Degree Requirements for students who enter the program in 2023/24 or earlier

All students in the Bachelor of Arts degree program must complete the following seven requirements¹:

1. Writing and Research Requirement
2. Language Requirement
3. Science Requirement
4. Literature Requirement
5. Outside Requirement
6. Upper-level Requirement
7. Arts Credit Minimum Requirement

¹See also Credit Requirements and Regulations.

1. Writing and Research Requirement

The Writing and Research requirement has two components:

Writing Component

In order to begin to engage with the scholarly community at UBC and beyond, students must successfully complete 3 credits of instruction on research and writing in the disciplines through one of the following courses: Arts One, ASTU_V 100, ASTU_V 101 or CAP_V 100 (Coordinated Arts Program), ENGL_V 100, WRDS_V 150 or WRDS_V 350. This component must be satisfied prior to the student attaining Year 3 standing.

Students admitted to the Faculty of Arts directly from secondary school should attempt the Writing Component in their first 30 credits, registration permitting, and must ensure it is complete prior to reaching 54 credits. Transfer students who have not already completed the Writing Component must attempt it in their first Winter Session and ensure it is complete by the end of that Session or prior to reaching 54 credits.

Students who do not satisfy the above requirement due to a lack of attempts may have their registration restricted until the Writing Component is complete. 

Students who have completed a college or university-level writing course similar in rigour, content, and learning objectives to an approved Writing Component course may appeal to apply their transfer credits towards the Writing Component of the Writing and Research requirement. For further information students should consult Arts Advising.

Research Component

In order to contribute to the development of knowledge in their chosen field(s) of study, students must also complete a research-intensive experience. Typically, they will register in a research-intensive course specified for their major¹. Students are advised that research-intensive courses, normally offered at the 400-level, often have prerequisites and are frequently restricted to Majors in the discipline. Students should consult the department in question in planning their program of studies.

See below for a list of approved research-intensive courses.

¹In order to consider all research-intensive course options available to them, students completing a second major in a subject falling within the B.F.A. program are advised to consult both the B.A. Research Component table, above, and the B.F.A. Research Component table. All research-intensive courses approved for the Bachelor of Fine Arts are also accepted towards the Research Component for the Bachelor of Arts.

2. Language Requirement

There are three ways to satisfy the Language Requirement:

1. Prior to admission, and while still in secondary school, complete a language course (excluding English) at a level equivalent to BC Grade 12.
2. Pass a proficiency test. This option is particularly recommended for students who have knowledge of a language but no secondary school or university transcript to prove competency. No course credit is awarded for passing a proficiency test. Students must consult Arts Academic Advising.
   • If the language is taught at UBC, students may be able to prove competency through examination. Arrangements for such examination must first be sought from the academic department providing instruction in the language. If departmental examination or an acceptable alternative is not available, students should consult Arts Advising.
   • If the language is not taught at UBC, students may be permitted to prove competency through a proficiency examination. Only languages for which the Faculty of Arts can access an appropriate language expert to mark the examination, and in which a newspaper of acceptable circulation and quality is available online, may be considered for proficiency examination. Students must consult Arts Academic Advising.
3. Reach or exceed the level specified in any of the languages taught at UBC, as listed below. Note that most of these courses have prerequisites. Students with some language background wishing to register in language courses must check with the department teaching the language for placement prior to the beginning of classes. Note that there is no credit assignment to the Language Requirement, only a level of proficiency to be obtained.

3. Science Requirement

In order to ensure the development of an understanding and appreciation of scientific methods, applications and reasoning, students must complete 6 credits chosen from any combination of:

1. All courses taught by the Faculty of Science except: SCIE_V 113, 300; CHEM_V 300
2. Specific courses taught by the Faculty of Arts:
   • ARCL_V 140, 203, 228, 235, 325, 326, 345
   • ASIC_V 200, 220
   • all GEOB_V/GEOS_V courses
   • GRSJ_V 201 (cross-listed with CPSC_V 101)
   • LING_V 209
   • PSYC_V 263, 270, 360, 361, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 368, 370, 371, 460, 461, 462, 463, 465, 466, 467, 469, 472
3. Specific courses taught by the Faculty of Applied Science: APSC_V 366
4. Specific courses taught by the Faculty of Forestry: CONS_V 127, FRST_V 303, 304
5. Specific courses taught by the Faculty of Land and Food Systems: APBI_V 100, 200, 244, 260, 311, 327, 328; FNH_V 200, 250; LFS_V 340
6. Specific courses taught by the Faculty of Medicine: CAPS_V 210, 390, 391, SPPH_V 200, 301

Important Note: Students may not earn credit for two courses with significant and pre-defined content overlap. Students are fully responsible for their registration, and are advised to check the Course Schedule for course equivalencies and to review the Science Credit Exclusion Lists to avoid unnecessary registration. Note that credit exclusion does not imply that courses are interchangeable, and meeting specialization requirements may necessitate the completion of a specific course. Students registering in courses dealing with probability and statistics should exercise particular caution.

4. Literature Requirement

Students must complete 6 credits of literary study, chosen from:

5. Outside Requirement

Students must complete a minimum number of credits outside the field of study of their specialization(s).¹

¹ All courses normally accepted or designated as applicable towards a specialization in a field of study, including cross-listed courses, are deemed to be within that field of study. This remains true even when the course credit is not actually applied to that specialization (i.e. is taken as elective credit).
² The Interdisciplinary Studies program satisfies the outside requirement; students are not required to complete further credits outside their program. 
³ Outside credits must be outside both fields of study.

6. Upper-level Requirement

Students must complete a minimum number of upper-level credits (courses numbered 300 and above). The number of upper-level credits varies according to the degree program option chosen, as summarized in the table below. Note that the addition of a Minor to any degree program does not increase the Upper-Level requirement.

7. Arts Credit Minimum Requirement

Arts Credit is defined by subject area. Credit completed in subject areas identified in the UBC Calendar course descriptions as being offered by the Faculty of Arts, as well as transfer credit in those subjects, is considered Arts Credit.

A minimum of 72 of the 120 credits required for the Bachelor of Arts degree program must be Arts credit, except when the completion of the student’s specialization(s) requires more than 48 credits outside of Arts. See Credit Requirements and Regulations.