Arts

Liberal Arts diploma

A UFV Liberal Arts diploma (LAD) will equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to be a reflective, articulate, and informed citizen within the Fraser Valley and beyond. A LAD offers foundational skills, learning, and engagement in communication, critical thinking, quantitative literacy, and scientific literacy, as well as the opportunity to begin concentrated study in a specific field or discipline. The diploma may serve as an educational goal or as an intermediate qualification for those who plan to transfer or who plan to ladder into a degree program at UFV. Students successfully completing a LAD will have met most of the lower-level requirements for the Bachelor of Arts as well as courses which can be used towards minors, extended minors, and/or majors.

Entrance requirements

Option 1: Secondary school (for students with secondary school graduation only)

B.C. applicants

1. B.C. secondary school graduation or equivalent.
2. A minimum grade of C+ in English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12 (see Note) and a minimum grade of C+ in one additional Approved Grade 12 course.

   Note: Students may also present English 12, English Literature 12, English 12 First Peoples, AP English, IB English A (standard level or higher level), or out-of-province equivalent.

Out-of-province applicants

Students will be considered on the basis of courses equivalent to Approved B.C. Grade 12 courses. See the Admissions section of the calendar for more information on equivalents to B.C. secondary school graduation.

Out-of-country applicants

Students must have B.C. secondary school graduation equivalency, meet the prerequisites for ENGL 105 or CMNS 125, and have completed an equivalent of C+ (equated to the UFV grading system) in one course equivalent to an Approved Grade 12 course.

Alternatives to secondary school graduation

Students who have completed the International Baccalaureate diploma program, the B.C. Graduation diploma (B.C. Adult Dogwood), or the General Educational Development (GED) certificate may be considered to have the equivalent of B.C. secondary school graduation for admission purposes.

Option 2: University entrance (for students who have attended some post-secondary school)

1. Completion of a minimum of nine credits at the 100 level and above, with a CGPA of 2.00 on all credits attempted.
2. Prerequisites for ENGL 105 or CMNS 125.

Students who do not meet these requirements might consider Qualifying Studies and/or a meeting with an Academic Advisor.

When to apply

Applications are accepted for entrance to the Fall, Winter, and Summer semesters. For application deadlines, see Specific intake application process.

How to apply

1. Apply online at ufv.ca/admissions/apply.

   Additional documents required for a complete application:

   • Official transcripts (or interim transcripts) from all post-secondary institutions attended (excluding UFV) showing grade/course achievement as per entrance requirements. To be considered official, transcripts must be sent directly to UFV from the originating institution; see the Transfer Credit section for details. To retain their original application date, students should order early so transcripts arrive within two weeks of the date the application is mailed or submitted.
   • For secondary school entrance, a final official transcript (if graduated). For students currently in Grade 12, final grades are due August 3.
2. Applicants will be advised of an admission decision and, if accepted, will be provided with registration information. A deposit is required prior to registration (see the Fees and Other Costs section) and will be applied toward tuition fees.
3. In cases where course work is in progress, an admission decision may be made conditional upon completion of academic requirements. Proof of completion of entrance requirements is due by the end of the first week in August for the September intake.

Basis for admission decision

Applicants who meet the entrance requirements will be admitted in order of their application date. This date is set when an application, all required documentation, and the application fee have been submitted.

Fees and additional costs

See the Fees and Other Costs section. Books and additional supplies cost approximately $100 per course.

Program duration

The LAD is two years in duration, consisting of a minimum of 60 credits.

Program requirements

There are two sets of requirements to note:

1. Program requirements
2. Foundational skills

Program requirements

1. 60 university-level credits, of which 30 must be completed at UFV
2. Of the 60 credits:
   • 33 credits must be in Arts subjects (Social Sciences, Humanities, or Creative Arts)
   • 27 credits can be in any subject at the university level (100-level and above)
   • At least 24 credits must be 200-level or higher

Foundational skills (4–5 courses)

Note: Students may not use the same course to meet more than one foundational skill requirement.

Each foundational skill course aligns with specific outcomes.

Students planning to apply to the Bachelor of Arts after completion of the LAD should familiarize themselves with additional BA requirements, particularly the second language competency requirement, as well as the requirements for specific majors, extended minors, and minors.

LAD graduates who ladder into the BA will need to complete AIS 299 (formerly ARTS 299) within 15 credits of admission to the degree. AIS 399 (formerly PORT 399) will need to be completed between 91 and 120 credits.

Courses at other institutions

UFV students who wish to take course at another institution for credit toward the LAD must obtain permission in advance from an Academic Advisor. A Letter of Permission request is available at ufv.ca/registrar/forms or can be obtained from the Office of the Registrar. Students must be in good standing (CGPA > 2.00) to receive a Letter of Permission. When approval has been granted, the Office of the Registrar will issue a Letter of Permission to the student. Residency and transfer credit policies apply.

Policies relevant to the LAD

Course Repeat policy (86): Students are not permitted to register for the same course more than three times. Students wishing to register for a course for a fourth time should connect with the Student Rights and Responsibilities Office. All attempts will be recorded on the transcript, but only the highest grade will be included in the GPA. Transfer courses are considered in the number of attempts. A “W” or “AU” course is not counted as a duplication. Multiple repeats of the same course count as a single duplication.

Undergraduate Continuance policy (92): Students must have a CGPA of at least 2.00 to remain in good academic standing. Failure to meet or maintain a 2.00 will result in restrictions on registration and may lead to academic suspension.

Transfer Credit policy (107) and Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) policy (94): Students who successfully complete academic course work at another post-secondary institution can transfer this credit to UFV to satisfy Liberal Arts diploma requirements. They can also earn academic credit through an assessment of prior learning.

Residency

Students must complete at least 30 of the credits required at UFV.

Graduation requirements

Students are responsible for ensuring they are eligible to graduate, and should regularly consult with an Academic Advisor. To be eligible to graduate, students must have completed the LAD program with a minimum program and cumulative GPA of 2.00.

Students must apply for graduation in the first month of their final semester. Visit the Graduation webpage for more information. The final deadline for students who wish to attend the June Convocation ceremony is April 1 of each year, with all program requirements completed by April 30.

Course listings

For complete details on courses see the course descriptions section.