An ARBUS Student’s Guide to Minor Specializations
In the Honours Arts and Business (ARBUS) program, students typically declare a major at the end of their first year. As an ARBUS student, you also have the option to pursue a minor or diploma(s) in addition to your major courses and studies in business. In this guide to minors from an ARBUS perspective, you’ll have the opportunity to discover some accompaniments to your degree to get the most out of your studies!
Minor Options in the Faculty of Arts
There are up to 30 majors to choose from in the ARBUS program, ranging from Communication Arts and Design Practice (my major!) to Legal Studies to Psychology. In the Faculty of Arts at the University of Waterloo, there are also 49+ minors to choose from — once you’re in your second year, you can choose to pursue a minor in most Arts major disciplines.
There are also several other minor specializations open to all students at the University of Waterloo, which you can learn more about here. For a full list of minors offered by the Faculty of Arts, click here.
A minor can be a great way to incorporate a subject that you aren’t majoring in into your degree, whether it's for the purpose of furthering a career goal or to learn more about an interest. As a first year student with prospective majors in Communication Arts and Design Practice (CADP) and Political Science, I’m beginning to consider how I want to structure my degree in regards to declaring my major and potential minor specializations I might like to pursue.
My research led to my interest in minor specializations that best suit students in the ARBUS program. While my prospective major, CADP, is focused on my career goal in marketing and communications, I'm also interested in public relations and policy management. Therefore, I'm considering pursuing a minor in Canadian Politics and Public Policy to complement my major.
Continue reading to learn more about some potential minor choices I’ve highlighted for ARBUS students that particularly connect to specific interests in areas of business — like finance, marketing and communications, law and policy, and management and human resources!
The information from this post is based on:
Finance
Understand domestic and global economies with a minor in Economics. This minor is particularly applicable to students with an interest in careers in finance, banking, or consulting.
Sample Courses:
Microeconomic Theory for Business and Policy (ECON 201)
Money and Banking 1 (ECON 206)
Introduction to Mathematical Economics (ECON 211)
International Finance (ECON 332)
Business Finance 1 (ECON 372)
Covering economic policy, market dynamics, and influences on the competitive business environment, gain skills in a new language and international macroeconomics with a minor in International Trade.
Sample Courses:
Principles of Economics (ECON 100)
Models of Choice in Competitive Markets (ECON 290)
Introduction to International Studies (INTST 101)
Political Economy of International Trade (PSCI 380)
French Language 1: Module 1 (FR 192A)
Learn across up to four disciplines from the Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Environment with the Politics and Business minor. From economic development and policy to international law and banking, this minor will help students understand the central relationship between politics and the business environment.
Sample Courses:
Government and Business (PSCI 231)
Theories of Political Economy (PSCI 300)
Money and Banking 1 (ECON 206)
Business Finance (ECON 371)
The State and Economic Life (PSCI 428)
Marketing and Communications
Perfect your verbal and written communication skills with the Communication Studies minor. With courses in public communication, critical design, leadership, and campaign management, this minor is especially applicable to ARBUS students pursuing a career in marketing, communications, advertising, and public relations.
Sample Courses:
Theories of Communication (COMMST 101)
Introduction to Critical Design Practices (COMMST 149)
Public Speaking (COMMST 223)
Public Communication (COMMST 228)
Speech Writing (COMMST 323)
Understand how to design digital work effectively to tailor it to a specific audience and purpose. The Digital Arts Communication minor connects courses across up to six disciplines in the Faculty of Arts.
Sample Courses:
Visual Rhetoric (ENGL 392B)
Writing for the Media (ENGL 408A)
Designing Digital Media (DAC 201)
User Experience Design (DAC 309)
Information Design (ENGL 392A)
Psychology is a critical component in any strong marketing strategy. The Psychology minor offered through the Faculty of Arts can help students understand the factors that drive human behaviour to create compelling marketing campaigns.
Sample Courses:
Introductory Psychology (PSYCH 101)
Cognitive Processes (PSYCH 207)
Social Psychology (PSYCH 253)
The Psychology of Groups and Teams (PSYCH 342)
Perception (PSYCH 306)
Study rhetoric, information, design, and advertising with a minor in Technical Writing. Understand innovative strategies for organizational communication, marketing campaigns, digital design, and public relations.
Sample Courses:
Information Design (ENGL 392A)
Genres of Business Communication (ENGL 210F)
Legal Writing (ENGL 210I)
The Discourse of Advertising (ENGL 408B)
The Rhetoric of Digital Design: Theory and Practice (ENGL 408C)
Law and Policy
Canadian Politics and Public Policy
The Canadian Politics and Public Policy minor connects courses from up to five disciplines within the Faculty of Arts: Political Science, Sociology, Economics, Legal Studies, and Social Development Studies. With skills in policy research and analysis, in addition to knowledge of the structure of political institutions in Canada, this minor pairs nicely with career interests in Law and Policy.
Sample Courses:
Public Administration (PSCI 331)
Public Policy (SOC 334)
Public Economics (ECON 441)
Constitutional Law (LS 363)
Comparative Social Policy (SDS 400)
Exploring the impact of the law, connect your understanding of the legal world to your studies in business with the Legal Studies minor.
Sample Courses:
Introduction to Legal Studies (LS 101)
Introduction to Sociology (SOC 101)
Business Law (LS 283)
Legal Writing (LS 291)
Labour Law (LS 315)
Understand politics through eight courses of your choice and connect it to your studies in business through the Political Science minor. This minor is particularly applicable to ARBUS students interested in pursuing a career in Political Communications, Law, International Trade/Relations, or Government.
Sample Courses:
Government and Business (PSCI 231)
International Political Economy (PSCI 283)
Public Administration (PSCI 331)
Technology and International Security (PSCI 384)
Globalization, International Development, and Business (PSCI 404)
Management and Human Resources
Understand the design of jobs and teams, and develop skills in assessing performance, training employees, and being an effective leader with the Human Resources Management minor.
Sample Courses:
Accounting Information for Managers (ARBUS 102)
Organizational Psychology (PSYCH 238)
Strategic Human Resources Management (HRM 301)
Organizational Design and Technology (MSCI 311)
Conflict Resolution (LS 271)
Interested in learning more about ARBUS minors? We can help!
Are you a prospective or current student with questions about the Honours Arts and Business program at UWaterloo? Reach out to ARBUS Society via email at arbussociety@gmail.com or DM us on Instagram @arbussociety and we will connect you with a team member who can answer your question! Our team is here to guide you in your journey through the ARBUS program.
References and Further Reading
Undergraduate Calendar - University of Waterloo
Majors, minors, and diplomas | Arts
Add areas of interest with minors | Undergraduate Programs | University of Waterloo