(Approved by the Senate on April 6, 2009)

The University of Ottawa is committed to supporting students in their efforts to achieve their goals in regards to academic success. To this end, the University ensures the quality and relevance of its academic programs and develops a support network of services to help students throughout their university experience.

For their part, students must assume certain responsibilities. More specifically:

·     Choose a program of study suited to their personal goals, select courses that will satisfy the requirements of their chosen program, and consult resource persons available to them in different academic units when needed.

·     Become familiar and comply with official calendars and important dates and deadlines.

·     Become familiar and comply with university and faculty regulations and procedures.

·     Become familiar and comply with academic integrity rules.

·    Regularly consult their assigned e-mail address (@uOttawa.ca) which is used by the University for all communications with students.

·     Regularly consult the different communication tools used by the University (such as Web sites).

·     Comply with the policy on computer and network users;

·     Comply with health and safety regulations.

·     If they have special needs, must consult the different support services available to them.

·     Pay, within the prescribed deadlines, any university fees associated with their program of study.

Conduct themselves in a manner that respects the rights of other members of the University community and that complies with the regulations of the University and its different constituents, and with the laws of Canada.

(Approved by the Senate on April 8, 2013)

Note: This regulation applies to undergraduate studies only.

There are two categories of undergraduate students at the University of Ottawa: regular students and special students.

Regular student

A regular student is a person who has been admitted to a program of study leading to an undergraduate degree, diploma or certificate at the University of Ottawa, and who is registered for one or more courses in that program.

Special student

A special student is a person who is allowed by the University to register for undergraduate courses in order to obtain university credits, but who is not seeking an undergraduate degree, certificate or diploma from the University.

The reasons below may be cited to register as a special student:

a) Personal interest

Individuals who do not provide proof that they meet the normal admission requirements may register for personal interest for a maximum of six credits per session and a cumulative total of 30 credits, provided they have not attended a secondary school as a full-time student for at least two years.

b) Professional certification

Anyone may take university courses in order to meet the certification requirements of an outside professional association. A justification letter from the association is required.

c) Transfer of credits

A person may take University of Ottawa courses for the purpose of transferring credits to another university or postsecondary institution where he or she is seeking a degree, diploma or certificate. A letter of permission or a formal written agreement from the student’s home institution is required. The student’s status (full‑time or part‑time) will depend on the number of credits taken with the permission of both the home institution and the University of Ottawa.

d) Upgrading

Individuals holding a recognized university degree may take courses at the University of Ottawa to update, improve or extend their training. Proof that the student holds a university degree is required.

e) Gifted student

Any high school student in his or her last year of secondary school studies may enroll in one course (three credits) per session (maximum total of six credits) while completing his or her secondary education (may be part-time status only at the University). To be eligible, students must either have an average of at least 90% or provide proof that they have been identified as gifted by a recognized competent authority (i.e. school board). They must also submit a written recommendation from their high school principal.

f) Improving academic standing

University of Ottawa students who have been required to withdraw from their faculty may enroll in a maximum of six credits per session, for a total of thirty cumulative credits, in order to improve their academic standing.

(Approved by the Senate on September 8, 2008)

Full time

Status of a student registered for 12 credits or more during a session.

Part time

Status of a student registered for fewer than 12 credits during a session.

Auditor

Status of a student who has been authorized by one of the faculties to take one or more courses without obtaining credits. Auditors are not entitled to write examinations, nor to hand in assignments and may not change their status after the deadline has passed for course changes for the session in which they are enrolled.

(Excerpt from the Regulation on Bilingualism at University of Ottawa (PART VI, paragraph 20), approved October 7, 1974).

Every student has the right to use French or English in his or her dealings with the Central Administration and the general services of the University and with the administration of the faculty or school in which he or she is registered.

Every student has the right to require that a course in which he or she is registered shall be given in the language used to describe the course in the current calendar, subject, however, to the regulations of the faculty or school respecting conditions to be satisfied in order for a course to be offered.

Except in language courses and courses in Lettres françaises and English, every student has a right to produce his or her work and to answer examination questions in the official language of his or her choice.

(Approved by the Senate on May 4, 2009)

All courses and programs of studies, as well as their requirements, are recommended by the faculties in question and approved by the Senate of the University.

When program requirements are modified, faculties must ensure that the changes involved do not penalize students already registered in the programs in question.

(Approved by the Senate on December 4, 2006)

General bachelor's

An undergraduate degree requiring the equivalent of three or four years of studies and, respectively, 90 or 120 credits with the required cumulative grade point average (CGPA). Offered in Arts, Science and Social Sciences, the general bachelor’s provides a basic university education in either of two streams: three-year (with or without a minor) or four-year (with a major or a double minor).

Honours bachelor's 

An undergraduate degree requiring the equivalent of four years of studies and at least 120 credits with the required cumulative grade point average (CGPA)and diploma grade point average (DGPA), except in specific cases approved by the Senate (i.e. Bachelor in Journalism). There are six types of honours bachelor’s degrees:

a) Honours bachelor's with specialization   

This degree is conferred upon completion of a program requiring in-depth training in a single discipline or in an interdisciplinary area of studies with a minimum of 54 credits in the discipline or interdisciplinary area.

b) Honours bachelor's with specialization and a minor

This degree is conferred upon completion of the honours bachelor’s with specialization as defined above, and of a minor, which introduces students to a field or sub-field within a discipline or particular area and consists of 30 credits, unless otherwise indicated.

c) Honours bachelor's with double major

This degree is conferred upon completion of a program involving intensive training in two main disciplines or two areas and consisting of 42 credits in each discipline or area, unless otherwise indicated.

d) Honours bachelor's with major and minor

This degree is conferred upon completion of a program involving both intensive training in one discipline or in one interdisciplinary area and an introduction to a field or sub-field within a discipline or subject.

e) Joint honours bachelor's

This degree is conferred upon completion of a program allowing students to specialize in two related disciplines or fields and consisting of at least 42 credits in one discipline or field and 36 credits in the other.

f) Other honours bachelor's programs

An honours bachelor’s degree is also conferred upon completion of the following programs:

Multidisciplinary program
An undergraduate program requiring students to take courses in at least three disciplines.

Multidisciplinary program with a minor
An undergraduate program requiring students to take courses in at least three disciplines and to which a minor can be added.

Specialized programs in the Faculty of Arts (e.g. Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor in Music), Faculty of Engineering (e.g. Bachelor of Applied Sciences), Faculty of Health Sciences (e.g. Bachelor of Science in Nursing), Faculty of Law (Licence en droit), and the Telfer School of Management (e.g. Bachelor of Commerce).

Certificate and diploma

The certificate is an independent undergraduate program requiring at least 30 credits and entitling the student to a diploma called “undergraduate certificate” and conferred by the Senate of the University.

A diploma is a program for which the admission requirements include at least a bachelor’s degree.

(Approved by the Senate on December 4, 2006)

Complementary program

A program (major or minor) that does not allow direct admission, but is instead taken in addition to a student’s main program.

A major involves intensive training in a main discipline or field of study. It consists of 42 credits in the discipline or field of study, of which 18 for courses at the 3000 level or above and at least 6 credits at the 4000 level.

A minor provides introductory-level training in a branch or sub-branch of a particular discipline or subject. It consists of 30 credits, of which at least 6 at the 3000 level or above.

Integrated program

A program in which the degree requirements of two separate bachelor's degrees are completed, thus leading to two separate diplomas.

French Immersion studies

An academic stream offered in certain honours bachelor's programs and where a specific number of courses must be taken in one’s second language (French), with or without a accompanying language course.

Cooperative education

An academic stream offered in certain honours bachelor's programs where academic sessions alternate with paid work terms (placements);

For an overview of options and minimal requirements, please consult the table of program structures and discipline - specific requirements for bachelor's degrees.

(Approved by the Senate on November 1,  2010)

Concentration program

An undergraduate program, usually three years in length, designed to provide students with a solid base in a single discipline.

Honours program

An undergraduate program, usually four years in length, comprising a coherent set of compulsory and optional courses that are successively more advanced, designed to provide students with a solid base in one discipline and prepare them for graduate studies. Honours programs usually require a higher standard of achievement than do general or concentration programs.
 

(Approved by the Senate on December 4, 2006)

Honours and concentration bachelor's programs will be eliminated as of August 31, 2010. After this date, students will be integrated in one of the programs described in Regulation 3.1.

Applications to transfer to a concentration or an honours program will not be approved after the winter 2006 session.

(Approved by the Senate on September 14, 2009)

For a student to be admitted to a program at the University, all of the program’s admission requirements must be met. The requirements and procedures for admission to a program of studies can be found on the uOttawa website at http://www.uottawa.ca/prospective/

Students who want to register for courses in order to earn a degree must be admitted to a program of studies. Once a student is admitted to a program, he or she is considered a regular student.

