Global Business and Digital Arts at University of Waterloo

Programme overview

Leads to the Bachelor of Global Business and Digital Arts. In your first year at Waterloo's main campus, you will develop foundational skills in design, programming, economics, and global business – the building blocks for everything that comes next. After your first year, classes take place at the Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business, which is located in the city of Stratford, 45 kilometres west of the main campus. You'll work on real projects with real stakeholders, designing user experiences, producing digital media, prototyping new products, and developing business strategies for a global market. Offered as a co-op programme only.

Faculty: Faculty of Arts | Study mode: co-op | Location: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

What you will study

You will be fully immersed in the GBDA program, and almost all of your courses will take place at our amazing Stratford Campus. Sample upper-year courses include Working in Teams and Project Management, Introduction to User Experience Design, Marketing in the Digital World, Ethics and Values in Design, Entrepreneurship, Capstone Project: Cross-Cultural Digital Business, Strategic Management.

Career pathways

The careers listed below are examples of what you might be able to pursue. Through the courses you take, specializations you choose, extracurriculars, and any work experience you gain, you'll graduate with a degree that's uniquely you and be ready to pursue a career that's right for you!

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Ontario applicants: Six Grade 12 U and/or M courses including Any Grade 12 U English (Minimum final grade of 75% is required); Admission average: Low 80s; Recommended courses: Students in GBDA benefit from taking a variety of courses in high school. Classes in business studies, technology, and the arts provide helpful background knowledge for GBDA. However, we don't recommend specific courses or course codes since every high school offers different options. How to apply: Apply directly to this program on your application.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the courses you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

First-year students are admitted for the September (fall) term only. Terms: fall (September to December), winter (January to April), spring (May to August). Part-time, online, post-degree and non-degree studies can start in the winter, spring or fall term.

Applications for September 2027 entry close on 1 February 2027 for programs other than Engineering (documents due 15 February 2027) and on 15 January 2027 for Engineering programs other than Architecture (documents due 1 February 2027). International students have the same deadlines. Full-time applicants apply through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC).

Part-time, online, post-degree and non-degree studies: winter 2027 applications close 30 October 2026 for degree and non-degree (13 November 2026 for post-degree); spring 2027 applications close 26 February 2027 for degree and non-degree (12 March 2027 for post-degree). Optometry closes 12 November 2026 and Pharmacy closes 6 January 2027.

Apply through the official page: https://uwaterloo.ca/future-students/admissions/how-to-apply

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