Planning

University of Waterloo

Design and the Built Environment: blue ink subject illustration

5 years
Duration (years)
5 years in the published co-op sequence
Waterloo Planning work term sequence and requirements
5 scheduled work terms · 4 months each
Work experience
5 scheduled work terms · 4 months each
Waterloo Planning work term sequence and requirements
~Low 80s
Entering average
Published approximate guidance: Low 80s. 2027/28. Ontario high-school entry in 2027/28, exact listed route WP. Later major/option selection and other applicant categories remain separate.
Waterloo university-supplied OUInfo: Planning (Co-op Only), Ontario entry 2027/28

Deadlines

November 2026

Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
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2	3	4	5	6	7	8
9	10	11	12	13	14	15
16	17	18		20	21	22
23	24	25	26	27	28	29
30

Next deadlineThursday, November 19, 2026

OUAC. Ontario high schools report midterm/final 4U/M grades
2027 entry
School deadline, not a student task. Universities receive these grades by November 26. Verbatim: "Deadline for the OUAC to receive all midterm or final grades available for 4U/M courses from Ontario high schools. Schools may report in-progress grades for full-year courses as soon as they are available." Universities receive these by the target date of November 26, 2026. This is a deadline on the high school, not on the student, but it governs which grades a university sees in the first round.
Official deadline

Other deadline details

No single OUAC deadline, deadlines are set by each university and sometimes by programOUAC Undergraduate application, applicants who are not Ontario high school students (Group B)2026 entry

No single OUAC deadline, deadlines are set by each university and sometimes by program
No single OUAC deadline
University, program, transcript, portfolio, interview, and audition dates still apply

Full source wording

Verbatim: "There is no specific Undergraduate application deadline if you are a Group B applicant. Deadlines vary at each university and sometimes depend on the program. Visit the university websites or contact the universities directly for their deadlines. If you are interested in a program but the deadline has passed, you may contact the university's admission office for help. Be aware of university-specific deadlines for submitting transcripts and portfolios, if required, and for arranging interviews and auditions. You must ensure the OUAC has enough time to process your choices before the universities' program deadlines." OUAC defines Group B as anyone who does not meet the Group A criteria, e.g. not currently taking an Ontario high school course, a Canadian outside Ontario, an international applicant, a postsecondary transfer student, or a mature applicant.

SourceChecked Aug 14, 2026

Requirements

Admission requirements

High-school prerequisites

Any Grade 12 U English75% min.

High-school diploma with six Grade 12 U or M courses, including the prerequisites.

Application steps

Entry terms · September 2027

First-year entry.

Step 1Check the admission requirements
- Check the published entry route for your applicant category.
Waterloo Planning Ontario high-school admissionsWaterloo Planning Ontario high-school admissions
Step 2Apply through OUAC
- Create your application and select this program.
OUACOUAC
Step 3Declaration of Academic Experience (DAE)
- Complete the DAE in the Waterloo applicant portal. It updates your checklist with any required documents.
Waterloo required documentsWaterloo required documents
Step 4Apply directly to this programme through the official application; submit the applicant portal documents required for your education route.
- Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
Waterloo Planning Ontario high-school admissionsWaterloo Planning Ontario high-school admissions
Step 5Apply through OUAC by February 1, 2027. Submit requested documents through Waterloo by February 15.
- Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
Waterloo Planning Ontario high-school admissionsWaterloo Planning Ontario high-school admissions

Applicant pathways

Ontario high-school entry

Ontario high-school applicants; average text uses the university's own published guideline

Six Grade 12 U and/or M courses including
Any Grade 12 U English (minimum final grade of 75% is required)
Admission averages: low 80s

Ontario students taking IB

Ontario high-school students taking IB courses, including students completing an OSSD

Admission uses your school's converted Ontario Grade 12 U/M marks.
Meet the Ontario course prerequisites listed above.

British Columbia high school

BC high-school applicants

Six Grade 12 academic courses and a high-school diploma.
English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12, at least 75%.
Published admission average: Low 80s.
Upload second-semester midterm grades when available.

Alberta high school

Alberta high-school applicants

High-school diploma and five academic courses at level 30 or 31.
English Language Arts 30-1, at least 75% in the final blended grade.
Published admission average: Low 80s.