(Approved by the Senate on September 8, 2008)

The University promotes the acquisition and development of second language (English or French) abilities and recognizes such proficiency.

The University does not, however, require bilingualism (English and French) except when the requirements of a program include the knowledge of both languages.

(Approved by the Senate on December 4, 2006)

The University will consider granting advanced standing for courses taken at other postsecondary institutions, provided that:

a) the courses correspond to the required and/or optional courses in the program for which the candidate is applying;

b) the credits for these courses were earned while the student was a degree candidate in a comparable program at a recognized university or college;

c) the candidate has earned the passing grade in these courses;

d) the number of credits claimed for the course does not exceed the total number of credits earned in the corresponding course offered at University of Ottawa.

Students must complete at least 50 percent of the program requirements at the University itself, regardless of specific requirements and any advanced standing granted, except in the case of formal Senate-approved agreements between the University of Ottawa and other institutions.

(Approved by the Senate on January 11, 2010)

International applicants who seek admission to an undergraduate program must have an academic record equivalent to that required of Ontario students, including language requirements.

Once they are admitted, students must register in their program of studies within the deadlines indicated in the Important dates and deadlines section.

(Approved by the Senate on November 7, 2011)

To take courses or participate in other academic activities (for example discussion groups, laboratories, practicums, etc.) at the University, a student must register before the deadlines specified in the Important Dates and Deadlines calendar. In general, course selections may be changed before the deadlines specified in the Important Dates and Deadlines calendar. It is the student’s responsibility to verify the deadlines and procedures for registration.

A student who is not registered for a course or related academic activity will not receive a grade or credits. Retroactive course registration or course modification is not permitted.

(Approved by the Senate on December 6, 2010.)

If an undergraduate student wishes to change programs, but remain in the same Faculty, a request must be submitted to the Faculty in question. If the program of study change does not require a re-admission, all courses on the student file will normally be retained in the calculation of the grade point average.

If a student wishes to change programs and Faculty, a new admission form must be completed and submitted to the admissions office. In such a case, the Faculty, in conjunction with the admissions office, will decide which courses to retain for the new program. The equivalencies granted or retained credits received at the moment of admission can be revised during the initial registration to the Faculty.

(Approved by the Senate on May 3, 2010)

In direct-entry faculties and at the undergraduate level, students may register for a maximum of 15 credits simultaneously during an academic session, unless the structure of their program requires a higher number of credits. To register for more than 15 credits during one academic session, students require permission from the faculty as well as an annual grade point average (AGPA) of at least 6.0 during the previous academic year.

(Approved by the Senate on December 6, 2010)

Registration in courses in other faculties is subject to the student’s program requirements and to enrolment limits.

As a rule, students who have been required to withdraw from a Faculty are not allowed to take other courses in that Faculty during the withdrawal period.

(Approved by the Senate on March 5, 2012)

The faculty record is considered as the student’s official record, and the faculty retains its contents for as long as the student is registered at the faculty.

After seven (7) consecutive sessions, following the student’s departure from the University (graduation or withdrawal), the documents and transactions in the student record are destroyed, unless the student is registered in another program at the same faculty or has provided a valid reason for having the record retained longer.

For special students (not earning a degree), the University retains only signed registration-related forms, for a period of two years.

In compliance with Policy 14a on academic documentation, information stored in the Student Information System (SIS) is retained indefinitely.

(Approved by the Senate on May 7, 2012)

In all undergraduate programs requiring 90 or more credits, except the Faculty of Law’s Common Law program and the undergraduate medical program, students can repeat a certain number of courses, either passed or failed, in an effort to improve their grade or expand their knowledge.

The provisions of this regulation apply subject to the specific requirements of certain programs (ex. internships).

The following conditions apply:

1.    All courses taken and repeated appear on the student’s transcript.

2.    For the first fifteen (15) credits repeated, the grade received on the last try replaces the previous grade and is used in the calculation of averages. A failing grade can replace a passing grade. 

3.    Students who receive a failing grade in a compulsory course they have repeated must take that course again, even if they passed it the first time.

4.    Registration priority is given to students who have never taken the course in question or have taken it but failed.

5.    Students cannot repeat a successfully completed course that is a prerequisite for another course they have already taken and passed.

(Approved by the Senate on April 4, 2011.)

This regulation applies only to undergraduate programs.

1.  University of Ottawa students may take courses at Saint Paul University, and vice-versa, without paying additional tuition fees.

2. To be eligible for a credit transfer with Saint Paul University, University of Ottawa students must meet the following requirements:

•    be admitted to a program of studies at the University of Ottawa;
•    be registered at the University of Ottawa for the session during which the credit transfer will occur;
•    be in good academic standing.

3.  Courses completed at Saint Paul University which meet the student’s program requirements are credited towards the degree sought at the University of Ottawa and count towards residence requirements. Grades obtained for these courses are included in grade point average calculations.

4.  Students must provide proof that they have successfully completed prerequisite courses.

5.  Students must comply with each university’s sessional dates.
 

1. University of Ottawa students may take courses at Carleton University, and vice-versa, without paying additional tuition fees. However, they must pay the ancillary fees related to these courses.

2. To be eligible for a credit transfer with Carleton University, University of Ottawa students must meet the following requirements:

·        be admitted to a program of studies at the University of Ottawa;

·        be registered at the University of Ottawa for the session during which the credit transfer will occur;

·        be in good academic standing.
 

3. Students cannot register for a course at Carleton University if an equivalent course is offered at the University of Ottawa during the same academic year, unless:

·        the course is full;

·        the course is absolutely required to
      complete the program; or

·        for any other valid reason.

Students must obtain their faculty’s approval to register at Carleton University.

4. Only courses that meet the University of Ottawa’s degree requirements can be taken at Carleton University.

5. Students must provide proof that they have successfully completed prerequisite courses.

6. Courses completed at Carleton University do not count towards residence requirements at the University of Ottawa.

7. Grades obtained for courses completed at Carleton University are converted according to the equivalence table below, appear on the student’s official transcript and are included in grade point average calculations.

8. Students must comply with each university’s sessional dates.

1. University of Ottawa students may take courses at the Dominican University College, and vice-versa, without paying additional tuition fees. However, they must pay the ancillary fees related to these courses.

2. To be eligible for a credit transfer with the Dominican University College, University of Ottawa students must meet the following requirements:

·        be admitted to a program of studies at the University of Ottawa;

·        be registered at the University of Ottawa for the session during which the credit transfer will occur;

·        be in good academic standing.
 

3. Students cannot register for a course at the Dominican University College if an equivalent course is offered at the University of Ottawa during the same academic year, unless:

·        the course is full;

·        the course is absolutely required to complete the program; or

·        for any other valid reason.

Students must obtain their faculty’s approval to register at the Dominican University College.

4. Only courses that meet the University of Ottawa’s degree requirements can be taken at the Dominican University College.

5. Students must provide proof that they have successfully completed prerequisite courses.

6. Courses completed at the Dominican University College do not count towards residence requirements at the University of Ottawa.

7. Grades obtained for courses completed at the Dominican University College are converted into alphanumeric grades according to the grading scale below, appear on the student’s official transcript and are included in grade point average calculations.

8. Students must comply with each university’s sessional dates.

(Approved by the Senate on April 8th, 2013)

1. To take one or more courses at a university with which the University of Ottawa has no formal agreement, students must obtain a letter of permission from their faculty.

2. In order for these courses to be credited by the University of Ottawa, students must obtain a minimum grade of 60% (some courses in Nursing and Nutrition Sciences require 65%); at the graduate level, the minimum grade required is 65% or more, depending on the program. If the required minimum grade is not obtained, a NC grade will appear on the student’s University of Ottawa transcript.

3. To obtain a letter of permission, students must meet their faculty’s academic standing requirements at the time of submitting their request. Only courses that meet the student’s degree requirements will be approved. Deadlines for requesting a letter of permission are April 15^thfor the spring-summer session, August 15^thfor the fall session, and December 15^thfor the winter session.

4. The official transcript of the results obtained in courses for which a letter of permission was issued must be received by the student’s faculty before May 15^thfor students registered for spring convocation and before September 15^thfor students registered for fall convocation.

5. Students are responsible for ensuring that an official transcript is sent to their University of Ottawa faculty/school as soon as the session ends. Otherwise, a NC grade will appear on their transcript.

6. Students must inform their University of Ottawa faculty/school in writing and within the set deadlines should they withdraw from or not register for a course. Otherwise, a NC grade will appear on their transcript.

7. Except for courses completed at Carleton University, Saint Paul University or the Dominican University College according to the official agreements, the grades obtained for courses completed at another university are not included in grade point average calculations. For these courses, a CR/NC grade appears on the student’s transcript.

8. A course taken at another university without a letter of permission will not be credited by the University of Ottawa, except in exceptional circumstances.

