Frequently asked questions

Explore answers to questions related to advising services, degree planning, transfer credits, and records and registration.

School of Engineering

For questions about programs or courses offered by the School of Engineering, contact  School of Engineering Academic Advising.

Other Faculty resources

For other Faculty resources, including forms, Honours program applications, and department contacts, refer to the faculty resources at the bottom of this page

Records and registration

How do I access Workday?

Use Workday on a desktop device for the best user experience. Log in to Workday at myworkday.ubc.ca with your Campus-wide Login (CWL).

If you don’t have a Student CWL, you can create one after accepting your offer and receiving a student number. You can set up a Student CWL through UBC IT. If you do not have Multi-factor Authentication set up, follow the instructions online, then log into Workday. 

View our How-To tutorials here.

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Where do I find my registration date and time?

Personalized registration dates are available to view on Workday, typically one to two weeks prior to registration opening.  Sign in to Workday and navigate to the “Academics” tab in the “Your Top Apps” menu on the right side of the page. 

Click “Registration & Courses” in the top menu. Your registration date and time will be listed in a table on the left side of this page. Learn more about viewing your registration appointment. 

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Why is my registration appointment “end date” earlier than the Course change deadline?

The registration appointment end date noted within your Workday account does not reflect the last day for registration in a course. You can add or drop courses until the course change deadline.

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My year level is changing in the upcoming year because I am switching programs. Which year level will I be allowed to register with?

If you are switching programs or have taken summer courses and your year level is changing as a result, you will be assigned a registration date based on your current year level but will be eligible to register during the week assigned to your new year level.

For example, if you are a third year Bachelor of Arts student and you are switching to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, you will be a first year student in the upcoming academic year. You will receive a registration appointment for the week of third year registration, however you will be able to register during the week of first year registration.

It is recommended that you reach out to Academic and Career Advising for questions related to program changes.

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How can i search for specific courses in workday?

Login to Workday. Under your Academics app, click on the “Registration & Courses” tab and select “Find Course Sections” from the menu on the right side of your screen. In the pop-up window, select the academic term and the academic level you are looking for. Once you are in the course schedule, you’ll notice a search bar at the top of the screen. If you know the specific course code you are looking for, enter it into the search bar using the format CourseCode_O CourseNumber (e.g. ENGL_O 112, BIOL_O 202).

You can also search by subject (e.g. ENGL, BIOL, HES etc.), or use the filter options on the left side of the screen to narrow your search.

Learn more about finding classes and viewing the course schedule.

What is the difference between reserved and unreserved seats in a course?

Some courses might have “reserved” seats. These seats are reserved for specific students, for example students in a specific program or year level. If you are a member of the group that these seats are reserved for, you will be able to register.

“Unreserved” seats are open for any students that do not meet the criteria for the reserved seats in that course but do meet the pre-requisites.

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What is a “closed” course?

A closed course indicates that the course is full.

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Can I register in two courses that overlap in my schedule?

Registering in courses with an overlapping schedule is not recommended as courses may also overlap in how exams and assignments are scheduled.

In some circumstances, conflicts may be possible. Decisions on course conflicts are handled at the Faculty level. To discuss your options, contact the Faculty Dean’s office of the course that will be impacted.

Quick reference:

• Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences:  fass.students@ubco@ubc.ca
• Faculty of Science: fos.students.ubco@ubc.ca

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How do I drop a course?

Be aware of drop/withdrawal deadlines. The first drop deadline allows you to drop without financial penalty or any notation on your transcript. After that, you’ll have to “withdraw” from the course and will have to pay for part or all of the course. Withdrawing from a course after the drop/withdrawal deadline means you’ll see a ‘W’ on your transcript. A ‘W’ on your transcript indicates that you have attempted a university course and have chosen to withdraw within university guidelines. A ‘W’ does not get calculated into your overall GPA or sessional evaluation.

See our step-by-step tutorials for dropping and withdrawing from courses in Workday.

Note: If you are required to maintain a minimum course load due to housing, funding, study permits, or other circumstances, make sure you are aware of how many credits you must be registered in before you think about withdrawing from a course.

