Arts/BASE

If you have been admitted to an Arts program, you will either do 1 term or 2 terms of BASE. Your courses will be selected for you.

Your credit courses include PSYCH 101 (and SMF 101 if you are doing 2 terms). These courses count toward your degree.

Refer to the Undergraduate Calendar for descriptions of the courses you'll take.

BASE courses for Arts programs - 1 term

Fall programs
PSYCH 101 Introductory Psychology (0.5 credits)
BASE 42 Academic Skills
BASE 44 Writing Skills
BASE 46 Oral Skills
Bi-weekly meetings with instructors
Weekly workshops and information sessions

BASE courses for Arts programs - 2 terms

Fall term courses	Winter term courses
PSYCH 101 Introductory Psychology (0.5 credits)	SMF 101 Introduction to Relationships and Families (0.5 credits)
BASE 32 Academic Skills	BASE 42 Academic Skills
BASE 34 Writing Skills	BASE 44 Writing Skills
BASE 36 Oral Skills	BASE 46 Oral Skills
Bi-weekly meetings with instructors	Bi-weekly meetings with instructors
Weekly workshops and information sessions	Weekly workshops and information sessions

What to expect in your credit course(s)

In Arts/BASE, you take 1 or 2 university credit courses along with your BASE courses. Taking these courses helps you build a strong foundation for other Waterloo Arts programs. They also allow you to practise the oral, writing, and academic skills you learn in your BASE courses.

You earn .50 credits toward your degree for each credit course you successfully complete.

Fall term
PSYCH 101 - Introductory Psychology

Winter term
SMF 101 - Introduction to Relationships and Families

For full course descriptions, see the Undergraduate Calendar.

What to expect in your BASE courses

Academic skills

In Academic Skills, you learn language and study skills such as

lecture listening and note-taking skills,
reading and test-taking strategies, and
vocabulary development.

You also develop your study skills through workshops about goal-setting, time management, and test preparation.

You demonstrate your understanding of important course content through a variety of written and spoken assignments. These assignments increase in complexity as you move from the 30 to 40 level.

BASE 32 Academic Skills

You are introduced to reading strategies for dealing with extended academic text
You learn strategies for taking the multiple-choice tests used in PSYCH 101 and many other courses.

BASE 42 Academic Skills

You continue to practice the skills learned in BASE 32
You receive more support to manage your credit course assignments as they increase and change focus
You develop your critical thinking skills and ability to analyze course-related information

Writing skills

Course materials, discussion topics, and vocabulary study incorporate a disciplinary focus whenever possible.

BASE 34 Writing Skills

You are introduced to important grammar concepts and essay formats found in academic writing.
You also learn the basics of research literacy skills and textual attribution.

BASE 44 Writing Skills

You extend your research skills and your understanding of rhetorical modes and linguistic and grammatical structures by completing a literature review and lengthy research report project. This report is an independent study project that allows you to research an area of interest in your discipline.

Oral skills

In Oral Skills, you complete major tasks that include

assuming the role of leader for discussion groups,
practising the art and language of persuasion in your presentations, and
sharpening your interviewer/interviewee skills to complete a group project.

Course materials, discussion topics, and vocabulary study incorporate a disciplinary focus whenever possible.

BASE 36 – Oral Skills

You become familiar with a variety of academic speaking environments and tasks and improve your speaking confidence, pronunciation, listening, academic vocabulary and academic presentation skills.
You become more effective in conversations, discussions and presentations, both in and out of the classroom.

BASE 46 – Oral Skills