9. Courses taken at another university with a letter of permission do not count towards residence requirements at the University of Ottawa.

1. This regulation applies only to studies completed as part of an international exchange program approved by the University of Ottawa.

Students must normally take a course load equivalent to full-time status at the University of Ottawa.

2. Passing grades required at a foreign institution

Students who obtain a passing grade in one or more courses completed at a foreign institution with which the University of Ottawa has an exchange agreement automatically receive the credits for the course(s). The content and number of hours of instruction for these courses must meet University of Ottawa’s requirements and be pre-approved by the student’s faculty.

3. Renewal of excellence and merit scholarships –international exchange programs

When the renewal of excellence and merit scholarship depends on maintaining a specific grade point average, full-time students who successfully complete courses at a partner institution abroad are considered to have fulfilled the scholarship renewal conditions.

(Approved by the Senate on March 7, 2005)

The University of Ottawa recognizes that learning can occur by taking university credit courses (or its equivalent) as well as in professional experience, self-teaching, non-credited courses, workplace training and in other situations. Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) allows students who have acquired knowledge in a non-traditional manner to receive advanced standing for a course (specific course code) offered at the University or, in certain instances, to be granted an exemption.

Any specified advanced standing recognized by a Faculty is done on behalf of the University and therefore should be recognized by other faculties.

Rules:

To have prior learning recognized and to receive advanced standing an individual must first be admitted to and register for a program of studies at the University of Ottawa.

The request must be submitted during the first study session as a University of Ottawa student. (The assessment period may be lengthy. For this reason, it is strongly suggested to submit the request at the beginning of the first study session.)

A request for prior-learning recognition applies only to undergraduate students and courses in the following faculties and school: Arts, Engineering, Health Sciences, Management, Sciences and Social Sciences.

Only courses scheduled at the University of Ottawa within the last 24 months can be submitted for recognition of advanced standing.

Advanced-standing credits are awarded strictly for courses offered that already exist at the University of Ottawa and are part of the student's program of studies.

A maximum of 30 credits is granted for prior learning recognition.

Advanced standing is granted only if the knowledge is equal to that of the students taking the course.

Advanced-standing credits appear on an official transcript, but do not count as University of Ottawa residency requirements (that is, courses students must follow at the University of Ottawa itself).

Credits obtained for prior learning might not be recognized by the discipline's licensing body or professional association.

Should advanced standing for prior learning not be granted, students can submit a written appeal of the decision to the dean - or to the dean's representative - of the School or Faculty offering the course.

The procedures and Request for Prior-learning Recognition form are available on the University Web site at http://www.registraire.uottawa.ca/Portals/43/Registrar/Regi3170e.pdf

(Approved by the Senate on May 4, 2009)

A course is a set of teaching and learning activities whose calendar definition has been approved by Senate.

Each course has its own identifying code, to which a specific number of credits and teaching or learning hours is assigned.

Professors are responsible for the teaching and learning activities of the courses and for their adherence to the University's policies and procedures.

Prerequisite Course

Refers to a course that must be passed before another course.

Corequisite Course

Refers to a course that must be taken at the same time as another course, but that can also have been passed in advance. 

Credit (undergraduate level)

A credit is the numerical value assigned to an academic activity. Except for co-op work terms, intensive practicums covering extended periods and research projects, a credit generally represents 45 hours of work, including class attendance (lectures, labs, practical training), online presence, personal work, practical assignments and exam preparation.

Session

Period during which the University's academic activities take place.

- Fall session: September to December
- Winter session: January to April
- Spring-Summer session: May to August

In general, the fall and winter sessions run 15 weeks each, including the exam period.

The spring-summer session breaks down into sub-sessions with a varying numbers of weeks.

At the Faculty of Law, the Civil Law and Common Law sections have four sessions:

- Fall session: September to December
- January session: January
- Winter session: February to April
- Spring-summer session: May to August

(Approved by the Senate on September 10, 2012)

Each course is identified by a seven character code as follows (e.g.: ADM2750AB): the first three characters specify the discipline; the fourth character indicates the year or level of the course (except for the courses of the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies); the fifth character identifies the language of instruction; the sixth and seventh characters complete the course code. One or two letters may be added at the end of a code to identify the course section or the campus where the course is offered.

The fifth character identifies the language of instruction as follows:

1, 2, 3, 4: designates a course taught in English;

5, 6, 7, 8: designates a course taught in French;

0, 9 : a) designates bilingual courses, English and French are used equitably in the teaching of the course. Students can use the language of their choice, but they must at least understand the other language orally and in writing. The level of language required must be specified in the course description.  The characters 0 and 9 do not identify courses taught in rotation (sometimes  in French sometimes in English on a yearly basis);

          b) designates language courses other than French or English;

          c) designates individualized teaching (courses where no lectures are given), such as workshops, laboratories, practicums, clinical training, directed research or readings, etc. These characters can also be used for theses and comprehensive examinations.

Even numbers in the fifth position represent courses worth more than three credits and odd numbers courses worth three credits and less. Note that the numbers 4 and 8 in the fifth position are reserved for special circumstances.

Examples: Course codes offered in English

1 to 3 credits: numbers 1 and 3

4 credits or more: number 2

Examples: Course codes offered in French

1 to 3 credits: numbers 5 and 7

4 credits or more: number 6

Two courses that are equivalent in English and in French are identified by a difference of 4 in the number that appears in the fifth position. This is valid only if this number is between 1 and 8.

 (e.g.: ECO 1100 and ECO 1500 are equivalent, but not ECO 1100 and ECO 1700 or ECO 1500 and ECO 1900)

The sixth and seventh characters of the course code are left to the discretion of the department and/or the faculty. 

Definition of contact hours

In the course calendar, the number of contact hours appears in brackets and is indicated in hours per week.

The first digit in brackets indicates the hours of instruction for lectures and seminars; the second digit indicates the hours of instruction for discussion groups or tutorials; and the third digit indicates the hours of instruction for laboratories. A small letter “b” after a digit indicates that the activity takes place every two weeks.

Second-language certification 

The Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute offers an independent learning course leading to second language certification. In this course, students’ knowledge of their second official language is assessed. After successfully completing the course and the Second Language Proficiency Test, the students receive an official University of Ottawa certificate describing their linguistic profile (reading and listening comprehension as well as written and oral expression).

Second-Language Proficiency Test (Telfer School of Management)

Students registered in the B.Com. Program of the Telfer School of Management may take the Second Language Proficiency Certification (FLS 3500 for those who declare English as their first language and ESL 3100 for those who declare French as their first language) at any time during their program of study. Students who obtain a pass mark (50 percent or more) on the proficiency certification test will receive three credits on their academic transcript. These credits will be counted towards the requirements of their program.

Immersion courses

Immersion courses allow students to enhance their abilities in their second official language. Three credits are granted for the regular content course taken in their second language and three additional credits for the accompanying language course, for a total of six credits.

http://www.uottawa.ca/academic/info/regist/crs/0305/home_4_ENG.htm

All classes must begin at the time indicated on the official timetable and end 10 minutes before the time indicated on the timetable.

(Approved by the Senate on June 6, 2011.)

Professors must supply a course syllabus during the first meeting with the students at the beginning of each course. This course syllabus must include:

·         the course description approved by Senate,

·         general and specific objectives of the course,

·         teaching methods,

·         evaluation methods and distribution of grades,

·         a list of required and recommended readings,

·         a calendar of activities and evaluations,

·         the professor’s contact information and office hours,

·         a reference to the regulation on plagiarism and academic fraud.

(Approved by the Senate on April 8th, 2013)

Course work for the year or the session (tests, term papers and other course work) carries a weight determined by the professor and approved by the department.

At the beginning of a course, professors shall inform students about course requirements, delivery and evaluation methods, and the nature and timing of assignments, projects and examinations.

Professors may refuse to accept any assignment or examination that is not written legibly.

(Approved by the Senate on April 8th, 2013)

Providing students with feedback on their academic work is a key part of learning because it allows them to assess their progress in a course. Therefore, professors should assign, evaluate and return academic work that is worth at least 25% of the final course mark no later than one week prior to the deadline for withdrawal without academic penalty.When feedback cannot be provided before this date, due to the nature of the course, this should be clearly indicated in the course syllabus.

(Approved by the Senate on April 6, 2009)

The use of a predetermined distribution (statistical or otherwise) in order to determine the assignment of marks is contrary to the principles of evaluation endorsed by Senate. 

Faculties must take appropriate measures to ensure that members of the teaching staff assign marks which accurately reflect the definitions of student performance established in the official grading system.

When a faculty deems that the assignment of marks in one or several courses is not in accordance with the official grading system or with the faculty guidelines for its implementation, the faculty can take any corrective action required, provided however that no such measure result in a mark lower to that previously communicated to a student.

