Faculty of Arts & Science 2012-2013 Calendar

Rules & Regulations

While Departmental counsellors and the Registrars of the Colleges are always available to give advice and guidance, it must be clearly understood that THE ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY RESTS WITH THE STUDENT for completeness and correctness of course selection, for compliance with prerequisite, co-requisite requirements, observance of exceeded courses, etc., for completion of Program details, for proper observance of degree requirements, the Distribution Requirement and for observance of regulations, deadlines, etc. Students are responsible for seeking guidance from a responsible officer if they are in any doubt; misunderstanding, or advice received from another student will not be accepted as cause for dispensation from any regulation, deadline, program or degree requirement.

Students should also note the Important Notices section at the beginning of this Calendar.

Details of the procedures by which students of the Faculty of Arts and Science register -- enrol in courses for which they are eligible, and pay or make arrangements to pay fees -- are found in the Registration Handbook and Timetable, which students receive from their college.

Courses at University of Toronto Scarborough and University of Toronto Mississauga

Students registered on the St. George campus of the Faculty of Arts & Science may enrol in most courses offered by University of Toronto Mississauga and University of Toronto Scarborough, provided that they meet the enrolment controls and prerequisites established by those divisions. These courses count towards the 20 credits required for a St. George degree and are included in the CGPA. These courses may also count towards St. George program requirements; students should check with their program office before enrolling.

Courses of Other Divisions

Students should select their courses from those offered in the Faculty of Arts & Science (except courses that are required for an Arts & Science program). If, however, they identify a course(s) offered in another division, faculty or school of the University that may be appropriate for inclusion in their degree program, they may petition for permission to register in the course for degree credit. In the petition, students must establish that the content and aims of the course(s) are valid for a specific Arts & Science program and cannot be met by courses offered within the Faculty of Arts & Science. The students should initiate the procedure well in advance of the beginning of classes, so that they may choose alternate courses should the request be denied. The Faculty will not accept as reasons for taking courses in other divisions the wish to satisfy requirements to qualify for programs and organisations outside the Faculty or to prepare for non-academic or professional purposes.

Graduate Courses: Acceptance of petitions to take graduate courses is further subject to the requirements of the School of Graduate Studies (CGPA of 3.0).

Non-degree students may enrol through this Faculty in courses given by this Faculty or the University of Toronto Mississauga or the University of Toronto Scarborough only.

See the section on petitions and appeals for more information.

Courses of Other Universities (Letters of Permission and Transfer Credit)

Degree students with a cumulative grade point average of at least 1.50 before studying elsewhere may take a maximum of 5.0 full-course equivalents elsewhere for transfer credit. Students admitted with transfer credit may be limited in the number of courses that they may transfer after admission and should consult the chart available on the web at www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/undergraduate/tc. Prior to taking courses at another university, students are advised to request a Letter of Permission to confirm acceptability of those courses for transfer credit. Otherwise, students may submit a request for transfer credit after completing courses elsewhere. Permission obtained from an instructor or from a department for program purposes, however, does not obligate the Faculty to grant transfer credit. There is a $25.00 non-refundable charge for each request. Assessments of transfer credit may take several weeks to process depending on the time of year and the nature of the request. Applicants are responsible for submitting requests well in advance of any deadlines they must meet and for obtaining the appropriate counselling concerning the Letter of Permission and/or Transfer Credit process.

Note:

Only one transfer credit may be used to satisfy the requirement of 300+ series courses for the degree. Please refer to the Letters of Permission and Transfer Credit (Post-Admission) Guidelines on the Registrar’s Office web site at www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/undergraduate/tc.

Study Elsewhere Opportunities

U of T offers a wide range of opportunities to study elsewhere. For more information contact:

Centre for International Experience's Student Exchange Program
Cumberland House, Room 204
Telephone: (416) 946-3138
student.exchange@utoronto.ca
www.cie.utoronto.ca

Note that students participating in an exchange through the Centre for International Experience will have their credits assessed for transfer upon return. You are eligible to participate in up to three terms of exchange. You can arrange your exchange semesters in multiple ways — you may do a full year and additional semester or three consecutive summers or three separate semesters in up to three locations! The maximum amount of transfer credits you may earn through exchange is 7.5 (provided you don't have more than 2.5 transfer credits already on admission or on Letter of Permission). In order to be considered for full transfer credits, you must complete the equivalent “full course load” at the host institution. Note that this term does not refer to the minimum full time load at an institution. To find out what constitutes a full course load at your host university, please refer to the the CIE webpage (www.cie.utoronto.ca) for that host institution.  Studying at another institution does bring a degree of academic risk. Although the Faculty of Arts & Science cannot guarantee that the courses you choose will receive full credit, we will do our best to ensure you receive a fair assessment. If you have provided detailed outlines and received transfer credit recommendations from the relevant Departmental contact for transfer credit prior to your departure, then the risk is negligible.

Summer Abroad Program
3rd Floor, Woodsworth College, 119 St. George St.
416-978-8713
summer.abroad@utoronto.ca
www.summerabroad.utoronto.ca

Cancelling Courses

Students who do not intend to complete a course or courses must use the Student Web Service to cancel the course before the final date to cancel courses from the academic record (see Sessional Dates). Students still enrolled in a course after the final date to cancel the course will receive a grade for that course (unless Late Withdrawal is requested: see below for details). Not attending classes or ceasing to complete further course work or not writing the examination do not constitute grounds for cancellation without academic penalty from a course; the course remains on the record with the grade earned, including “0” for incomplete work.

