BA Degree Advising

Welcome to Vancouver Island University and Upper-Level BA Degree Advising.

BA Degree Advising is located on the third floor of Building 355 and provides academic advising services to all Faculty of Arts and Humanities and all Faculty of Social Sciences degree students.  If you are a new, continuing, or returning BA degree student, we are happy to meet with you to:

• declare or change your major or minors
• help you learn how to use the Goal Planning System (GPS) to monitor your degree progress
• help you plan your course choices
• discuss how your transfer credits apply to your degree
• help you learn how credits earned in an International exchange can apply to your degree
• provide detailed program information
• provide graduation information
• refer you to other resources on Campus

Availability

Student drop-in appointments:

During the academic year, from August - June, student drop-in is held Monday through Thursday between 9-11 am and 1:30-3:30 pm in Building 355, Rooms 305 or 307.

Summer 2026 (June-August): The last day for a drop‑in appointment is June 11, 2026. Drop‑in appointments will resume on August 31, 2026.

During Summer 2026, Lynda Patterson and Andrea Martin will periodically check their email accounts.

If you are a new BA student, please read the following:

• Official transcripts must be submitted to VIU Admissions. For questions you can email Transfer.Credit@viu.ca; also view information on ordering transcripts for more information.
• Once transcripts are assessed, credits will be added to your VIU Student Record.  You need to allow time for this process.  You can also check your own lower level (100- and 200-level courses) transfer credits through the BC Transfer Guide.
• There may be a need for instructional faculty or a department Chair to assess the course syllabus for possible exemptions or other considerations (during summer months, you may have to wait for after-summer return of faculty and/or Chair). 
• Review course and program requirements online.  You can select VIU GPS (program planning system) from the menu options on your Student Record homepage to create unofficial program audits:
  1. Launch GPS, then select “Add Goal”,
  2. Select the current calendar year,
  3. Select “Bachelor of Arts”,
  4. Select the major or minors you are considering,
  5. When finished selecting, save your goal (top of page) then open the new audit by selecting it from those listed on your GPS homepage. These are unofficial and you can create as many goal options as you like.
• If you need more information about Registration, please call 250.740.6400 or visit our Web Registration Tutorial.
• In May you should register for Fall, Spring and the following Summer. If one of the courses you desire is full, you can add yourself to the waitlist. Sometimes reserved seats are not fully claimed, and you will not know true seat availability until the course reserved seats are opened to all students. View wait list procedures. New students are advised to read through the Registration Guide.
• View Course Timetables.
• Some courses carry prerequisites so check course descriptions. You will attain “Third-year Standing” after completion of 54 credits.
• View course descriptions.

Students may be interested in viewing the VIU Learning Services.