Except in certain rare cases authorized by the department, there is a final examination or its equivalent in each course. The final examination or its equivalent should be completed during the examination period. The professor, with the approval of the department, determines the format of the final examination (written examination, oral examination, final essay, take-home examination, or other form of exam). Written final examinations are either two or three hours long.

The final examination, or its equivalent, cannot count for more than 60 per cent or less than 30 per cent of the final grade.

Professors must inform their students of the nature of the final examination when informing them of the marking system.

All students have the right to see their examination booklets after they have been marked.

Approved by the Senate on March 7, 2011.)

No final examination of any kind may be given outside of the official examination period.

Unless authorized by the academic unit, December examinations in full-year courses must be scheduled during the official examination period.

No test with a value exceeding 10% of the final grade may be given during the last week of classes in a session.

Note: This regulation does not apply to the Faculty of Education,to the Undergraduate Medical Education Program and to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

(Approved by the Senate on April 8th, 2013)

Silence is compulsory in the examination room.

Students must present their student identification cards upon request by the examination monitor.

Students who arrive more than thirty (30) minutes after the examination has begun will not be allowed to write the examination.

Students may not leave the examination room until one hour after the examination has begun.

Students cannot receive a religious accommodation during the examination. (For religious accommodations, please consult academic regulation 15 on Religious Accommodations)

Students may not bring into or take away from the examination room any examination booklets.

Unless otherwise indicated in writing, the use of books, notes, mathematical tables, dictionaries or any other reference tools is not allowed.

Students are prohibited from using electronic devices or any other communication tool that has not been approved beforehand.

Any such device or tool must be shut off, stored and out of reach.

It is the student's responsibility to verify which electronic devices or tools (e.g. calculators) are permissible for each examination.

Anyone who fails to comply with these regulations may be charged with academic fraud.

Students have the right to see, upon request and after they have been marked, their own examination booklets.

To avoid academic fraud, students must consult their own examination booklets under supervision and may not leave with their original examination booklets.

(Approved by the Senate on January 10, 2011)

Justification of absence from an examination (mid-term, final, supplemental or deferred) or from a test, or of late submission of assignments

Absence from any examination or test, or late submission of assignments due to illness, psychological problems or exceptional personal circumstances must be justified; otherwise, students will be penalized.

1. Medical grounds

a) Students must directly notify their professor or the academic secretariat of the faculty where they are registered, before the exam or before the assignment deadline.

b) Before accepting the student’s justification, the professor or the faculty’s academic secretariat has the right to request a medical certificate from the attending physician (including the student’s name, the date of both the absence and the return to studies, the medical consultation date, and the physician’s signature).

c) If the authenticity of the medical certificate is in question, the professor or the faculty’s academic secretariat may request that it be validated by the University of Ottawa’s Health Services.

d) If the medical problem is not foreseeable, students must notify their professor or the academic secretariat of the faculty where they are registered and submit a medical certificate bearing the date of the absence within five working days of the exam date or the assignment deadline, except if extenuating circumstances prevent them from doing so; these circumstances must be documented.

e) Students who write an examination during the period of disability specified on the medical certificate cannot later plead illness to appeal their examination results.

2. Psychological problems

a) Students must directly notify their professor or the academic secretariat of the faculty where they are registered, before the exam or before the assignment deadline.

b) Before accepting the student’s justification, the professor or the faculty’s academic secretariat has the right to request either a certificate from the attending physician or from a psychologist (including the student’s name, the date of both the absence and the return to studies, the consultation date, and the physician’s or psychologist’s signature) or a supporting letter issued by the University of Ottawa’s Counselling and Coaching Service.

c) If the authenticity of the certificate is in question, the professor or the faculty’s academic secretariat may request that it be validated by the University of Ottawa’s Health Services.

d) If the psychological problem is not foreseeable, students must notify the professor or the academic secretariat of the faculty where they are registered and submit a certificate bearing the date of the absence within five working days of the exam date or the assignment deadline, except if extenuating circumstances prevent them from doing so; these circumstances must be documented.  

e) Students who write an examination during the period of disability specified on the certificate cannot later plead psychological problems to appeal their examination results.

3.  Exceptional personal circumstances

Absence from an examination or test and the late submission of assignments due to exceptional personal circumstances must be justified in writing within five working days of the date of the examination or test or the assignment deadline.  The academic unit and the faculty concerned reserve the right to accept or reject the reasons presented.  Reasons such as travel, work and misreading of examination schedules are not accepted, except in exceptional and properly documented circumstances.

(Approved by the Senate on May 7, 2012)

Supplemental examinations are offered in some faculties and courses.

Faculty of Medicine

Students registered in a 1000-level ANP course who obtain a grade of “E” are eligible to write a supplemental examination.

Faculty of Education

Supplemental examinations consist of a written examination or additional assignments. Students who fail a course have the right to one supplemental examination for which they must obtain 60 per cent standing or the non-numerical grade “S” to be successful.

Faculty of Law, Common Law Section

A student who achieves an annual grade point average of 3.5 or higher is eligible for a supplemental examination in any course failed that year. A student who achieves an annual grade point average below 3.5 fails the year and is not eligible for supplemental examinations.

Students should contact the Common Law Section’s secretariat for information on supplemental examination formats and schedules.

Both the original and the supplemental grades will appear on the student’s transcript; however, it is the supplemental grade that will be used for grade point average calculations.

Faculty of Law – Civil Law Section, Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Sciences

Students registered in a 1000-level course in the Civil Law section, at the Faculty of Engineering or the Faculty of Science who obtain an “E” in these courses are eligible to write a supplementary examination.

Students who are eligible for a supplemental examination and want to write that examination must register at their faculty’s academic secretariat. There are fees for writing a supplemental examination. The faculty will determine the date and procedure for the supplemental examination.

Students who have registered for a supplemental examination must write it; otherwise they will receive the grade INC (equal to a failing grade) for the examination unless they cancel their registration by informing their faculty no later than the day before the examination.

In the courses where the final grade does not exclusively consist of the final examination grade, the grade obtained on the supplemental examination will be used to replace only that of the final examination.

Both the original and the supplemental grades will appear on the student’s transcript; however, it is the supplemental grade that will be used for grade point average calculations.

Other requirements

Faculty of Law, Civil Law Section

To be eligible to write a supplemental examination, students must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 and obtain a grade of “E” in a mandatory DRC 1000-level course offered by the faculty. The supplemental examination grade obtained by the student cannot be considered for the purposes of conferring an excellence award in a course.

Faculty of Engineering

In addition to students registered in 1000-level courses, the Faculty of Engineering allows students to write a supplemental exam if the following conditions are fulfilled:

·         The student is in his/her final year;

·         The student has failed only one course during his/her final year with the grade of “E” or higher;

·         The student has the required diploma grade point average (DGPA) and cumulative grade point average (CGPA) for graduation;

·         The failed course is the only requirement remaining for graduation;

·         The failed course is a course offered by the Faculty of Engineering.

Additional fees are applied when students write supplemental examinations at another institution. Students cannot write supplemental examinations outside of Canada.

Special circumstances may require particular measures during final exams and supplemental exams. Closed bridges, snowstorms, bomb scares, fire requiring evacuation, etc. are all examples of special circumstances. To avoid confusion, misunderstandings and disappointment, we have to clarify how to deal with them.

Certain faculties may have more stringent requirements than those described below. In such cases, the faculty itself must ensure that professors and students are well aware of its particular requirements.

If the University must cancel all exams on a given day

a)   This decision will be made as soon as possible so that students are informed by 8:00 a.m at the latest the day of the exam;

b)   Notification will be posted on the index page of the University Web site as well as recorded on the Emergency InfoLine (613-562-5555); exams will be automatically rescheduled during the first or second weekend after the start of classes of the following semester;

c)   Specific exam times will be posted on the index page of the University’s Website.

 If a chief invigilator cannot come to the examination

Copies of all exams are always available at the faculty secretariat, with instructions on how to administer the exam in question, so that it can take place nonetheless.

If a group of students misses the exam because of events recognized by the Vice-President Academic and Provost, or his or her representative

a)   Students who are present at the examination must be permitted to write the examination. The invigilator should be tolerant if some students arrive late.

b)   For those students who have missed the examination, the Faculty must determine, in consultation with the professor, the arrangements for a special examination. The students must then be informed as soon as possible.

 For bomb scares or fires

The decision to evacuate examination rooms and the signal to re-enter those rooms must come from Protection Services.

Decisions on the fate of the exam are made on location where possible. Authorities may decide to continue the exam as soon as everyone is allowed to re-enter the building, or to stop the exam; if the exam is suspended, the faculty decides on its rescheduling.

(Approved by the Senate on April 8th, 2013)

The University reserves the right to destroy students’ examinations and other written work six months after the date the final grade is official.

(Approved at Senate on June 18, 2012. Comes into effect September 1, 2012.)