Students are not permitted to cancel or withdraw from a course in which an allegation of academic misconduct is pending from the time of the alleged offence until the final disposition of the accusation.


Cancelling Registration

Students who wish to cancel all their current courses, and do not intend to enrol in any other courses for the rest of the session (Fall, Winter or Summer) must cancel their registration by using the Student Web Service at www.rosi.utoronto.ca or in writing by notifying their College Registrar. The cancellation of registration must be completed by the appropriate deadline in order for the student not to incur an academic penalty. Before any refund is authorized, they must:

1. Pay any outstanding fees;
2. return any books to the Library and pay any outstanding fines;
3. vacate any laboratory or athletic lockers and return any equipment in their possession.

Fees are subject to change at any time by approval of the Governing Council. Tuition fees normally consist of academic fees (including instruction and library) and incidental/ancillary fees (including Hart House, Health Services, Athletics and student organizations). Additional ancillary fees may also be assessed for enrolment in some specific courses. Consult the Student Accounts web site or the Bursar of Trinity College.

Fees and Payment

Payment is made at a financial institution — consult the instructions in the Registration Handbook & Timetable for further details.

Payment Deadlines

Deadlines are available from the Student Accounts Office or from the Trinity College Bursar’s Office (Trinity students).

To avoid delays, students are advised to pay fees early.

All fees and charges posted to your account are payable. If not paid in full, any outstanding account balance is subject to a monthly service charge of 1.5% per month compounded (19.56% per annum). Outstanding charges on your account from prior sessions are subject to a service charge as of the 15th of every month until paid in full."

Students with outstanding accounts may not receive official transcripts and may not re-register at the University until these accounts are paid.

Fees for International Students

In accordance with the recommendation of the Government of Ontario, certain categories of students who are neither Canadian citizens nor permanent residents of Canada are charged higher academic fees. Refer to the Student Accounts web site at www.fees.utoronto.ca for details.

Further information on fees may be obtained by students of Innis, New, St. Michael’s, University, Victoria and Woodsworth Colleges from the Student Accounts Office, University of Toronto, 215 Huron St., Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A2; 416-978-2142. Students of Trinity College should consult their College Bursar.

Financial Assistance

A limited number of in-course bursaries, scholarships and awards is available to students who need financial assistance or who qualify for them on the basis of academic merit. Information on these, and the Ontario Student Assistance Program, is available on the following web sites:

Faculty of Arts &Science web site
Admissions and Awards web site
or the College Registrars’ offices and web sites.
Sanctions on Account of Outstanding Obligations

The following are recognized University obligations:

• tuition fees
• academic and other incidental fees
• residence fees and other residence charges
• library fines
• Bookstore accounts
• loans made by colleges, faculties or the University
• Health Service accounts
• unreturned or damaged instruments, materials and equipment
• orders for the restitution, rectification or the payment of damages, fines, bonds for good behaviour, and requirement of public service work imposed under the authority of the Code of Student Conduct.

The following academic sanctions are imposed on Arts & Science students who have outstanding recognized University obligations:

1. Statements of results or official transcripts of record, or both, will not be issued.
2. The University will not provide oral confirmations or written certification of degree status to external enquirers.
3. Indebted graduands will be allowed to walk on stage and have their names appear on the convocation program.
4. Registration will be refused to a continuing or returning student..
5. Official letters (e.g., degree eligibility, confirmation of graduation, QECO) will not be issued.
6. Education verifications will not be issued.

Payments made by continuing or returning students will first be applied to outstanding University debts and then to current fees.

Term Work and Term Test Regulations

The following regulations summarize the Faculty’s implementation of the University’s Grading Practices Policy, Parts A and B, available on the Governing Council web site at www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/policies.htm (however grade scales may be seen below in this Calendar).

Marking Schemes

As early as possible in each course, and no later than the last date to enrol in the course, the instructor shall make available to the class, and shall file with the division/faculty or department, the methods by which student performance shall be evaluated. This should include whether the methods of evaluation will be essays, tests, class participation, seminar presentations, examinations, or other requirements; the relative weight of these methods in relation to the overall grade; and the timing of each major evaluation.
No essay, test, examination etc. in the marking scheme may be assigned a weight of more than 80% of the grade.  This limit does not apply when accommodations are made for assessments missed for legitimate, documented reasons.

After the methods of evaluation have been made known, the instructor may not change them or their relative weight without the consent of a simple majority of students attending the class, provided the vote is announced no later than in the previous class. Any changes must be reported to the division or the department. The only exception to this is in the case of the declaration of a disruption. [Please see the University’s Policy on Academic Continuity.]

In the event that this policy has not been followed, a student may petition to have the course removed from the record, provided such a petition is filed by the last day of classes.

Term Work

Instructors shall return by the deadline one or more marked assignments worth a combined total of at least 10% of the total course mark for H courses and 20% for Y courses.

The deadline for returning such marked work shall be the last regularly scheduled class meeting prior to the deadline to cancel without academic penalty, with one exception: for courses that run the entire Fall/Winter Session (Y1Y or H1Y courses), the deadline shall be the last regularly-scheduled class meeting of the first week of classes in January.

All term work must be submitted on or before the last day of classes in the course concerned, unless an earlier date is specified by the instructor. Students who for reasons beyond their control are unable to submit an assignment by its deadline must obtain approval from their instructor for an extension of the deadline. This extension may be for no longer than the end of the Final Examination period. If additional time beyond this period is required, students must petition through their College Registrar before the end of the examination period for a further extension of the deadline.

Students are strongly advised to keep rough and draft work and copies of their essays and assignments, as these may be required by the instructor.

