University of Victoria is the second oldest public research university in British Columbia

Victoria University

University of Victoria
Motto	"multitudo sapientium sanitas orbis" (Latin)
Motto in English	"Let there be light" "A multitude of the wise is the health of the world"
Established	1963
Type	Public
Endowment	$296 million
Chancellor	Murray Farmer
President	Dr. David H. Turpin, CM, FRSC
Provost	Reeta C. Tremblay, PhD
Academic staff	1073 faculty
Admin. staff	6,048 employees
Students	22,405
Undergraduates	18,863
Postgraduates	3,542
Location	Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Campus	Urban
Colours	Red      Gold      Blue
Athletics	CIS, CWUAA, NAIA, SIDEARM
Nickname	Victoria Vikes
Affiliations	AUCC, IAU, CUSID, CBIE, CUP
Website	http://www.uvic.ca/

The University of Victoria is the second oldest public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It is a research intensive university located in Saanich and Oak Bay, about 8 km (5 mi) northeast of downtown Victoria. The University's annual enrollment is about 20,000 students. UVic's campus is known for its innovative architecture, beautiful gardens and mild climate. The University attracts many students in part because of its size, its picturesque location, and its Cooperative Education, Earth & Ocean Sciences, Engineering, and Law programs. The University is also the province's second largest research institution and the nation's lead institution in the VENUS and NEPTUNE deep-water seafloor observatory projects.The University is academically known for its research contributions by its School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, which has also helped predict and alleviate the impact of recent earthquakes around the world. The University of Victoria Law Programs has a long history of protecting human rights and the environment, and has worked closely on a large number of precedent setting environmental and First Nations legal cases across Canada and around the world.

The Victoria Vikes (more commonly known as the UVic Vikes or simply the Vikes) represent the University in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) community in a number of competitive sports, as well as through a variety of intercollegiate leagues. The Vikes have especially long and eminent ties to competitive rowing and basketball. The University has climbed to 130th in the world and sixth place in Canada in the 2010 Times Higher Education World University Rankings. UVic was the top-ranked university in Canada without an autonomous medical school in the THE rankings. The University has also been home to more than 40 faculty members who are Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada since the University of Victoria's founding.

History

University of Victoria was established on 1 July 1963 in Victoria, British Columbia. Victoria College, which had been established in 1903 as an affiliated college of McGill University, gained autonomy and full degree granting status on March 1, 1963. The non-denominational university had enjoyed 60 years of prior teaching tradition at the university level as Victoria College. This 60 years of history may be viewed conveniently in three distinct stages. Between the years 1903 and 1915, Victoria College was affiliated with McGill University, offering first- and second-year McGill courses in Arts and Science. Administered locally by the Victoria School Board, the College was an adjunct to and shared its facilities. Both institutions were under the direction of a single Principal: E.B. Paul, 1903–1908; and S.J. Willis, 1908–1915.Victoria High School. The opening in 1915 of the University of British Columbia, established by Act of Legislature in 1908, obliged the College to suspend operations in higher education in Victoria. University of British Columbia was created in 1908. A single, public provincial university, it was modeled on the American state university, with an emphasis on extension work and applied research. The governance was modeled on the provincial University of Toronto Act of 1906 which established a bicameral system of university government consisting of a senate (faculty), responsible for academic policy, and a board of governors (citizens) exercising exclusive control over financial policy and having formal authority in all other matters. The president, appointed by the board, was to provide a link between the two bodies and to perform institutional leadership.

In 1920, as a result of local demands, Victoria College began the second stage of its development, reborn in affiliation with the University of British Columbia. Though still administered by the Victoria School Board, the College was now completely separated from Victoria High School, moving in 1921 into the magnificent Dunsmuir mansion known as Craigdarroch Castle. Over the next two decades, under Principals E.B. Paul and P.H. Elliott, Victoria College built a reputation for thorough and scholarly instruction in first- and second-year Arts and Science. It was also during this period that future author Pierre Berton edited and served as principal cartoonist for the student newsletter, The Microscope.

Former Home of the University

The final stage, between the years 1945 and 1963, saw the transition from two year college to university, under Principals J.M. Ewing and W.H. Hickman. During this period, the College was governed by the Victoria College Council, representative of the parent University of British Columbia, the Greater Victoria School Board, and the provincial Department of Education. Physical changes were many. In 1946 the College was forced by postwar enrollment to move from Craigdarroch to the Lansdowne campus of the Provincial Normal School (This is the current location of the Camosun College Lansdowne Campus). The Normal School, itself an institution with a long and honourable history, joined Victoria College in 1956 as its Faculty of Education. Late in this transitional period (through the co-operation of the Department of National Defence and the Hudson's Bay Company) the 284 acre (1,1 km²) now 385 acre (1.6 km²) campus at Gordon Head was acquired. Academic expansion was rapid after 1956, until in 1961 the College, still in affiliation with UBC awarded its first bachelor's degrees. In the early part of this century, professional education expanded beyond the traditional fields of theology, law and medicine. Graduate training based on the German-inspired American model of specialized course work and the completion of a research thesis was introduced.

The policy of university education initiated in the 1960s responded to population pressure and the belief that higher education was a key to social justice and economic productivity for individuals and for society. The university gained its autonomy in 1963 as the University of Victoria. The University Act of 1963 vested administrative authority in a chancellor elected by the convocation of the university, a board of governors, and a president appointed by the board; academic authority was given to the senate which was representative both of the faculties and of the convocation.

