New student orientation

Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences Virtual Tour

Next steps for new students

The UM offers a wide range of online information sessions to help new students prepare for university! Find your footing with next steps, find out what's next and get ready to register!

General questions

How do I know which courses to take to fulfil my program requirements and that I'm registered in the correct courses?

Program information and recommended progressions are available in “Degree requirements” section of our Degree advising page.

Program information and recommended progressions are available in the “Diploma requirements” section of our Diploma advising page.

If you are unsure if you are registered in the correct courses, please feel free to contact the academic advisors at aginfo@umanitoba.ca. You can also run a UMAcheive audit.

What is a prerequisite (prereq) / what high school courses are needed for my program / how do I upgrade a high school prereq?

Prerequisites are specific course(s) that you are required to take before you register in a course.  Some courses will require high school prerequisites but others will require university-level prerequisites. The prerequisite requirements of each course are listed online in Aurora Student in the Course Catalog, or in the Academic Calendar.

High School courses and minimum grades required for prereqs in FAFS degree programs can be found in the Academic Calendar Admission Regulations.

You can find more information about how to upgrade your high school courses on this page. 

What courses should I take for my Free Electives?

For their Free Elective requirement, students can take any courses they wish for which they meet the requirements/prereqs! Free Elective courses do not have to be from a specific Faculty. 

Some students use their Free Electives to complete a minor, either in a subject complementary to their degree, or complete a minor in a separate area of interest. Here are a list minors offered at the UM

Students can use their Free Elective credits to take part in our Co-op program. A minor or the Co-op program are not required, but are excellent options to consider.

What is a minor and how do I declare one?

A minor is an optional secondary area of academic study. Generally, at least 18 credit hours of course work in one academic area constitutes a "minor."

A list of available minors at the University of Manitoba is available here. You can choose a minor in the FAFS Faculty, or in a different faculty. 

To declare a minor, you can send an email to the academic advisors at aginfo@umaniotba.ca
 

How does the UM determine a full-time or part-time student status?

Student status is determined by the number of credit hours in each term (Fall and Winter). In the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, a student who is registered in a 60% course load which is a minimum of 9 credit hours in each term is considered to be a full time student. Therefore, a student with less than 9 credit hours is considered to be a part time student. 

Diploma students should note these requirements defer from government student loans and should refer to their student loan information for course load requirements. 

Please note that the definition of full-time and part-time status may vary depending on offices / institutions. To be eligible for most scholarships students will need to have an 80% course load of 12 credit hours in Fall and 12 credit hours in Winter.

International Students should consult with the International Centre regarding their course load requirements for their visas, etc.
 

Career and student involvement

How to stay up-to-date with Faculty and University events?

The "Aggie + Foodie News & Events" bi-weekly newsletter is sent to all Degree students from September to April. It contains information on upcoming dates, announcements, events, career resources, volunteer opportunities, etc. 

Stay connected by following FAFS on:

How can I get involved with student clubs and organizations?

We are home to some of the most active student groups and clubs on campus, which provides extensive opportunities for fun and non-academic skills development.

Some student organization, volunteer and club experience may be eligible to be added to your Co-Curricular Record.

How can I find volunteer opportunities?

Volunteering is an excellent way to gain the skills and experience to reach your academic and career goals. Some UM resources include:

External UM resources:

Check your emails

Student supports

First year student resources

Starting your first year experience
Your first year of university is about settling into school, making good choices and developing good academic habits. Here is a summary of what to accomplish before the term starts and the resources available to you after school is underway.

Contact Us

Agricultural and Food Sciences Student Services Office
160 Agriculture Building | 66 Dafoe Road
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB R3T 5V6 Canada

204-474-9295
Mon - Fri, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm