All students are required to fulfill the faculty-wide requirements for the following degree options.
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
All students in the BA program must complete the following seven requirements:
1) Writing and Research
2) Language
3) Science
4) Literature
5) Outside Requirement (BA, BFA)
6) Upper-Level Requirement (BA, BFA)
7) Arts Credit Minimum Requirement
In addition to these seven degree requirements, you must fulfill the requirements of your specialization. Specialization requirements are listed in the Academic Calendar and on most department websites.
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
All students entering the BFA program in 2017 or later must complete the following four requirements:
In addition to these degree requirements, you must fulfill the requirements of your specialization. Specialization requirements are listed in the Academic Calendar and on most department websites.
Bachelor of Fine Arts Credit Requirements
I entered the BFA in 2016 or earlier
If you entered your BFA program in 2016 Winter or earlier, please refer to the archived UBC calendar for your degree requirements.
Credit Requirements
You must complete at least 120 credits, which break down into a minimum at the upper level, within your major, etc. That breakdown depends on which specialization(s) you’re completing: major, major + minor, honours, etc.
I am completing: | Major | Major+Minor1 | Double Major1 | Honours | Honours+Minor1 | Honours+Major1 | Double Honours1 |
Total Credits | 120 | 120 | 1202 | 120 | 120 | 120 | 120 |
Out of the 120 minimum credits I must complete, how many must be at the upper-level?2
I am completing: | Major | Major+Minor | Double Major | Honours | Honours+Minor | Honours+Major | Double Honours |
Credits at 300- or 400-level | 48 | 48 | 60 | 54 | 60 | 60 | 60 |
Out of the 120 credits, how many do I have to complete within my major/specialization?2
I am completing: | Major | Major+Minor | Double Major | Honours | Honours+Minor | Honours+Major | Double Honours |
Total in my major, including upper level | 42 | 42 in major, 30 in minor | 42 in each major | 60 | 60 in honours, 30 in minor | 60 in honours, 42 in major | 60 in each honours |
Out of my total, how many at the upper level? | 30 | 30 in major, 18 in minor | 30 in each major | 48 | 48 in honours, 18 in minor | 48 in honours, 30 in major | 48 in each honours |
Out of the 120 credits, how many must be outside my major/specialization?
I am completing: | Major | Major+Minor | Double Major | Honours | Honours+Minor | Honours+Major | Double Honours |
Credits outside my program | 60 | 24 | 24 | 48 | 24 | 24 | 24 |
Notes
1Students who wish to complete two BFA majors/honours as part of their BFA program may do so provided that they are admitted to both majors/honours programs. BFA students are permitted to complete any honours, major or minor program available to BA students, including those outside of the Faculty of Arts, in addition to their BFA specialization. The admission process to these specializations is identical for all students; see the department offering the specialization for details. If the desired program is not available as a specialization option under the BFA on the SSC, and you are in the correct year level to declare the specialization, contact Arts Advising to have the program declared or to inquire about admission.
2Note that these are degree minimums. Actual credit values for each specialization or combination of specializations may be greater. Please see department(s).
I entered the BFA in 2017 or later
Credit Requirements
You must complete at least 120 credits, which break down into a minimum at the upper level, within your major, etc. That breakdown depends on which specialization(s) you’re completing: major or honours, major + minor, etc.
I am completing: | Major | Major+Minor1 | Double Major1 | Honours | Honours+Minor1 | Honours+Major1 | Double Honours1 |
Total Credits | 120 | 120 | 120 | 120 | 120 | 120 | 120 |
Out of the 120 minimum credits I must complete, how many must be at the upper-level?2
I am completing: | Major | Major+Minor | Double Major | Honours | Honours+Minor | Honours+Major | Double Honours |
Credits at 300- or 400-level | 48 | 48 | 60 | 54 | 54 | 60 | 60 |
Out of the 120 credits, how many do I have to complete within my major/specialization?2
I am completing: | Major | Major+Minor | Double Major | Honours | Honours+Minor | Honours+Major | Double Honours |
Total in my major, including upper level | 423 | 423 in major, 30 in minor | 423 in each major | 60 | 60 in honours, 30 in minor | 60 in honours, 42 in major | 60 in each honours |
Out of my total, how many at the upper level? | 30 | 30 in major, 18 in minor | 30 in each major | 48 | 48 in honours, 18 in minor | 48 in honours, 30 in major | 48 in each honours |
Out of the 120 credits, how many must be outside my major/specialization?
