Bachelor of Arts degree (Winter and Summer 2017)

Note: After undergoing extensive review, the decision has been made to revise the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts. These changes will take effect September 2017. Please see the Bachelor of Arts (Fall 2017) page for details.

Entrance requirements

Option 1: High school (for students with high school graduation only)

B.C. secondary school graduation or equivalent.
A minimum of a C+ in English 12 or equivalent (see Note) and a minimum of a B average in two additional Approved Grade 12 courses.
Note: English 12 equivalent courses include English 12 First Peoples, English Literature 12, AP English, and IB English A (standard level or higher level).

Out-of-province applicants

Students will be considered on the basis of courses equivalent to Approved B.C. Grade 12 courses. See the Admissions section of the calendar for more information on equivalents to B.C. secondary school graduation.

Out-of-country applicants

Students who have B.C. secondary school graduation equivalency, meet the prerequisite for ENGL 105 or CMNS 155, and have completed an equivalent average of B (equated to the UFV grading system) in two academic Grade 12 courses will be admissible.

Alternatives to high school graduation

If you have completed the International Baccalaureate diploma program, the B.C. Graduation diploma (B.C. Adult Dogwood), or the General Educational Development (GED) certificate, you may be considered to have the equivalent of B.C. secondary school graduation for admission purposes.

Option 2: University entrance (for students who have attended some post-secondary school)

Prerequisite for ENGL 105 or CMNS 155.
One of the following alternatives:
- Completion of a minimum of 30 credits in courses numbered at the 100 level and above, with a CGPA of 2.0 on all credits attempted.
- Completion of a minimum of nine credits at the 100 level and above, transferable to a degree program, with a GPA of 3.0 or better on all credits attempted.
- Completion of a post-secondary career or technical diploma (minimum of two years post-secondary credit) from a recognized Canadian or International post-secondary institution, with a minimum CGPA of 2.5 (equated to the UFV grading scheme), calculated on all courses taken.
- Completion of a three- or four-year Bachelor's degree from a recognized Canadian or International institution, with a minimum GPA of 2.0 (equated to the UFV grading scheme). Students who have completed a previous degree are governed by UFV's Subsequent and Concurrent Bachelor Degree policy (98).

Option 3: Combined post-secondary/high school admission

Students who have attended or are currently attending a post-secondary institution, have fewer than 30 credits applicable for BA entrance at the time they apply for admission, and have a CGPA of at least 2.0 on all post-secondary courses attempted, may be considered for admission based on high school requirements.

Students who do not meet these requirements might consider Qualifying Studies and/or a meeting with a UFV academic advisor.

When to apply

Applications are accepted for entrance to the Fall, Winter, and Summer semesters. For application deadlines, see Specific intake application process.

How to apply

Apply online at ufv.ca/admissions/admissions/apply.
Additional documents required for a complete application:
- For university entrance, official transcripts (or interim transcripts) from all post-secondary institutions you have attended (other than UFV) showing grade/course achievement as per entrance requirements. To be considered official, transcripts must be sent directly to UFV from the originating institution; see the Transfer Credit section for details. To retain your original application date, order early so transcripts arrive within two weeks of the date your application is mailed or submitted.
- For high school entrance, a final official transcript (if you have graduated). For students currently in Grade 12, final grades are due August 3.
You will be advised of an admission decision and, if accepted, will be provided with registration information. A deposit is required prior to registration (see the Fees and Other Costs section). This money will be applied toward your tuition fees. Final payment of all course fees is due the end of the second week of classes.
In cases where course work is in progress, an admission decision may be made conditional upon completion of academic requirements. Proof of completion of entrance requirements is due the end of the first week in August for the September intake.

Basis for admission decision

Applicants who meet the entrance requirements will be admitted in order of their application date. This date is set when an application, all required documentation, and the application fee have been submitted.

Declaration of majors, extended minors, minors

Students may formally declare Arts majors, extended minors, or minors after they have completed 30 credits with a minimum 2.0 CGPA on all credits attempted. Unless otherwise stated, to be eligible to declare, students must have earned a minimum grade of C on each of three required courses for the subject discipline. (Some areas have specific requirements; these are listed in the calendar under the relevant discipline.) Students are encouraged to declare as soon as they can.

Students in the BA who reach 60 credits without declaring a major or two extended minors will not be permitted to register in any further courses until they have done so. Exceptions may be made in special circumstances by an Advisor.

