Program planning
At UVic, you design your own schedule. You have the freedom and flexibility to study the subjects that interest you.
Academic & degree requirements
If you're pursuing your first bachelor's degree, you must:
- complete at least 60 units of course work. Most courses are worth 1.5 units of credit.
- At least 21 units must be at the upper year 300- or 400-level.
- At least 30 of the units must be completed at UVic to meet the residency requirement.
- earn a graduating grade point average of at least 2.0. Some programs, such as honours, may require a higher average.
- meet the specific course requirements for your chosen program and degree.
- satisfy the Academic Writing Requirement.
Learn about minimum degree requirements for graduation.
Program worksheets
Program worksheets help you plan, choose and schedule the courses you need.
Use your program worksheet to find your program requirements and understand sequencing (what to take first).
Minor programs
A minor is an optional program that allows you to study in an area outside of your major program area. For example, you might add a journalism minor to your biology major.
Some minors are only open to students in a particular program or faculty.
The academic year
The UVic academic year is divided into a winter session and a summer session.
- The winter session includes the fall term (September-December) and the spring term (January-April)
- The summer session runs May-August and has multiple terms
When you register for winter session courses, you register for both the fall term (September-December) and the spring term (January-April) at the same time.
Courses & units
Most one-term courses at UVic count for 1.5 units. You need 60 units of courses to graduate from most programs at UVic. Some courses, such as year-long courses, can count for 3 units.
Our course timetables let you explore course schedules. Some courses may not be offered every term. We release the winter session course timetable in mid-May and the summer session course timetable in mid-February.
Required courses
- A required course must be taken to meet the requirements of your program. It is often a prerequisite for further study in a given area.
The undergraduate calendar lists all of the required courses for each degree program.
Elective courses
- 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.
Prerequisite & corequisite courses
- A prerequisite is a course or other requirement that you must complete before you can register in a particular course.
- A corequisite is a course or other requirement that you must complete before or at the same time as a selected course.
Courses available to all students
There are courses without prerequisites that are available to all undergraduate students. If your program worksheet includes electives, you can use this list to look for topics to complement your primary program or explore other disciplines and subjects.
Need help?
Having trouble with program and degree planning? Contact your adviser for help.