Preamble

The University recognizes the right of every student to see, on request after grading, all documents that have been used to establish their grade for courses in which they are duly registered; the documents include those produced by the students themselves or evaluations written by supervisors (as part of work terms, clinical placements or internships).

The University also recognizes students’ right to ask for a grade review and to appeal grades.

General provisions

When students do not understand a grade assigned to them, the University encourages them to contact their professor or practicum supervisor for clarifications or for the reasoning behind the grade.

If students still question the grade despite the explanations they receive, they can ask for a review, as set out in this regulation.

The revised grade can be higher than, lower than or equal to the grade submitted for review.

The grade review cannot be cancelled once the process has been completed and the new grade assigned.

This regulation applies to grade reviews for all courses under the University of Ottawa’s responsibility.

At the undergraduate level, this regulation does not apply to activities which are evaluated by a jury or committee in accordance with established procedures.

At the graduate level, the  jury’s decision may, however, be appealed to the Executive Committee of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies on the grounds that appropriate procedures were not followed. Students who are not satisfied with the outcome of this process can appeal, on the grounds that appropriate procedures were not followed, to the Senate Appeals Committee.

This regulation also does not apply to technical errors (calculation errors, transcription errors, omissions, etc.), because they are quickly corrected by professors themselves.

A request for revision for any given mark may only be submitted once.

First stage: Grade review

A-  All faculties except the Faculty of Law and the Postgraduate Medical Education program

• Students who are not satisfied with their grade after discussing the matter with their professor can ask for a grade review.
• When grade reviews can take place during the session, students must submit their request within five (5) working days of receiving the contested grade. For grades received on final exams or in cases when grade reviews take place only at the end of the session, the request must be submitted within ten (10) working days after the grade in question becomes official (see the University calendar for the exact date).
• Students submit their requests for grade reviews in writing to the chair of the academic unit offering the course. The request must include a) the course title, the course syllabus, the grade assigned and the name of the professors having assigned it, b) the grounds for the appeal, and c) the assignment/test corrected by the professor, if applicable, and other relevant documents.
• The chair of the academic unit, or a designate, immediately sends a copy of the student's request to the professor concerned, inviting him or her to submit in writing any comments as well as the evaluation criteria used for the test or assignment, and other relevant documents. When appeals can be made during a session, professors must respond within five (5) working days for tests given during the session. For final tests and exams or in cases when appeals can take place only at session's end, professors must respond within ten (10) working days.
• Upon receiving the required documents from the professor, the chair of the academic unit, or a designate, asks at least one other professor to review the test or assignment under appeal and forwards all documents from the student and the grading professor to this reviewing professor.  The chair of the unit, or a designate, must ensure that the reviewing professor possesses the necessary professional qualifications. The reviewer`s anonymity must be maintained. When appeals can be made during a session, the review must be done within five (5) working days for tests given during the session. For final tests and exams or when appeals can take place only at session's end, the review must be done within ten (10) working days.
• Based on all of the documents received, including all evaluations (initial evaluation and revisions), the chair of the unit, or a designate, determines the grade to be awarded and immediately informs both the student and the professor in question.
• Students have the right to obtain a copy of all the documents used in reaching the decision.

B -  Reviewing a grade - Faculty of Law

• Students who are not satisfied with their grade after discussing the matter with their professor can ask for a review. Their request must be submitted within ten (10) working days after the course’s final grade becomes official (see the University calendar for the exact date).
• Students submit their request for review in writing to the dean of their section, or to the dean's designate. The request must include a) the course title, the course syllabus, the grade assigned and the name of the professors having assigned it, b) the grounds for the appeal, and c) the assignment/test corrected by the professor (if applicable), and other relevant documents.
• The dean, or a designate, appoints a grade-review panel at his or her discretion and notifies the student. The panel first assesses the admissibility of the request within ten (10) working days. Acceptable grounds for granting a review are serious errors in the application of grading criteria, as well as facts that point to a lack of impartiality or to unequal treatment during grading.
• If the request is deemed inadmissible, the chair of the review panel informs the student in writing and includes the reason for rejecting the appeal.
• If the request is deemed to be admissible, the chair of the panel informs the student. The chair also immediately sends notice of the student's request to the professor concerned and may invite him or her to revise the grade and/or submit in writing any comments, as well as the evaluation criteria explained to the student for the test or assignment, and other relevant documents. Professors must respond within ten (10) working days.
• Upon receiving the required documents from the professor, if necessary, the chair of the panel asks at least one other professor to review the test or assignment under review and forwards all documents from the student and the grading professor to this reviewing professor. The dean, or a designate, must ensure that the reviewing professor possesses the necessary professional qualifications. The review must be done within ten (10) working days.
• Based on all of the documents received following the review process described above, the review panel determines within ten (10) working days the grade to be awarded and the student and the professor in question are informed immediately.

C - Appealing work-term grades, clinical placements or internships—All faculties except the Faculty of Law
 

• Students who fail a work term or practicum and who do not agree with the grade received may, after discussing the matter with their work-term supervisor, ask for a grade review; students must submit their appeal no more than ten (10) working days after receiving their grade at the end of his/her work term.
• Students must submit their appeal in writing to the chair of the unit offering the work term or to the director of the Coop programs, depending on the case.   The appeal must include a) all work-term-related information, such as the course title, the course syllabus, the number of work-term days, the work-term location, the type of supervision, the grade obtained, and the name of the supervisor having assigned the grade, as well as b) the grounds for the appeal, c) the work-term evaluation reports and d) all other relevant documents.
• The chair of the academic unit, or a designate, immediately sends a copy of the student's request to the supervisor(s) concerned, inviting him or her to submit in writing any comments, as well as the evaluation criteria explained to the student, and other relevant documents. Supervisors must respond within ten (10) working days.  For the Faculty of Education, supervisors are the Faculty appointed mentor professors, not the associate teachers in the schools.
• Upon receiving the required documents from the supervisors concerned, the chair of the academic unit, or a designate, asks one or several other professors to assess the request for review (the appeal), forwards all documents from the student and the grading supervisors to these reviewing professors, and asks them for recommendations (ex., maintain the grade or have the work term, clinical placements or practicum repeated in whole or in part).  The chair of the unit, or a designate, must ensure that the professor or these professors possess the necessary professional qualifications. This review must take place immediately.
• Based on all of the documents received, the chair of the academic unit, or a designate, determines the grade to be awarded and immediately informs the student, the professor the supervisors, and the faculty in question.

Second stage: Appealing to the Senate

• A student can approach the Senate Appeals Committee to contest decisions handed down after an initial grade review.
• Once a student has filed such an appeal, the academic unit will provide to the Committee all relevant documentation and its comments.

The Senate appeals procedure is posted here.

 

(Approved by the Senate on September 14, 2009)

The grade report lists the student’s academic results for a university session. The grade report is available as soon as grades for a session become official.

If the grade report contains errors or omissions, the student must notify his or her home faculty within ninety (90) days following the date when grades become official. Otherwise, the grade report will remain unchanged.

(Approved by the Senate on September 14, 2009)

A transcript is an official document issued by the University.

The transcript lists all courses for which a student is officially registered at the University, all corresponding academic results as well as all degrees, diplomas and certificates earned by the student.

A transcript issued to a student or to a third party authorized by the student will be marked "Issued to the student".

The group average and the number of students registered in the course are indicated on the transcript provided that at least six students are registered in the course.

A student with an outstanding balance or other financial obligations to the University cannot obtain a transcript.

(Approved by the Senate on September 10, 2012)

ABS (Absent) – Symbol used when a student has not attended the course, has not submitted any assignment and has not advised the University, within the time limits specified in the Important dates and deadlines schedule, that the course was dropped. This symbol is equivalent to a failing grade (F).

ADD (Additional) – Symbol used when a student is authorized to register for a course in addition to those required in the program of study. The grade for this course is included in grade point average calculations.
 
AUD (Auditor) - Symbol used when a student registered as an auditor.
 
CR (Credited course) – Symbol used for a course, taken with success in another institution, with the prior authorization of the student’s faculty. The course grade is not included in the grade point average calculation; only the credits are indicated on the transcript.
 
CTN (Continuing) – Symbol used for a course or an activity which carries over into the next session.
 
DFR (Deferred) - Symbol used when the appropriate authority considers that the student has not completed the course requirements for a valid reason. The student will have to complete such requirements by the date set by the faculty. If no mark has been filed with the Office of the Registrar twelve months after the end of the course, the DFR symbol will be changed to EIN.
 
DR (Drop) – Symbol used when a student has dropped the course within the time limits specified in the Important dates and deadlines schedule. This symbol is not associated with a mark and, therefore it does not affect average calculations.
 
EIN (Failure/Incomplete) – Symbol used whenever a student has failed to complete a significant portion of the course assignments and/or examinations. Such symbol is equivalent to a failure mark (F).
 
Q (Advanced standing) – Symbol used for a course previously completed with success in another academic institution, and that is recognized as part of the student’s program of study at the University of Ottawa.
 