Please note that the number of students wanting to enter any Arts Honours, major, extended minor, or minor program may exceed capacity. Departments reserve the right to select competitively if necessary. The basis for selection is applicant GPA on required lower-level prerequisites; students in the BA will have priority. UFV cannot guarantee available seats in required program courses on demand.

Arts major or double extended minor with a Science major or minor

A student completing the requirements for an Arts major or double extended minor may combine either of those programs with any Science major or minor. There are a few exceptions:

A major, extended minor, or minor in mathematics in Arts cannot be combined with a mathematics major or minor in Science.
A Geography major in Arts cannot be combined with a Physical Geography major or minor in Science.

When a major or minor outside the Arts faculty is completed, the transcript will specify both the Arts and Science programs.

Graduates wishing to complete a major, minor or extended minor

Students who have completed a bachelor's degree but wish to complete the requirements for a major, minor or extended minor in the UFV Bachelor of Arts may be able to do this through an Extended Studies certificate in Arts. Please contact the appropriate department for more information.

Fees and additional costs

See the Fees and Other Costs section. Books and additional supplies cost approximately $100 per course.

Courses at other institutions

UFV students who wish to take academic work at other institutions for credit toward the degree must obtain permission in advance from an Advisor. A letter of permission request is available at ufv.ca/admissions or can be obtained from the Office of the Registrar. Students must be in good standing (CGPA > 2.0) to receive a letter of permission. When approval has been granted, the Registrar's office will issue a Letter of Permission to the student.

Except as noted below, total transfer and course challenge credits, including prior learning credit, may not exceed 60, and not more than 15 transfer credits may count toward upper-level requirements. Within these limits, transfer credit may be applied to the BA with courses passed with a grade of D or higher. Transfer credit is not used in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average.

Residency

Students can complete academic course work at another post-secondary institution and transfer this credit to UFV to satisfy BA degree requirements, under the following restrictions:

Out of the BA overall total of 120 credits, 60 credits must be completed at UFV.
Out of the BA upper-level total of 45 credits, 30 upper-level credits must be completed at UFV.
For an Honours or major program, at least 50 percent of the required upper-level credits in the specific Arts discipline must be completed at UFV.
For an extended minor program, at least 50 percent of the required upper-level credits in the specific Arts discipline must be completed at UFV.
For a minor program, at least 50 percent of the required upper-level credits in the specific Arts discipline must be completed at UFV.

Graduation

It is the student's responsibility to ensure all program requirements are met. This should be done by regular consultation with an Advisor. Please note that students with more than five course duplications will not be eligible to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree. (Repeats of THEA 199 and 299 are exempt from the duplication rule when a grade of D or higher is achieved.)

Degree candidates who qualify to receive a UFV degree must be approved by an Advisor and the Senate.

Students must apply for graduation by completing the Graduation Request form available at ufv.ca/admissions, or from the Office of the Registrar. We recommend this be done in the first month of the final semester. The final deadline for students who wish to attend the June Convocation ceremony is April 1 of each year, with all program requirements completed by April 30 of each year.

BA policy on course duplication

Duplication refers to taking a course more than once.

Under university policy, students may not register for a course more than twice without permission of the appropriate dean or designate. Where a course has been repeated, the GPA at UFV includes only the higher grade, but all attempts appear on the transcript. Some programs limit the number of courses which can be repeated. Transferred courses are considered in the number of attempts. See UFV's Course Repeat policy (86).

Students with more than five course duplications will not be eligible to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree. A “W” or an “AU” in a course is not counted as a duplication. Multiple repeats of the same course count as a single duplication.

Note: Repeats of lower-level Theatre practicum courses are exempt from the duplication rule when a grade of D or higher is achieved.

Standing required for continuance

All students accepted into the BA program at UFV are expected to maintain acceptable standards of scholarship. Specifically, they are expected to maintain a minimum 2.0 CGPA on all courses.

Undergraduate continuance

Academic standing will be governed by UFV’s Undergraduate Continuance policy (92). Students enrolled in undergraduate courses (courses numbered 100 or above) must maintain an undergraduate Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of at least 2.00 to remain enrolled in Good Academic Standing at UFV. Students in Good Academic Standing will have no registration limits placed on them. Failure to meet the minimum CGPA requirement will result in restrictions on registration and may eventually lead to academic suspension from undergraduate studies at UFV. Students on Academic Warning or Academic Probation are limited to registering in 10 credits.