All written work that has been evaluated should be returned with such detailed comment as the instructor deems appropriate, and time made available for discussion of it. Any enquiries about a graded piece of work must be made within one month of the date the work was returned to the class. Instructors must keep unclaimed term work for at least six months beyond the end of the course.

Term Tests

No term test or combination of term tests held in the last two weeks of classes at the end of any term may have a total weight greater than 25% of the final mark. This includes “take-home tests” and assignments where the topics or questions are both assigned and due with the last two weeks of classes.

All term tests must be held on or before the last day of classes. No term test may be held during the “Reading Week” in February, during the “Study Week” in April, or during Faculty Examination Periods, except for those in F or Y-courses scheduled by the Faculty in December.

Missed Term Tests

Students who miss a term test will be assigned a mark of zero for that test unless they satisfy the following conditions:

1. Students who miss a term test for reasons beyond their control may, within one week of the missed test, submit to the instructor or department/program a request for special consideration explaining the reason for missing the test, and attaching appropriate documentation, such as a medical certificate.
2. If a request with documentation cannot be submitted within one week, the department may consider a request to extend the time limit.
3. A student whose explanation is accepted by the department will be entitled to one of the following considerations:
   a) Where practicable, the student may be offered the opportunity to do a make-up test.
   b) Where a make-up test is not practicable or the student’s circumstances do not permit a make-up test, the instructor may allocate the percentage weight of the test to any combination of the remaining term work and/or final exam in the course.
   c)  If the student misses the remaining term work for acceptable reasons, the full percentage weight of the missed work may be allocated to the final exam. Exception: the weight of a final exam in a 100-series course may not be increased beyond 80% as an initial accommodation for a legitimate absence.  However, if the student misses the make-up opportunity or subsequent test that was to be re-weighted, then the weight of the final exam may be increased beyond 80%.
   d)  In courses where the mid-term test is the only marked work in the course other than the final examination, an initial make-up opportunity normally must be given.
4. No student is automatically entitled to a second make-up test opportunity.  The department will determine what accommodation is appropriate for a student who misses a make-up test for legitimate reasons.
5. A student who misses a term test cannot subsequently petition for late withdrawal from the course without academic penalty on the grounds that he or she has had no term work returned before the drop date.

Requests for Re-Marking of Term Work
A student who believes an individual item of work has been incorrectly or unfairly marked may request that it be remarked.  Such requests should be made initially to the instructor in the course as soon as possible after the work was returned, and no later than one month after it was returned.

If an instructor refuses the request to remark a piece of work, or if the student believes the remarking was incorrect or unfair, the student may appeal to the UG Coordinator  (e.g. Associate Chair who is acting on behalf of the Chair) of the department or program sponsoring the course. 

Appeals beyond the program or department should be made to the Office of the Dean.  Such appeals about the marking of term work will be reviewed to ensure that appropriate procedures have been followed in earlier appeals, that the student has been treated fairly, and that the standards applied have been consistent with those applied to other students doing the assignment. The Office of the Dean is the final level of appeal for marks in the Faculty of Arts & Science; no further appeal is possible. 

An appeal of a term-mark beyond the instructor may only be made for an item worth at least 20% of the course mark.

All appeals beyond the instructor must be made in writing in a timely manner, and no later than one month after the work was returned, explaining why the student believes the mark was inappropriate and summarizing all previous communications in the matter. 
Students making a request for a remarking must accept that the resulting mark will become the new mark, whether it goes up or down or remains the same.

A Faculty final examination counting for between one-third and two-thirds of the final mark must be held in each 100-series course, unless exemption has been granted by the Faculty of Arts & Science. Courses in the 200-series will normally have a final examination.  In 200-, 300- and 400-series courses, the Departments will decide whether or not an examination is appropriate. The ratio of term work to examination mark will be the same for all sections of multi-section courses that have final examinations. The relative value of each part of a written examination must be indicated on the question paper.

Final examinations are held at the end of each session or sub-session. Students taking courses during the day may be required to write evening examinations, and students taking evening courses may be required to write examinations during the day. Examinations may be held on Saturdays. Students who make personal commitments during the examination period do so at their own risk. No special consideration is given and no special arrangements are made in the event of conflicts resulting from personal commitments.

Students who are unable to write their examinations due to illness, etc., should contact their College Registrar (see "Petitions Regarding Examinations", below).

Students who have two Faculty final examinations at the same time, or three consecutive Faculty final examinations (e.g., morning, afternoon, evening; or afternoon, evening, next morning) should report the conflict to the Office of the Faculty Registrar by the deadline shown on the examination schedule. Information regarding dates, times and locations of examinations will not be given by telephone or email; for the most up to date examination timetable consult the Faculty's current students web site at www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current. 

Students who cannot write a final examination at the scheduled time because of a religious obligation should report this conflict to the Office of the Faculty Registrar as soon as the conflict is known, and no later than the deadline shown on the examination schedule.