University of Victoria's Arms were registered with the Canadian Heraldic Authority on April 3, 2001. The historical traditions of the university are reflected in the coat of arms, its academic regalia and its house flag. The BA hood is of solid red, a colour that recalls the early affiliation with McGill. The BSc hood, of gold, and the BEd hood, of blue, show the colours of the University of British Columbia. Blue and gold have been retained as the official colours of the University of Victoria. The motto at the top of the Arms of the University, in Hebrew characters, is "Let there be Light"; the motto at the bottom, in Latin, is "A Multitude of the Wise is the Health of the World."

Campus

Medical Sciences Building at UVic

The main Campus is located in the Gordon Head area of Greater Victoria. With a total area of 403 acres (163 ha), the campus spans the border between the municipalities of Oak Bay and Saanich. The original campus plan was prepared by the San Francisco architecture and planning firm of Wurster, Bernardi & Emmons. The general concept of the original design is still being followed with the academic portions of the campus located inside Ring Road which forms a perfect circle 600 m (1,969 ft) in diameter. Outside of Ring Road are the parking lots, Student Union Building, residence buildings, the sports facilities as well as some of the academic facilities that are more self contained (Law and Theatre for example). The University's Cornett Building is an acclaimed example of architectural modernism on the campus. Home to many of the humanities, the Cornett Building boasts a long history of befuddling students who find themselves lost within its long corridors.

The following is a list of the more prominent buildings on campus:

• Bob Wright Centre – the School of Earth & Ocean Sciences, the Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling & Analysis, Chemistry and Astronomy labs
• Business and Economics Building – besides the obvious, this building also houses the offices of senior university administrators.
• Clearihue – Faculty of Humanities, including the Departments of English, Philosophy, Linguistics, Greek and Roman Studies, Medieval Studies, Slavonic Studies, History, Women's Studies, Pacific and Asian Studies, and languages. Also included are student computing facilities, the UVic Computer Store, and classrooms. Clearihue is the oldest building on campus, originally constructed in 1962 and augmented by an addition in 1971. It is named after Joseph Clearihue, who was chairman of Victoria College from 1947 until it gained university status in 1963.
• Cornett – includes classrooms and the Departments of Anthropology, Psychology, and Sociology.
• Cunningham – includes the Department of Biology, a herbarium, numerous specialized research laboratories and the Centre for Forest Biology.

Engineering/Computer Science Building entrance

• David Strong – classrooms, seminar rooms and the Mathews and McQueen auditorium.
• Elliott – includes the Departments of Chemistry and Physics and Astronomy, as well as a number of classrooms and laboratories. The building is topped by the Climenhaga Observatory.
• Engineering Buildings – includes the Engineering Office Wing, the Engineering Lab Wing and the Engineering/Computer Science building (ECS) – home to the Faculty of Engineering, which includes the Departments of Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering.
• Fraser – formerly known as the Begbie building – houses the Faculty of Law, the Institute for Dispute Resolution and the Centre for Pacific-Asia Initiatives. The building also houses classrooms, seminar rooms, a moot courtroom and the Diana M. Priestly Law Library.
• Hickman – formerly called the Centre for Innovative Teaching – includes "Smart" classrooms featuring closed-circuit cameras and remote projection systems to link teachers and students with other classrooms.
• Human and Social Development Building – Classrooms and offices for Child and Youth Care, Dispute resolution, Health Information Science, Indigenous Governance, Nursing, Public Administration, and Social Work.
• Ian Stewart Complex – the main fitness facility. Includes tennis courts, an ice rink, an outdoor pool and a gym.
• MacLaurin – includes the Faculty of Education and School of Music, as well some classrooms and the David Lam Auditorium.
• McKinnon Gymnasium – the School of Physical Education, the main Gymnasium and an indoor swimming pool.
• William C. Mearns Centre for Learning

Rabbits on campus

• Medical Sciences Building – the Island Medical Program.
• Petch Building – the Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, and School of Earth and Ocean Sciences.
• Phoenix Theatre – the Theatre department.
• University Centre – includes many administrative offices (Accounting, Payroll, Advising, Record Services) as well as the main public cafeteria, Maltwood art gallery and the Farquhar auditorium.
• Sedgewick – Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives (CAPI), Centre on Aging, Centre for the Study of Religion in Society, Centre for Global Studies; administration offices.
• Social Sciences and Mathematics – houses the Departments of Geography, Political Science, and Mathematics, as well as the School of Environmental Studies.
• Student Union Building – popularly known as "the Sub", it houses a movie theatre, food services, a bookstore, and the headquarters of several clubs and campus organizations, including a radio station (CFUV). There is also a student pub, Felicita's, and a defunct nightclub, Vertigo, which is now study space.
• Army Huts – nine single-storey wood-frame utilitarian Second World War buildings (1940) on the northern part of the University of Victoria campus are on the Registry of Historic Places of Canada
• Halpern Centre for Graduate Students – colloquially known as "The Grad Centre" the building houses the Graduate Student Society (GSS) general office, "The Grad House" restaurant which is open to the public, and the David Clode lounge. There is also a meeting space (boardroom) that can be booked by contacting the GSS Office.
• First Peoples House – Anthropological Building in dedication of the First Nations peoples of British Columbia, and of all Canada.