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What are the impacts of dropping a course?

Dropping or withdrawing from a course can have negative impacts, so please check how many registered credits are required in your circumstances.

Not checking can jeopardize your eligibility for loans, scholarships, bursaries, immigration status (registration, PGWP, study permit requirements), and degree progression (prerequisites, number of courses remaining, etc.).

Please connect with the right department if you’re unsure how dropping a course might affect you.

• Student Records & Financial Services
• Indigenous Programs & Services
• Housing
• Disability Resource Centre
• Global Engagement Office
• Academic & Career Advising

How do I know what courses to take?

For first-year students, use our first-year planning guides to plan your schedule.

For second, third, and fourth-year students, use this section of your online Academic Calendar to review degree requirements.

You may also want to learn about your Academic Progress Report in Workday.

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My class is full, what do I do?

Advisors are unable to register students into full classes.

Regularly monitor courses in Workday regularly to see if a seat has opened up. Some courses may have waitlists available that you may be added to. If you are added to a waitlist, be sure to keep an eye on your email to see if a seat has become available and login to Workday to claim your seat within 24 hours. See our Workday tutorials for more information about waitlists.

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I’m registered in a lecture but I can’t get into a lab. What do I do?

If you have a seat in the lecture and labs are full, keep an eye on Workday for a seat to become available in a lab. Sometimes students drop the course which opens a seat for you and sometimes the faculty opens another lab section. If you’re concerned about being unable to register the lab, contact the relevant department for assistance.

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What does a “W” mean?

A “W” on your transcript indicates that you have attempted a university course and have chosen to withdraw within university guidelines. A “W” does not get calculated into your overall GPA or sessional evaluation.

A withdrawal does not detract from your academic record.

If you are concerned about your academic history and applications to other schools or graduate programs, you should contact the respective organization for information on how they might regard a “W” on a transcript.

If you drop your course before the add/drop deadline, a “W” will not appear on your transcript. Add/drop deadlines are listed on the Workday Course Schedule  when viewing a specific course, in a specific term. These deadlines are also listed in the online Academic Calendar.

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Can I register in courses scheduled back-to-back?

All courses will finish 10 minutes before the time listed in the course schedule. The size of the campus also allows students to register in back-to-back courses.

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I missed the deadline for dropping a course, what do I do?

It is very difficult to drop a course after the final deadline has passed. However, if you feel you have exceptional circumstances, you should speak to an Academic & Career Advisor about completing a ‘Late Withdrawal Request’ form.

Be forewarned that these requests are not granted lightly and you will need to provide compelling reasons for having missed the deadlines.

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What do I do if I have an ‘advising Required for registration’ alert on my registration?

Reasons for this can vary. Contact and Academic & Career Advisor to have your file reviewed as soon as possible.

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How do I resolve a hold on my academic record?

To learn how to resolve a Hold on your account in Workday, follow this step-by-step tutorial. For information on UBC’s Policies on Fees, click here. If you have additional questions regarding your Hold, you can contact Enrolment Services – Student Records and Financial Services (SRFS) or your Indigenous Student Advisor.

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Where do I find an unofficial transcript?

Login to Workday and click on the Academics app on the right side of the page. Click on “View My Academic Record”. Here, under “Coursework” you will see a list of your academic sessions which will show your courses and grades for the period listed in a table format.

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What are my study options beyond on-campus UBCO courses?

Check out summer and off-campus study options.

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How do I declare or change my major or specialization?

Check out declaring majors.

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I failed a course, what can I do? Can I retake a course that I failed?

It’s never easy to fail a course. You’re welcome to discuss it with an Academic & Career Advisor.

If you failed a course once, you can retake it by registering the course again. If you’re unable to register the course, contact the relevant department for assistance.

If you failed a course twice, you will need your Dean’s permission to take the course a third time. Learn more.

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I’m not happy with my grade (and I didn’t fail). Should I retake a course? What does it mean for my transcript?