Rules for the Conduct of Examinations

1. No person will be allowed in an examination room during an examination except the candidates concerned and those supervising the examination.
2. Candidates must appear at the examination room at least twenty minutes before the commencement of the examination.
3. Candidates shall bring their student photo identification cards and place them in a conspicuous place on their desks.
4. Bags and books are to be deposited in areas designated by the Chief Presiding Officer and are not to be taken to the examination desk or table. Students may place their purses and other valuables on the floor under their chairs.
5. The Chief Presiding Officer has authority to assign seats to candidates.
6. Candidates shall not communicate with one another in any manner whatsoever during the examination.
7. No materials or electronic devices shall be brought into the room or used at an examination except those authorized by the Chief Presiding Officer or Examiner. Unauthorized materials include, but are not limited to: books, class notes, or aid sheets. Unauthorized electronic devices include, but are not limited to: phones, laptop computers, calculators, MP3 players (such as an iPod), Personal Digital Assistants, pagers, electronic dictionaries, or any electronic recording device.  If calculators are authorized for use in an examination, only models those specified on the exam sheet shall be permitted.
8. Candidates who bring any unauthorized materials or electronic devices into an examination room or who assist or obtain assistance from other candidates or from any unauthorized source are liable to penalties under the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters, including the loss of academic credit and expulsion.
9. In general, candidates will not be permitted to enter an examination room later than fifteen minutes after the commencement of the examination, nor to leave except under supervision until at least half an hour after the examination has commenced.
10. Students who arrive later than fifteen minutes after the commencement of the examination should go immediately to the Office of the Faculty Registrar (day exams only). Should you arrive at the exam hall up to 15 minutes late you will receive the remainder of the time left in your examination.
11. Candidates shall remain seated at their desks during the final ten minutes of each examination.
12. At the conclusion of an examination, all writing shall cease. The Chief Presiding Officer may seize the papers of candidates who fail to observe this requirement, and a penalty may be imposed.
13. Examination books and other material issued for the examination shall not be removed from the examination room except by authority of the Chief Presiding Officer.

Special Accommodations Fee

Students who request permission to write an examination outside the normal examination arrangements, e.g. at an Outside Centre, must submit a petition making their request at least three weeks prior to the beginning of the examination period. Late requests cannot be accommodated. A non-refundable fee of $30.00 for each examination is charged at the time of application. Students who have been granted permission to write a deferred examination will pay this fee in addition to the deferred examination fee of $70.00 per examination. These fees do not apply for accommodations resulting from conflicts with religious obligations or from arrangements made through Accessibility Services.

If permission has been granted for the examination to be written at an “Outside Centre,” students are also responsible for all costs for invigilation, postage, etc. charged by the Outside Centres involved. These costs can reach as high as $100.00 per examination; students are advised to determine the total cost before petitioning. Such permission is granted only in the most extreme circumstances.

Degree students in the Faculty of Arts & Science may select up to 2.0 full-course equivalents of their degree credits offered by the Faculty of Arts & Science on the St. George campus to be assessed on a Credit/ No Credit basis. Students must choose this mode of assessment no later than the last date to cancel the relevant course. Once the deadline has passed, students may not under any circumstances reverse this decision. Students may opt in on the Faculty Registrar's web site at http://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/forms-services/crncr.

To achieve a status of CR (Credit), a student must achieve a final mark of at least 50%. Marks below that will be assessed as NCR (No Credit). Courses with a final status of CR will count as degree credits but will have no effect on the student’s GPA. They will count as Distribution Requirements, Breadth Requirements, and degree credits, but cannot be used to satisfy subject POSt requirements.

Courses with a final status of NCR will not count as degree credits but will not count as failures, and will also not be included in the GPA calculation.

Students may exercise this option to a total of 2.0 full-course equivalents within the total number of credits required for a degree. The choice is not restricted as to year or level of course.

A course taken on a CR/NCR basis may not be used to satisfy program requirements.
Students taking a course on a CR/NCR basis will not be identified individually to the instructor teaching that course.

This option is not available to Arts & Science non-degree students or to students from other faculties/divisions of the University of Toronto.

This option is not available for courses offered by other campuses or divisions taken by Arts & Science degree students.

The Faculty of Arts & Science has approved a mechanism to assist students, in conjunction with their college registrars, to remedy situations, particularly in their early years at university, where personal or other circumstances mean they are irretrievably behind in a course.

Students pursuing a degree in the Faculty of Arts & Science may request to withdraw without petition from a total of no more than 3.0 FCEs in the 20.0 FCEs required for their degree, provided such a request is made by the last day of classes in the relevant term.

Students will make such requests to their college registrar, who has the authority to approve such requests if the circumstances warrant approval of an exception to the normal Drop deadlines.

Withdrawals approved under this procedure will be noted on the academic record by the course status LWD (Late Withdrawal). This course status will have no effect on the GPA or other elements of the academic record.

Students who have fallen behind with assignments or are not at all prepared to write exams in one or more of courses will be expected to make use of this remedy, and should contact their college registrar’s office immediately.

Students seeking to avail themselves of this remedy will be expected to work with their college registrarial advisor to analyze what led to their predicament, to discuss what steps they can take to prevent it from happening again, and to learn from their experiences.

Future petitions for Withdrawal, Deferred Exams, or Extensions for Term Work will be considered in light of the fact that the student has previously been granted such an opportunity.

Note that the option for Late Withdrawal is not available if an allegation of academic misconduct is under investigation.

"Extra" courses are ones that do not count for degree credit. Such courses appear on a student's permanent academic record with the final course mark, and are noted as "XTR", but do not count as accumulated degree credits and are not included in calculating a student's Grade Point Average. However, Extra courses may count in other respects, such as to satisfy program requirements or breadth/distribution requirements.