Recommended Ontario courses

Helpful background only

Canadian and World Studies
Mathematics
Science, preferably Biology or Earth and Space Science

Degree requirements

Required courses and electives

Complete 20.0 units: 12.5 required units and 7.5 elective units.

References

Credits and degree requirements

Maintain a 65% cumulative overall average and a 70% cumulative major average across ENVS and PLAN courses.
A minimum 60% in ENVS 131 earns the Undergraduate Communication Requirement milestone.

References

Work and practical requirements

Co-op requires four credited work terms, including at least three standard terms, and four professional development courses, including PD 1 and PD 12.

References

Program facts

Entering average~Low 80s

Ontario high-school entry in 2027/28, exact listed route WP. Later major/option selection and other applicant categories remain separate.

Work experience5 scheduled work terms · 4 months each

Five work terms are scheduled, starting in the spring after second year. The co-op degree requires at least four credited terms.

Check work experience options

Majors & specializations

Complete up to two of the four optional Planning specializations.

Environmental Planning

BES

Study environmental planning and policy, land use and conservation decisions.

Published requirements

Courses

Waterloo’s published eight study terms and five co-op terms. Choose from the calendar’s alternatives where a course slot lists options.

Waterloo’s recommended 1A–4B course sequence and all five scheduled co-op terms. The Planning calendar effective September 2027 supplies the required courses and alternatives. Section times and elective availability depend on registration.

Year 1

1A · Fall

PLAN 100Urbanization Today: Introduction to Cities and Regions0.5 credits
How cities and regions develop, from historical urbanization to present-day economic activity, climate change, migration and inequality.
Waterloo PLAN 100 academic calendar
PLAN 107How Plans are Made: Processes, Stages, and Strategies0.5 credits
Stages of making a plan, from defining problems and goals to evaluating options and monitoring results. Includes working with the public and elected officials.
Waterloo PLAN 107 academic calendar
ENVS 131Communications for Environmental Professions0.5 credits
Practise written, visual and oral communication about environmental issues for different audiences.
Waterloo ENVS 131 academic calendar
ENVS 195Introduction to Environmental Studies0.5 credits
An introduction to environmental challenges at local, national and global scales, using human ecology and intercultural perspectives.
Waterloo ENVS 195 academic calendar

1 elective slot

1B · Winter

PLAN 103Planning Governance and Administration0.5 credits
How Canadian governments and municipalities carry out planning. Covers official plans, by-laws, legal authority and fiscal constraints alongside equity and environmental sustainability.
Waterloo PLAN 103 academic calendar
PLAN 110Visual Communication and Design for Planners0.5 credits
Visual communication for planning, including two- and three-dimensional drawings, hand sketching, design software and iterative design.
Waterloo PLAN 110 academic calendar
PLAN 133Planning for Equity, Justice, and the Public Interest0.5 credits
How public interest, equity, inclusion, justice and human rights shape planning. Examines critiques of planning and intersecting cultural and social perspectives.
Waterloo PLAN 133 academic calendar
ENVS 178Environmental Applications of Data Management and Statistics0.5 credits
Collecting and evaluating environmental evidence through descriptive statistics, research design, sampling, probability and statistical software.
Waterloo ENVS 178 academic calendar

1 elective slot

Year 2

2A · Fall

PLAN 202Transportation and Housing: A Systems Approach0.5 credits
Connections between land use, transportation and housing. Uses systems models to examine mobility, access to jobs, sprawl, affordability and equity.
Waterloo PLAN 202 academic calendar
PLAN 205Spatial and Demographic Analysis in Planning0.5 credits
Analyze population change and projections, and learn to visualize spatial data for local planning questions.
Waterloo PLAN 205 academic calendar
PLAN 210Community Design Fundamentals for Planners0.5 credits
Community design and the public realm. Develops observation, analysis and visual representation of built form, placemaking and spatial function.
Waterloo PLAN 210 academic calendar
ENVS 200Field Ecology0.5 credits
Study ecosystems, population dynamics and development impacts, including field visits during labs.
Waterloo ENVS 200 academic calendar

2B · Winter

Waterloo schedules one 200-level PLAN elective in this term.

