FAQ

Please review the Schedule of Classes or use class search in Quest. For Planning courses, you can refer to the core course schedule and the elective course schedule.

The Quest help page has step-by-step instructions on how to add a course, swap a course, and drop a course.

A hold on your account means you have fees owing, which prevents you from enrolling in classes and viewing your grades. You have to pay all outstanding fees to remove a hold. If you have questions about a hold on your account, please contact Student Financial Services. 

If a course isn't appearing in Quest, this means it's not offered in the term you're enrolling, or it's full and you need to adjust your class search settings in Quest (see step #3).

If you get an error message when trying to enroll in a course, it means that the course has not been added to your schedule. Refer to the enrolment errors page for more information about the error message, what it means, and what to do.

Every faculty handles override requests differently. For non-Planning courses, refer to the enrolment errors page to see who to contact if your course is full. For Planning courses, check with the School's undergraduate advisors to see if there is room in the class and if the limit can be increased.

An antirequisite is a condition preventing enrolment in a course. The most common antirequisites are courses that have significant overlap. Degree credit will not be granted for both the antirequisite course and a course naming it as such.

Some courses are double-weighted and are worth 1.0 unit (i.e. PLAN 409). They count for two courses and fees are paid as such. The course duration does not span over two terms.

Classes can be scheduled from 8:30 am to 10:00 pm.

To help you decide what electives to take, here is some information to consider:

• Review the Planning elective requirements (follow the degree requirements of the year you started the program). 
• As part of the elective requirements, you must complete 0.5 unit of a 200-level PLAN elective and 2.0 units of 300- or 400-level PLAN electives. PLAN electives can count as general electives. For example, it’s acceptable to complete 3.0 units of 300- or 400-level PLAN electives and 2.0 units of 300- or 400-level electives. General electives cannot count as PLAN electives.
• All PLAN and ENVS courses count towards your cumulative major average (MAV), which you need to maintain a minimum 70%.
• You may want to work towards a minor, specialization, diploma or certificate. If you want to pursue an extra credential(s), it's your responsibility to check the requirements to see whether you have space to complete everything. It's recommended to create a spreadsheet to map out which courses to take in each term.
• Check the Schedule of Classes to see what's offered each term and check for pre-requisites in the undergraduate calendar.  

If you're short an elective(s), you can take an online course during a work term or take an extra course during a study term. You need to submit a unit overload request to take 3.0 units during a study term. Requests are reviewed by Carol Knipe, our Undergraduate Operations Manager. Overloading isn't guaranteed to be granted and is primarily based on need and extenuating circumstances. 

If you're pursuing an option, minor, or specialization, complete a Plan Modification Form and submit it to your undergraduate advisor.

Please review your course syllabi to understand what course materials you need to order (if any).

Yes! Your UW email is considered the official line of communication. If you haven't already done so, please activate your account. Always include your name and student number when emailing faculty and staff. 

Planning students must maintain a minimum 70% cumulative major average (all PLAN and ENVS courses ever taken) and a minimum 65% cumulative overall average. Students who don't meet the average requirements will receive a conditional standing, and can proceed with the next study term. If you don't meet the average requirements at the end of the conditional term, you'll receive a failed standing.

A first-year student with a failed standing will normally be given the option to complete the foundation term or withdraw for two terms, then apply for readmission. Your record will be cleared after a successful foundation term or after two terms off. A cleared record means that courses taken prior to the failed standing will no longer be included in your average, but will remain on your transcript. Cleared courses with grades 50% and higher will contribute to the total credits required up to 10.0 units. You don't need to retake any courses that you've already passed. 

Typically, students in second-year and higher who have a failed standing can apply for readmission after an absence of two consecutive academic terms. You can still proceed with your work term after a failed standing, but the two-term count starts after the work term. For example, if you get a failed standing in W'27 and go on co-op in S'27, the earliest you can return is S'28 (F'27 and W'28 = off). 

Planning students can only have one failed standing. Students who receive a second failed standing can't continue in the Faculty of Environment. 

University can be challenging, but there are many services offered on campus to assist you. Below is a list of the most common services that range from study help to counselling.

• Your undergraduate advisor is here to help with any issues that you may be concerned about or struggling with. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 9:30-11:30 am and 1:30-3:00 pm. Book a meeting with your advisor.
• Instructors and teaching assistants have office hours, which is the perfect time to get help with course content and ask questions. You may feel intimidated about approaching them, but they're here to help, and their goal is for you to succeed in their class.
• UW MATES is a counselling-based, one-to-one peer support program.
• Counselling Services can provide support for your mental well-being.
• Health Services provides a range of primary care services.
• Tutor Connect is the place to offer your tutoring services or search for a student tutor.
• The Student Success Office (SSO) is available to help you succeed at university, from peer success coaching to tips on learning strategies that range from time management to test-taking skills. 
• The Writing and Communication Centre (WCC) provides support for all forms of writing and communication, from essays to presentations. The WCC doesn't edit student work, but you can get guidance on sentence structure, organization, and use of evidence.
• The library resources assist with your research strategy, show you which databases are relevant for your topic, how to request books from another library (place holds and recalls, and interlibrary loans), etc.
• Your co-op advisor is here to help with everything co-op related, from the rank/match process to questions during your work term.
• Career advisors provide support with the job search, career exploration, and further education if you're interested in graduate studies. 
• Explore scholarships, bursaries, and awards in the Awards Directory. Contact Student Awards & Financial Aid (SAFA) if you have any questions.
• WUSA runs a Food Support Services where students can get food and hygiene hampers for free when things get tight, especially at the end of term.

We strongly encourage you to take advantage of these free services as needed -- we know students have generally found these very helpful. Our goal is that each and every one of you succeed and enjoy your experience at Waterloo.

Glow Centre

The Glow Centre is a student-led service that supports the queer and trans community. They create a positive environment that welcomes everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The Glow Centre offers peer support, educational awareness campaigns, resources, and special events.

RAISE

RAISE is a student-run service centred on creating an environment that promotes equality and unity. Focused on three pillars: education and advocacy, peer-to-peer support, and community building. RAISE works to address racism and xenophobia across campus.

Women’s Centre

The Women’s Centre provides a female-positive environment for all women at UW. They hold events to educate students on the various issues within feminism. The centre provides students with resources on issues ranging from intersectional feminism to sexual health.

Waterloo Indigenous Student Centre

The Waterloo Indigenous Student Centre works to share the knowledge of Indigenous people and provide culturally relevant information and support. Services provided by WISC are based on respect, understanding and trust. They recognize the different cultural values and rights of Indigenous peoples and cultures.

Yes. You need to complete a PD course during each work term until your PD requirements have been fulfilled, even if you haven’t found employment in a given term. It’s still possible to complete all of the assessments in every PD course without employment. You can reflect on your academic experience or volunteer work in lieu of referencing time in the workplace.

If you are worried or have a question about something in your PD course related to employment, contact your course team for assistance.

For other PD course questions, visit the frequently asked questions page found on the Professional Development Program website.