About BASE

BASE is a 4- or 8-month program that allows you to improve your reading, writing, and speaking skills with a focus on using English in a university setting while earning credit towards your Waterloo degree.

Arts/BASE

Global Business and Digital Arts*, Honours Arts, Social Development Studies, Honours Arts and Business.

Health/BASE

Health Sciences^*, Kinesiology^*, Public Health^*, and Recreation and Leisure Studies^.

Engineering/BASE

All Engineering programs* except Architecture.

Mathematics/BASE

Computer Science^, Mathematics/Business Administration^, Mathematics/Financial Analysis and Risk Management (Math/FARM)^,

Mathematics^. See MATH NOTES.

Environment/BASE

Climate and Environmental Change*^; Environment and Business*^; Environment, Resources and Sustainability*^; Geography and Environmental Management^; Geomatics^; Knowledge Integration; Planning*^. Sustainability and Financial Management and Geography and Aviation is not available through BASE.

Science/BASE

All programs^ except Biotechnology/Chartered Professional Accountancy and Science and Aviation.

* You will be enrolled in 2 terms of the BASE program, due to course sequencing.
^ If you apply to a co-op program, you'll be offered co-op immediately after BASE.

MATH NOTES:

  • The Faculty of Mathematics offers the iBASE program and the 1-term (4 month) BASE program only.
  • If you've applied to Mathematics/Chartered Professional Accountancy (CPA), Computing and Financial Management, Mathematics Double Degree, or Computer Science Double Degree, and are eligible for BASE, we will consider you for an alternate Mathematics program that supports BASE.
  • NEW FOR FALL 2024: If your English language test scores fall within the 2-term BASE range, we will consider you for the 1-term BASE program, followed by a regular Mathematics program.
  • NEW FOR FALL 2024: If your English language test scores fall within the 1-term BASE range, you may enter a co-op Mathematics program directly after completion of the 1-term BASE program.