Undergraduate Academic Advising: Faculty of Fine Arts

Winter session (September to April) class schedules are available to view starting on May 15.

• First Term = Fall Term = September to December
• Second Term = Spring Term = January to April

Course registration for both winter session terms opens mid-June. 

Some winter session courses are scheduled for the full-year, from September to April. Registration is mandatory in both terms for all full-year courses.

You can tell which courses are full-year by the note on the class schedule section details (these details can be viewed by clicking on the hyperlinked 5-digit CRN in the Look Up Class search results for each course section):

"This is the first half of a course that runs Sep-Apr. You must register in the same section in Second Term (Jan-Apr) to complete your registration. For example, register in PHIL100 A01 in First Term and PHIL100 A01 in Second Term."

Summer session (May to August) class schedules are available to view starting on February 15.

Summer session is made up of seven terms with varying dates (most courses are offered over three or six weeks). 

Summer course registration opens mid-March. While Faculty of Fine Arts programs don't tend to include summer options for core requirements, you may be able to take electives or catch up on a requirement offered by another department, e.g., academic writing, English, computer science, or math.

Your assigned registration date/time will be posted in your online account in the first week of March. You'll receive an email alert about it from the Office of the Registrar to the preferred email address you listed in your account.

View the Student Awards and Financial Aid website for summer session loan and grant requirements for full-time students or part-time students.

New students must pay the acceptance deposit before a course registration date will be assigned.

If you’ve been away for more than one year, you need to reapply before a registration date will be assigned. 

Your registration status and assigned date/time for the winter session will be posted in your online account in the first week of June. You'll receive an email alert about this from the Office of the Registrar to the preferred email address you listed in your account.

Unless you are a new Year 1 student, your registration date will be assigned based on the number of units completed by April 30 each year (see year level definitions) as well as GPA.

New Year 1 students register first followed by Year 4, Year 3, Year 2, and then continuing Year 1 students (those who completed less than 12 units in their first year).

If you are registered with the Centre for Accessible Learning and need extra time to get support with your course registration, contact your CAL adviser to ask about options.

Start your course registration planning as soon as winter session (first and second term) class schedules are available to view on May 15.

Leave yourself plenty of time to review options and ask for help. Advising offices are always extra busy during May-September, and January.

Don't delay adding courses for both terms at your assigned registration date/time in June. Courses fill quickly. Waitlisted students are not guaranteed seats. 

1. Program planning worksheets
2. Academic Calendar: Programs pages
3. Academic Calendar: Course descriptions
4. UVic course registration guide 
5. How UVic courses work
6. Look up Classes or use the Class Schedule Search page
7. Waitlists

Unsure what to register for? Add placeholder courses on an 'in case' basis using the program planning worksheets, then consult the relevant academic advising office with any questions. Check for pre- and co-requisites in course descriptions.

Students can add up to 10.5 units of combined registered and waitlisted courses per term (max. 9 units registered) while making their course registration selections. See additional information about course load and add/drop deadlines provided on this page. Fees for first term registered courses are not due until September 30; January 31 for second term courses.

Use the list of courses available for all undergraduate students to find electives on topics of interest to you.

If you'd like to take more than one course in the same department or study area, explore related programs in the Academic Calendar. Look up minors and other major programs as well as certificates and diplomas. You can search the Calendar's program pages by keyword or filter the program pages to search by credential type.

It's possible to double major, add a minor, or take a certificate or diploma concurrently with your Faculty of Fine Arts degree by using your allotted degree electives to satisfy the additional program requirements. To find out how many electives your degree includes, refer to the program planning worksheet for the major, combined major, or honours program you intend to complete.

Prerequisites listed in the Academic Calendar: Course descriptions are mandatory. It's important not to add any course without looking up the pre- and co-requisites first.  If you don't meet a prerequisite the way it is listed in the course description or obtain departmental permission you will be dropped.

For both terms of the Winter session (September to April), prerequisite checking is turned off for several student groups from June until mid-August. Then, starting in mid-August departments begin prerequisite checking and dropping students for first term courses. Prerequisite checking for second term courses starts in mid-December.

