With the exception of the School of Pharmacy, which follows a term promotion system, the Faculty of Science operates under a unit-weight system in which student progress is measured by units successfully completed rather than by years. See Determination of Level and Term of Study in this Calendar for details.
At the end of each term, the Faculty of Science determines the academic standing for students in the Faculty. Grades defined in this Calendar are used to make these evaluations. The Registrar then posts academic standings on Quest.
Excellent, Good, or Satisfactory Standing
Students who meet, or exceed, the minimum academic requirements for their plan, will be in Excellent, Good, or Satisfactory academic standing, depending on their plan and their term and overall averages.
Assuming all other program requirements are met, most programs in Science use the standings as follows:
- Excellent: cumulative overall average greater than or equal to 80%
- Good: cumulative average overall greater than or equal to 70% and less than 80%
- Satisfactory: cumulative overall average greater than or equal to 60% and less than 70%
Students should consult individual Science academic programs and plans for exceptions.
Conditional Standing
Students with average(s) 1.5% below the minimum requirements for their plan may be placed in Conditional academic standing and are normally given only one additional term in which to attain a Satisfactory or better academic standing.
Students with a Conditional academic standing are strongly advised to meet with their academic advisor for plan-specific advice and the Science student success officer (SSO) to determine their best course of action and to discuss strategies to overcome barriers to academic success.
Students are not able to graduate while in Conditional academic standing.
Required Change in Major Standing
Unsatisfactory - Eligible for Honours Science Non-Major Only
Students whose overall, major, or special major average does not qualify for Conditional standing, will be moved into the Honours Science program. In a future term, depending on cumulative overall, major, or special major average, students may be eligible to resume their original honours plan. Readmission to a co-operative program is not guaranteed and depends on availability of space and academic averages. Students with averages below the requirements for Honours Science, could receive an Unsatisfactory - Eligible for General Science Only academic standing.
Unsatisfactory - Eligible for General Science Only
When students in an honours plan do not qualify for Conditional standing or movement into the Honours Science program, they may be moved to the General Science program, depending on their averages. Students are deemed to be successful in their subsequent term if both the cumulative science and overall averages are at least 55%. In a future term, depending on cumulative science and overall averages, students may be eligible to resume their original honours plan or can continue in General Science. Readmission to a co-operative program normally does not occur.
Failed Standing for Students in 1A or 1B
Failed
Students in 1A or 1B will normally receive a Failed academic standing from the Faculty of Science under the following conditions:
- after failing a minimum of 1.5 units in a single academic term;
- after failing to achieve an overall cumulative average of at least 55% and a cumulative Science average of 55%; or
- if the associate dean, undergraduate studies judges that a student is unlikely to profit from further study.
Students receiving this standing have three options:
- Foundation Term: Student will be moved to General Science and must follow a structured term of courses as determined by the Science SSO. The course load will be UNIV 101 and either two science courses, or one science and one mathematics course, excluding SCI-labelled or SCBUS courses. Students must obtain a minimum grade of 60% in each lecture and lab. General requirements, principles, and outcomes can be found in the Foundation Term section of this Calendar.
- Science Non-degree Term: Students who wish to pursue studies in another faculty must enrol in a Science non-degree term in preparation for the transfer.
- Apply for readmission after an absence of two consecutive academic terms (eight months).
Required to Withdraw - May Not Continue in Faculty
Students will normally receive a Required to Withdraw - May Not Continue in Faculty academic standing in the following situations:
- not meeting the conditions for readmission;
- not meeting the average requirements for the Foundation Term.
Failed Standing for Students in 2A or Above
Failed
Students will normally receive a Failed academic standing from the Faculty of Science in the following situations:
- after failing a minimum of 1.5 units in a single academic term;
- after failing to achieve an overall cumulative average of at least 55% and a cumulative Science average of 55%; or
- if the associate dean, undergraduate studies judges that a student is unlikely to profit from further study.
Students receiving this standing have two options:
- Students who receive their first Failed academic standing may normally apply for readmission after an absence of two consecutive terms (eight months).
- Students who are already enrolled in courses for the following term, when they receive this standing, can either withdraw or be moved to a Science non-degree term and allowed to finish that term. However, students who continue in a Science non-degree term will not be eligible to apply for readmission into any Science degree program in the future.
Required to Withdraw - May Not Continue in Faculty
Students will normally have a Required to Withdraw - May Not Continue in Faculty academic standing in the following situations:
- not meeting the conditions for readmission;
- after failing more than 5.0 cumulative units, regardless of the Science or overall averages;
- not meeting program/plan average requirements and/or failing 1.5 units or more, in any given term, following a previous Failed standing from the Faculty of Science.
Readmission Following a Failed Standing
Students who have received a Failed academic standing must submit a formal Application for Undergraduate Readmission two months before the requested term of readmission.
Readmission will include the following conditions. Students will be readmitted into the General Science program and must maintain a 55% cumulative average and a 55% Science average. This determination will be made based on a minimum of five lecture courses that must be taken within a maximum of two terms. Students must complete a minimum of two approved Science lecture courses, plus any related labs where applicable, each term. Successful completion of this term will result in clearing of failed and below-average course grades up to a maximum of 3.0 units. Cleared grades will be removed from averages but not removed from the student's academic record. When conditions are not met, students will receive a Required to Withdraw - May Not Continue in Faculty academic standing.
Science Non-degree Term
Students are normally allowed to enrol in one Science non-degree term following a Failed or a Required to Withdraw - May Not Continue in Faculty academic standing. Students enrolled in such a term are ineligible to return to any Science degree program. Enrolment in a Science non-degree term is done in consultation with the appropriate academic advisor in the Science Undergraduate Office and an advisor from the faculty in which the student is anticipating admission.