The university also offers on-campus housing for over 3,200 students. A extensive variety of housing is available, including single and double rooms, apartment-style housing with four people per unit (Cluster Housing) and family housing (Lam Family Housing). One of the oldest buildings is named for General Sir Arthur William Currie. Construction on the South Tower Complex was completed in January 2011. The largest residence building in terms of capacity is Ring Road Hall, which holds 294 beds and is split into three wings. Much of the university estate has been dedicated to nature, notably Finnerty Gardens and Mystic Vale, a 4.4 ha (11 acres) forested ravine. The campus is home to deer, owls, squirrels, the occasional cougar and many other wild animals native to the area. A large population of domestic rabbits, which likely descended from abandoned house pets from the surrounding community, was a memorable feature of the campus in years past. In May 2010, the University began trapping and euthanizing the rabbits as they have been known to put athletes at risk in the playing fields. It has been documented that local veterinarians have offered to perform neutering of the male rabbits. As of July 2011 the UVic campus is free of rabbits. 900 rabbits have been saved and sent to shelters.

Departments & faculties

• Faculty of Business
• Division of Continuing Studies
• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Engineering
• Faculty of Fine arts
• Faculty of Graduate Studies
• Faculty of Human and Social Development
• Faculty of Humanities
• Faculty of Law
• Division of Medical Sciences
• Faculty of Science
• Faculty of Social Sciences

Faculties and schools

Below is a partial list of divisions and faculties within the University of Victoria system.

• Education
• Engineering
• Fine Arts, includes departments of History in Art, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts and Writing.
• Graduate Studies (various faculties)
• Human & Social Development
• Child and Youth Care
• Dispute resolution
• Health Information Science
• Nursing
• Public Administration
• Social Work
• Humanities, includes the departments and programs of English, French, Germanic and Russian Studies, Greek and Roman Studies, Hispanic and Italian Studies, History, Linguistics, Medieval studies, Religious Studies, Pacific and Asian Studies, and Philosophy.
• Continuing Studies
• Political Sciences & Economics
• Medical Sciences
• Science, includes the departments and programs of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Ocean Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics, and Physics and Astronomy.
• Social Sciences which includes Anthropology, Environmental Studies, Geography, Psychology, and Sociology.

Peter B. Gustavson School of Business

Peter B. Gustavson School of Business – Formerly the Faculty of Business, renamed following a donation by local entrepreneur Peter B. Gustavson. This leading business School is one of the finest in Canada with a wide range of programs including the BCom, MBA and other business degrees, EQUIS accredited.

Business and Economics Building

School of Earth & Ocean Sciences

The University's School of Earth & Ocean Sciences is the premiere underwater and marine institution in Canada and has produced a large number of influential findings in its history. The School of Earth & Ocean Science also collaborate with the VENUS and NEPTUNE research institutes. In addition to this the University was a founding member of the Western Canadian Universities Marine Sciences Society, UVic maintains this field station on the west coast of Vancouver Island, which is jointly run by the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary.

School of Public Administration

The UVic School of Public Administration is western Canada's leading government management school. The School specializes in its M.A., and PhD. programs but also offers a selective admission Minors Program. The innovative course structure of these programs has led numerous graduates to pursue careers in Finance Management, Government Administration, and Local Governance.

Law

UVic Faculty of Law is consistently ranked as one of the finest law schools in Canada and offers Joint M.B.A., M.P.A. degrees in association with the prestigious Juris Doctorate (J.D.) designation. In 2011 UVic Law was authorized to open a new research facility at Hakia Beach, BC in association with the Tula Foundation. UVic Law has been deeply involved with many of the Aboriginal, Ecological, and Environmental cases within British Columbia and continues this tradition today.

Engineering

The faculty of engineering, while modest compared to engineering faculties at other schools in British Columbia, allows students to specialize in the following disciplines: Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science and Software Engineering.

The faculty is also working towards offering a degree in Biomedical Engineering. Though not yet available, all that remains is approval by the British Columbia Ministry of Advanced Education. The University hopes to offer this program to second year students beginning September 2012.

Programs 

Undergraduate Programs 

• Faculty of Education

Faculty of Education Programs
Degree Programs	Degrees Granted
Bachelor of Education in Indigenous Language Revitalization	BEd
Bachelor of Education (Elementary Curriculum)	BEd
Bachelor of Education Post-Degree Professional Program (Elementary)	BEd
Bachelor of Education Post-Degree Professional Program (Middle Years)	BEd
Bachelor of Education (Secondary Curriculum)	BEd
Bachelor of Education Post-Degree Professional Program (Secondary)	BEd
Kinesiology	BSc
Recreation and Health Education	BA
NB: All degree programs are subject to quota
Certificate and Diploma Programs
Professional Specialization Certificate in Information Communication Technology
Professional Specialization Certificate in Teaching French Immersion
Professional Specialization Certificate in Special Education
Diploma in Special Education
Diploma in Intercultural Education and Training
Diploma in Indigenous Language Revitalization
Diploma in Secondary Teacher Education