Each course with a passing mark or CR counts for credit towards a degree unless:

• the course is a 100-series course and the maximum of SIX 100-series courses (6.0 FCEs) allowable for degree credit has already been completed (see 1. below), or
• the course repeats work previously taken, either the same course taken over again (see 2. below) or the course lists as an exclusion another that has already been completed (see 3. Below)

1. 100-series Limit and Chronological Principle
   Students may complete a maximum of 6.0 100-series FCEs towards their degree. Additional 100-series courses taken beyond 6.0 will be designated “extra” and will not count for degree credit.  Courses are credited towards a degree chronologically. For example, if a student has already passed 6.0 100-series courses and then enrols in and passes further 100-series courses, the more recent courses are designated “Extra”. An exception to this rule is when a student who has completed 5.5 100-series courses enrols in and passes a full course at the 100-level in a subsequent session. In this case, providing it does not result in a retroactive change in academic status, the most recently passed half-course may be designated as “Extra”.
2.  Repeating Passed Courses
   Students (both degree and non-degree) may not repeat any course in which they have already obtained credit (i.e., a mark of 50% or higher or CR) with two exceptions:
       i) When students need to achieve a minimum mark in a course for entry to a limited-enrolment program or for meeting a prerequisite to take another course in their program, they may repeat such a course once. The repeated course will be designated "Extra": it will appear on the academic record but it will not be included in GPA calculations or in the degree credit count.
       ii) Students may repeat up to 1.0 FCE in which they have already obtained credit for reasons other than to meet a minimum mark for entry to a limited-enrolment program or for course prerequisite purposes. The repeated course will be designated “Extra”: it will appear on the academic record but it will not be included in GPA calculations or in the degree credit count.  Students may not use this one-time-only allowance to subsequently repeat a passed course again after having repeated the same course for reasons noted in i) above. i.e. they may repeat a specific passed course only once.
   Students requesting to repeat a course must do so at their college registrar’s office, where they will receive appropriate advising and will be enrolled, provided there is space available, only after other degree students have had an opportunity to enroll.
3. Exclusions
   Students may not enroll in a course that lists as an exclusion a course they are currently taking or a course they have already passed.  If they enrol in such a course, they may be removed at any time during the enrolment period or during the session.  If discovered after the session is over, such a course will be designated “Extra”: it will appear on the academic record but it will not be included in GPA calculations or in the degree credit count.

* The grade point values above apply to marks earned in individual courses; grade point averages are weighted sums of the grade points earned (see below), and thus do not necessarily correspond exactly to the scale above. For example, a B+ average would include grade point averages from 3.20 to 3.49, while the lowest B- average would be 2.50.

Note:

In order to “obtain standing” in a course, a student must receive at least a passing grade (50%) in that course. A Grade of “F” is a failure. There are no supplemental examination privileges in the Faculty.

Other notations, which have no grade point values, and which may be authorized only by petition, are:

AEG - Aegrotat Standing on the basis of term work and medical evidence

CR/NCR - Credit/No Credit; see above

EXT - Extra course, not for credit.

GWR - Grade withheld pending Review

IPR - (Course) In Progress

LWD - Late withdrawal without academic penalty

NGA - No grade available

SDF- Standing Deferred granted by petition

WDR - Late Withdrawal without academic penalty after the relevant deadline. Removal of a grade for incomplete work when withdrawal before the end of the course has been caused by circumstances beyond the student’s control, arising after the last date for course cancellation. Changes to the record will be authorized by petition only in exceptional circumstances.

EXT or XTR or X - Extra Course not for degree credit; course has no effect on status or grade point average.

Grade Point Average

The Grade Point Average is the weighted sum (a full course is weighted as 2, a half-course as 1) of the grade points earned, divided by the number of courses in which grade points were earned.

However, courses noted “AEG” are not included in the average, nor are transfer credits, courses taken elsewhere on a Letter of Permission, nor courses designated as “extra.” Courses taken as Non-degree students and Non-degree visiting students are included in the CGPA.

Four types of grade point averages are used:

1. The Sessional GPA is based on courses taken in a single session (Fall, Winter or Summer);

2. The Annual GPA is based on courses taken in the Fall-Winter Sessions;

3. The Cumulative GPA takes into account all courses not marked “extra” in the Faculty

4. The Concurrent Teacher Education Program (CTEP) GPA takes into account all B.Ed. courses. This GPA is only used for CTEP students.

A Sessional, Annual, and Cumulative GPA is also calculated for all Non-degree and Non-degree visiting students. For Non-degree students who have completed a degree in the Faculty, the Cumulative GPA includes all courses taken both as a degree student and as a non-degree student.

There are four kinds of academic standing which apply to students who have attempted at least four courses in the Faculty: In Good Standing; On Probation; On Suspension; Refused Further Registration

Academic standing is assessed twice a year:

1. At the end of the Fall/Winter Session; the GPAs used for this status assessment are the annual and the cumulative GPAs.
2. At the end of the Summer Session; the GPAs used for this status assessment are the sessional and the cumulative GPAs.

Note: Students who have not achieved final standing* in 4.0 credits will have a status of "Not Assessed".

In Good Standing:

Students are described as In Good Standing if they are neither On Probation, Suspended nor Refused Further Registration; these terms are explained below. For students with particularly noteworthy academic results, there are three specific forms of recognition, which are described in the “Student Services & Resources” section.

Probation; Suspension; Refused Further Registration

The following regulations apply to students who have attempted at least four courses* in the Faculty.

1. A student shall be on academic probation who
   a) has a cumulative GPA of less than 1.50 or
   b) returns from suspension.
2. A student who, at the end of the Winter or Summer Session during which he or she is on probation
   a) has a cumulative GPA of 1.50 or more shall be in good standing
   b) has a cumulative GPA of less than 1.50 but an annual GPA of 1.70 or more (Winter Session)/sessional GPA of 1.70 or more (Summer Session) shall continue on probation.
   c) has a cumulative GPA of less than 1.50 and an annual GPA of less than 1.70 (Winter Session)/sessional GPA of less than 1.70 (Summer Session) shall be suspended for one calendar year unless he or she has been so suspended previously, in which case he or she shall be suspended for three years.
3. A student who, having been suspended for three years, is again liable for suspension shall be refused further registration in the Faculty.

