Art history and visual art students are encouraged to speak with our undergraduate advisor if they have any questions or concerns about their programs or course requirements.
Arts Academic Advising
Arts Academic Advising supports the academic success of the Faculty’s 14,000 undergraduate students.
From the point of admission, Advising provides programs and services to help you make informed and thoughtful decisions about your academic path throughout your degree program.
Upper-Level Visual Art Course Restrictions
Students who have completed the relevant prerequisites – but who are not a visual art (VISA) honours, major, or minor – are still able to request registration in upper-level VISA courses.
Online registration in upper-level VISA courses is restricted to our declared majors and honours students. All minors and students with prerequisites must submit a registration request by email to the undergraduate advisor, which includes your student number and the full details for the course you’re requesting (for example, VISA 351 001).
Once our majors and honours students have had an opportunity to register, requests will be registered (space permitting) in the order the requests are received.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you completed AP or IB courses in high school and obtained a high enough grade, you might be eligible for first-year credit.
Obtaining credit for 100-level VISA might allow you to "skip" course requirements or apply for select 200-level courses. Email the undergraduate advisor with your student number to discuss your options and how credit would be applied toward a VISA major/minor/honours.
If you’re interested in seeing how your courses might transfer to UBC Vancouver, you can look at the online course transfer guide for British Columbia.
If you have particular credit questions regarding visual art or art history courses, you can contact the undergraduate advisor.
A maximum of 6 credits of art education courses may be applied to the 300-level VISA studio requirement for the BA visual art major.
Only EDCP 303 (Ceramic Design and Pedagogical Approaches, 6 credits) and EDCP 305 (Digital Media in Arts Education, 3 credits) may be applied. Note that EDCP courses cannot be used to fulfill requirements for the BFA visual art major.
All UBC students are welcome to take 100-level VISA courses (so long as their primary program allows it). Any students who then meet the prerequisites may take 200-level VISA courses.
If you’ve completed the 200-level prerequisites and wish to take a 300- or 400-level VISA course, you can request registration in upper-level VISA courses.
For students who are unable to add/drop courses online or need instructor permission to take a course for credit or audit.
This form must be returned with original signatures to the undergraduate advisor.
Every student must apply to graduate online via the Student Service Centre (SSC). You can apply to graduate while you are still taking courses. Arts Academic Advising will note your CIPs (courses in progress) and check to see if you have passed at the end of the term.
If you have questions about your degree navigator and visual art/art history requirements, you can contact the undergraduate advisor.