This process ensures that all students are able to register in courses they need for their program if transfer credit for prerequisites hasn't yet been assigned or because final Grade 11/12 grades haven't yet been received or processed by Undergraduate Admissions. It also gives time for students to request departmental permission, if applicable. 

The groups of students who this information applies to include:

• Newly admitted to the university
• Accelerated entry
• International exchange
• Degree holders with block transfer credit
• Undergraduate diploma or certificate students
• Visiting students

Academic advising does not register students in courses. For general course registration system support, email studentsupport@uvic.ca. See also course registration tutorials. 

Need help with registering in a specific course? Contact the academic department directly about prerequisites, permission, course delivery, or how to obtain a course syllabus:

• AE courses: edci2@uvic.ca (Curriculum and Instruction, Education)
• AHVS courses: ahvsasst@uvic.ca  (Art History and Visual Studies, Fine Arts) 
• ART courses: visualarts@uvic.ca (Visual Arts, Fine Arts)
• COM courses: advisor@uvic.ca (Gustavson School of Business)
• CSC courses: cscadvisor@uvic.ca (Computer Science, Engineering & Computer Science)
• ECE courses: engradv2@uvic.ca (Electrical Engineering, Engineering& Computer Science)
• FA courses: fineasst@uvic.ca (Office of the Dean, Fine Arts) 
• MATH courses: msadmin@uvic.ca (Mathematics and Statistics, Science)
• MUS courses: musicadmin@uvic.ca (School of Music, Fine Arts)
• SENG courses: engradv1@uvic.ca (Software Engineering, Engineering & Computer Science)
• THEA courses: theatre@uvic.ca (Theatre, Fine Arts)
• TS courses: fineasst@uvic.ca (Office of the Dean, Fine Arts) 
• WRIT courses: writing@uvic.ca  (Writing, Fine Arts)

For contacts for other departments, use the UVic Directory.

Your assigned registration date/time is the earliest date you can add courses. Students can add/drop courses in each term up to the 100% fee reduction, 50% fee reduction, academic drop, and course add deadlines listed in the Calendar for each term/session.

Note: The course add deadline in each term is intended for those who have been given a registration offer from a waitlist and have been attending class.

Don't add a course after the 100% fee reduction deadline unless you have been attending class or have checked with the instructor first. Ask if there are mandatory attendance requirements and what assignments/content you've missed. Otherwise, you will owe at least 50% of course fees if you realize you can't catch up or change your mind.

See Undergraduate Admissions for more information about transfer credit.

Newly admitted transfer students to UVic are sent a 'transfer credit email' from the Undergraduate Admissions office after an offer of admission. Questions? Contact your assigned admissions assistant.

• To view your transfer credit summary in your online UVic account, refer to Online Tools > Student Services > Grades and Records > Transfer Credit Summary.  If your transfer credit is updated or revised you will be notified by email from the Admissions office.
  
  
• Transfer credit is only awarded for successfully completed courses. Minimum grades are required for Advanced Placement and International Baccelaureate studies. See the BC Transfer Guide for more information.
  
  
• If credit for any course (or its equivalent) has been previously obtained, no further credit can be awarded unless course description notes allow for this. Consult the Academic calendar regulation on repeating courses - this information also applies to courses taken at another institution.
  
  
• If the course you took elsewhere does not transfer as a specific UVic course, you will need permission of the relevant academic department/school to (1) apply non-specific 'level' credit in place of a program requirement (program requirement waiver) and/or (2) to satisfy a prerequisite for registration in a specific course (prerequisite waiver). See program and prerequisite waiver request instructions provided on this page.
  
  
• Examples of how level credit will appear on your records are AHVS 10L, ART 10L, FA 10L, MUS 10L, THEA 10L, WRIT 10L. 10L stands for '100-level.' If a department assigns level credit it means the course is not an automatic substitute for a specific course.

These instructions are provided for admitted transfer students who are preparing to register in courses. Requests to departments should be made well in advance of course registration and the start of term.