Sometimes, it’s necessary to retake a course if the course is required and a specific grade is required in that course. Sometimes, there is no reason to repeat a course that you passed. If you’re unsure of your situation, speak with an Academic & Career Advisor.

All attempts at a course are listed on your official transcript (unless you withdrew before the drop deadline).

How repeated courses are calculated depends on the intention of the calculation and which institution is completing the calculation. This can vary greatly. If you’re unsure of your situation, speak with an Academic & Career Advisor.

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I don’t meet the prerequisites for a course I wish to take. What do I do?

Ideally, you acquire the prerequisite for the course.

Prerequisites have been put in place by your faculty to ensure you have what you need to be successful in the course. If you feel strongly that you can be successful without the prerequisite, there is a ‘prerequisite waiver’ (available on your faculty website). Be sure to clearly articulate why you will be successful despite not having the prerequisites (for example, you have an equivalent course from another institution).

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My Term 2 saved schedule shows an alert saying I am not eligible for a course, but i believe i meet the eligibility criteria. What do I do?

When you are building your Term 2 saved schedule you may get alerts that you are not eligible for some courses.  This may be because you have the pre-requisites on your Term 1 saved schedule.  Check your saved schedules to make sure you have the required courses to meet your Term 2 pre-requisites. Once you register in your Term 1 courses, you will be able to register for Term 2.

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How many courses should I take? How many courses do I have to take?

Use the online Academic Calendar to see how your faculty wishes you to proceed (courses per term and year). However, we understand that many students have reasons for taking fewer credits (job, family obligations, disability, etc.).

Sometimes, students are required to maintain a full-time course load (minimum nine credits per term in a Winter Session). For example, students residing in UBC Student Housing, students using student loans, and international students are required to maintain full-time status.

We generally do not advise students take more than the recommended credits your faculty advises. Keep in mind there are many aspects to university life and you may want to have time to explore the many opportunities that university affords you.

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I’m wondering how a course I’m considering would meet my degree requirements. How do I know?

Use the online Academic Calendar to guide you.

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Advising services

What can I expect from an advisor?

Learn more about Academic & Career Advising services.

What’s the difference between academic and faculty/program advisors?

Academic & Career Advisors provide degree, program, and learning support for students in all programs. Academic & Career Advisors can help students with things like: degree/program requirements, declaring majors/specializations, choosing majors/specializations, course planning, improving study skills, and navigating UBC Okanagan policies and procedures.

Program advisors are faculty members who assist students with program-specific requirements. Program advisors can help students with things like: program requirements, honours programs, study abroad credits, making substitutions in prerequisite or program courses, and preparing for graduate school.

How can I meet with an Academic & Career Advisor?

Academic & Career Advising offers a variety of services to meet students’ needs throughout the year.
Visit Academic & Career Advising for more information.

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Degree planning

How do I declare a major (specialization)?

Learn how to declare or change your primary major, honours or specialization in Workday.

In the Bachelor of Arts, students can declare at the end of your second year or after you have successfully completed a minimum 48 credits.

Note: Some majors in the Bachelor of Arts (BA) program can be declared at the end of your first year or after you have successfully completed a minimum of 24 credits. Visit the Academic Calendar to learn about the requirements to declare the major you are interested in.

In the Bachelor of Science, students are able to declare at the end of first year or after successfully completing a minimum of 24 credits.

You are able to declare a major/specialization in most programs on Workday.

Some BA majors have to be declared by either the program advisor or an Academic & Career Advisor. Learn more about declaring majors.

Note: If you are a student in the Applied Science (Engineering), Health and Exercise Science, Fine Arts, Media Studies, Sustainability, or Management program, connect with an Academic & Career Advisor for information on specialization and concentration options.

How do I check my degree progress?

Learn how to view your Academic Progress Report (APR) in Workday.

Important information about the Academic Progress Report: 

• The Academic Progress Report (APR) in Workday replaces Degree Navigator (DN) in the SSC
• Your courses, credits and grades have been moved to Workday  
• Some discrepancies in these records have been identified and are being fixed. Impacted students will be notified of any known discrepancies directly. If you believe you see an error, please contact an Academic & Career Advisor.
• If you are changing programs or adding specializations, use the APR for up-to-date requirements

I’m thinking of switching programs – what are my next steps?