The academic standing of all students covered under this policy for courses where letter grades are assigned will be determined at intervals of 9 credits at the start of a student’s academic career and then at the end of every term after 27 credits have been completed. Students will be assessed after every term enrolled, but Academic Standing will only change at the intervals noted above. Students’ academic standing will be permanently reflected on their student record and will appear on official and unofficial transcripts.

After each semester, students put on Academic Warning, Academic Probation, or Required to Withdraw status or who are continued on Warning or Probation will be notified by the Registrar.

For assistance, see an Advisor or contact advising@ufv.ca.

Required to withdraw

Students who have been Required to Withdraw from UFV under the Undergraduate Continuance policy (92) are subject to re-admission and continuance requirements as listed in the UFV academic calendar. Students are normally only readmitted once to the same program.

Subsequent degree

Students who have already completed a degree at the bachelor's level may be granted an additional bachelor's degree provided that the two degrees are significantly different and that the student has met the program requirements. No more than 75% of the credits required for the additional degree may be applied from any previous degree. At least 30 upper-level (300-400) credits for the subsequent degree must be taken at UFV.

Co-operative Education option

The Co-operative Education option provides students with the opportunity to acquire paid, career-related work experience in conjunction with their studies in the Bachelor of Arts degree program. See the Co-operative Education section for more details.

Bachelor of Arts requirements

There are three sets of requirements to note:

Program requirements (below)
General requirements
Discipline requirements. A BA degree requires the completion of one major or two extended minors; see individual disciplines for specific requirements.

Program requirements for students entering in Winter or Summer 2017

To receive a Bachelor of Arts degree students must complete the requirements for one major or two extended minors.

Students admitted to the degree should seek advice from an Advisor. A formal declaration of your program choice must be made and approved by an Advisor prior to the completion of 60 credits towards the degree. Students who have completed 60 credits but have not yet declared at least one major or two extended minors will not be permitted to register. Exceptions may be made in special circumstances by an Advisor.

You must complete a minimum of 120 credits of which 65 must be in Arts. For the purpose of meeting the 65 credits in Arts, students may choose courses from the following list of subjects:

Anthropology, art history, ARTS, communications, criminology/criminal justice (excluding CRIM 201, 202, and 203), critical analysis and study methodology, economics, English, fashion design, film, geography, global development studies, graphic design, history, Indigenous peoples knowledge, Indo-Canadian studies, international studies, journalism, Latin American studies, Mennonite studies, linguistics, mathematics, media and communication studies, modern languages, music, philosophy, political science, psychology, religious studies, sociology, statistics, theatre, visual arts, women's studies, and university studies.

All UFV courses specified for degree programs and EDUC, FNST, and TESL are acceptable for the remaining 55 credits of elective. Of these remaining 55 credits, up to 12 credits may be chosen from any UFV course, 100 level or higher, or UFV assigned transfer credit at the 100 level or higher.

A minimum CGPA of 2.0 in the BA program, a minimum CGPA of 2.0 in your major/extended minor(s)/minor(s), and a minimum CGPA of 2.0 in all upper-level credits is required for graduation. Pre-college or preparatory courses will not satisfy program requirements.

Bachelor of Arts students must consider the following in making their course selection:

Access to seats in some courses may be limited due to course prerequisites and/or seats reserved for students in specific programs or majors.
Students preparing for graduate studies should seek advice from the UFV department head of their intended discipline to assist in course selection.

Honours

UFV offers honours programs in:

Majors

UFV offers majors in:

Students choosing a major have the opportunity to concentrate their studies in one subject area, preparing them for related careers or for further study following graduation.

In addition, students may choose to complete a minor or extended minor in conjunction with their major.

Note: A sociology/anthropology major cannot be combined with either a sociology minor or an anthropology minor.

Additional requirements for Arts majors

Of the 120 BA credits:

65 must be in Arts subjects
45 must be at the 300- or 400-level (upper-level)
at least 30 credits must be completed at the upper-level in the chosen major - see individual subject areas for specific major requirements.
the lower-level (100- and 200-level) requirements for at least one Arts major must be satisfied - see discipline requirements.
the Bachelor of Arts general requirements must be satisfied. See the General Requirements.