I am completing: | Major | Major+Minor | Double Major | Honours | Honours+Minor | Honours+Major | Double Honours |
Credits outside my program | 30 | 304 | 05 | 30 | 304 | 05 | 05 |
Notes
1Students who wish to complete two BFA majors/honours as part of their BFA program may do so provided that they are admitted to both majors/honours programs. BFA students are permitted to complete any honours, major or minor program available to BA students, including those outside of the Faculty of Arts, in addition to their BFA specialization. The admission process to these specializations is identical for all students; see the department offering the specialization for details. If the desired program is not available as a specialization option under the BFA on the SSC, and you are in the correct year level to declare the specialization, contact Arts Advising to have the program declared or to inquire about admission.
2Note that these are credit minimums. Actual credit values for each specialization or combination of specializations may be greater. Please see department(s).
3The Major in Creative Writing requires only 39 total credits.
430 credits outside Major/Honours may include credits for Minor.
5Breadth is achieved through the completion of two Major/Honours programs; no additional outside credit is required, except as necessary to satisfy the Writing Component of the Writing and Research Requirement.
Bachelor of International Economics (BIE)
All students in the BIE program must complete the following seven requirements:
1) Writing and Research: both components of this requirement are completed with Cohort Required Courses
2) Language
3) Science: this requirement is completed through Cohort Required Courses
4) Literature
5) Outside Requirement
6) Upper-Level Requirement
7) Arts Credit Minimum Requirement
Bachelor of International Economics Credit Requirements
Credit Requirements
You must complete at least 120 credits, which break down into a minimum at the upper level, outside the BIE, etc. That breakdown depends on whether or not you choose to complete a Minor in addition to the BIE.
I am completing: | BIE | BIE+Minor1 |
Total Credits | 120 | 120 |
Out of the 120 credits, how many do I have to complete within my program and how many of those must be at the upper-level?
I am completing: | BIE | BIE+Minor |
Total in my program, including upper level | 63 | 63 in BIE, 30 in minor2 |
Out of my total, how many at the upper level? | 51 | 51 in BIE, 18 in minor2 |
Out of the 120 credits, how many must be outside the BIE, or outside the BIE and my minor?
I am completing: | BIE | BIE+Minor |
Credits outside my program | 483 | 243 |
Notes
1BIE students may complete any minor program available to BA students, including those outside of the Faculty of Arts, with the exception of the Minor in Economics and the Minor in Commerce. The admission process to minor programs is identical for all students; see the department offering the specialization for details. If the desired program is not available as a specialization option under the BIE on the SSC, and you are in the correct year level to declare the specialization, contact Arts Advising to have the program declared or to inquire about admission.
2Note that these are credit minimums. Actual credit values for each minor may be greater. Please see department.
3Includes WRDS 150
Bachelor of Media Studies (BMS)
All students in the BMS program must complete the following three requirements:
- Writing and Research: both components of this requirement are completed with Core Required Courses
- Upper-Level Requirement
- Arts Credit Minimum Requirement
Bachelor of Media Studies Credit Requirements
Credit Requirements
You must complete at least 120 credits, which break down into a minimum at the upper level, etc. That breakdown depends on whether or not you choose to complete a Minor in addition to the BMS.
I am completing: | BMS | BMS+Minor1 |
Total Credits | 120 | 120 |
Out of the 120 minimum credits I must complete, how many must be at the upper-level?2
I am completing: | BMS | BMS+Minor |
Credits at 300- or 400-level | 48 | 48 |
Out of the 120 credits, how many do I have to complete within my program?
I am completing: | BMS | BMS+Minor |
Total in my program, including upper level | 60 Core, 12 Core Plus | 60 Core, 12 Core Plus in BMS, 30 in minor2 |
Out of my total, how many at the upper level? | 30 Core | 30 in BMS, 18 in minor2 |
Notes
1BMS students may complete any minor program available to BA students, including those outside of the Faculty of Arts. The admission process to minor programs is identical for all students; see the department offering the specialization for details. If the desired program is not available as a specialization option under the BMS on the SSC, and you are in the correct year level to declare the specialization, contact Arts Advising to have the program declared or to inquire about admission.
2Note that these are credit minimums. Actual credit values for each minor may be greater. Please see department. Any number of lower-level credits and a maximum of 6 upper-level credits may be double-counted between Core/Core Plus credits and Minor requirements, thereby reducing the number of credits required to complete the BMS+Minor combination. Note that double-counting does not reduce the number of total credits or upper-level credits required for the degree.
Appealing degree requirements
If you believe you have already met a Faculty of Arts degree requirement (Writing and research requirement, literature requirement, or science requirement), submit the Appeal for exemption from degree requirements form to be assessed for an exemption based on your transfer credit or prior study.
Note: The Language Requirement cannot be appealed through this form. Please contact Arts Academic Advising to inquire about Language Requirement appeals