- What is Aurora Student?
- What is University 1?
- How does the Faculty of Arts admit new students?
- What degree programs are available?
- Can I get a second degree?
- How many courses can I take?
- What courses are available to first year students?
- Are there any special requirements?
- What are prerequisites?
- Can I take courses from another faculty?
- Can I take courses from another university?
- How do I register?
- How can I change my registration?
- When do I pay my fees?
- Where do I get my picture identification card?
- Where can I buy my textbooks?
- When do classes begin?
- What is voluntary withdrawal?
- How do I get a time extension?
- When are final examinations?
- What do I do if I miss an exam?
- When will I receive my final grades?
- How can I appeal a final grade?
- How does the letter grade system work?
- What is hold status?
- Where do I change my address?
- How can I transfer to another faculty?
- What is the Arts Student Body Council?
- The Faculty of Arts General Office
- Basic Terminology
- Reading Course Numbers
- Selecting Your First Courses and Planning Your First Year Program
- Checklist for New Students
- Faculty of Arts Students' Code of Responsibilities
- General Academic Regulations and Requirements
Aurora Student is the student information system. You can log in and register, check your program, transit to Arts or Science from University 1, or declare your Major and Minor. You can also access fees, grades, transcripts, booklists and tax forms. Please check out the Registrar's Office website for more information or go directly to Aurora Student.
For most, it will be the first year of any degree program chosen. In University 1, students will select courses from a wide variety of offerings in Arts, Science, and other faculties/schools. This freedom to choose allows students to take the specific courses required for admission to one or more faculties/schools while, at the same time, making it possible to sample or try out courses related to several different disciplines or professions.
If you choose to transit to the Faculty of Arts after completing University 1, refer to the transition instructions in the University 1 section of the University of Manitoba Undergraduate Calendar. If you are applying to the Faculty of Arts from another Faculty or school or from another institution you must submit an "Application for Admission" form to the Admissions Office by the appropriate deadline. Consult the current University of Manitoba Undergraduate Calendar for deadline dates for application for admission.
There are three different degree programs available in the Faculty of Arts: a 3 year B.A. General, a 4 year B.A. Advanced and a 4 year B.A. Honours.
Upon admission to the Faculty of Arts, students are automatically placed in the General degree program. All programs have a common first year, and students are eligible to apply to enter the Honours programs only after successfully completing 6 credit hours in 4 different subject fields. Students completing their first year will remain in the General program unless they apply for entrance to the Advanced or Honours programs.
Students planning to enter the Advanced or Honours programs should be aware that there are specific entrance requirements for each program and refer to the University of Manitoba Undergraduate Calendar for detailed information. Please note that not all programs are available in all subject areas. Students planning to declare a specific major(s), minor or honours subject field should include the appropriate prerequisite course for that program within their first year.
Students who have completed a first degree may be admitted to the Faculty of Arts seeking a second degree.
A "second degree" student is one who is pursuing a second undergraduate degree and whose basis of admission is a first degree from a recognized university program.
Once a Bachelor of Arts degree has been awarded by the University of Manitoba Senate, it cannot be revoked or exchanged for a different degree. However, students are free to apply for admission to the Faculty of Arts seeking a second degree.
Students will be allowed to transfer up to 60 credit hours of acceptable coursework from their first degree toward the Bachelor of Arts second degree program. Courses extra to the first degree may also be transferred. Courses from external institutions which exceed ten years will not be considered for transfer credit.
Courses must be acceptable for credit in Arts and must have a minimum grade of "C" in order to be transferable.
Once admitted to the Faculty of Arts and to one of the three undergraduate degree programs, students must satisfy all continuation requirements (such as the minimum performance level), and all graduation requirements relevant to that degree program.
No transfer credit will be awarded to students applying for a third degree.
Students may not be admitted to the Faculty of Arts or complete a Bachelor of Arts degree program while pursuing a degree in another faculty or school at the University of Manitoba.
Students cannot obtain a second degree in the same discipline at the same or lower level degree as any of their previously awarded degrees.
