General Information

Equivalencies and Advanced
Placement Program

Table of B.C. Secondary School Course Equivalencies

This table includes B.C Secondary School courses that may be listed in this Calendar as prerequisites to VIU courses or programs. B.C. Secondary School courses which are not listed as prerequisites, or which do not have an equivalent through one of these alternatives, are not included.

Notes

¹ VIU recognizes Adult Basic Education courses completed at other B.C. post-secondary institutions to meet B.C. high school equivalencies.

English Requirement

Many programs require completion of a first–year English course. First–year English courses have a prerequisite of English 12, with a minimum grade of "C".

Acceptable alternatives to English 12 include First Peoples' English 12 or VIU's ENGL 067. Students who do not have these requirements may write the Language Proficiency Index (LPI). A Level IV or better on the essay part, plus a minimum average of 50 percent on the additional sections of the LPI is considered by VIU to be equivalent to English 12 with a grade of "C+".

Changes to the High School Mathematics Curriculum in BC

Starting September 2010 the BC Ministry of Education began implementation of the new BC Secondary School Mathematics curriculum for high school grades 10 to 12. Our calendar course and program information sections contain the most up-to-date information on the acceptability of these new courses.

With respect to BC Secondary School (BCSS) Mathematics courses, VIU states course and program requirements in the form of the recommended course. This is our opinion of the best course to take to prepare for a specific course or program.

Unless otherwise specified, we allow for substitutions according to the following chart:

Degree English Requirements

All students in degree programs at VIU are required to complete 6 credits of first–year English composition and literature courses.

Note: Students who have already completed ENGL 111, 112, or 116 can still use these courses to meet the Degree English Requirements.

* In some Bachelor of Arts, Majors and Minors, students with a minimum "B+" in ENGL 115 are granted an exemption and are not required to complete any further credit towards the English requirement.

Language Proficiency Index (LPI) Test

Students who do not meet the English 12 requirement can write the LPI test on campus at Vancouver Island University. For information on upcoming testing dates, please call 250-740-6416, or visit viu.ca/assessments/lpi.

International Baccalaureate Program

VIU recognizes the International Baccalaureate program. Courses at the Subsidiary Level are roughly equivalent to enriched versions of B.C. Grade 11 courses in academic disciplines. Courses at the Higher Level are roughly equivalent to enriched B.C. Grade 12.

Advanced Placement Program

Advanced Placement Program courses are generally considered to be enriched versions of B.C. grade 12 courses. In some cases a supplemental exam must be written before any advance credit can be given, however the maximum amount of advance credit to be granted on the basis of APP courses is 30 credits. A grade of 4 or higher on the exam is required for credit consideration. Courses with exam grades of 3 or less will not be eligible for credit or advance standing.

Individual courses from the Advanced Placement Program will qualify for specific advanced credit, as follows:

Updated November 22, 2011