HP (Extracurricular) – Symbol used for a course for which the student registered in addition to the program of study requirements, and for which no credits will be granted. The result of an extracurricular course is not included in grade point average calculations.
 
NC (No credits) – Symbol used when no credits are associated with a course. This symbol has no numeric value and is not included in average calculation.
 
NNR (Mark not submitted) – Symbol used until a final mark is filed with the Office of the Registrar.
 
NS (Not satisfactory) – Symbol used for a failed course that is not included in grade point average calculations.
 
P (Pass) – Symbol used to indicate success in an internship report submitted with respect to the co-op education stream, a course or an activity. This result is not included in grade point average calculations.
 
S (Satisfactory) – Symbol used for a successfully completed course that is not included in grade point average calculations.
 

(Approved by the Senate on December 4, 2006)

The following standards of academic standing apply to all bachelor's programs at the University except those having received special approval from the Senate. Higher standards may apply in some faculties or in some programs of a particular faculty, subject to the approval of the Senate.

In the general bachelor's programs, students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5 to be in good standing.

In the honours bachelor's program, students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of at least 4.5 to be in good standing, except in programs having received specific approval from the Senate.

To continue studies in a given program without special conditions, a student must be in good standing, i.e. the student's official record must indicate a cumulative grade point average equal to or greater than the required minimum for the program.

Subject to regulations on mandatory withdrawal, students whose cumulative grade point average falls below the required minimum for the program may be allowed to reregister by their faculty, but will be on probation if they do so.

The probation is lifted when the student's cumulative grade point average reaches the required minimum for the program.

Students on probation whose cumulative grade point average remains below the minimum required for good standing after two full time probationary sessions or after 24 course credits if part time will be required to withdraw from the program or from the faculty.

Students who are required to withdraw from a program or from the faculty must remain out of their program for 12 months from the withdrawal date.

In case of withdrawal from a program, students may be eligible for admission to another program of the faculty in one of the programs described in Regulation 3.1. If students wish to reregister in the program after 12 months of withdrawal, they must submit an internal application but only to one of the programs described in Regulation 3.1.

In case of withdrawal from the faculty, students who wish to reregister after the 12-month period must submit a new application for admission. However, they can be readmitted only in one of the programs described in Regulation 3.1 and must meet the admission requirements in effect.

Students in honours programs whose cumulative grade point average is below 4.5 may opt to reregister in the honours program with probationary status or register in a general bachelor's program. In the latter case, they will not be on probation unless their average is below 3.5.

All students must be in good standing to obtain a degree. Candidates for a general bachelor’s degree must therefore have a minimum cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5 at the end of their program. Candidates for the honours bachelor's degree must obtain a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 4.5 and a diploma grade point average (DGPA) of 4.5 or 5.0, depending on the faculty, at the end of their program (except in specific cases approved by the Senate).

Students who have not met the minimum CGPA and/or DGPA required in their program upon completing all the course requirements may enrol in additional courses, to a maximum of 24 credits, to meet the requirements. The courses must be at the 2000 level or higher, depending on the faculty (the faculty determines how many of these courses must be in-discipline and out-of-discipline).

In addition to the mandatory withdrawal set out in the regulation on fraud and in the regulation on academic standing, and taking into account approved faculty regulations, withdrawal from a program or a faculty is mandatory in these situations:

a) failure in courses totalling 18 credits (excluding courses taken more than once) (withdrawal from the faculty);

Students whose studies at the University of Ottawa are voluntarily interrupted for six consecutive sessions or less may reregister in the same faculty without having to submit another admission application. When studies at the University of Ottawa are interrupted for seven consecutive sessions or more, students must submit a new application for admission in one of the programs described in Regulation 3.1.

(Approved by the Senate on January 11, 2010)

The Senate of the University confers a degree, a certificate or a diploma upon a student who has fulfilled all of the requirements for the program or programs leading to that degree or statement of studies and complied with all applicable academic regulations.

(Approved by the Senate on December 4, 2006)

To obtain a general bachelor's degree in the faculties of Arts, Science and Social Sciences, students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 3.5 each year (anything below leaves students on probation).

(Approved by the Senate on December 4, 2006)

To obtain an honours bachelor's degree, students must maintain the averages set by the faculty in accordance with the following minimal requirements:

a) A cumulative grade point average equivalent to or higher than the minimum set by the faculty between 3.5 and 4.5 (the CGPA must be maintained each year for the student to avoid probation status).

b) A diploma grade point average (DGPA) between 4.5 and 5.0 depending on the faculty, with some Senate-approved exceptions. When the DGPA is calculated, 1000-level courses are not taken into account.

For programs at the faculties of Engineering and Science, 2000-level courses are also excluded when the DGPA is calculated.

For its bachelor’s degree programs, the Faculty of Health Sciences may require a passing grade higher than a D for no more than 18 credits. For courses at the Faculty of Engineering, the passing grade is D+.

Students may not apply for a bachelor's degree eliminated under the 2006 program reform unless they are registered in that degree program when they submit the “Application for Diploma” form.

Students admitted to an honours program before May 2003 have the choice between the old and the new requirements (either C+ for honours courses and the required CGPA, or a minimum of D in all courses and the required CGPA and  DGPA).

(Approved by the Senate on January 11, 2010)

Programmes leading to a certificate or a diploma and graduation requirements must be submitted to Senate for approval.

The list of candidates to a certificate or a diploma must be submitted to the Executive Committee of Senate for approval.

The minimum CGPA required for a certificate or diploma is 3.5.

Candidates who have qualified for a certificate or diploma are presented at Convocation.

Students holding a certificate who wish subsequently to register in a degree programme may be granted advanced standing toward the degree, subject to Senate and faculty regulations.

(Approved by the Senate on December 4, 2006)

Students holding a first bachelor’s degree from the University of Ottawa may obtain a second one by completing at least 30 credits beyond the normal requirements of their first degree.

Students holding a first bachelor’s degree (honours with specialization, honours with double major, honours with major and minor, three- or four-year general) may obtain a second bachelor’s degree by meeting the requirements of this degree. See the table describing the possible combinations.

To obtain a certificate, students must complete at least 50 percent of the credits required for the certificate beyond the requirements of the bachelor's degree.

Students holding a certificate from the University of Ottawa may obtain a second certificate or a bachelor’s degree. To do so, they must meet the requirements of the second diploma and obtain at least 50 percent of the credits required for the second diploma beyond the requirements of the first certificate.

At least 50 percent of the additional credits received as part of the second diploma must be taken at the University of Ottawa.

Obtaining a second bachelor’s degree – Possible combinations

(Approved by the Senate on December 4, 2009)

The number of credits a student must complete at the University of Ottawa is determined by the faculty concerned, taking into account the advanced standing granted.

For bachelor's programs involving the equivalent of three or four years of full time studies, including the Honours Bachelor in Translation (2 years) and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing for Registered Nurses, faculties must require that at least 50 percent of the credits be completed at the University regardless of specific requirements, except in the case of formal Senate-approved agreements between the University of Ottawa and other institutions.

For programs involving the equivalent of one year of full time studies (B.Ed. and certificates), faculties must also require that 50 percent of the bachelor’s or certificate program be completed at the University of Ottawa.

(Approved by the Senate on June 6, 2011)

a)      Duration of undergraduate studies

When students have not obtained a degree after eight (8) years of study, the faculty may require them to take additional courses in order to fulfill their program requirements

At the undergraduate level, for the Common Law and Civil Law sections the maximum duration of studies is six (6) years from the initial registration date.

In some programs, these requirements may be subject to rules governing professional accreditations.

Faculty of Medicine

A student in the MD Program must complete all degree requirements within seven (7) years from the initial registration date.  A student who does not complete all degree requirements within this time frame will be withdrawn from the program.  Students wishing to return must present a new application for admission and are subject to the admission requirements in force at that time.

Faculty of Education

The maximum duration of studies for the Formation à l’enseignement program and the Teacher Education Program is two (2) years from the initial registration date for full-time students, and four (4) years for the Aboriginal Teacher Education Program.

The maximum time allowed to complete the requirements of part-time programs offered in French (B.Éd en mode alternatif and Éducation technologique) is four (4) years from the initial registration date.

For the Formation à l’enseignement (B.Éd) program blended with a program from another faculty, when students have not obtained a degree after eight (8) years of study, the faculties in question may require them to take additional courses in order to fulfill their program requirements. 

b) Maximum duration of graduate studies 

·     Candidates for graduate certificates or diplomas must meet all the requirements of the certificate or diploma within three (3) years of initial registration.  Certain programs impose shorter time limits.

·     Candidates for the master’s degree must complete all degree requirements within four (4) years of the date of initial registration in the master’s program, unless the program has established a different deadline.