* "Achieved final standing" applies to courses in which a student remains formally enrolled on the last date for cancellation, unless the academic penalty normally attached to a later cancellation is removed by petition. This includes CR/NCR, but does not include courses with LWD or WDR.

NOTE: Students “On Academic Probation” may take no more than five courses in each of the Fall and Winter Sessions.

Grades Review Procedure

The Arts & Science Faculty Council administers the Grading Regulations, and reviews course grades submitted by Departments. The Faculty, through this Committee, is responsible for assigning the official course grades, which are communicated to the students by the Faculty Registrar.

Each Chair appoints a departmental review committee to review grades submitted by instructors. The committee may ask for clarification of any anomalous results or distributions, or disparity between sections of the same courses. Both the departmental review committee, through the Chair, and the Faculty review committee, through the Dean, have the right, in consultation with the instructor of the course, to adjust marks where there is an obvious and unexplained discrepancy between the marks submitted and the perceived standards of the Faculty. Final marks are official, and may be communicated to the students only after the review procedure has taken place. Grades, as an expression of the instructor’s best judgment of each student’s overall performance, will not be determined by any system of quotas.

Students are responsible for observing sessional dates, course prerequisites, and exclusion, satisfying the degree requirements and following the rules and regulations in the Calendar and the Registration Handbook and Timetable.  Failure to inform themselves of the preceding information may result in academic and/or financial consequences or penalties. Students should always consult their College Registrar immediately for guidance if anything happens that interferes with continuing or completing their courses, or that appears to be contrary to rules, regulations and deadlines.

Departmental Appeals

Issues arising within a course that concern the pedagogical relationship of the instructor and the student, such as the organization of a course, grading practices, or conduct of instructors, fall within the authority of the department or college sponsoring the course. Students are encouraged to discuss any issues regarding the academic aspects of a course first with the instructor. It is recommended that such discussions should be documented in writing where appropriate. The successive stages of appeal after the course instructor must be documented in writing.  These stages are: the Undergraduate Coordinator or Associate Chair;  the Chair of the Department or the College Program Director; then the Office of the Dean, Faculty of Arts & Science. An appeal must have been reviewed at the departmental level before referral to the Dean’s Office; appeals to the Dean’s Office must be in writing.

Petitions to the Faculty

Issues relating to degree requirements and administrative regulations may be petitioned to the Faculty within specific time limitations. The Faculty considers petitions to have regulations waived or varied, if a student presents compelling reasons; however, students must demonstrate that they have acted responsibly and with good judgment in observing Faculty regulations. The Committee on Standing routinely denies petitions that in its view do not present a valid reason for an exemption from the regulations.

Students are encouraged to seek advice on all such matters from the office of their College Registrar.
Petitions must 1) state the student’s request; 2) provide the reasons for the request in a clear and concise manner; and 3) be accompanied by relevant supporting documentation. The petition is considered in confidence by the Committee on Standing, which is charged with interpreting and administering the regulations of the Faculty. The Committee has the authority to grant exceptions and to attach conditions to its decisions.

It is the responsibility of the student to provide a valid UofT email address to which a petition decision may be sent. Non-receipt of a decision due to incorrect email address is not grounds for reconsideration.

Deadlines to File Petitions

Term Work

• The last day of the examination period.

Examinations

• Within one week of the end of the examination period; end of first week of classes in January for the December examination period
• UTM/UTSC courses: Within 72 hours of a missed examination, students must file a petition with their St. George Campus college registrar, with the required supporting documentation.

Withdrawal (see also Late Withdrawal above)

• Fall-Winter Session courses: the following 15 November
• Summer Session courses: the following 28/29 February

All supporting documentation must be submitted within three weeks of the date of initiating the petition.

Late petitions and petitions with late documentation will not be considered.

Documentation in Support of Petitions

The Faculty seeks documentation that provides pertinent evidence for decisions determining whether or not an exception should be made to regulations that are designed to ensure equitable treatment for all students.    Acceptable forms of documentation include:

• University of Toronto Medical Certificate (http://healthservice.utoronto.ca/main.htm)
• Student Health or Disability-Related Certificate (from UofT Health Services)
• College Registrar’s Letter (appropriate in certain circumstances)
• Accessibility Services Letter

Medical Documentation:

The forms of medical documentation noted above must be submitted in support of a request for an exemption from Faculty regulations, if illness is being used as the reason for the request. The claim of illness, however, is not sufficient grounds in itself to guarantee approval of the request. Other medical notes will not be accepted. Note that the physician’s report must establish that the patient was examined and diagnosed at the time of illness, not after the fact. The Faculty will not accept a statement that merely confirms a later report of illness made by the student to a physician.

Petitions Regarding Courses in Other Divisions–see above.

Petitions Regarding Term Work (see also Term Work)

Matters concerning term work normally fall within the authority of the instructor. Students unable to comply with given deadlines must contact their instructor prior to the deadline if an extension to the deadline is requested. All term work must be submitted by the last day of classes, unless an earlier date has been specified. Instructors may grant extensions beyond their own deadlines or beyond the last day of classes up to the last day of the examination period provided that a student presents reasons of illness, etc., with appropriate documentation. Extensions beyond the last day of the examination period must be approved by petition. Such petitions for an extension of time for term work must be initiated by the last day of the relevant examination period. Late requests will not be accepted. Students must file the petition after consultation with the instructor regarding a suitable extension date. The Committee on Standing consults the department concerned for information about the status of the course work, and the steps, if any, that must be taken to complete the course. Students seeking an extension of time for term work are expected to have been in contact with their instructor before the initial deadline and subsequently, and to continue their course work while they await a decision. They should not wait for the petition decision before completing the work.

