Part-time and online degrees (2024)

• Usually requires 30 courses
• Can be completed online or on a part-time basis

It may take less time to complete a degree than noted below if you are awarded transfer credit for previous college or university studies.

Part-time studies

It takes a minimum of five years to complete a degree (if you take two courses in each of Waterloo’s three terms per year).

Full-time studies

It would normally take three years to complete (five courses in two of Waterloo’s three terms per year). You could complete it faster by taking courses in each of our three terms per year.

• Usually requires 40 courses
• Can be completed online or on a part-time basis

It may take less time to complete a degree than noted below if you are awarded transfer credit for previous college or university studies.

Part-time studies

It takes a minimum of nearly seven years to complete a degree (if you take two courses in each of Waterloo’s three terms per year).

Full-time studies

It would normally take four years to complete (five courses in two of Waterloo’s three terms per year). You could complete it faster by taking courses in each of our three terms per year.

• Usually requires 40 courses and a higher average throughout your degree than the four-year general degree
• May have a slightly different set of required courses than a general degree
• Requires you to take classes on campus (except for Liberal Studies and Social Development Studies which are available through online studies)
• Normally requires you to be a full-time student either in person or online (except for Liberal Studies, the three Recreation and Leisure Studies majors, and Social Development Studies which all available through part-time studies)

As a full-time student, it would normally take four years to complete (five courses in two of Waterloo’s three terms per year). You could complete it faster by taking courses in each of our three terms per year.

Most Arts majors can be completed on campus through full-time or part-time studies; however, some majors may require you to enroll full-time. Email the admissions team for further information.

Commonly called a liberal arts degree at other universities, Liberal Studies allows you to explore many subjects in the humanities, social sciences, languages and cultures, and fine and performing arts – plus courses you’d like to take from some of Waterloo's other faculties.

Degree requirements

• Three-year general Liberal Studies degree
  • Available part-time (online, in person, or a combination) or full-time (online, in person, or a combination)
• Four-year general Liberal Studies degree
  • Available part-time (online, in person, or a combination) or full-time (online, in person, or a combination)
• Honours Liberal Studies degree (four-year degree)
  • Available part-time online starting in September only

Admissions

Admission requirementsare the same as for Honours Arts.

Additional majors

Through part-time studies, you can include on-campus and online courses. If you can attend in-person classes during the day, other majors in the Faculty of Arts may be available to you. Students generally do not declare a major until they have completed first year.

If you're a transfer student and receive an offer of admission to Waterloo, you can email artsadvisor@uwaterloo.ca to discuss how to declare a major.

Discover how to enhance quality of life by improving physical, social, and mental health through one of our three majors. Learn how well-designed recreation programs can foster inclusivity and strengthen the cultural fabric of a community. There are three honours majors available.

• Recreation and Leisure Studies
• Recreation and Sport Business
• Therapeutic Recreation

Study options

• Part-time (in person, begins in September only)

Admissions

Admission requirements for Recreation and Leisure Studies apply to all three majors.

Explore how human interactions are influenced by individual, collective, and structural forces such as mental health, socialrelationships, economic conditions, education and politics, and movements for social justice and social change. A common goal of those who study Social Development Studies is to help people and communities flourish.

Degree requirements

• Three-year general Social Development Studies degree
  • Available part-time (online, in person, or a combination) or full-time (online, in person, or a combination)
• Four-year general Social Development Studies degree
  • Available part-time (online and/or in person) or full-time (online and/or in person)
• Honours Social Development Studies degree (four-year degree)
  • Full-time studies (in person or online, starts in September)
  • Part-time studies (online, available to start in September, January, and May)

Admissions

Admission requirements are the same as for Honours Arts.

Do you have a passion for social justice? Do you feel a calling to help others and create change? With a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), you'll empower individuals, families, groups, and communities to sustain and improve their quality of life.

Study options

• Part-time (mostly in-person but some online courses)
• Full-time (in person only)

Pre-requisite courses

If you have a degree and plan to take courses to meet the admission requirements for the BSW, you're strongly encouraged to first email the School of Social Work for an assessment of your background and the courses you plan to take. This will help ensure that you have the correct courses and GPA before applying to the BSW program.

Admissions

Learn about admission requirements, applications deadlines, and tips for applying to the part-time BSW or full-time BSW programs.

If you wish to take individual undergraduate courses in the Faculty of Arts or the Faculty of Science without pursuing a degree, you can apply for admission on a non-degree basis.

You must meet the same admission requirements as for degree studies in Honours Arts or Honours Science depending on your interests. If you have an undergraduate degree from another post-secondary institution, you'll want to apply to post-degree studies (previous category).

Courses you successfully complete as a non-degree student may be eligible for credit toward a degree if you decide to pursue a degree at a later date.

Courses in faculties other than Arts and Science are not available through non-degree studies.

You'll apply through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) website.

• Non-degree studies
• Part-time and online studies
• Post-degree studies – Once you apply, you'll need to provide an official final transcript showing the undergraduate degree you earned. You do not need to supply transcripts from any other schools you've attended. If your first language is not English, we may ask for English language test scores.

These applications are not publicly listed on the OUAC website. If you're unable to complete your application, you'll need to bookmark the OUAC login page or return to this page and use the appropriate link above to finish your application.

Be sure to apply by the application deadline listed below and review the required documents we'll need.

As a reminder, full-time studies means three or more courses per term (a typical full-time course load is five courses), and part-time studies is one or two courses per term.

Application fee

There is a non-refundable application fee of $85 (payable to the OUAC). There may also be additional costs if you order transcripts when you apply. The OUAC will not forward your application to Waterloo until all required fees have been paid.

Special consideration

If you have significant circ*mstances that affected your grades and were not accommodated through your school(s) or relevant services, you can request special consideration for admission. This will give our staff additional information about your background when reviewing your application.

If you would like to request special consideration, please contact specialconsideration@uwaterloo.ca.

These deadlines apply to online and part-time studies (general interest courses or courses toward earning a degree), non-degree studies, and post-degree studies. Dates are subject to change.

Admission to the University does not guarantee enrolment in specific courses. Some courses are open only to students in a particular program.

Once you've applied

Within two weeks of submitting your application and payment, you'll receive your Waterloo student number and further instructions by email.

You'll need to arrange for all official transcripts to be sent to Waterloo's Office of the Registrar. Please ensure that your Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) number is included with all information.

Office of the Registrar
University of Waterloo
200 University Ave W
Waterloo ON N2L 3G1 Canada

The official language of instruction at the University of Waterloo is English. All applicants must meet the English language requirements to be eligible for admission.

* = Official transcripts must be sent directly from the institutions attended to the Registrar's Office. Please allow four to six weeks for their delivery.