• Faculty of Engineering

Faculty of Engineering Undergraduate Programs
Department	Degree	Programs Offered	Optional Emphases	Minors
Computer Science	Bachelor of Science	General Degree in Computer Science Honours in Computer Science Major in Computer Science	Bioinformatics Option Computer Communications and Networks Option Computer Graphics and Gaming Option Software Engineering Option Theory Option	Computer Science
		Combined Programs1 in: Computer Science and Mathematics (Honours and Major) Computer Science and Statistics (Honours and Major) Geography and Computer Science (Geomatics) Health Information Science and Computer Science Music and Computer Science Physics and Computer Science (Honours and Major) Psychology and Computer Science Visual Arts and Computer Science
	Bachelor of Arts	General Degree in Computer Science2
	Bachelor of Software Engineering	Software Engineering	Biomedical Communication and Networks Computational Intelligence Embedded Systems Graphics and Gaming High Performance Computing Human Computer Interaction Mechatronics Programming Languages and Architectures Security and Privacy Theory of Computation
Electrical and Computer Engineering
	Bachelor of Engineering	Computer Engineering	Biomedical Engineering Option Computer Music Option Communications Digital and Embedded Systems Digital Signal Processing Electrical Energy Systems Electromagnetics and Photonics Electronics Mechatronics Networks, Security, and Privacy	Computer Systems
		Electrical Engineering		Electrical Systems
		Biomedical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
		Mechanical Engineering	Advanced Manufacture Advanced Materials Computer Aided Engineering Energy Systems Fluids and Aerodynamics Mechatronics	Mechanical Systems
1. Students wishing to complete one of the combined degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics, or Computer Science and Physics offered jointly by the Department of Computer Science and departments in the Faculty of Science will normally register in the Faculty of Science for their first year. Students wishing to complete a combined major degree in Health Information Science and Computer Science will normally register in the Faculty of Human and Social Development. Students wishing to complete a combined major degree in Visual Arts and Computer Science will normally register in the Faculty of Fine Arts. 2. Students wishing to complete a General degree in Computer Science will normally register in the faculty offering the second specialization area for their General degree in their first year.

• Faculty of Fine Arts

Faculty of Fine Arts Programs
	BA		BFA		BMus		BSc	Minors	Co-op option
	Honours	Major	Honours	Major	Honours	Major	Major
Departmental Programs
History in Art	•	•							•
Music				•		•	•	•	•
Theatre	•			•					•
Visual Arts				•			•		•
Writing		•		•				•	•
Interdisciplinary Programs
Film Studies1								•
Arts of Canada1								•
European Studies4								•
Diplomas and Certificates
Diploma in Fine Arts
Certificate in Foundations in Indigenous Fine Arts2
Diploma in Cultural Resource Management3									•
Professional Specialization Certificate in Heritage Conservation Planning3
Professional Specialization Certificate in Collections Management3
1. Offered by the Faculties of Fine Arts and Humanities 2. Offered in cooperation with the En’owkin Centre in Penticton, BC 3. Offered through UVic Continuing Studies 4. Offered by the Faculties of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

• Faculty of Humanities

Faculty of Humanities Programs
	BA			BSc		Minor	Co-op Option
	Honours	Major	General	Honours	Major
Departmental Programs
English	•	•	•			•	•
French	•	•	•			•	•
Germanic & Slavic Studies	•	•	•			•	•
Greek & Roman Studies	•	•	•			•	•
Hispanic & Italian Studies	•	•	•			•	•
History	•	•	•			•	•
Latin American Studies	•	•	•			•	•
Linguistics	•	•	•	•	•	•	•
Medieval Studies	•	•	•			•	•
Pacific & Asian Studies	•	•	•			•	•
Philosophy	•	•	•			•	•
Professional Writing (English)						•	•
Religious Studies		•	•			•	•
Women’s Studies	•	•	•			•	•
Interdisciplinary Programs
Applied Ethics 1						•
Arts of Canada 2			•			•
European Studies 3						•
Film Studies 2			•			•
Indigenous Studies 4			•			•
Social Justice Studies 5						•
Diploma Programs
Diploma in Applied Linguistics Diploma in Canadian Studies 5 Diploma in Humanities 7
Diploma in Intercultural Education and Training 8							•
1. Offered jointly with the Faculty of Human and Social Development. 2. Offered jointly with the Faculty of Fine Arts. 3. Offered jointly with the Faculties of Fine Arts and Social Sciences. 4. Offered jointly with the Faculty of Social Sciences. 5. Offered jointly with the Faculties of Human and Social Development and Social Sciences. 6. Offered jointly with the Faculties of Fine Arts and Social Sciences, and the Division of Continuing Studies. 7. Offered jointly with the Division of Continuing Studies. 8. Offered jointly with the Faculties of Education and the Division of Continuing Studies.

• Faculty of Human and Social Development

Faculty of Human and Social Development Undergraduate Programs
	Degree Programs	Diploma, Certificate, and Minor Programs
Faculty of Human and Social Development		Indigenous Governance Certificate Program
School of Child & Youth Care	BCYC	Diploma in Child and Youth Care1
School of Health Information Science	BSc
School of Nursing	BSN
School of Public Administration		Diploma in Public Sector Management
		Diploma in Local Government Management
		Professional Specialization Certificates: - Cultural Heritage Sector Leadership - Local Government Management - Performance Management - Public Policy - Public Services Management - Voluntary and Non-profit Sector Management
		Minor in Public Administration
School of Public Health and Social Policy	BA
School of Social Work	BSW
1. Available only through specific Indigenous community partnerships.

• Faculty of Law

The Faculty of Law offers a three-year program leading to the Juris Doctor (JD) degree. The faculty’s JD program qualifies students for articles and the practice of law in all provinces and territories except Quebec.

