What's a "prospective major"?
- Your first year is “general”. You should explore as many subjects of interest as you can.
- Your prospective majors are the subject areas you are most interested in studying.
- You should have at least two prospective majors.
- You'll normally declare/choose your major at the end of first year.
Required courses
All Arts students take two Arts First courses in first-year:
- ARTS 130 - Inquiry and Communication
- ARTS 140 - Information and Analysis
Arts First courses help build foundational competencies in communication and analysis, with a focus on practice-based learning.
Class size is limited to 25 students and there are many course topics to choose from each term.
You will take one of ARTS 130 and ARTS 140 in each term of your first year - they can be taken in either order, but not simultaneously. You can only enroll in ARTS 130 and ARTS 140 during the course drop/add period (see the Important dates page for current drop/add dates).
Other resources
Anthropology (ANTH)
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Classical Studies (CLAS)
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Note: The Classical Studies department offers two separate majors.
- The Honours Classics major requires both Latin and Greek.
- The Classical Studies (both Honours and General degrees) does not require Latin and Greek.
Classics (CLAS)
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Note: The Classical Studies department offers two separate majors:
- The Honours Classics major requires both Latin and Greek
- The Classical Studies (both Honours and General degrees) does not require Latin and Greek
Communication Arts and Design Practice
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Note: Communication Arts and Design Practice includes courses in COMMST (Communication Studies), THPERF (Theatre and Performance) and DAC (Digital Arts Communication). DAC courses are not taken by first year students.
Communication Studies (COMMST)
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Economics (ECON)
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Note: If you have not taken or struggled in 4U Advanced Functions and Introductory Calculus or 4U Calculus and Vectors you should take MATH 103 and MATH 104 in your first year. If you can only take one of the Math courses, take MATH 104 in the Fall term. MATH 103 and MATH 104 are offered in both the Fall and Winter terms.
Mathematical Economics
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Note: Mathematical Economics is only available as a major for students in Honours Arts. Students interested in Mathematical Economics must have completed 4U Advanced Functions and Introductory Calculus or 4U Calculus and Vectors. 4U Calculus is a pre-requisite for MATH 127. Consult the Mathematical Economics requirement list for further information.
English (ENGL)
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Note 1: There are four major options beginning in 2nd year: English - Literature, English - Literature and Rhetoric, English - Rhetoric, Media, and Professional Communication and English - Creative and Professional Writing.
Note 2: Students interested in the Creative and Professional Writing major may want to take ENGL 210C - Genres of Creative Writing in the Winter (1B) term instead of, or in addition to, a 100-level ENGL course.
Note 3: If you plan to major in English you may only count two 100-level courses toward your major requirements, including any ENGL transfer credits (e.g. ENGL 1XX). If you have ENGL transfer credit, please contact an English advisor for advice.
Fine Arts (FINE) Studio Practice
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Note: FINE 150 does not count towards the Fine Arts Studio major or minor plans. Do not take it if you plan to major or minor in Fine Arts Studio Practice.
Fine Arts (FINE) Visual Culture (VCULT)
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Note: If you plan to take studio courses as part of the Visual Culture plan, you should also take FINE 100 in your first year. Consult the Fine Arts advisor to discuss course planning.
French Studies or French Teaching (FR)
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Notes:
Prospective majors are welcome to touch base with frenchundergrad@uwaterloo.ca if they have placement questions/concerns.
Students interested in the French Teaching Specialization are encouraged to take PSYCH 101 and/or SOC 101 in first year. These courses are pre-requisites for the education course requirements.
Gender and Social Justice (GSJ)
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German (GER)
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History (HIST)
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Note: If you plan to major in History you may only count two 100-level courses toward your major requirements, including any HIST transfer credits (e.g. HIST 1XX). If you have HIST transfer credit(s), please contact the History advisor for advice.
Legal Studies (LS)
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Note: You should also consider taking PSCI 100 and PSYCH 101. They are not Legal Studies major courses but are pre-requisites for some upper-level LS courses. These courses are not included in a student’s LS major average.
Liberal Studies
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Note: All courses offered by the Faculty of Arts will be used in the calculation of Liberal Studies cumulative major average.
Medieval Studies (MEDVL)
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Note: You should consider taking an introductory language course in your first year from one of the following: French, German, Italian, Latin, Russian, or Spanish.
Music (MUSIC)
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Note: Your music ensemble course is 0.25 units and can be taken as a sixth course. Music ensembles and studio courses (MUSIC 226) require an audition prior to the first day of classes.
Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS)
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Note: You should also consider taking PSYCH 101, SOC 101, and/or PSCI 150 in first year. They are pre-requisites for many upper-year PACS Approved courses. These courses are not included in a student’s PACS major average.
Philosophy (PHIL)
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Political Science (PSCI)
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Psychology (PSYCH)
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Note: The Psychology department recommends that students take a maximum of one PSYCH 200-level course in their 1B term.
Religious Studies (RS)
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Sexuality, Marriage and Family Studies (SMF)
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Note: Students are encouraged to take PSYCH 101 or SOC 101. These courses are pre-requisites for upper-year SMF Approved courses. These courses are not included in a student’s SMF major average.
Social Development Studies (SDS) - admitted to Honours SDS
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Social Development Studies (SDS) - admitted to Honours Arts
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Sociology (SOC)
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Spanish (SPAN)
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Theatre and Performance (THPERF)
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