Students may take up to five full courses, or the equivalent in a combination of full and half courses, during the Fall and Winter terms (30 credit hours).
Students should note that the distribution of hours within the total 30 can be in any combination of full and half courses, but the half courses should be distributed equally between terms.
You are not required to attend full-time. Students may take less than the maximum of 30 credit hours and complete a degree on a part-time basis.
Within the first five full courses or equivalent, students should select and successfully complete 6 credit hours in at least four different subject areas.
While you are required to complete 6 credit hours in only four different subject fields within your first 30 credit hours, we strongly recommend that you include 6 credit hours in five different subject areas for the following reasons:
- It is one of the recommendations for entering the Honours degree programs;
- The fifth subject area requirement is part of the overall degree requirements and must be completed within the first 60 credit hours;
- Choosing 6 credit hours in five different subject fields, within the first year, provides you with a broader range of subject areas from which to select a major and minor.
Students who have been admitted with transfer credit for work completed at another institution may have already completed the subject area requirement within their transfer credit.
Humanities/Social Science/Science Requirement
All students are required to complete 6 credit hours of Humanities, 6 credit hours of Social Sciences, and 6 credit hours of Science as part of their B.A. degree program, by the time 90 credit hours have been completed.
Refer to the Faculty of Arts section of the Undergraduate Calendar for a listing of departments which are classified under these categories.
You should note that the Science category includes all courses offered by the Faculty of Science except courses classified as Service Courses provided to other faculties.
University Written English and Mathematics Requirement
All students are required to complete for their degree a minimum of one three (3) credit hour course with significant content in written English, and a minimum of one (3) three credit hour course with significant content in mathematics.
In the Undergraduate Calendar, course numbers of designated written English courses are marked with a 'W,' after the course number, and designated mathematics courses are marked with an 'M,' after the course number.
Individual sections of courses may also satisfy the University written English requirement and will be marked in the Undergraduate Calendar with a 'W' after the section number.
To determine if you are eligible to take a particular course, you must first check the Undergraduate Calendar for any prerequisites. A prerequisite is a course which must be successfully completed before the next course may be taken. Prerequisites may be found within the departmental information preceeding the course description or at the end of the individual course description.
While some departments have one introductory course which is a prerequisite for all other courses within the department, others may offer a variety of 1000 and 2000 level courses which have no prerequisites. Students should note that language courses and many science courses require a high school prerequisite.
As of the Fall Term 2007, you can take any course from another faculty or school as long as you have the prerequisite and subject to the overall degree requiremet. Special conditions for registration may apply and are subject to the overall degree requirements.
To find the course description in the Undergraduate Calendar, refer to the faculty or school in which the course is offered.
Students may be registered in one degree program at only one university at a time. However, it is possible (for Faculty of Arts students) under certain circumstances to take courses at another university on a "Letter of Permission" and use the courses towards a degree program.
You must formally apply for a Letter of Permission on an "Application for Letter of Permission" form at least one month prior to the start of classes at the other institution. These forms are available through the Registrar's Office. For further information, you may wish to contact a Student Advisor in the Faculty of Arts General Office.
Most categories of students will be required to register through the Aurora Student online information system. Refer to the Student Affairs website for information on the procedure and deadline dates.
If you wish to change your registration (withdraw from a course, change sections in a course, or add a new course), you must follow the instructions contained in the Undergraduate Calendar. Changes in your registration must be completed by the appropriate deadline listed in the academic schedule of the current Undergraduate Calendar. This is normally the first two weeks of classes in September for first term and full courses, and the second week of classes in January for second term courses, but be sure to check the Undergraduate Calendar for exact dates. Some students in certain categories will be required to process a registration revision form. Consult the Undergraduate Calendar for details.
Refer to the Undergraduate Calendar for information on how to revise your registration, and how a revision will affect your fees.
Please see the Fee Information page on the Registrar's Office website for information on how to access your Account Summary through Aurora Student.
After you receive your admission to the university, an identification document will be available for your signature in the picture I.D. Centre, which is part of the Registrar's Office at 400 University Centre. You should obtain your I.D. card during the summer months to avoid lineups in the fall. No fee receipt is required.