The faculty also offers the following programs:

1. JD+MBA Double Degree Program
2. JD+MPA Double Degree Program
3. JD/BCL (Civil Law Degree Graduates)
4. Concentration in Environmental Law and Sustainability

• Faculty of Science

Faculty of Science Programs
	Honours Program	Major Program	General Program
Astronomy	•	•
Biochemistry	•	•	•
Biology	•	•	•
Chemistry	•	•	•
Earth and Ocean Sciences	•	•	•
Mathematics	•	•	•
Microbiology	•	•	•
Physics	•	•	•
Statistics	•	•	•
Note: All Honours and Major programs may be taken with a Co-operative Education Option

• Faculty of Social Sciences

Faculty of Social Sciences Programs
	BA			BSc
	Honours	Major	General	Honours	Major	General	Minor	Co-op
Anthropology	•	•	•				•	•
Economics	•	•	•	•	•		•	•
Environmental Studies		•	•		•		•	•
Geography	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•
Political Science	•	•	•				•	•
Psychology	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•
Sociology	•	•	•				•	•
Interdisciplinary Programs
European Studies1							•
Human Dimensions of Climate Change2							•
Indigenous Studies3			•				•
Social Justice Studies4			•				•
Technology and Society5							•
Diploma Programs
Diploma in Canadian Studies6
Diploma in the Restoration of Natural Systems7
Diploma in Social Justice Studies8
Offered jointly with the Faculties of Fine Arts and Humanities. Offered jointly with the Faculties of Humanities, Law and Business. Offered jointly with the Faculty of Humanities. Offered jointly with the Faculties of Human and Social Development and Humanities. Offered jointly with the Faculties of Humanities, Fine Arts, Engineering, Human and Social Development and Education. Offered jointly with the Faculties of Fine Arts and Humanities, and the Division of Continuing Studies. Offered jointly with the Division of Continuing Studies. May be taken with Co-op option. Offered jointly with the Faculties of Human and Social Development and Humanities, and the Division of Continuing Studies.

• Peter B. Gustavson School of Business

The Peter B. Gustavson School of Business offers a full-time program leading to the degree of Bachelor of Commerce (BCom). A Master of Business Administration (MBA) and other graduate programs are also offered (see UVic Graduate Calendar).

The BCom program provides students with a broad education in business, together with exposure to the liberal arts and specialization in one of the following areas: International Business, Entrepreneurship or Service Management. The opportunity to pursue a degree without a specialization in any particular area is also available. The BCom program is a mandatory co-operative education program which requires students to complete three co-operative education work terms.

The Gustavson School of Business Bachelor of Commerce degree program consists of two years (30 academic units) of liberal arts course work, including required and elective courses, followed by two years (30 academic units) of core, specialization and elective courses offered by Gustavson and three co-operative education work terms. Students must apply to be admitted to the BCom program. There are several admission points that students may select to apply to the BCom program.

• Interdisciplinary Programs

The University of Victoria offers a number of interdisciplinary degree and diploma programs at the undergraduate level that do not reside in a single academic unit. These programs allow students to undertake course work from more than one discipline.

In addition to the programs described in this section, some faculties at UVic offer interdepartmental or interfaculty degree programs. For details, consult specific faculty or department entries.

Courses

 • Ageing (AGEI)
• American Sign Language (ASL)
• Anthropology (ANTH)
• Art Education (AE)
• Arts (ARTS)
• Arts of Canada (ACAN)
• Astronomy (ASTR)
• Biochemistry (BIOC)
• Biochemistry and Microbiology (BCMB)
• Biology (BIOL)
• Biomedical Engineering (BME)
• Canadian Studies (CS)
• Chemistry (CHEM)
• Child and Youth Care (CYC)
• Child and Youth Care International (CYCI)
• Commerce (COM)
• Community Development (CD)
• Computer Engineering (CENG)
• Computer Science (CSC)
• Creative Writing (En'owkin Centre) (CW)
• Cultural, Social and Political Thought (CSPT)
• Cultural Heritage Management (CH)
• Curriculum and Instruction Studies (EDCI)
• Disability Studies (DSST)
• Dispute Resolution (DR)
• Earth and Ocean Sciences (EOS)
• Economics (ECON)
• Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies (ED-D)
• Electrical Engineering (ELEC)
• Engineering (ENGR)
• English (ENGL)
• Entrepreneurship (ENT)
• Entrepreneurship Certificate (ENTC)
• Entrepreneurship Diploma (ENTD)
• Environmental Restoration (ER)
• Environmental Studies (ES)
• European Studies (EUS)
• Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education (EPHE)
• Fine Arts (FA)
• Forest Biology (FORB)
• French (FRAN)
• Geography (GEOG)
• German (GER)
• Germanic Studies (GMST)
• Graduate Studies by Special Arrangement (GS)
• Greek (GREE)
• Greek and Roman Studies (GRS)
• Health (HLTH)
• Health Information Science (HINF)
• History (HIST)
• History in Art (HA)
• Human and Social Development (HSD)
• Human Dimensions of Climate Change (HDCC)
• Humanities (HUMA)
• Indigenous Community-based Child and Youth Care (CYCB)
• Indigenous Education (IED)
• Indigenous Governance (IGOV)
• Indigenous Health Studies (INGH)
• Indigenous Studies (IS)
• Intercultural Education and Training (IET)
• Interdisciplinary Arts (IA)
• Interdisciplinary Program (INTD)
• International Business (IB)
• International Management and Organization (BUS)
• International Studies (INTS)
• Italian (ITAL)
• Latin (LATI)
• Latin American Studies (LAS)
• Law (LAW)
• Linguistics (LING)
• Marine Science (MRNE)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Business Administration + Master of Engineering (MBME)
• Master of Business Administration + Master of Science (CSC) (MBMS)
• Master of Global Business (MGB)
• Mathematics (MATH)
• Mechanical Engineering (MECH)
• Medical Science (MEDS)
• Medieval Studies (MEDI)
• Mediterranean Studies (MEST)
• Microbiology (MICR)
• Music (MUS)
• Music Education (ME)
• Neuroscience (NRSC)
• Nursing, Advanced Practice: Nurse Educator Option (NUED)
• Nursing, Advanced Practice: Nurse Practitioner Option (NUNP)
• Nursing, Advanced Practice: Nurse Leadership Option (NURA)
• Nursing (NURS)
• Nursing and Health Information Science (NUHI)
• Nursing Policy and Practice (NURP)
• Pacific and Asian Studies (PAAS)
• Philosophy (PHIL)
• Physics (PHYS)
• Political Science (POLI)
• Portuguese (PORT)
• Psychology (PSYC)
• Public Administration (ADMN)
• Public Health and Social Policy (PHSP)
• Religious Studies (RS)
• Science (SCIE)
• Service Management (SMGT)
• Slavic Studies (SLST)
• Social Dimensions of Health (SDH)
• Social Justice Studies (SJS)
• Social Sciences (SOSC)
• Social Work (SOCW)
• Sociology (SOCI)
• Software Engineering (SENG)
• Spanish (SPAN)
• Statistics (STAT)
• Studies in Policy and Practice (SPP)
• Teacher Education - Professional Studies (ED-P)
• Technology and Society (TS)
• Theatre (THEA)
• Visual Arts (ART)
• Women's Studies (WS)
• Writing (WRIT)