Prospective transfer students are welcome to contact a member of the student recruitment team (recruitment@uvic.ca) with any questions. Applicants may contact their assigned admission assistant. Refer to the 'transfer credit summary' section above for more tips.

Planning to apply as a visiting student at another university or college? Request a letter of permission by email to fineartsadvising@uvic.ca. 

Am I eligible?

• Undergraduate Fine Arts students in good academic standing or on academic probation with at least 6 units of registered or completed courses at UVic can request a letter.
• Consult your assigned admissions assistant if you intend to take courses elsewhere during your first year at UVic.
• If you have been required to withdraw from the university you will need to take transferable studies to qualify for re-admission, however you will not receive a letter of permission. See the academic probation/required to withdraw section further below on this page.

What should I include in my request?

• Request your letter at least a term in advance to allow time for a transfer credit evaluation and to apply as a visiting student.
• Include your name and student number, the name of the institution you want to attend, up to five course codes and titles, and the expected start and end dates for each.

What happens next?

• Expect a minimum of 5-10 business days for your letter to be issued to you by email (longer during holiday absences and peak periods during September and January).
• Not all courses are transferable, so don't register elsewhere until you have consulted academic advising.
• Once your letter has been issued, an informational hold will appear on your administrative transcript until you submit an official transcript to the Undergraduate Records office with your final grade(s) or to show course withdrawal.
• Grades for transferred courses will not appear on your UVic transcript, although grades for studies elsewhere are included in sessional GPA calculations to determine academic standing (in good standing, academic probation, or required to withdraw) and are also reviewed for any relevant program requirements.
• When transfer credit is assigned you will receive a notification by email from the Office of the Registrar. To view your transfer credit summary in your online UVic account, refer to Online Tools > Student Services > Grades and Records > Transfer Credit Summary.

Are there fees?

• The fee for each letter is $10.00 payable to the University of Victoria (care of the Office of the Dean, Fine Arts by cash or cheque).
• The fee is due after you receive the letter that will be sent to you as a PDF by email from fineartsadvising@uvic.ca. 
• If you don't have a paid letter of permission, you'll be charged a $50 document evaluation fee by the Office of the Registrar when you proivide your official transcript for review.
• Look up application and tuition fees for the college or university you will attend.

What do I do when I finish my courses or cancel my registration?

• Your official transcript is due at the Undergraduate Records office as soon as the studies elsewhere are completed.
• An official transcript or letter to confirm withdrawal or non-registration will be required if you withdraw from the course or do not complete it successfully.
• Contact fineartsadvising@uvic.ca if you cancel or withdraw from authorized studies.
• For any questions about your assigned transfer credits, contact the Undergraduate Records office (records3@uvic.ca for Fine Arts students; studentsupport@uvic.ca all other faculties).

How can I find transferable courses?

• Transfer agreements with BC institutions and some others are shown on the BC Transfer Guide.
• Thompson Rivers University and Athabasca University offer a wide selection of distance courses (most would apply as electives in a Fine Arts degree program).
• If you need a transfer credit evaluation for any course not listed on the BC Transfer Guide it will be completed by the Office of the Registrar (and the relevant academic department) once you submit your request for a letter of permission. The evaluation process can take several weeks so plan ahead.
• If you already have credit for a course (or its equivalent), no further credit will be awarded unless the UVic course description notes allow for this. Consult the Academic calendar regulation on repeating courses - this information also applies to courses taken elsewhere.

How can I use transfer credit in my degree?

• Consult the Fine Arts Academic Adviser (fineartsadvising@uvic.ca) to confirm how any planned transfer credit will apply to your degree. It's your responsibility to ensure all degree requirements are met. 
• If a course is assigned 'level' transfer credit this means it's not equivalent to a specific UVic course and you'd need permission of the relevant academic department/school (Chair or Director's office) to apply it to (1) a program requirement and/or (2) to satisfy a prerequisite for registration in a specific course. See further instructions provided in the accordion tab below.

