Academic Requirements and FAQs

Pre-Professional Year

All applicants must have completed, or be enrolled in, a minimum of 21 credits of university or college courses that are transferable to the Faculty of Arts at the University of Alberta, at the time of application.

Choose your courses carefully - not all courses (even those from other universities) transfer to the UofA. This is referred to as your pre-professional study year and must total 30 credits by the end of your degree.

For the 30 credits you must present a combination of:

• 3 credits junior-level (100-level) English. e.g. ENGL 102, 103, 125 & WRS 101
• 27 credits other course work
  • Choose from Humanities [includes senior (200-level or higher) English], Social Sciences, Sciences or Fine Art
  • Maximum of 18 credits in drama courses allowed. This means anything to do with Drama, Theatre, Theatre History, Acting, Voice, and/or Performance is considered a "Drama" course
  • DRAMA 103 and 150 are strongly recommended
• Minimum grade of C- in each individual course (if transferring from outside of the UofA)
• Minimum Admission Grade Point Average (AGPA) of 2.2 (out of 4.0)
• The minimum of 21 credits must be completed by the end of Spring Term (end of May) as the UofA Registrar's Office must receive final and official transcripts by June 15

IB and AP course work: Please visit these IB applicant and AP applicant sites.

International Students: Information is available online through the U of A International site.

FAQs

Where should I complete my minimum 1 year of pre-professional study?

Start where you want to finish - take your 1 year here at the UofA in the BA Drama program. It is a strong program in and of itself. There also won't be any issues with course transferability. You may take your courses at another college or university, as long as they transfer.

How do I know if a course(s) is transferable?

Follow 3 steps:

1. Do a self-assessment using the checklist above
2. Consult with a Fine Arts undergraduate advisor ASAP
3. Consult the Alberta Transfer Guide (for students at other Alberta institutions) to help with your self- assessment. The UofA has more than one campus; ensure your course transfers to the main campus and not Augustana campus (Augustana shows up as "AU"prefix - e.g. AUBIO 100). If you are at a post- secondary institution in another province, consult your provincial transfer guide. If a course transfers to a major University (ex. UBC, McGill, UofT, etc.) there will be a good chance it will transfer to the UofA.

I have completed more than one year of a BA program or have received a BA degree or another specialized Acting diploma. Am I required to complete the full three years?

Yes. This is a conservatory style program: the courses are designed to be tightly integrated and taken as a unit.

How and when will I receive FINAL ADMISSION?

A successful audition DOES NOT guarantee that you will be granted admission. Final Admission is contingent upon you meeting all academic admissibility requirements and can only be determined once all your official documents have been received. Any missing documents, and your final admission decision can be viewed in your launchpad account.

When should I start using my UofA email address and Bear Tracks?

Start using both your UofA email address and Bear Tracks regularly as soon as you apply to the UofA. These are the official channels of communication between the university and you.

What is Bear Tracks and how do I access it?

Bear Tracks is an online student services portal. You access it by going to www.beartracks.ualberta.ca