Degree basics

The Academic Calendar is your complete reference for academic regulations, administrative policies, and faculty, degree, and course regulations. Make sure you refer to the current year's Academic Calendar as course requirements can change from year to year. Don’t rely on last year’s information to make this year’s decisions.

Degrees & programs

The Faculties of Humanities, Science and Social Sciences offer Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BSc) degrees in a variety of programs:

The Honours Program

Requires specialization in one discipline (or two for a combined honours program) in the last two or three years of a degree program with 18.0 or more units in that discipline at the 300- or 400-level. It is intended for students of higher academic achievement and requires admission by the department. Students who plan to undertake graduate studies are strongly advised to follow an Honours Program.

The Major Program

Requires specialization in one discipline (or two for a combined major program) in the last two years of a degree program with 15.0 or more units in that discipline at the 300- or 400-level.

A Minor Program

Is an optional program that allows students to study in an area outside that of their Honours, Major, or General program. Requirements vary and are prescribed by each department.

The General Program

Provides students with the opportunity to study broadly in two disciplines in the last two years of a degree program with 9.0 units at the 300- or 400-level in each of these two disciplines. It is not intended to prepare students for graduate study, although some graduate schools may accept graduates of a General Program if they have achieved sufficiently high standing.

Common undergraduate degree requirements

If you're pursuing your first bachelor's degree, you must:

complete at least 60.0 units of course work. Most courses are worth 1.5 units of credit
- At least 21.0 units must be at the upper year 300- or 400-level
- At least 30.0 of the units must be completed at UVic to meet the residency requirement
earn a graduating grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0. Some programs, such as honours, may require a higher average
declare a program and meet the specific course requirements for your chosen program and degree
satisfy the Academic Writing Requirement

Learn about minimum degree requirements for graduation.

Faculty requirements

In addition to the common degree requirements outlined above, the Faculties of Humanities, Science and Social Sciences each has the following requirements specific to the faculty:

Humanities

6.0 units of courses outside your primary area of study
4.5 units of Humanities Global Language and Culture Requirement, with no duplication of courses between these two sets of requirements.

Science

at least 3.0 units from three distinct areas of study within the Faculty of Science
at least 33.0 units of Science courses (see definition of a science course)
Time limit for degree completion

Social Sciences

Time limit for degree completion

Program Requirements vs Electives

Program requirements are required courses specified in the Academic Calendar that you must take for your declared program. A 100- or 200-level program requirement is often a prerequisite for further study in a given area.

The Academic Calendar lists all of the required courses for each degree program.

An elective is a course that is not specifically required for your program. It counts towards the overall number of units you need for your degree. In most cases, you can take an elective from any department or program.

Certificates & Diplomas

While UVic primarily offers degrees, a number of certificate and diploma programs are available, which usually require fewer units of coursework than degrees and can be useful for students interested in enhancing their program or completing a credential in a short time. You can complete a certificate or diploma concurrently with your degree but must follow specific requirements and regulations around concurrent programs.