PLAN 246Tools for Public Participation0.5 credits
Design inclusive public engagement and use qualitative methods to interpret the responses.
Waterloo PLAN 246 academic calendar
PLAN 281Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)0.5 creditsChoose one
Use GIS tools to store, map and analyze geographic data in lectures and labs.
Choose one
Choose one introductory geographic information systems course.
- PLAN 281 · Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- GDS 281 · Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Waterloo Planning Honours requirements effective September 2027
Waterloo PLAN 281 academic calendar
ENVS 278Applied Statistics for Environmental Research0.5 credits
Use confidence intervals, hypothesis tests and regression to draw conclusions from environmental data.
Waterloo ENVS 278 academic calendar

Work term 1 · Spring

Co-op work term

Year 3

3A · Fall

Waterloo schedules one upper-level PLAN elective here. Take the equity and justice course in 3A, 3B, 4A or 4B.

PLAN 341Ecology and Conservation for Planning0.5 creditsChoose one
Apply ecology to land development and policies protecting green space, species and sensitive areas.
Choose one
Choose one ecology and conservation course.
- PLAN 341 · Ecology and Conservation for Planning
- GEOG 368 · Ecology and Conservation for Planning
Waterloo Planning Honours requirements effective September 2027
Waterloo PLAN 341 academic calendar
PLAN 375Municipal Finance and Land Economics0.5 credits
Municipal budgets and land economics, including property taxes, development charges, transfers, real estate markets and the distributional effects of financial decisions.
Waterloo PLAN 375 academic calendar
ENVS 201Introduction to Canadian Environmental Law0.5 credits
Study how Canadian laws and institutions regulate the environment.
Waterloo ENVS 201 academic calendar
PLAN 441Disability and Accessibility in the City0.5 creditsChoose one
Study how the design of cities and public spaces affects people with different disabilities.
Choose one
Choose one equity and justice course in 3A, 3B, 4A or 4B.
- PLAN 441 · Disability and Accessibility in the City
- GEOG 441 · Disability and Accessibility in the City
- PLAN 442 · Indigenous Peoples and Planning
- PLAN 443 · Planning for Ethno-Cultural Diversity and Difference
- PLAN 445 · Gender and Queer Inclusive Environments
- GEOG 445 · Gender and Queer Inclusive Environments
Waterloo Planning Honours requirements effective September 2027
Waterloo PLAN 441 academic calendar

Work term 2 · Winter

Co-op work term

3B · Spring

Waterloo schedules one upper-level PLAN elective here.

PLAN 300Planning Theory and Ethics0.5 credits
Planning theories and ethical frameworks, including advocacy and communicative planning. Examines professional judgement, public relationships and reflective practice.
Waterloo PLAN 300 academic calendar
PLAN 348Planning to Confront Climate Change0.5 credits
Develop planning and policy responses to climate change, including adaptation and mitigation.
Waterloo PLAN 348 academic calendar

Year 4

Work term 3 · Fall

Co-op work term

4A · Winter

Waterloo schedules one upper-level PLAN elective here.

PLAN 452Policy Analysis and Evaluation for Planners0.5 credits
Compare policy choices and evaluate plans and programs using decision tools and case studies.
Waterloo PLAN 452 academic calendar
PLAN 471Planning and Municipal Law0.5 credits
The legal basis of Ontario planning, including legislation, by-laws, provincial and municipal authority, and impacts on property owners and residents.
Waterloo PLAN 471 academic calendar

Work term 4 · Spring

Co-op work term

Year 5

Work term 5 · Fall

Co-op work term

4B · Winter

Waterloo schedules one upper-level PLAN elective here.