Extended minors

An extended minor typically consists of the 100- and 200-level credits required for a major plus the 300- and 400-level credits equivalent to a minor in the same discipline. Students who want to concentrate on two subject areas can earn a Bachelor of Arts degree by completing two extended minors. Any two of the following disciplines (with certain exceptions noted below) can be combined for a double extended minor in the BA:

Note 1: Mathematics and Mathematics (Statistics option) cannot be combined for a double extended minor.

Note 2: The following extended minor combinations are not allowed within the BA degree:

Visual Arts and any one of the following: Art History, Media and Communications Studies, or Theatre.
Students interested in these extended minor combinations should consult the BFA Academic Advisor.

An extended minor consists of the 100- and 200-level credits required for a major as well as the 300- and 400-level credits equivalent to a minor in the same discipline.

Additional requirements for Arts extended minors

Of the 120 BA credits:

65 must be in Arts subjects
45 must be at the 300- or 400-level (upper level)
at least 15 credits must be completed at the upper level in each of two extended minor disciplines - see individual subject areas for specific extended minor requirements
the lower-level (100- and 200-level) requirements for at least two Arts extended minors must be satisfied - see discipline requirements.
the Bachelor of Arts general requirements must be satisfied. See the general requirements.

Minors

UFV offers minors in:

You may choose to complete a minor in conjunction with your major or double extended minors. At least 15 credits of upper-level credits must be taken within a single discipline unless otherwise specified in this calendar.

Note: There are disciplines within Arts which have minors but do not have majors.

General requirements for students entering in Winter or Summer 2017

Breadth requirement

Students enrolled in a major must complete at least 30 credits in five or more subject areas outside the Arts major. No more than 12 credits from any one subject area can be used to fulfill this breadth requirement.

Students enrolled in two extended minors must complete at least 30 credits in five or more subject areas of which one can be one of their extended minors. No more than 12 credits from any one subject area can be used to fulfill this breadth requirement.

Note: These breadth requirements will be met in part by fulfilling the following requirements:

Writing requirement

Students can meet the writing requirement in one of two ways:

Enter the BA program with a grade of A in English 12 (or an equivalent course), a grade of A in ENGL 099, or a grade of A in ENGL 091.

Note: In assessing a high school grade, the BA program uses the blended final grade. English 12 equivalent courses include English Literature 12, English 12 First Peoples, International Baccalaureate English A (standard level or higher level), Advanced Placement English.
OR
Complete successfully one of the following courses:
- ENGL 105
- CMNS 155
- ARTS 100 (see Note)
Note: ARTS 100 meets both the writing requirement and the reasoning requirement.

Reasoning requirement

PHIL 100 or ARTS 100 (see Note 1), or at least three credits from each of the following lists:

Humanities List	Social Sciences List
AH 205, 316	ANTH 301
CMNS 251, 360	ECON 100
ENGL 150, 364	GEOG 241, 452
HIST 300	STAT 104
MATH 265	PSYC 202 (see Note 2), 408
THEA 301/ENGL 365, THEA 450	SOC 255/ANTH 255/MACS 255
	SOC 350

Note 1: ARTS 100 meets both the writing requirement and the reasoning requirement.

Note 2: This requirement may be met by PSYC 210 if previously completed.

Lab Science requirement

Four credits from:

ASTR 103 or 104
BIO, 100-level or higher
CHEM, 100-level or higher
GEOG 101, 102, 103, or 116
KPE 163 or 170
PHYS 100-level or higher
PSYC 202 (see Note)

Note: This requirement may be met by PSYC 210 or PSYC 220 if previously completed.

Humanities requirement

Six credits from:

Art History
Communications
English 108 or higher
Film
French
Halq'eméylem
History
Interdisciplinary courses (see Note)
Japanese
Linguistics
Mandarin
Mathematics
Music
Philosophy 100 or higher
Punjabi
Religious Studies
Russian
Spanish
Statistics
Theatre
Visual Arts

Note: Interdisciplinary courses are determined by an Advisor.

Social Science requirement

Six credits from:

Anthropology
Criminal Justice (see Note 1)
Economics
Geography 105, 111, 130 or higher
Global Development Studies
Interdisciplinary courses (see Note 2)
Latin American Studies
Media and Communication Studies
Political Science
Psychology
Sociology
Women's Studies

Note 1: Please contact an Advisor for details regarding acceptable criminal justice courses.

Note 2: Interdisciplinary courses are determined by an Advisor.