Are there limits on how much transfer credit I can use? Yes, in the Academic Calendar:

• at least 30 of 60 units required at minimum for graduation must be UVic courses
• at least 18 of 21 units upper-level courses required must be UVic courses (this can include credit for "Exchange" courses)
• no more than 6.0 upper-level units required for an Honours Program may be taken elsewhere
• no more than 3.0 upper-level units required for a Major Program may be taken elsewhere
• no more than 3.0 of 9.0 upper-level units required for a Minor Program may be taken elsewhere

UVic's definition of full time is an undergraduate student taking 12 or more units in the winter session (September to April) or 6 or more units in the summer session (May to August).

You'll need a minimum load if you are studying on scholarship, receive government loans or bursaries or another type of financial aid, live in residence, or participate on a varsity team or in the Work Study program. Check specific requirements with the relevant office.

Program planning worksheets show how to complete the requirements in four years with 15 units (ten 1.5-unit courses) per year. However, they aren't intended to suggest that completion within four years is mandatory. You can usually pace your degree to suit your personal needs and financing as long as you keep in mind that progression in a program may require taking the core courses in a specific sequence that is based on prerequisites listed in course descriptions.

A commonly asked question is when to take electives. Schedule your electives in a way that works for you according to your choice or need for part-time or full-time studies. You can follow the program planning sheet or do something different. You can take electives in summers or later on in the degree. First-year students usually take 100- and 200-level courses in topics of interest. Second-year and higher students can take 100-400 level courses in topics of interest, depending on prerequisites.

Notes:

• Your graduation date depends on when you complete all of your program and faculty graduation requirements. Graduation can occur in May for students who complete all requirements by April 30, in October, for students who complete by August 31. An application is required. See Graduation and Convocation information.
  
  
• If you're an international student consult the International Student Services office if you plan to take less than full-time studies in any term.
  
  
• If you're registered with the Centre for Accessible Learning you may be eligible to take a reduced course load and maintain full-time status. Contact your CAL adviser.
  
  
• School of Music students should check with the administrative officer, Bethany McNeil, if dropping below full-time while taking individual lessons (MUS 140-440 or MUS 245-445).

7.5 units during a single term is considered an ordinary course load for full-time students intending a four-year degree without summer studies. However, students are permitted to register in up to 9.0 units in first term, second term and the summer session.

If you think you need to take a load above these limits, submit a request for course overload by email to fineartsadvising@uvic.ca in advance of your course registration date.

Include information in your request about the course you want to add and a personal statement to explain your reasons. Making a request does not guarantee approval.

Your request will first be reviewed by the academic adviser to determine if there are alternatives within your degree and program requirements to avoid an overload.  It will then be forwarded to the associate dean for review and decision. The adviser or associate dean may ask you to provide additional information to support your request.

Normally the maximum overload that will be approved is 0.5 to 1.5 units for supportable reasons only.

Requests to take an overload for the purpose of taking surplus courses to graduation requirements will not be approved. 

Why declare a program?

• All students must be declared in order to apply to graduate. 
• Submitting a declaration lets UVic and your academic advising office know of your intention to continue and complete a specific academic program.
• Declaring helps you track your program progress using a personalized degree evaluation report that will be prepared for you.
• Degree evaluation reports, also referred to as Curriculum, Advising and Program Planning (CAPP) reports, are only available to declared students. 

When should I declare?

• Declare your primary program (Major or Combined Major) early - at the end of Year 1 or Year 2  - or as soon as you are eligible. Some programs list audition, interview, or minimum GPA requirements in the Academic calendar.
• You must have at least 12 units of UVic and/or transfer credit to be eligible to declare any program.

How can I declare a Fine Arts program?

• Completing a degree in the Faculty of Fine Arts? Email fineartsadvising@uvic.ca with your program declaration request, including interfaculty programs, and any related questions. You can request to declare or change a major, add or remove a minor, or change to an honours program if your program offers this and you are eligible.
• Completing a degree in a faculty other than Fine Arts? Request to declare a Faculty of Fine Arts program in your degree via your home faculty's advising office at least six weeks before you register for courses to avoid registration restrictions. During peak periods requests to add a program may take longer. Not all faculties permit interfaculty programs (Fine Arts does).

What else should I consider?

