With the exception of the Doctor of Optometry and Doctor of Pharmacy programs, which follow 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. Academic standings are viewable in 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 cumulative term and overall averages.
Assuming all other requirements are met, most majors in Science use the standings as follows:
- Excellent: minimum cumulative overall average greater than or equal to 80%
- Good: minimum cumulative overall average overall greater than or equal to 70% and less than 80%
- Satisfactory: minimum 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 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.
Standings Requiring a Change in Major
Unsatisfactory - Eligible for Honours Science
Students whose minimum cumulative overall, major, or special major average does not qualify for Conditional standing, will be moved into Honours Science. In a future term, depending on minimum 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 Honours Science, they may be moved to General Science, depending on their averages. Students are deemed to be successful in their subsequent term if both the minimum cumulative Science and overall averages are at least 55%. In a future term, depending on minimum 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.
Must Change Academic Plan
Students must change their academic plan if they exceed a plan-specific failure limit or have average(s) below plan requirements. In instances where the failure limit is exceeded, the plan will be changed to one outside the academic unit/discipline. Instances where average(s) are below the conditional threshold for plan minimums will trigger a change from the student’s plan to another plan within the same academic unit/discipline.
Other Standings
Decision Deferred
A standing decision will be deferred when there is insufficient information for a decision to be made. A decision deferral will occur in instances where the student has:
- two or more incomplete (INC) grades
- an IP, MM, and/or UR grade
- insufficient numeric grades in their first term
- insufficient courses completed in their first conditional readmission term
Revised INC, IP, MM, and/or UR grades may lead to an updated academic standing and average calculation.
Decision Not Applicable
A standing decision will not be made in certain circumstances, e.g. a term with a petition decision, when there are no numeric grades (WDs, CR/NCRs), or when there is no program benchmark to compare progress such as post-degree studies.
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 a minimum overall cumulative average of 55% and a minimum 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 student success officer. The course load will be UNIV 101 and either two science courses, or one science and one mathematics course, excluding SCI 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 page 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.
- Readmission Term: Students can 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 a minimum overall cumulative average of 55% and a minimum 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 an Application for Undergraduate Readmission two months before the requested term of readmission.
Readmission Conditions
Students will be readmitted into General Science and must maintain a minimum cumulative average of 55% and a minimum cumulative Science average of 55%. 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.