The identification card is required to use the various campus facilities (e.g., libraries, physical education centre), and must also be presented during final examinations.
Your I.D. card is permanent, and you should retain it throughout your attendance. If your I.D. card is lost or stolen, be sure to report this immediately to both the I.D. Centre and the library.
Further information on I.D. cards and the I.D. Centre is provided in the Undergraduate Calendar.
After you have registered and asked for a fee assessment, a textbook listing will be provided. Be sure to buy the textbooks required for the section in which you are registered since the same course may use different textbooks for different lecture sections.
University of Manitoba Bookstore
The University Bookstore is located on the lower level of the University Centre Building. The Bookstore supplies textbooks and course materials for all classes as well as a variety of other merchandise including trade and reference books, calculators, microcomputers, stationery, art supplies, tapes, CD's and University of Manitoba crested sportswear.
The peak period for students' purchases is the first two weeks of classes. Students who register early may purchase their textbooks prior to the commencement of classes. The booklist is available for reference at the Bookstore in early August.
Students should be aware that textbooks may be returned for a full refund with a receipt 14 days from the date of purchase, date of class commencement or date of course change. The sales slip and I.D. are required and the text must be in reusable condition.
Between April and August and again in early December, students may sell their used books back to the Bookstore. The Bookstore will buy back reconfirmed textbooks for cash.
Information regarding store hours may be obtained by calling 474-8178. Further information is available in a pamphlet from the Bookstore or by calling 474-8321.
Following the compulsory two day University 1 Orientation, classes will begin Thursday, September 10, 2009. Be sure to attend your first class since this is usually when instructors provide students with a course outline and the assessment procedure.
Students must be notified of the assessment procedure of a course within the first two weeks of classes. You should use this information to decide whether you want to stay in the course, change sections of the same course, or perhaps change courses entirely.
The Voluntary Withdrawal (VW) deadline date is the final date by which a student may withdraw from a course without academic penalty. The VW deadline for Fall Term half-courses is Wednesday, November 18, 2009. The VW deadline for full courses and second term half-courses is Friday, March 19, 2010. You should make note of the VW deadline for all courses in which you have registered.
There is no academic penalty associated with a voluntary withdrawal. If, however, you miss the VW deadline, you must complete the course to the best of your ability. If you receive a failing grade, this will become a permanent part of your academic record, and cannot be removed. It is therefore extremely important to be aware of the VW deadlines for all of your courses!
If you require additional time to complete term work, you may apply in writing through your instructor for a time extension. You must apply for a time extension prior to the end of classes. Time extensions are normally granted only under exceptional circumstances, such as medical or compassionate grounds.
A preliminary schedule of final examinations and midterm test in full courses, scheduled and arranged by the Registrar's Office, is posted in late October for first term courses and in mid-February for second term and full courses. You must check for any examination conflicts (i.e., more than one examination at the same time) and if you find one, advise the Registrar's Office immediately. You may also request the Registrar's Office to attempt to reschedule an examination if you have three consecutive exams (e.g., Monday afternoon, Monday evening, and Tuesday morning are considered to be three consecutive exams. Monday afternoon, Tuesday morning, and Tuesday afternoon do not constitute three consecutive exams and you would not be eligible to request rescheduling).
A final examination schedule will be posted approximately two weeks after the preliminary schedule. Check the final examination schedule very carefully by lecture section numbers for each of your courses.
During the examination, you will be required to present your picture identification card.
In addition there may be "instructor-scheduled" final examinations which will not appear on the final examination timetable prepared by the Registrar's Office. Be sure to consult your instructor/department regarding such exams.
Students must be available during the final examination period; therefore, you should not plan any vacations or job commitments until you know the date of your last examination.
If you miss a final examination, contact the Faculty of Arts General Office immediately. For legitimate reasons, such as illness documented by a medical certificate or a death in the family, you may apply for a deferred examination (i.e., an examination deferred to a later date).