Library

Guidelines for Library Users:

McPherson Library users are expected to show respectful behavior towards the library and its users, staff, and resources at all times. To maintain a productive and welcoming work and study environment for the university community, library users agree that:

• They will not damage library materials, including writing in, tearing or removing book pages or otherwise causing deliberate harm to library property.
• They will respect others, and not engage in harassing, violent, threatening or unlawful behavior (intimidating, disruptive, or offensive).
• They will observe the noise limitations for silent study and quiet study locations. These locations are designated with signage, and are also represented on library maps.
• They will observe the libraries' Cell Phone Guidelines and limit cell phone use to designated cell phone areas.
• They will limit photography and any audio or visual recording to those who have given their consent to participate. Permission for official UVic photo shoots may be requested through UVic Marketing (marketing@uvic.ca; 250-721-8843).
• They will exit promptly at closing time and during emergency situations or drills.
• They will refrain from eating within the main library building as per the libraries' Food and Drink Policy. The BiblioCafé is available as an alternative study location that permits food.
• They will use the computers and internet responsibly, in accordance with the Libraries' Computer Use Policy.

In return, the UVic Libraries will provide their users with an inviting and supportive academic environment, inclusive service, and respect. Library patrons who violate this agreement may be escorted out of the building by Campus Security.

Library Hours Library Hours (today's hours)

McPherson Library (07:30 AM - 11:00 PM) Loan and Reserve Desk (07:30 AM - 11:00 PM)  Library Help Desk (10:00 AM - 08:00 PM)  Learning Commons — Tutoring & Other Services Map Library (07:30 AM - 11:00 PM)  Music and Media Commons (07:30 AM - 11:00 PM)  Microforms (07:30 AM - 11:00 PM)  Archives and Special Collections (08:30 AM - 04:30 PM)  Interlibrary Loans Office (08:00 AM - 04:00 PM) Curriculum Library(MacLaurin Building D201) (08:00 AM - 06:00 PM) Diana M. Priestly Law Library (Fraser Building) (08:00 AM - 10:00 PM)

Last Updated: Tuesday, 11th September, 2012

Study Room Booking for Groups

The study rooms in McPherson Library are available for use by registered UVic undergraduate and graduate students for group study or projects relating to a UVic course. Rooms may be booked online(https://webapp.library.uvic.ca/studyrooms/) via the UVic Libraries website by any student with a valid Netlink ID(http://netlink.uvic.ca/).

• Book a Study Room!
• Guidelines (http://library.uvic.ca/policies/groupstudy.html#guide)
• Contact (http://library.uvic.ca/policies/groupstudy.html#contact)

Guidelines

• Study rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis to groups of two or more.
• Study rooms may be booked up to one week in advance; no student or group may make more than one booking per day.
• Bookings may be made for a maximum of two hours. If there are no further bookings, the group may continue to use the room beyond the two hour time limit.
• A group who does not occupy the room within 15 minutes of the start time of the booking is considered to have forfeited their booking. The Library may delete the booking so that another group may book the room.
• All rooms must be vacated 15 minutes prior to Library closing.
• Students must observe library regulations, and leave the room in good order. The student booking the room is responsible to UVic Libraries for the cost of repairing any damage to the room that occurs during the period of use, and for the replacement cost of any equipment that is lost or stolen.
• UVic Libraries is not responsible for loss or damage of items left unattended in the room.
• The Library's Food and Drink Policy applies in all group study rooms.

Libraries system

The University of Victoria Libraries system is the second largest in British Columbia being composed of three 'on-campus' libraries, the William C. Mearns Center for Learning/McPherson Library, the Diana M. Priestly Law Library, and the MacLaurin Curriculum Library. The Library System has undergone significant growth in recent years thanks to the University's investment in library purchases and research. Amongst the highlights in the University of Victoria Archives and Special Collections are priceless items from Imperial Japan, to carbon dated original manuscripts of the Sancti Epiphanii. The collection also boasts extensive histories of colonial Victoria and the Colony of Vancouver Island among other documents. The library's digitization programme is becoming increasingly active in making materials available for scholars and to the wider world. Renovations and new construction over the past decade have resulted in modernized facilities that include special collections classrooms, an innovative Learning Commons and an art gallery. The UVic libraries collection includes extensive digital resources, over 2.0 million books, 2.3 million items in microforms, plus serial subscriptions, sound recordings, music scores, films and videos, and archival materials.