PLAN 401Conflict, Negotiation, and Tribunals in Planning0.5 credits
Examine planning disputes and practise negotiation, mediation and listening through simulations.
Waterloo PLAN 401 academic calendar
PLAN 405Integrated Planning Project0.5 credits
Work with a group to develop and present a planning project for a professional client.
Waterloo PLAN 405 academic calendar

Additional published courses

GDS 281Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)0.5 credits
Use GIS tools to store, map and analyze geographic data in lectures and labs.
Waterloo GDS 281 academic calendar
GEOG 368Ecology and Conservation for Planning0.5 credits
Apply ecology to land development and policies protecting green space, species and sensitive areas.
Waterloo GEOG 368 academic calendar
GEOG 441Disability and Accessibility in the City0.5 credits
Study how the design of cities and public spaces affects people with different disabilities.
Waterloo GEOG 441 academic calendar
PLAN 442Indigenous Peoples and Planning0.5 credits
Examine how planning relates to Indigenous rights, aspirations and knowledge in settler-colonial contexts.
Waterloo PLAN 442 academic calendar
PLAN 443Planning for Ethno-Cultural Diversity and Difference0.5 credits
Study how planning addresses cultural diversity through housing, design, places of worship and engagement.
Waterloo PLAN 443 academic calendar
PLAN 445Gender and Queer Inclusive Environments0.5 credits
Study how urban design and planning shape safety, mobility and belonging across gender and sexuality.
Waterloo PLAN 445 academic calendar
GEOG 445Gender and Queer Inclusive Environments0.5 credits
Study how urban design and planning shape safety, mobility and belonging across gender and sexuality.
Waterloo GEOG 445 academic calendar

Elective choices

The recommended first-year sequence includes one elective in each of 1A and 1B.
Complete 7.5 elective units. Include 0.5 unit of 200-level PLAN and 2.0 units of PLAN at the 300 level or higher.
Also include 1.0 elective unit at the 100 level, 1.0 at the 200 level and 3.0 at the 300 level or higher.
Only one course may count from any cross-listed set.

Study locations

Published academic-unit location: The School of Planning lists its general office at EV3 3203, and undergraduate advising/programme administration at EV3 3209 and EV3 3213. These are academic contact offices; individual Planning course rooms are separate.Waterloo: named planning academic-unit location

References

Careers

Land use planner
Urban designer
Environmental planner
Long-range policy planner
Transportation planner
Community planner
Housing policy analyst
Sustainability planner
Heritage planner
Infrastructure planner
Development coordinator
Public engagement specialist
Climate adaptation planner

Employers in student profiles

Habitat for Humanity

Employers in student profiles

Scope and qualifications

Waterloo profiled a Planning student who worked as an assistant planner with Habitat for Humanity on an affordable housing project.

Waterloo career and co-op examples, plus one student profile.

Professional recognition

The Professional Standards Board lists Waterloo’s Honours Co-op Planning degree as accredited through August 31, 2031. Professional certification has additional requirements.

Scope and qualifications

Waterloo career and co-op examples, plus one student profile.

Accreditation

Costs

Program or faculty

Tuition and incidental fees · 2026–27 · Two terms · CAD
Program or faculty	Ontario	Other Canadian	International	Books and supplies
Accounting and Financial Management, Sustainability and Financial Management	$9,000	$10,000	$58,000	$1,500
Architecture	$14,000	$15,000	$75,000	$8,100
Business Administration (Laurier) and Computer Science (Waterloo) Double Degree	$17,000	$20,000	$75,000	$1,500
Business Administration (Laurier) and Mathematics (Waterloo) Double Degree	$15,000	$15,000	$64,000	$1,500
Computer Science	$16,000	$18,000	$73,000	$1,500
Computing and Financial Management	$11,000	$12,000	$64,000	$1,500
Faculty of Arts	$9,000	$10,000	$58,000	$1,500
Faculty of Engineering, Software Engineering	$19,000	$21,000	$75,000	$1,500
Faculty of Environment	$9,000	$10,000	$51,000	$1,500
Faculty of Health	$9,000	$10,000	$54,000	$1,500
Faculty of Science	$9,000	$10,000	$54,000	$1,500
Geography and Aviation	$9,000	$10,000	$51,000	$1,500
Science and Aviation	$9,000	$10,000	$54,000	$1,500
Global Business and Digital Arts	$14,000	$16,000	$56,000	$1,500
Mathematics (includes 16 majors), Mathematics/ Business Administration, Mathematics/Chartered Professional Accountancy	$9,000	$10,000	$62,000	$1,500
Mathematics/Financial Analysis and Risk Management	$12,000	$14,000	$63,000	$1,500