Petitions Regarding Examinations (see also Examinations)

Students are expected to write examinations as scheduled. Only in cases of documented debilitating illness or legitimate conflict should a student request a deferral of a final examination. Students who are too ill and/or incapacitated at the time of the examinations should petition to defer the examination they are unable to attend due to their medical condition. Petitions based on travel, employment, or personal plans will not be considered as students are expected to make themselves available during the published Examination Period to write final examinations.

In response to a petition for a deferred examination, a student may be granted the opportunity to write a special examination at a subsequent examination period or the examination in the next offering of the course, at the discretion of the Faculty. Satisfactory documentation must be provided to corroborate illness (see above). Students with chronic illnesses must provide medical documentation for the specific date on which the illness was acute, or a letter from Accessibility Services for those registered for such a disability. Accessibility Services for those registered for such a disability (indicating they were seen at the time of flare up).

Students must submit a petition within one week of the end of the examination period through their college registrar. There is a fee of $70.00 per deferred examination (maximum $140.00). In the petition decision students are notified of the examination period in which the deferred examination will take place, and if the examination will be a regular or special examination. They must register and pay the fee by a given deadline, in order that arrangements can be made, an examination requested, etc. The Faculty will notify those who do not register by the deadline that they have lost their privilege of a deferred examination and will revert the grade to one that includes a “0” for the final examination. No further consideration will be given. The Faculty posts personal deferred examination schedules online for students who have paid the deferred examination fee, as soon after the regular examinations have been scheduled as possible. Those who do not pay the deferred examination fee lose the privilege of a deferred examination and their grade reverts to one that includes a “0” for the final examination.

We use the table below as a guideline and attempt to follow the schedule as outlined; however, exams may occur outside of this timeline. 

Students who must write a deferred examination in a course that serves as a prerequisite for subsequent courses may enrol in those courses with the approval of the department concerned and provided that the term mark in the prerequisite (deferred) course is at least 60%.

Notes:

1. Students who are granted Deferred Standing (i.e., the notation of “SDF”, for an extension of time for term work or for a deferred examination) and who have earned a Cumulative Grade Point Average of less than 1.50, will not be permitted to enrol in any further courses until the outstanding course work has been completed and final cumulative and sessional GPAs and status for the session have been assessed.
2. A second deferral of an examinations is generally not permitted.  In the unusual instance where a second deferral is granted, the student may not enrol in further courses until the course has been completed   In such instances, a grade of “0” for the examination is included in the calculation of the course grade and the “SDF” notation will be replaced by the resulting grade pending the second deferred examination.   Students are charged a further fee for each subsequent deferred examination.
3. Students who are not feeling well at the time of an examination must decide whether they are too ill to write.  If unsure, they should seek medical advice.  Students who become ill during an examination and cannot complete the examination, they should notify the Presiding Officer of the reasons for their leaving before they leave the exam  hall.  If students decide to write an examination which does not go well, they may not petition for a rewrite. Arguments after the fact claiming an inability to function at full potential or to exhibit full knowledge of the subject matter will not be accepted as grounds for consideration of a petition concerning poor performance on an examination.
4. Students who choose to write an examination against medical advice should do so knowing that they will not be given consideration after the examination has been written. Students must not only take responsibility for making appropriate judgments about their fitness to attend examinations, but also must accept the outcome of their choices.

Appeals Against Petition Decisions

Appeals against petition decisions progress as follows:

1. First petition to the Committee on Standing by appropriate deadline submitted through College Registrar (see Deadlines to File Petitions);
2. Appeal to the Committee on Standing within ninety days of the first decision; second petition submitted through the College Registrar;
3. Appeal to the Faculty Academic Appeals Board within ninety days of the second decision; written request for a hearing submitted through the College Registrar;
4. Appeal to the Academic Appeals Committee of Governing Council within ninety days of the decision of the Faculty Academic Appeals Board; written request for a hearing submitted directly to the Governing Council Office in Simcoe Hall, to the attention of Ms Nancy Smart.

REQUESTING A RECHECK OR REREAD

If a student believes en error has been made in the calculation of marks or in the marking of a Faculty final examination, there are two procedures which can be followed to request a review of marks.

Recheck of Course Mark

If a student believes that there has been an arithmetical error in calculating the course mark, he/she may request a “recheck.” This can be done with or without requesting a photocopy or viewing of the final examination. The student must fill out a “Request for Recheck of Course Mark” form and submit it to the Office of the Faculty Registrar within six months of the final examination (see list of deadlines below). Whenever possible, the student should indicate precisely where he/she thinks the error has occurred. The Department concerned will check that all answers have been marked, and that the marks have been added correctly; the examination will not be reread. The Department will also check that all term work marks have been correctly calculated. There is no fee for this procedure. If the mark is changed as a result of this review, the $13.00 exam photocopy fee (if paid) will be refunded.