Special note: Prospective elementary and secondary school teachers must, in following the above guidelines, take into account the B.C. Teacher Regulation Boards and Faculty of Education admission requirements. Consult an Advisor for assistance.

Notice of changes for Fall 2017

After undergoing extensive review, the decision has been made to revise the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts. Changes include a shift in the core requirements for the degree and the addition of an ePortfolio. These changes will take effect September 2017 and are outlined on the Bachelor of Arts (Fall 2017) page. Please note:

Students applying for Fall 2017 will be applying to enter the revised BA.
Entrance requirements will not change.
Students enrolled in the BA prior to Fall 2017 are not affected by the changes.

Should you have any questions, please contact a UFV Academic Advisor.

Program requirements

Requirements	Current BA	Requirements	Fall 2017 BA
Credits	120	Credits	120
Upper-level credits	45	Upper-level credits	45
Overall breadth	30 credits in five or more subject areas.	Overall breadth	No longer required.
Arts credits	65	Arts credits	65
Elective credits	55 All UFV courses specified for degree programs and EDUC, FNST, and TESL are acceptable for the remaining 55 credits of elective. Of these remaining 55 credits, up to 12 credits may be chosen from any UFV course, 100 level or higher, or UFV assigned transfer credit at the 100 level or higher.	Elective credits	55 credits chosen from any UFV course, 100 level or higher, or UFV assigned transfer credit at the 100 level or higher.
Program	One major or two extended minors.	Program	One major or two extended minors/minors of a minimum 24 credits each.

Foundational skills

Requirements	Current BA	Requirements	Fall 2017 BA
Writing (3 credits)	ENGL 105, CMNS 155, ARTS 100, or an A in English 12 or equivalent.	Writing (3 credits)	ENGL 105, CMNS 155, or an A in English 12 or equivalent. Must be completed by 30 credits.
n/a	n/a	Oral, Visual, or Written Communication (3-4 credits)	One course from list (TBD). Must be completed by 60 credits.
Reasoning (3-4 credits)	PHIL 100, ARTS 100, or six credits from list.	Critical Thinking (3-4 credits)	One course from list (TBD). Must be completed by 30 credits.
Lab Science (4 credits)	One lab science course from list.	Scientific Literacy (3-4 credits)	One course from list (TBD). Must be completed by 60 credits.
n/a	n/a	Quantitative Literacy (3-4 credits)	One course from list (TBD). Must be completed by 60 credits.
Humanities (6 credits)	6 credits in the Humanities.	Humanities	No longer required.
Social Sciences (6 credits)	6 credits in Social Sciences.	Social Sciences	No longer required.
Total	22-26 credits	Total	24-27 credits

Second language competency

Requirements	Current BA	Requirements	Fall 2017 BA
n/a	n/a	Second Language Competency (0-3 credits)	Successful completion of any Grade 11 language course, demonstrated competency through other means, or completion of any Modern Language 101 course (such as FREN 101 or SPAN 101) (see below).

All BA students will demonstrate competency in a second language equivalent to B.C. high school grade 11. Students meet competency by one of the following:

Successfully completing any grade 11 high school second language course;
Successfully completing any language immersion program, such as French Immersion;
Graduating from a high school in which the language of instruction is not English;
Graduating from a post-secondary institution in which the language of instruction is not English;
Successfully completing any Modern Language 101 course, such as SPAN 101 or MAND 101, at UFV; or
Successfully completing a second language course at another institution which transfers to UFV and is equivalent to a Modern Language 101 course or higher.

Students who have gained second language competency through other means may contact Modern Languages to inquire about an assessment of their competency. Please note that the ability to assess competency is limited by the availability and expertise of faculty able to assess particular languages.

ePortfolio

Requirements	Current BA	Requirements	Fall 2017 BA
n/a	n/a	ePortfolio (6 credits)	Six credits taken as ARTS 101, 201, 301, and 401. Students transferring into the BA with up to 45 credits will be required to complete all four courses. Students transferring into the BA with 45-60 credits will be exempt from ARTS 201.

Personal and social responsibility

Requirements	Current BA	Requirements	Fall 2017 BA
n/a	n/a	Civic Engagement	One course from list (TBD) or meet through non-credit means.
n/a	n/a	Intercultural Engagement	One course from list (TBD) or meet through non-credit means.

Arts discipline requirements

See under individual disciplines.

Return to main Arts page