• Students intending an interfaculty double major can normally register for the degree in either faculty; consult the relevant academic advising office about your degree options (BA, BFA, BMus, BSc) and about the faculty graduation requirements for either option.
• Students intending to declare an honours program, including interfaculty honours/major programs, must be registered in the faculty that offers the honours program. Students intending a double honours should consult academic advising first.
• Program requirements can change from year to year, so make sure you have the current year’s Academic calendar when preparing for registration.
• Degree requirements are normally determined by the Academic calendar edition in effect in the term of entry to UVic or the Faculty of Fine Arts.

Joy Andrews, Co-op Coordinator for Fine Arts, can orient you to co-op, work experience, parallel co-op, and post-study internship options, including entrepreneurial work terms.

• Office: Clearihue D128
• Co-op coordinator: Joy Andrews, hufaco@uvic.ca, 250-721-7629
• Co-op assistant: Annette Bailey Smith, hufacoop@uvic.ca, 250-721-8841
• Program flyer

See the Exchange program website and explore more than 300 of UVic's partner institutions. Exchange course credit can be used toward program requirements and/or elective credits in your degree depending on the exchange credit you receive for the courses you take while you're away.

Students pay UVic tuition for 7.5 units for each term you are on exchange. As an exchange student, you will pay for 7.5 units of coursework per term while you are on exchange regardless of the number of courses you take at the host institution. Part-time registration options may be available on a case by case basis. Tuition fees are due by the usual UVic deadline each term.

Review your plans with the Fine Arts Academic Adviser before you apply.

Students who need to drop a course due to extenuating circumstances after the 100% fee reduction deadline, but before the academic drop deadline, may submit an appeal for fee reduction to the Office of the Registrar.

1. See the Fee Reduction Appeals Committee page for appeal instructions.
2. For fee reduction appeal support, contact Student Support Services at studentsupport@uvic.ca or 250-721-8121 or Tuition Fees at tuition@uvic.ca or 250-721-7032.

Students who experience illness, an accident, or family affliction that prevent them from completing course(s) after the academic drop deadline, should submit a Request for Academic Concession (RAC), as well as accompanying documentation, as soon as possible to the Office of the Registrar (studentsupport@uvic.ca).

Approval of the request may give the student (1) additional time to complete course work (deferral or extended deferral), or (2) allow for a course drop without academic penalty (withdrawal due to extenuating circumstances or course removed from academic record) or (3) add a note to the official transcript with the final grade to indicate the student completed the course under extenuating or exceptional circumstances (aegrotat notation). 

1. Academic Concession options (with video and request form instructions)
2. Academic Concession Request Form
3. Office of the Registrar Contacts for Support

Requests for a deferral must be formally requested using the Academic Concession Request form and are reviewed for approval by both the course instructor and academic unit head (Chair or Director). For a deferral to be granted, instructional supervision and assignment completion outside of term must be feasible. When a deferral is not approved, students may request another academic concession option. 

Tip: Students intending to request an extension to complete coursework after the end of term should consult the course instructor before submitting their request to confirm it can be supported and to determine deadlines and how assignments will be submitted (location, or if by email, to what address). Keep a record of any communciations.  

Academic advising and associate dean's offices can provide advice and help so students understand their options. Contacts for students registered in Faculty of Fine Arts degree programs:

1. Fine Arts Academic Advising: fineartsadvising@uvic.ca
2. Fine Arts Associate Dean: fineassociatedean@uvic.ca 

Link to Academic Calendar regulation: Grading: Review of an Assigned Grade 

For grades received during term: While term is in progress students who believe that a grade awarded for work is unfair should discuss the matter informally with the instructor concerned. If discussion with the instructor fails to resolve the matter, the student may appeal directly to the Chair/Director or designate of the department or school. 

For a final course grade: Within seven days of receiving a final grade any student that has a complaint about an assigned grade in a course run by the Faculty of Fine Arts should submit a written statement to the instructor. Following this, students may request an additional review by the department chair or school director. Students should be prepared to re-submit all assignments and supporting documents related to the appeal.  