When you are considering switching programs it is important to come in and meet with an Academic & Career Advisor to see how your existing courses fit into a different degree program. They can help you understand the requirements of the new degree to make sure you are choosing appropriate courses.

You should be in good academic standing and must meet the University minimum average of 60% (or 2.0 grade point average) based on your most recent 30 credits.  Meeting this minimum entrance requirement does not guarantee admission, as entry into many programs is competitive.  This includes any failed or repeated courses unless otherwise prescribed by the program to which you are applying. In cases where counting back 30 credits lands in the middle of an academic term, the academic average of that term will be used for the remaining required credits to reach the total of 30.

Students may transfer a maximum of 60 credits applicable to the new program.

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Transfer credits

How do I get transfer credit added to my UBC record?

Upon admission to UBC Okanagan, undergraduate admissions will award the most appropriate transfer credit to your file, based on the official transcripts they have received. There are two types of transfer credit awarded to students:

“Assigned”- This type of transfer credit is given when the course completed at a school other than UBC is identical to a UBC course. For example, Okanagan College’s PSYC 111 transfers to UBC Okanagan as PSYO_O 111 (3 credits).

“Unassigned”- This type of transfer credit is awarded when a course completed at another post-secondary institution is not an exact match to what is offered at UBC Okanagan. For example, Okanagan College’s ENGL 100 transfers to UBC Okanagan as ENGL_O 1st (3 credits).

Learn more about transfer credits.

I completed AP and/or IB courses. Am I eligible for transfer credits?

If you achieved a grade of four or better on approved AP exams, UBC’s Okanagan campus will award you transfer credit. For more information visit the undergraduate admissions page on AP requirements.

For courses completed through IB, transfer credit depends on what you completed and your final, minimum score. For more information visit you.ubc.ca.

How many transfer credits can I count toward my UBC degree?

Students may apply a maximum of 60 credits (with restrictions) completed at other post-secondary institutions towards their UBC degree. If you are a newly admitted transfer student, see the Admission to UBC section in the UBC Okanagan Academic Calendar. If you have further questions or concerns, schedule an in-person, phone, or virtual meeting with an Academic & Career Advisor for assistance.

Can I take courses at another institution while I am a UBC student studying at the Okanagan campus?

Students wishing to take courses at another institution after being admitted to UBC Okanagan must fill out, and have approved, a Letter of Permission (LOP) request. For more information on LOP’s visit the summer and off-campus study options page.

How do I see my transfer credits?

Log into Workday and click on your profile. Under the “Academics” section, click “Transfer Credit” in the top menu. You will only see this tab in the menu if you have been awarded transfer credit. For more information about how to view your transfer credits in Workday, view our step-by-step tutorial.

How does my transfer credit apply to my degree?

Students should contact Academic & Career Advising to discuss how transfer credit can apply to your UBC degree requirements. For more information on transfer credit visit our transfer credits page.

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Faculty resources

Short on prerequisites for a course?

Refer to the program offering the course:

• Arts and Social Sciences
  • Find the appropriate form then submit it to the appropriate department assistant
• Sciences
  • Find the appropriate form then submit it to the appropriate department assistant
• Nursing
• Bachelor of Health and Exercise Sciences or Bachelor of Human Kinetics
  • Please email your request to hes.undergrad@ubc.ca for consideration. Be sure to include your student number, the course information for which you are seeking entrance, and a rationale.
• Creative and Critical Studies
• Management

Need to fill out a form or contact a department in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences or the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science?

• FASS academic department contacts
• FASS student forms
• FOS academic department contacts
• FOS student forms
• BIOL forms
• COSC, MATH, PHYS or STATS forms

Want to apply for an Honours or double major?

Apply for an Honours in…

• ECON
• PSYO
• ENGL
• Any other Honours program in Sciences
• HMKN