Reread of Faculty Final Examination

If a student believes that a final examination has been incorrectly marked in its substance, he/she may request a “reread.” The student must first purchase a photocopy or request a supervised viewing of the exam. The student must then fill out a “Request for Reread of Final Examination” form and submit it to the Office of the Faculty Registrar within six months of the final examination (see list of deadlines below). The student must demonstrate that his/her answers are substantially correct by citing specific instances of disagreement, supported by such documentary evidence as course handouts, textbooks, lecture notes, etc. The student must do more than simply assert that “I disagree with the marking,” or that “I believe I deserve more marks.” The Department concerned will reread the examination in light of the arguments presented. There is a $35.00 fee for this procedure, which is in addition to the fee of $13.00 charged for a photocopy of the final examination. If the mark is changed as a result of this review, both the photocopy fee (if paid) and the reread fee will be refunded. It should be noted that when a course is failed, the examination must be reread before the mark is reported.

NOTE: A recheck or reread may result in a raised mark, a lowered mark, or no change.
For some examinations, particularly those with multiple-choice questions and/or designed to be read mechanically, there may be an answer key that is essential to the understanding of the marking of the examination. In such cases, an answer key should be included with your photocopy. If it is not, you may contact the relevant department to see if one is available.

Forms are available at the Office of the Faculty Registrar, or on the web at www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/undergraduate/exams

Deadlines for requesting a recheck or a reread:

• February examinations - the following August 31
• April examinations - the following October 31
• June examinations - the following January 15
• August examinations - the following February 28/29
• December examinations - the following June 30

The University's Policy on Access to Student Academic Records can be found on the Governing Council web site at http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/policies.

Mailing Address

Address information (mailing and permanenet) must be viewed and changed on the Student Web Service (at www.rosi.utoronto.ca) or in your College Registrar’s Office. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the mailing address is kept up-to-date on the SWS.

E-Mail Address

As a student at the University of Toronto, you have automatic access to the Information Commons, which is your passport to e-mail, the library and the Internet. Once you have your TCard, you must activate your University of Toronto e-mail account. Setting up a UTmail+ account is mandatory; see "University Policy on Official Correspondence with Students" at: http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/policies.htm.

T-Card

The T Card is a wallet-sized card bearing the student’s photograph, and serves as evidence of registration in the Faculty and as a library card. It is used for identification purposes within the University, such as Faculty examinations, student activities, and Athletic Association privileges. The loss of the card must be reported promptly to the College Registrar, and the card must be surrendered if a student withdraws from the University or transfers to another College or Faculty. There is a fee for the replacement of lost cards.

Statement of Results

The Faculty of Arts & Science does not mail Statements of Results to students in good standing. Students will be able to check their course results, grade point averages, and academic status by accessing their academic record online through the Student Web Service. Final course results will be available for viewing on the Student Web Service as soon as possible after they are received and approved in the Office of the Faculty Registrar. Note that academic status is only assessed in May (for the Fall/Winter session) and in August (for the Summer session).

Students not in good standing, those with amended grades and those with graduation requests will receive notification in writing by surface mail.

Transcripts

The transcript of a student’s record reports their complete registration history at the university including courses in progress and the standing in all courses attempted along with course average, information about the student’s academic status including records of suspension and refusal of further registration, current academic sanctions, and completion of degree requirements and of subject POSt(s).

Marks are posted and a sessional GPA is calculated at the end of each session. An annual GPA is calculated only at the end of the Winter session and includes only the results earned in the Fall and Winter sessions. Academic standing is assessed at the end of the Fall/Winter session and at the end of the Summer session.

Copies of the transcript are issued at the student’s request. In accordance with the University’s policy on access to student records, the student’s signature is required for the release of the record when ordered in person, by fax, or by mail.

The University of Toronto issues consolidated transcripts, including a student’s total academic record at the University. However, graduate students (who were previously enrolled at the University of Toronto as an undergraduate, may request that only the graduate portion of their record be sent out .  Students may request  transcripts online at www.rosi.utoronto.ca. Requests may also be made in person, by fax, or by mail to:

University of Toronto Transcript Centre
Room 1006, Sidney Smith Hall
100 St. George Street
Toronto, ON M5S 3G3
FAX: 416-978-2487

Request forms can be obtained online at www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/undergraduate/transcripts.
A fee of $10.00 (subject to change), which includes GST,, is charged for each transcript. Cheques and money orders should be made payable to the University of Toronto.

The University of Toronto cannot be responsible for transcripts lost or delayed in the mail. Transcripts are not issued for students who have outstanding financial obligations with the University.

Course descriptions

Copies of course descriptions are issued at the student’s request.   The cost is $5.00/session (with an unlimited number of courses within each session).  Requests listing all courses/sessions needed may be made in person, by fax, or by mail to:

University of Toronto Transcript Centre
Room 1006, Sidney Smith Hall
100 St. George Street
Toronto, ON M5S 3G3
FAX: 416-978-2487

Each request should also include the student’s surname and given names (or previous surname, if applicable), student ID, address of where to mail the course descriptions, daytime/cell phone number and  email address.

As members of the University of Toronto community, students assume certain responsibilities and are guaranteed certain rights and freedoms.

The University has several policies that are approved by the Governing Council and which apply to all students. Each student must become familiar with the policies. The University will assume that he or she has done so. The rules and regulations of the Faculty are listed in this calendar. In applying to the Faculty, the student assumes certain responsibilities to the University and the Faculty and, if admitted and registered, shall be subject to all rules, regulations and policies cited in the calendar, as amended from time to time.

All University policies can be found at: http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/policies.htm

Those which are of particular importance to students are:

• Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters
• Code of Student Conduct
• Policy on Assessment and Grading Practices (updated in 2012)
• Policy on Official Correspondence with Students
• Policy on Access to Student Academic Records
• Policy on Academic Transcripts (updated in 2012)
• Policy on Academic Continuity (updated in 2012)

More information about students’ rights and responsibilities can be found at http://life.utoronto.ca/get-help/rights-responsibilities.htm.