·     Candidates for the doctoral degree must submit the thesis within six (6) years of the date of initial registration in the doctoral program or, if authorized to fast-track before completing the master’s, within seven (7) years of initial registration in the master’s program.  Certain programs impose shorter time limits.

(Approved by the Senate on April 4, 2011.)

In order for their names to be submitted to the Senate, students who expect to complete their degree requirements must fill in the Registration for Degree and Request for Diploma formand send it to the Office of the Registrar no later than March 31^st for spring convocation and no later than September 15^th for fall convocation.

All final grades needed to complete the degree requirements must be received by the faculty before May 15^th for students registered for spring convocation and before September 15^th for students registered for fall convocation.

When registering for convocation, graduate students enrolled in a program with thesis must check the deadline for submitting the final copy of their thesis to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies in order to be included in the convocation ceremony. This must be done regardless of whether the student intends to attend the ceremony.

Students are responsible for ensuring that they meet all their degree requirements.

Approved by the Senate on December 4, 2006)

The University recognizes student merit by awarding many distinctions at Convocation.

Changes to distinctions cannot be made once the Senate has officially conferred degrees.

Students cannot change their graduation date or the date of their Convocation ceremony for the purpose of receiving a distinction.

The recipient of a medal or a plaque at the Fall Convocation must have a cumulative grade point average equal to or higher than that of the recipient of the same medal or plaque at the Spring Convocation.

(Approved by the Senate on December 4, 2006)

Governor General's Silver Medal 

This medal is awarded at the Spring Convocation to the student having obtained the highest standing in an honours bachelor's program and having completed at least 60 credits at the University of Ottawa. In case of a tie between two or more candidates, the following factors are used to determine the recipient (in this order): the number of credits completed, grades obtained in compulsory courses, the diploma grade point average.

To be eligible for a medal or a plaque at the Fall Convocation, students must have obtained a cumulative grade point average equal to or higher than that of the winner of the same medal or plaque at the Spring Convocation.

The selection committee consists of the Registrar and a Vice-Dean Academic or an equivalent. Each faculty offering honours bachelor’s degrees should nominate one candidate for the selection committee's consideration.

Gold and Silver University Medals

Gold and silver medals are awarded at the Spring and Fall Convocation ceremonies to the top two students in each of the following three types of programs:

a) Honours bachelor’s with specialization (including the honours programs)

b) Joint honours bachelor’s, with major and multidisciplinary

c) General three- or four- year bachelor’s (including the program with concentration)

A minimum cumulative grade point average of 7.0 is required to obtain a plaque.

(Approved by the Senate on February 4th, 2013)

The Dean’s Honour List is determined once a year, in May.

Only the following students will have their name placed on the Dean’s Honour List:

Full-time students who have maintained an annual grade point average (AGPA) of 8.5 or higher (7.5 in law programs); and

a) in the year prior to the list being compiled, have successfully completed at least 24 credits (numeric and non-numeric grades) over two sessions; or

b) were registered in a CO-OP program or participated in an international exchange and who have accumulated at least 12 credits at the University of Ottawa in a single session during the preceding 12 months.

Part-time students who have maintained a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 8.5 or higher (7.5 in law programs); and

a) have accumulated 30, 60, 90 or 120 credits. For these students, the names to be added to the Dean’s Honour List will be determined after each block of 30 credits. 

Nomination to the Honour List is indicated on the transcript for the session when it was awarded.

(Approved by the Senate on April 12, 2010)

At the six direct-entry faculties, namely the Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Engineering, Telfer School of Management, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Health Sciences and Faculty of Social Sciences, citations are awarded to students who complete the requirements  of an undergraduate degree, according to the following cumulative grade point averages:

SUMMA CUM LAUDE :          9.0 and above

MAGNA CUM LAUDE :           8.0 – 8.9

CUM LAUDE :                         7.0 – 7.9

At the Common Law section of the Faculty of Law, citations are awarded according to the following cumulative grade point averages:

SUMMA CUM LAUDE :          8.5 and above

MAGNA CUM LAUDE :           8.0 – 8.4

CUM LAUDE :                         7.0 – 7.9

At the Civil Law section of the Faculty of Law, citations are currently awarded according to the following cumulative grade point averages:

SUMMA CUM LAUDE :          8.5 and above

MAGNA CUM LAUDE :          7.5 – 8.4

CUM LAUDE :                         6.5 – 7.4

As of May 2012, the Civil Law section will use the same scale as the Common Law section.

At the Faculty of Education, citations are awarded according to the following cumulative grade point averages:

SUMMA CUM LAUDE :          9.5 – 10.0

MAGNA CUM LAUDE :          9.0 – 9.4

CUM LAUDE :                         8.0 – 8.9

The Faculty of Medicine does not use citations.

New academic regulations take effect May 1.

New courses take effect either May 1 or September 1, as decided by the faculty concerned.

(Approved by the Senate on September 13, 2010 and effective immediately.)

REGULATION ON ACADEMIC FRAUD

Definition

1. Academic fraud is an act by a student that may result in a false academic evaluation of that student or of another student. Without limiting the generality of this definition, academic fraud occurs when a student commits any of the following offences:

a) commits plagiarism or cheating of any kind (to obtain more information on plagiarism and how to avoid it, consult our Web site at www.uottawa.ca/plagiarism.pdf);

b) submits a work of which the student is not the author, in whole or in part – except for duly cited quotations or references. Such work may include an academic paper, an essay, a test, an exam, a research report, a thesis, whether written, oral, or in another form;

c) presents research data that has been falsified or concocted in any way;

d) attributes a purported statement of fact or reference to a source that has been concocted;

e) submits the same work or significant part thereof for more than one course, or a thesis or other work that has already been submitted elsewhere, without written authorization from the professors concerned and/or of the academic unit concerned;

f) falsifies an academic evaluation, misrepresents an academic evaluation, uses a forged or falsified academic record or supporting document, or facilitates the use of a falsified academic record or supporting document;

g) undertakes any other action for the purpose of falsifying an academic evaluation.

Sanctions

2. A student who has committed or attempted to commit academic fraud, or who has been a party to academic fraud, is subject to one or more of the following sanctions:

a)     a written reprimand;

b)     the mark of F or zero for part of the work concerned;

c)     the mark of F or zero for the work concerned;

d)     the mark of F or zero for the work concerned and the loss of additional marks for the course concerned;

e)     the mark of F or zero for the work concerned, with no more than the passing grade as a final mark for the course concerned;

f)       the mark of F or zero for the course concerned;

g)     the loss of all or part of the credits for the academic year concerned (the courses for which credits were withdrawn remain in the student’s file – they are included in the grade point average and must be repeated or replaced by other courses at the discretion of the Faculty);

h)     an additional requirement of 3 to 30 credits added to the student’s program of studies (additional credit requirements that are added to the student’s program of studies as part of an academic fraud sanction will also apply to any subsequent program of the same level in which the student registers);

i)        the loss of any opportunity to receive a scholarship from the Faculty for one year;

j)       the loss of any opportunity to receive a scholarship from the Faculty until graduation;

k)      suspension from the program or from the Faculty, for at least one session and at most three academic years;

l)        expulsion from the Faculty;

m)    the loss of any opportunity to receive a scholarship from the University of Ottawa for one year;

n)     the loss of any opportunity to receive a scholarship from the University of Ottawa until graduation;

o)     expulsion from the University of Ottawa for at least three years, it being understood that three years after being expelled, the student concerned may ask the Senate Appeals Committee to review his or her case, with the possibility, where applicable, of having the notice of expulsion withdrawn from the student’s transcript – if the student reapplies for admission, the regular admission process shall apply;

p)     cancellation or revocation of a degree, diploma or certificate where the offence relates to the eligibility to receive such degree, diploma or certificate, and which was discovered or determined after its award;

q)     inclusion of the following statement in the student’s academic transcript: “Sanction pursuant to contravention of the University regulation on fraud.”

Decisions

3. Sanctions stipulated in sections 2(a) to 2(k) are imposed by the Faculty in which the student is registered. Sanctions 2(l) to 2(q) are imposed by the Senate Appeals Committee upon the recommendation of the Faculty. Decisions shall take effect immediately, notwithstanding appeal.

Procedure

4. Allegations of fraud are submitted in writing, with supporting documentation, to the dean of the Faculty that offers the course in question, with the exception of University of Ottawa graduate courses where all allegations of academic fraud are submitted to the dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (FGPS).

5. If the dean or the dean’s representative decides that the allegation is founded:

a)   the dean informs the student in writing of the allegation made against him or her and provides a copy of all supporting documentation – if the student is eligible for the accelerated process, he or she will be asked to choose whether to follow the process described in the present regulation or the accelerated process;

b)   the dean provides a copy of the present regulation and, when required, the Regulation on the Accelerated Process for Academic Fraud Cases;

c)   if the student is not eligible for the accelerated process or if the student is eligible for the accelerated process but has opted for the process described in the present regulation, the file is referred to a committee of inquiry consisting of at least three persons appointed by the dean;

6. The committee of inquiry:

a) invites the student to present, in writing, within a prescribed time limit, any information or documents relevant to the allegation which has been made and, if it deems it appropriate, invites the student to appear before the committee;

b) solicits any other information that it considers relevant to its inquiry.

