Gateway Programs
The Faculty of Arts offers two "gateway programs" designed to introduce first-year students to the university by providing them with a pre-made course schedule and a small cohort of peers. Arts One is a single 2-term course combining multiple subjects together with a team of lecturers and an integrated syllabus. The Coordinated Arts Program is more flexible, made up of multiple different "streams" comprised of normal 100-level UBC courses with dedicated sections for CAP students. Both programs are viable options for students intending to major in Computer Science.
Registration
Both Arts One and CAP earn students 18 credits12, leaving exactly 12 credits in the 30 credit limit3 for CPSC_V 110, CPSC_V 121, and CPSC_V 210. However, the credit limit is typically distributed evenly for 15 credits per term, and CAP and Arts One also distribute their credits evenly for 9 credits per term, leaving 6 credits per term free for electives. This is not compatible with the required CPSC_V courses, as taking CPSC_V 121 at the same time as CPSC_V 110 or CPSC_V 210 will require 8 credits of elective space to register. This can be remedied by submitting a credit load adjustment request to re-balance exactly 2 credits over to the term in which you will take CPSC_V 121.
For example, a student who intends to take CPSC_V 110 and CPSC_V 121 in their first term will need to enrol in 17 credits in that term (9 gateway credits + 8 CPSC_V credits), which Workday will not allow. In their second term they only need to enrol in 13 credits (9 gateway credits + 4 credits for CPSC_V 210), so those 2 credits can be re-balanced to their first term by submitting a credit load adjustment request.
Parallel Planning
Arts One grants students 6 credits of PHIL_V1, leaving them automatically eligible to apply for Cognitive Systems if taking the required CPSC_V courses. Credits earned in CAP depend on the stream enrolled in. In order to be eligible for Cognitive Systems, students in CAP must enrol in a stream which includes at least 1 PHIL_V, PSYC_V, or LING_V course. See the parallel planning guide for more details.
1. Registration | Program | Arts One | University of British Columbia, as of November 20 2025 ↩
2. Registration | Coordinated Arts Program | University of British Columbia, as of November 20 2025 ↩
3. Credit Limits & Increases | Faculty of Arts | University of British Columbia, as of November 20 2025 ↩