Before applying for a formal review of a grade, you should, according to the Calendar, make every effort to discuss with the instructor. For the procedure followed for Fine Arts courses (ART, AHVS, FA, MUS, THEA, TS, WRIT course codes), access the Fine Arts Review of Assigned Grade Procedures (213 KB PDF).

If you need help to find Fine Arts departmental contact information to appeal a final grade, contact the Office of the Dean, Fine Arts at fineasst@uvic.ca or call (250) 721-7755. 

To request grade appeal procedures for courses taken outside the Faculty of Fine Arts, contact studentsupport@uvic.ca. 

A Sessional GPA of at least 2.0 (or equivalent if a UVic student attempts courses elsewhere for credit towards a UVic program) is required to remain in good academic standing.

• 2.0 is equivalent to a C grade average on the official UVic grading system.
• Sessional GPA is calculated at the end of a session (Winter: September to April, Summer: May to August).
• A sessional GPA is calculated on all courses attempted in a session which have a unit value and determines academic standing for all undergraduate students.
• To learn how grade point averages are calculated, visit the Grade point average (GPA) calculations page.

Questions? Faculty of Fine Arts students can use this roadmap to academic standing.

If you have a GPA of less than 2.0 at the end of the winter or summer session you'll be notified by the Office of the Registrar by email that you've been placed on academic probation for the next session you attend.

Faculty of Fine Arts students who are newly placed on academic probation should contact Fine Arts Academic Advising and the Student Wellness Centre for assistance as applicable to your personal situation. You may be eligible to apply for academic concession. 

• Students who are on academic probation and who achieve a sessional GPA of 2.0 or higher will clear their probation status at the end of the session (return to good academic standing), except where a student's standing is withheld (see Academic Standing and Academic Probation and Requirement to Withdraw from the University.)

• Students who are on academic probation and whose sessional GPA falls below 2.0 in the next session attended will have failed to clear their probation period and will be required to withdraw, normally for at least one academic year.

• Refer to the GPAs page for a sample sessional GPA calculation. 

  • Even if you only plan to take one course in the next session you attend while on academic probation, whether at UVic or elsewhere, you will be required to withdraw if you don't obtain a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
  • For example, if you are placed on probation based on low GPA for courses taken during September to April and then register in one course at UVic during May to August you must obtain a minimum C grade on that course to avoid a requirement to withdraw at the end of the summer. If you take two or more courses in that summer your grades will be averaged.
  • Avoid a requirement to withdraw by seeking advice from your course instructors, academic advising and counselling and by dropping any courses you are not passing before the last day for withdrawing from courses without academic penalty (academic drop deadline). 
  • All students returning after a requirement to withdraw will be placed on probation for the next session attended.
  • Students who have grounds for appeal may appeal to the Senate Committee on Admission, Reregistration and Transfer Appeals (SCARTA), stating why they should be considered for reregistration.

Refer to the Office of the Registrar's website for more details about Academic Standing and Academic Probation and Requirement to Withdraw from the University.

Graduation is the awarding of your credential and degree parchment (diploma) by the University of Victoria Senate. You must apply to graduate in order to be awarded your credential and receive your diploma.

• Only declared programs will be reviewed for graduation and included in the degree. If you're intending to declare an additional program (major, minor) be sure to request this before you apply to graduate. If you need to add or remove a program prior to your degree award, contact fineartsadvising@uvic.ca as soon as possible. 
  
  
• If your degree evaluation/CAPP report shows you are declared in the co-op or work experience program and you don't intend to complete it, contact hufacoop@uvic.ca to request to withdraw.
  
  
• If you're intending to exclude any surplus UVic courses from your degree so they are available to apply to a future credential, if applicable, you must request this before graduation. Fine Arts students should contact fineartsadvising@uvic.ca when applying to graduate to allow time for consultation and processing. Grades for excluded 300/400-level courses are not included in the Graduating GPA. 

Convocation is a ceremony where we present graduates with their degree parchments (diplomas). Visit UVic Ceremonies for information about convocation, grad photos and more.

For UVic graduates:

The UVic Alumni Association, with the help of Alumni Relations staff, help to keep strong bonds between UVic and its the worldwide community of graduates.