Final grades in first term courses are usually available through Aurora Student during the second week in January. Second term and full course results are usually available through Aurora Student in early June. You will be sent a mark statement for the Fall and Winter Terms at this time as well. In addition, instructors are required to post grades by student numbers at the time they are submitted to the Registrar's Office.
If you have good reason to believe that a mistake was made in the assessment of your final grade, you have the right to appeal the grade through the Registrar's Office. If you wish to appeal an assigned grade, you must do so within 21 days of the publication of the final examination results. For further information, contact the Registrar's Office. For information regarding appeals on term work, consult the instructor/department.
The University of Manitoba uses a Letter Grade System, wherein every final grade is a letter grade ranging from A+ to F. The Letter Grade System is explained in the Undergraduate Calendar.
Students in the Faculty of Arts who receive grades of F should note that a failing grade cannot be removed from a transcript, even if the same course is repeated and successfully completed.
Students who do not write the final examination will obtain the notation "NP" in addition to the grade assigned, e.g., F-NP (Failure -- No Paper).
To graduate with a B.A. General Degree, you must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on the 90 credit hours used to meet degree requirements. To graduate with a B.A. Advanced Degree, you must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on 120 credit hours. Students in a B.A. Honours Program must achieve a higher grade point average.
Students can be placed on "Hold" status for a variety of reasons, such as outstanding fees, overdue library books, and parking fines. Most academic and administrative services will be denied until the "Hold" status is cleared. You will be notified automatically if you are placed on this status.
If you change your address during the academic year, be sure to update your personal information in Aurora Student. Click on "Personal Information", then "View/pdate Addresses and Phones."
If you wish to obtain information regarding transfer to another faculty or school at the University of Manitoba, you should contact that faculty or school directly. You should also contact the Admissions Office to obtain a "Transfer of Faculty" form and check the deadline for application for transfer.
Student Advisors in the Faculty of Arts will not be able to provide you with specific information on eligibility for transfer to another faculty, or on the degree requirements of any other faculty. You are reminded that while you are enrolled in the Faculty of Arts, you must comply with the Faculty of Arts regulations and take courses which can be used towards a B.A. degree.
The Arts Student Body Council is an elected council which represents Arts students in academic and student matters at the University of Manitoba. The council is responsible for renting lockers, organizing social functions and making arrangements for student representatives who are required on many Faculty committees. Such representation gives you an opportunity to affect many of the academic policies and decisions during your stay at the university. Your council may be of service to you in many other ways -- contact them: 2nd floor, Fletcher Argue Building.
Telephone: 474-6877
Student Advisors in the Faculty of Arts are available on a year-round basis to answer any questions you may have regarding your academic program in the Faculty of Arts. They will refer you to other sources on campus as required.
The Faculty office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. unless otherwise posted.
For further information, you are invited to write or call:
Dean's Office
Faculty of Arts
3rd Floor, Fletcher Argue Building
The University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3T 5V5
Telephone: (204)474-9100
Toll Free (within Manitoba):
1-800-432-1960 Extension 9100
Fax: (204) 474-7590
Remember that you are in charge of your academic program and that it is up to you to ensure that you are meeting degree requirements. If you have read the Undergraduate Calendar and need assistance in planning your program, it is your responsibility to contact a Student Advisor.
- Session
- The University of Manitoba offers two sessions; the Fall/Winter Term is the period from September to April, and the Summer Session is the period from May to August. Term
- The Fall/Winter Session consists of two terms: classes in Fall Term are held from September to December; those in Winter Term from January to April.
- The Summer Session encompasses one teaching period: May to August. Full or Spanned Course
- In the Fall/Winter Session, a full or spanned course is held from September to April. Spanned courses are normally comprised of 3 hours of lecture per week over two terms and are equivalent to 6 credit hours. Half Course
- A half course may be held in either the Fall Term, the Winter Term or Summer Session. Half courses are normally comprised of 3 hours of lecture per week in one term and are equivalent to 3 credit hours.
Each course is assigned a course number which is listed in the University of Manitoba Undergraduate Calendar.
