll enrol page. MAKE approved changes to your schedule, if needed. Don’t see all of the classes you requested? If you didn't get into all of the classes you requested, you must add additional classes (to a maximum of 5 classes in total). ALERT! ALL Waterloo students have access to Quest to add fall courses as of July 24. This means available spots in classes will likely fill up quickly after this date.

Important course selection notes for GBDA

All new Arts students are required to take both Arts First courses, ARTS 130 (Inquiry and Communication) and ARTS 140 (Information and Analysis), in order to fulfill the Undergraduate Communication Requirement.
- Each section of ARTS 130 and ARTS 140 covers a different topic from various Faculty of Arts disciplines, however the overall learning outcomes and goals are the same for all topics in each course. Course descriptions can be found on the Arts First website.
- Both courses should be completed in your first year, one in the fall term and one in the winter term. For example, if you completed ARTS 130 in fall, you should enrol in ARTS 140 in winter, and vice versa.

Social Development Studies (SDS)

Transferring from another university or college? Your next steps are different. Review course selection information for transfer students.

First-year Social Development Studies course requirements

Fall (1A)

PSYCH 101R - Introductory Psychology
SOC 101R - Introduction to Sociology
SOCWK 120R - Introduction to Social Work
ARTS 130 or ARTS 140 (see the Important course selection notes below)
Elective

Winter (1B)

PSYCH 253R - Social Psychology
SDS 131R - Political Ideologies and Social Development
SDS 150R - Lifespan Processes
ARTS 130 or ARTS 140 (see the Important course selection notes below)
Elective

Required course selection steps

#	When	What
1	Early June	Review the Honours Arts prospective major chart. Review the prospective major chart if you're interested in a second major. These charts outline which courses you should take, based on your chosen prospective major, as well as how many elective courses you may take.
2	Early June	Explore the first-year course list and descriptions. Discover courses available to you as a first-year Arts student. You may take courses outside your prospective majors, or any course that interests you, to fill the elective courses you must choose. Numerous minors and diplomas are available. You may want take a course towards a prospective minor or diploma as a first year elective. Note that most Arts courses are held in person.
3	Early June	WATCH the course selection videos available at the beginning of June. These videos will help prepare you for course selection: Course Approval Form tutorial
4	June 6-17	SUBMIT your Course Approval Form (CAF) - The CAF is now closed. You must submit your CAF so your academic advisor can approve your course requests. Based on your Course Approval Form, we’ll upload all your Fall course requests into Quest. Missed the deadline? Email the Arts Undergraduate Office. Have questions about completing the CAF? Review our FAQ page before contacting your advisor.
5	July 17	VIEW your fall class schedule in Quest. Don't see all of the classes you requested? You can make changes to your schedule starting on July 18 at 9 am (EST).
6	July 18	ADD your Arts First course (either ARTS 130 or ARTS 140) in Quest starting at 9 am (EST). Follow the detailed instructions on how to add your Arts First course, found on the Arts First How you'll enrol page. MAKE approved changes to your schedule, if needed. If any of SOC 101R, PSYCH 101R, or SOCWK 120R are are missing from your schedule, contact the Renison Registrar’s Office for assistance. We will work on getting you into your required courses. If you didn’t get into your chosen elective for Fall, choose an alternate elective. ALERT! ALL Waterloo students have access to Quest to add fall courses as of July 24. This means available spots in classes will likely fill up quickly after this date.

Important course selection notes for Social Development Studies

All new Arts students are required to take both Arts First courses, ARTS 130 (Inquiry and Communication) and ARTS 140 (Information and Analysis), in order to fulfill the Undergraduate Communication Requirement.
- Each section of ARTS 130 and ARTS 140 covers a different topic from various Faculty of Arts disciplines, however the overall learning outcomes and goals are the same for all topics in each course. Course descriptions can be found on the Arts First website.
- Both courses should be completed in your first year, one in the fall term and one in the winter term. For example, if you completed ARTS 130 in fall, you should enrol in ARTS 140 in winter, and vice versa.
- SDS students may wish to enrol in the SDS-themed topics of ARTS 130 (“Social Justice and Social Development”) or ARTS 140 (“Social Change and Social Development”), however they may enrol in any topic.