4 programs, side by side

Rows marked with a dot are where these differ. Everything is each university’s own published wording; the “your average” row is yours, calculated the way each program does it.

Full	Laurentian Architectural Studies OUAC LDA Remove	York Design (BDes) OUAC YD Remove	Brock Game Design OUAC BGD Remove	Waterloo Architectural Engineering (Co-op only) OUAC WEA Remove
Your average, their wayrequired courses forced in
Published rangetheir exact wording	75%	83–87%“Mid-80s”	80–83%“Low 80s”	83–90%“Mid- to High 80s”
Required coursesforced into your top 6 — options are the row below	ENG4U	ENG4U	ENG4U	ENG4U MCV4U MHF4U SCH4U SPH4U
Choose one ofany of these satisfies it	one of MCV4U, MDM4U, MHF4U	—	—	—
Prerequisitesas published	1 grade 12 English U/M course (ENG 4U) 2 grade 12 4U/M Math courses 3 other grade 12 U/M courses Statement of Interest and Portfolio A minimum overall average of 75% in the 6 best grade 12 U/M courses +1 more on the program page	Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) ENG4U 5 additional 4U/M courses	ENG4U Recommended subjects: 1 from 4U History, Philosophy, Classical Studies or International Language ASM4U, AVI4M, ADA4M or ICS3C	English (ENG4U – min. 70%) Advanced Functions (min. 70%) Calculus and Vectors (min. 70%) Chemistry (min. 70%) Physics (min. 70%)
More than marks?supplementary application	Yes In addition to meeting the academic requirements below, applicants must submit: A portfolio to demonstrate their creativity and skills A statement of interest (500-1000 words) to explain their interest in architecture as well as their choice of Laurentian University/McEwen School of Architecture Usually closes before January 15	Yes Submit your application for admission to the OUAC by January 15, 2026, for guaranteed consideration to this program.Applications received after this date will be reviewed if space is available. In addition to applying for admission to York via the OUAC, applicants must complete an audition, interview and/or portfolio review. Find out more at ampd.yorku.ca/apply. Usually closes before January 15	Marks only	Yes NEW: All Engineering program applications require an online video interview. You will receive more information after you apply. An Admission Information Form is also required. We will send you instructions when we acknowledge your application. Also considered: Involvement in extracurricular activities in school or community, evidence of interest in engineering and strong performance in mathematics, science or engineering-related competitions. Usually closes before January 15
Co-op	Available	No	No	Available
Degree	—	—	Bachelor of Arts, BA, Diploma, Dipl.	—
First-year intakewhere published	—	50	—	90
What you study	Architecture	Design	Cinematics & Photography Computer Animation and Visual Effects Computer Games Design	ArchitectureBuildingCivil Engineering Design
What it is	Architectural Studies teaches you how to design buildings and spaces, from sketching initial ideas to understanding how they're built and function. This program includes paid work terms where you apply what you're learning at real architecture firms alongside your classroom studies. It suits students who combine creative design thinking with interest in how buildings work technically and who want practical experience before or alongside their formal studies.	A Bachelor of Design teaches you to create visual and physical solutions to real problems, combining art, technology, and user needs. You'll learn design thinking, digital tools, and how to present ideas clearly rather than focusing narrowly on fine art or engineering alone. This program suits people who want to solve practical problems through creativity and aren't sure whether they're more interested in making things or making them look good.	You study how to create video games from start to finish, learning programming, visual design, animation, sound, and storytelling. Unlike a pure computer science degree, this program balances technical skills with creative and business thinking, so you learn game engines, art, and how to actually launch a game. It suits people who want hands-on work making games rather than working only on backend code or studying game theory in isolation.	You study how buildings are designed and constructed, combining architecture with engineering principles like structural systems, materials, and building codes. This program requires you to do co-op work terms alongside your studies, so you alternate between school and paid job placements in design firms or construction companies. It suits students who want hands-on experience in the building industry and prefer learning by doing real projects, not just in classrooms.
The door tomajors you reach through it	architecture	Applied to directly	Applied to directly	Applied to directly
Entrance awardsat this campus, by average	6 published, 5 with no applicationfrom 80%See them	29 published, 4 with no applicationfrom 75%See them	4 published, 1 with no applicationfrom 80%See them	4 published, 3 with no applicationfrom 80%See them
Source	Laurentian University on OUInfo	York University on OUInfo	Brock University on OUInfo	University of Waterloo on OUInfo

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Ranges are what each university publishes, not guaranteed cutoffs, and limited-enrolment programs often admit above them. Confirm anything you are about to act on with the university; each column links to its source.