Research

In the 2010 Re$earch Infosource ranking of Canada's research universities, UVic topped all other comprehensive universities in Canada in two out of three measures of research performance over the last decade: growth in research income and growth in research intensity.

• Bamfield Marine Research Station

The University maintains a field station on the west coast of Vancouver Island to conduct marine research. The facility is jointly run by the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary. Undergraduates at the University of Victoria have full access to research and learning at this facility.

• SEOS Oceanic Vessel

In 2011 the University, in collaboration with the provincial government purchased and modified a state of the art ocean vessel capable of launching 'deep sea submersibles' and conducting long range marine biology research expeditions. The 'floating laboratory' is undergoing upgrades and expansions currently and will be in service by late 2011.

• VENUS/NEPTUNE

The School of Earth & Ocean Sciences is also home to the renowned VENUS and NEPTUNE research institutes responsible for seismic, oceanic and climate change research.

• Centre for Law

Located in the Greater Victoria area the University's legal centre provides free legal assistance to the disadvantaged as well as dealing with important environmental cases in British Columbia. The UVic Law Center is the only full-time, term clinical program offered by a Canadian law school. The Program reflects the Faculty's emphasis on integrating legal theory, legal skills, and community service while providing students with unique education and research opportunities.

• University of Victoria Research Park

The University Of Victoria is the only institution in British Columbia to own and operate a research park. Located in the Greater Victoria, British Columbia area the Vancouver Island Technology Park is a state of the art, 35 acre commercial research facility. The venture allows the University to work with leading technology and biomedical companies while provided students with unparalleled research opportunities. The facility focuses on fuel cell, new media, wireless, and life science/biotechnological research. The UVic Genome BC Proteomics Centre and a number of other research institutes are based out of the research park. The Capital Regional District is a major commercial hub for technology companies.

Research collaboration

Research centres are organizations made up of a group of faculty members who collaborate on an area of research. Their work provides added value over and above their individual research programs.

UVic encourages the establishment of research centres that will enhance and facilitate disciplinary and interdisciplinary research collaboration, knowledge transfer and training.

The mysteries of aging

How and why do individuals age differently? That’s what researchers at UVic’s multidisciplinary Centre on Aging are hoping to discover as they take part in a national 20-year study of 50,000 Canadians aged 45 to 85.

Through the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging—one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive studies on the topic—researchers are observing the evolution of health and disease, physical and psychological functioning, and the social processes that accompany aging.

"It brings the biology of aging together with social, psychological and other aspects of aging to see how they intersect over time," says UVic sociologist Margaret Penning, who is a co-investigator on the study along with several other Centre on Aging researchers.

Research Centres:

• Centre for Aboriginal Health Research (CAHR)
• Centre for Addictions Research BC (CARBC)
• Centre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology (CAMTEC)
• Centre in Advanced Security, Privacy & Information Systems (ASPIRe)
• Centre for Asia Pacific Initiatives (CAPI)
• Centre for Biomedical Research (CFBR)
• Centre for Cooperative and Community-Based Economy (CCCBe)
• Centre for Early Childhood Research and Policy (formerly REACH)(CECRP)
• Centre for Forest Biology (FORB)
• Centre for Global Studies (CFGS)
• Centre for Social and Sustainable Innovation (CSSI)
• Centre for Studies in Religion and Society (CSRS)
• Centre for Youth and Society (CFYS)
• Centre on Aging (COAG)
• Institute for Integrated Energy Systems(IESVic)
• Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS)
• Victoria Subatomic Physics and Accelerator research centre (VISPA)

Admissions

Admission to the University Of Victoria is based on a selective academic system. UVic requires all applicants to submit gross percentage averages to be considered for admission. The University accepts qualified applicants studying under IB programs, AP programs or other international distinctions. The University of Victoria offers scholarships and financial aid to a large number of students.

The University of Victoria accepts applications online for graduate studies. Below you’ll find an overview of the application and admissions process, from planning to next steps once you're admitted.

At UVic, we have a unique approach to handling your application for admission. Your application and supporting documents are first processed by our central Graduate Admissions and Records Office. Where minimum (Faculty of Graduate Studies) standards are met, your application is forwarded to your academic unit for further consideration.

Quick reference resources:

• Dates and deadlines for admission (http://www.uvic.ca/graduatestudies/admissions/admissions/beforeapplying/requirements/index.php#deadlines)
• Admissions checklist (http://www.uvic.ca/graduatestudies/resourcesfor/students/checklists/index.php)
• Admissions requirements (http://www.uvic.ca/graduatestudies/admissions/admissions/beforeapplying/index.php)
• Program information (http://www.uvic.ca/graduatestudies/admissions/admissions/beforeapplying/requirements/index.php)
• Contact (http://www.uvic.ca/graduatestudies/admissions/admissions/contact/index.php)

International exchanges

The University Of Victoria has partnered with a number of research institutions to provide UVic students with the opportunity to gain research experience abroad. Both UVic undergraduate and graduate students may travel abroad with UVic's many partner universities. This international exchange programs develops the collegial yet international atmosphere at the University of Victoria, and promotes an exchange of information.

Rankings

University rankings
University of Victoria
ARWU World	301-400
ARWU Natural Science & Math	101-150
THE-WUR World	177
Canadian rankings
ARWU National	18
Maclean's Comprehensive	2
THE-WUR National	8

Maclean's Magazine, a major Canadian news magazine, has ranked UVic as one of the top three comprehensive universities in the nation for three consecutive years. Its Faculty of Law has also ranked first in the country, 8 out of the last 11 years. Currently, it is ranked 4th by Canadian Lawyer Magazine. University of Victoria's MBA program is consistently ranked among the top 10 of its kind in the nation. UVic is British Columbia's second largest research university, after UBC, and is one of Canada's top 20 research institutions. According to ScienceWatch, UVic is nationally ranked first in geoscience, second in space science and education, and third in engineering and mathematics for the period of 2000–2004.

Culture and student life

''The Martlet'' student newspaper

UVic's oldest and most recognized weekly student newspaper, founded in 1948, is The Martlet. It is distributed all over campus and the Greater Victoria area. The paper is named after the legendary martlet bird, whose inability to land is often seen to symbolize the constant quest for knowledge, learning, and adventure. The Martlet is partly funded by student fees.

The University of Victoria Students Society (UVSS)

The University of Victoria Students' Society is a student society which represents the UVic undergraduate student body, plans campus wide events and maintains the Student Union Building. The student society's leadership is elected annually during campus wide undergraduate student elections. As a multi-million dollar organization, the UVSS is among one of the larger student unions which exist in Canada.

The University of Victoria Graduate Student Society (GSS)

The GSS offers services and support for UVic's 3,000 Graduate students. The society's services include the Grad House Restaurant, health and dental plan, funding for grad student events, and reduced-cost membership in the Victoria Car Share Co-operative.

Radio station CFUV

CFUV is on-campus radio station focusing on the campus and the surrounding community. CFUV serves Greater Victoria at 101.9, and via cable on 104.3, Vancouver Island and many areas in the Lower Mainland and northwestern Washington state.

Greek Life

UVic has one fraternity and one sorority. The Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity was installed in 2010 and the Kappa Beta Gamma sorority installed in 2011. The Fraternity/Sorority have no affiliation with the University of Victoria itself, however, they continue to thrive with membership growing yearly. The Omega chapter of Phrateres, a non-exclusive, non-profit social-service club, was installed here in 1961. Between 1924 and 1967, 23 chapters of Phrateres were installed in universities across North America, including three other chapters in Canadian universities.

Athletics

The University is represented by its team the Victoria Vikes, more commonly known as the UVic Vikes or simply the Vikes. Vikes teams participate in the Canada West Universities Athletic Association (CWUAA) (the western division of Canadian Interuniversity Sport [CIS]) and in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Basketball games are played in the 2,500 seat, McKinnon Gymasium. The facility was built in 1975.

The University currently has both men's and women's teams in each of the following sports:

• Basketball
• Cross Country & Track
• Field Hockey
• Golf
• Rowing
• Rugby
• Soccer
• Swimming

Sports Hall of Fame

UVic Charter Inductees are:

• Lorne Loomer: Rowing Coach – Builder/Administrator
• Wally Milligan: Men's Soccer Coach – Builder/Administrator
• Gareth Rees: Rugby – Athlete Category
• Ken Shields: Basketball – Coach Category
• Kathy Shields: Basketball – Coach Category

Canadian Inter-University Sports(CIS) Championships
Men's basketball: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1997
Women's basketball: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1992, 1998, 2000, 2003
Men's cross-country: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
Women's cross-country: 1981, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
Women's field hockey: 1985, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2008
Men's soccer: 1976, 1988, 1997, 2004, 2011
Women's soccer: 2005

Canadian University Championship Titles
Men's rugby: 1998, 1999
Men's rowing: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2009
Women's rowing: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
Men's golf: 2003

Traditions

Fight Song

Notable among a number of songs commonly played and sung at various events such as commencement and convocation, and athletic games is 'Rack and Ruin' a reminder of the tradition of the founding Victoria College. "Rack and Ruin, Blood and Gore, Victoria College Evermore!"

Frosh Week

The first week of school and a celebration of admission to the University. Originally, Frosh Week was celebrated by students in all faculties, but its current iteration is exclusive to individual departments; most notably engineering and commerce. Engineering Frosh is a week-long series of extra-curricular events organized by the Engineering Students' Society. Frosh familiarizes new students to the university, their upperclassmen, and their society in fun social events intended to ease the transition to university life.

Martlet icon

A martlet adorns many parts of the University of Victoria, including the crest, coast of arms, and flag. The legendary martlet bird's inability to land is often seen to symbolize the constant quest for knowledge, learning, and adventure. The oldest student newspaper on campus, The Martlet, is named after the bird.

Awards for research achievement

UVic faculty have gained national and international attention for their research achievement. Over the years they have been very successful in competitions for prestigious external awards.

Every honour we receive reflects both the quality of our people and programs and our reputation as one of Canada’s leading research intensive universities.

Killam Prize awarded to people’s advocate

UVic political philosopher Dr. James Tully was one of 2010’s five winners of the prestigious $100,000 Killam Prize, awarded annually by the Canada Council for the Arts.

Tully, one of the foremost political theorists of our age, received the 2010 Killam Prize for the Humanities for his distinguished career and exceptional contributions to Canadian scholarship and public life.

Photo of University