Example: PSYC 1200 - Introduction to Psychology (6)
The letters before the course number indicate the department, Psychology. All courses in Psychology are prefixed with PSYC. The digits after the letters indicate the course number within the department. The first digit after the letters indicates that this is a 1000 level course; there are also 2000, 3000, and 4000 level courses available to undergraduate students in the Faculty of Arts.
New students should note that they are not restricted to taking only 1000 level courses within their first year. The 1000/2000/3000/4000 level designations indicate the level to which the course is specialized and not necessarily the year in a student's program in which it must be taken. There are a number of 2000 and a few 3000 level courses in which new students are eligible to enrol, in addition to the many 1000 level courses.
The number in brackets after the title of the course indicates whether it is a full or half course (6 credit hours = full course, 3 credit hours = half course). If the credit hours are followed by "L," you know that there is a laboratory associated with the course.
Students admitted to University 1 who subsequently intend to enter the Faculty of Arts, should carefully review this section prior to registration in courses in University 1.
This website will provide you with information on the different departments and cross-disciplinary areas in the Faculty of Arts. Once you have decided the subject areas in which you would like to study, you should then select specific courses.
The University of Manitoba Undergraduate Calendar is produced annually and contains a description of all the courses offered in every faculty and school. Courses offered by the Faculty of Arts are listed under the Arts section of the Undergraduate Calendar, with the departments arranged in alphabetical order. However, not all courses listed in the Undergraduate Calendar are offered every year. To check if a course is offered in the current academic session, you must refer to the current Undergraduate Calendar.
You may register for less than a regular year's program. Indeed, many students register for only one or two courses per year. Using the Undergraduate Calendar, plan a timetable for yourself. Keep in mind that all departments require a minimum grade of "C" or better in the initial course as a prerequisite for advanced level courses or for entry to a major or minor.
- Have I applied for admission?
- Have I submitted all the required documents?
- Have I received my acceptance and made note of my student number?
- Have I received copies or read online versions of:
- University of Manitoba Undergraduate Calendar
- Faculty of Arts Handbook (PDF)
- Have I selected my courses?
- maximum 30 credit hours
- 6 credit hours in at least 4 different subject fields within the first 30 hours (5 subject fields recommended)
- Humanities/Social Science/Science requirement (recommended but not required within the first 30 hours)
- checked the Undergraduate Calendar for prerequisites
- Have I planned my timetable using Aurora Student, making sure I do not have any conflicts and that I have included any required laboratories?
- Have I processed my registration by the deadline date?
- Have I paid my fees by the deadline date?
- Have I bought my textbooks?
- Am I aware of the important dates for the academic year?
- First day of classes:
- Fall Term 2009 - Thursday, September 10, 2009
- Winter Term 2010 - Wednesday, January 6, 2010
- Deadline dates for course changes:
- Registration revision period for Fall Term 2009 courses - September 10 to 23, 2009 (Deadline is Sept 23)
- Registration revision period for Winter Term 2010 courses - January 6 to 19, 2010 (Deadline is Jan 19)
- Voluntary Withdrawal (VW) deadline dates:
- Last day for VW from Fall Term 2009 courses - Wednesday, November 18, 2009
- Last day for VW from all Fall/Winter Term 2009/2010 and Winter Term 2010 courses - Friday, March 19, 2010
- Final examination periods:
- Fall Term 2009 courses - Thursday, December 10 to Thursday, December 23, 2009
- Fall/Winter Term 2009/2010 and Winter Term 2010 courses - Monday, April 13 to Wednesday, April 29, 2009
- Christmas break: Thursday, December 24, 2009 to Tuesday, January 5, 2010. Classes resume Tuesday, January 5, 2010
- Mid-term break: February 15 to February 19, 2010
- First day of classes:
- Am I aware of the various resources on campus to assist me during the year?
3rd Floor Fletcher Argue Building,
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada
Phone: 204-474-9100 Fax: 204-474-7590
Toll Free: 1-800-432-1960 Ext. 9100 arts_inquiry@umanitoba.ca
© 2013 University of Manitoba
