A student in Waterloo's Science and Aviation program prepares to land at the Waterloo Waterloo Flight Centre.
Applying to university can mean learning some new terminology. Here are some common terms and ways to tailor your degree to your interests.
What is a major?
A major is the subject that's the main focus of your studies at university.
Majors include Biology, Environment and Business, Health Sciences, Geological Engineering, Pure Mathematics, Psychology, and more. Most of the 40 or so courses you'll take to earn your degree will be in your major.
The terms major and program are often used interchangeably.
What is a minor?
A minor is a secondary area of study that complements your major.
Minors require 8 to 10 courses to complete (out of the 40 or so needed for your degree) and can be related or unrelated to the main focus of your studies, i.e., your major. Minors are optional and are an easy way to include two or more subjects as part of your degree.
What is a specialization?
Specializations are available only within your major.
These require four to seven courses and will be closely related to your major. For example, only students majoring in English can choose the Digital Media Studies or Technical Writing specializations.
What is an option?
Options are available only within your home faculty.
For example, only students within the Faculty of Engineering can choose Engineering options. An option provides depth to your degree and usually requires six to eight courses.
What is an undergraduate program?
An undergraduate program is the first level of university studies and what you study after finishing high school.
It normally takes three to five years to complete and leads to a Bachelor's or Baccalaureate degree, e.g., Bachelor of Arts. Students pursuing an undergraduate degree are called undergraduate students.
Once you finish your undergraduate studies, you can apply to a graduate or professional program (e.g., Master's degree, law school, medical school, PhD). Waterloo offers more than 180 graduate programs.
What is a double major or joint honours?
In some programs, you can choose a double major or joint honours degree. This lets you really focus on two main areas of interest. Of the 40 or so courses needed to earn your degree, nearly all of them would be in your two majors.
At Waterloo, you can choose two majors in the same faculty, e.g., Political Science and French (both within the Faculty of Arts) or in different faculties, e.g., Environment, Resources and Sustainability (Faculty of Environment) and Biology (Faculty of Science).
What is a degree?
A university degree is awarded to students who have successfully completed a specific number of courses or credits in a particular field of study. Examples include Bachelor of Mathematics, Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
If you choose a minor, option, specialization, or double major, it will appear on your university diploma when you graduate.
For example, you might graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in English, a minor in Biology, and a Creative Writing specialization. Minors, options, and specializations aren't available in all programs. And in some programs, you can do a couple of minors, options, or specializations.
How do you choose a minor, option, or specialization?
Once you're a Waterloo student, academic advisors can help you plan which courses to take, including any minors, options, or specializations (which normally start in second year).
If you have questions while you're applying, contact the recruitment co-ordinator for your faculty/program of interest and they'd be happy to help. Or you can email our Visitors Centre and they'll connect you to the right person.
