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2016-2017

The Undergraduate Calendar

 

 

Faculty of Science

Faculty Information and Regulations
Rules for Students enrolled in Faculty of Science courses
  1. The Faculty constitutes the examining body for all courses. After the results have been considered they will be posted by the Registrar on Quest.
  2. In the Faculty of Science, Course and Unit have the following interpretations:
    • Course - a unit of study relating to a specific academic discipline and identified by a subject abbreviation and a number (e.g., BIOL 130). A course that has the letter L following the course number is a laboratory course (e.g., BIOL 130L). Course duration is normally one term.
    • Unit - the credit value associated with a course as designated in the course description. Unit weights are used in the calculation of averages for academic standing. Courses are given unit weights that vary from 0.00 to 3.00, with most being 0.5.
  3. Grades in individual courses will normally be reported as numerical grades on the scale 0 to 100. In exceptional circumstances, an instructor may report a non-numerical grade. (Refer to item #6).
  4. To obtain credit for a course, students must normally obtain a minimum grade of 50%. The minimum grade may be higher than 50% in certain courses (e.g., in OPTOM and some PHARM courses). Course instructors are responsible for indicating clearly the grading practices in their courses, and students have a responsibility to understand the criteria used in determining final grades for a course.
  5. Students who do not complete a portion of a course for health or other documented circumstances should consult their course syllabus for accommodation rules and review Faculty information and instructions regarding accommodations.
  6. If appropriate, an instructor may report one of the following non-numerical grades for a student:
    • INC (incomplete) indicates that some component(s) of the course are incomplete (term work, lab work, examinations, etc.), credible documentation has been submitted, and the other components of the course were completed well enough that a passing grade is achievable. A course for which the grade designation INC has been given must be completed within two terms of taking the course or the INC automatically becomes a grade of FTC (failed to complete). If the plan is to complete the course after eight months, instructors must notify the Registrar's Office at the outset to extend the INC expiry to a third term. When INC grades have been assigned because students have not written the final examination, then students will normally write their make-up examination in the examination period of the term in which the course is next offered, unless instructors explicitly state otherwise. Students should not re-enrol in a course for which a grade of INC was given. For averaging purposes, INC is ignored and in the determination of academic standing, the course counts as a course attempted but not as a course failed. FTC is included in the failed course count and in averages as a grade of 32%. If graduating students have an INC, it will be recorded as FTC on the transcript.
    • NMR (no mark recorded) indicates that no work has been submitted and there has been no known participation. NMR will count as a failure and will be included in student averages as a grade of 32%.
    • DNW (did not write) indicates that the final examination was not written in an enrolled course. Instructors will normally report a course grade of DNW when students miss a final examination and a course grade of INC or NMR is inappropriate. DNW is included in student averages and counts as a course grade of 32%.
    • IP (in progress) indicates that the course is in progress as a result of the course design or delivery rather than student performance (e.g., honours thesis courses, extended duration courses). There is no grade assigned and no credit granted.  For averaging purposes, and in the determination of academic standing, IP is ignored and does not count as a failed course. Students cannot graduate with an IP grade.

      • In exceptional circumstances, one of the following non-numerical grades may be appropriate.

    • AEG (aegrotat) signifies the work or examination was incomplete because of illness or extenuating circumstances, and the Associate Dean (Undergraduate Studies) in consultation with the instructor is satisfied that credit should be received for the course. Credit is granted but no specific course grade is given.
    • CR (credit) indicates credit is granted. Performance was satisfactory but no specific course grade is given and AEG is not appropriate.
    • NCR (no credit) indicates credit is not granted. Performance was unsatisfactory; no specific course grade is given. NCR will not count in the cumulative averages but does count as a failed course.
    • UR (under review) indicates a course grade is under review by the Associate Dean (Undergraduate Studies) with a decision pending.

Office of the Registrar
University of Waterloo
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Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
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