7. On the basis of this documentation and information, and once the student has been given the opportunity to be heard in writing and/or in person, the committee of inquiry:

a) either concludes that the allegation is not sufficiently founded and that no further action is to be taken; or,

b) concludes that the allegation is founded and prepares a summary report for the dean, which shall include a recommendation for the appropriate sanction.

The student is informed by the dean of the conclusions reached by the committee of inquiry and of the next procedural steps. The dean informs the student that he or she may submit comments on the report of the committee of inquiry, provided that such comments are made in writing within 10 working days following the date at which the report was sent.

8. The report of the committee of inquiry and, if applicable, the written submissions made by the student, are submitted to the executive committee of the Faculty or its equivalent, which either decides or recommends the sanction to be imposed to the Senate Appeals Committee, as the case may be.

9. If the sanction is one the Faculty has the power to impose, the decision of the executive committee of the Faculty or its equivalent shall take effect immediately, notwithstanding appeal.

10. The dean informs the student in writing of the decision or the recommendation made by the executive committee of the Faculty or its equivalent, and of the procedure to be followed should the student wish to appeal.

Appeal

11. A student who decides to appeal the decision of the executive committee of the Faculty (or its equivalent) or its recommendation to the Senate Appeals Committee, must so inform the Office of the Vice-President, Governance and provide the reasons for the appeal, within 10 working days following the date at which the decision or recommendation was sent.

12. The Office of the Vice-President, Governance transmits the file to the Senate Appeals Committee which:

a) invites the student to appear before the committee and/or submit in writing any information the student considers relevant;

b) solicits any other documentation or information it considers relevant.

13. The decision of the Senate Appeals Committee is final and cannot be appealed.

Fraud concerning more than one student

14. When the allegation of fraud involves students from different faculties, the case is submitted to the Faculty that offers the course, in accordance with the procedure set out in this regulation. At the graduate level, allegations of academic fraud are submitted to the dean of the FGPS.

Suspension

15. A student who has been suspended from a program shall not be awarded any credit for courses otherwise acceptable as part of the student’s program or as part of the overall requirements of the program, when such courses are taken, at the University of Ottawa or elsewhere, during the period of suspension which has been imposed. A mark of F (zero) will be assigned retroactively, if applicable, to any course so taken at the University of Ottawa, and tuition fees will not be refunded.

16. At the end of the period of suspension, the student will be authorized to continue the program once he or she has registered in accordance with the conditions applicable at that time.

(Approved by the Senate on September 13, 2010 and effective immediately.)

Eligibility

1. All students alleged to have committed academic fraud are eligible for the accelerated process of academic fraud cases, with two exceptions:

a) if it is a second or repeated offence;

b) if the offence is serious enough to merit sanctions going as far as sanction 2(i) of the Regulation on Academic Fraud (i.e. the loss of any opportunity to receive a scholarship from the Faculty for one year) to sanction 2(q) (i.e. inclusion in the academic transcript).

Procedure

1. As stated in sections 4 and 5 of the Regulation on Academic Fraud, if the allegation is founded and if the student is eligible for the accelerated process (i.e. that the case is not one of the exceptions that must follow the regular process), an email is sent to the student requesting he or she choose either the accelerated process or the regular process. The student has five working days to provide a response.

By accepting this accelerated process, the student acknowledges a contravention, whether voluntary or involuntary, of academic regulations and accepts that a sanction will be imposed.

2. If the student chooses the accelerated process, a meeting is organized between the person in charge of the accelerated process for academic fraud cases and the student. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the situation and sign an agreement whereby the student acknowledges having committed a contravention, whether voluntary or involuntary, of the academic regulations and accepts the imposed sanction. The student is allowed two working days to sign and return the agreement to the person in charge of the accelerated process for academic fraud cases.

The student can be accompanied by the person of his or her choice at this meeting, as can the person in charge of the accelerated process for academic fraud cases. However, both the student and the person in charge of the accelerated process for academic fraud cases must provide the other with the name of the person who will be accompanying them beforehand.

Normally, the sanctions are those of the Regulation on Academic Fraud, from sanction 2(a) (i.e. a reprimand) to 2(h) (i.e. an additional requirement of 3 to 30 credits to be added to the student’s program of studies).

3. The person in charge of the accelerated process for academic fraud cases forwards the results of the accelerated process, including the imposed sanction, to the professor who made the allegation and the director of the academic unit. A copy, to be signed by the student, is also included in the student’s file.

The accelerated process for an academic fraud violation normally takes no longer than 15 working days from when the allegation is made to when the agreement is signed.

4. The student can put a stop to this process at any point prior to signing an agreement — the normal process then follows.

The person in charge of the accelerated process for academic fraud cases can also put an end to this process if he or she deems that no agreement is possible, for example, in circumstances such as:

    * When emails and/or telephone messages remain unanswered, or the process is being unduly prolonged;
    * When the student refuses to acknowledge that a contravention of academic regulations has been committed;
    * When the student refuses the proposed sanction;
    * When the student does not attend the meeting.

If the regular process is initiated:

    * All information disclosed by a student in the accelerated process is to be considered privileged and is not to be disclosed to any member of the committee of inquiry established under the regular process;
    * The fact of the occurrence of an accelerated process or of a student’s exploration thereof is not to be disclosed to the committee of inquiry established under the regular process;
    * No person (other than the student) participating in the accelerated process is to participate in a committee of inquiry established under the regular process, unless the student agrees otherwise.

5. A student who wishes to file an appeal after he or she has signed an agreement may submit this appeal to the Senate Appeals Committee within 10 working days from the date of said agreement.

FAQ for Students on the Accelerated Process

Sanction Levels

(Approved by the Senate on September 12th, 2011)

Guidelines on academic accommodation for religious observances by students

Purpose

1.    The University of Ottawa values its diverse community and wishes to formalize its practices on accommodation for religious observances by students. In March of each year, the Registrar informs the Deans of the dates of commonly cited religious holidays for the upcoming academic year to facilitate the handling of requests for accommodation for religious observances.

2.    The Ontario Human Rights Code (“Code”) provides that every person has the right to equal treatment with respect to services without discrimination because of creed.  The Ontario Human Rights Commission has stated that “creed” means a professed system and confession of faith, including beliefs and observances, if the beliefs and observances are sincerely held and/or observed.  “Creed” does not include secular, moral or ethical beliefs or political convictions.

3.    These Guidelines outline a process for addressing religious observances that conflict with the scheduling of a student’s academic or course-specific requirements.  It is intended to assist in responding to students’ religious observances while ensuring that the integrity of the course or program of study is not compromised. The term “reasonable accommodation” used in these Guidelines will depend on the facts and the circumstances present in each individual case.


Procedure for making a request

4.    A student who wishes to make a request for an accommodation based on his or her religious observance must do so by submitting a written or electronic request to the professor responsible for the course or to the appropriate authority designated by the faculty.  The request for accommodation must identify the nature of the religious observance and the requested accommodation.  The student is expected to assist the professor or designated authority in efforts to implement reasonable accommodation, including in identifying solutions that may be reasonably pursued to address the request.

5.    The following timelines should be observed when a request for accommodation is initiated:

      a.    for an academic requirement published in the course syllabus or otherwise communicated during or before the first class: within two weeks of the start of the course;

      b.    for an academic requirement communicated after the first class: within five working days of the requirement being communicated to the class; and

      c.    for a final examination: within five working days of the publication of the final examination schedule.

6.    The professor or designated authority and student will consult to reach an agreement on the reasonable accommodation arrangement.  If the professor or designated authority requests clarification or additional information, the student must respond in a timely manner, normally within a maximum of five working days. The professor or designated authority may consult with other University staff while respecting confidentiality policy as appropriate.

7.    If a mutually agreeable solution cannot be reached within a reasonable time period, taking into account relevant academic deadlines and the time required for arrangements to be finalized, the student must immediately send a written request to the Vice-Dean of Undergraduate or of Graduate Studies or other person designated by the Faculty who will make a final decision.  

8.    The Vice-Dean of Undergraduate or of Graduate Studies or designate may request additional information from the student or the professor and may consult with other University staff, where appropriate.  The Vice-Dean of Undergraduate or of Graduate Studies or designate will inform the student and the professor of his or her decision in writing, usually within two weeks of the student’s request to the Vice-Dean of Undergraduate or of Graduate Studies or designate.

9.    In cases of questions or concerns, the professor or Vice-Dean of Undergraduate or of Graduate Studies or designate may consult the University’s Legal Services.