The School of Pharmacy sets and administers its examinations in accordance with the rules and regulations set by the Faculty of Science and the University of Waterloo. Student academic standings are considered each term by the School of Pharmacy and are made in accordance with the regulations listed as follows:
- The factors considered in academic standing in Pharmacy are the term average and the number of failed courses.
- The minimum term average required for promotion in the program is 60%.
- The standard minimum passing grade in each PHARM course is 60% with the following exceptions. A grade of at least 70% will be considered a passing grade for PHARM 430, PHARM 440, and PHARM 450.
- A number of courses will be graded on a credit/no credit (CR/NCR) basis.
Standings
Satisfactory
Requires that a student achieves a minimum term average of 60% with no failed courses. This entitles a student to proceed to the next term.
May Not Proceed
Results if a student achieves a minimum term average of 60% but fails a maximum of two term courses. The failed courses must be cleared (passed) before the student is permitted to proceed to the next academic term.
Notes
A student with only one failure per term may be permitted to proceed to the next term; however, any failed course must be cleared. The student must make arrangements with the course instructor as to the mechanism for clearing the failed course.
- In the event that the failed course is a prerequisite for a course in the following academic term, and it is not cleared before the start of the term, the student must obtain the appropriate approvals by completing a Course Override Form. This form should be accompanied by a statement of the arrangements made with the instructor to clear the failed course. If the instructor of the subsequent course does not approve the course override, the student will be required to clear the failed course before proceeding to the next academic term. Due to the limited scheduling of Pharmacy courses, this will typically result in the student falling behind and extending the time required for program completion.
- In the event that the next term is a co-op work term, the student will be permitted to begin the co-op work term. Depending on individual circumstances, the School of Pharmacy may contact the student's employer, who may elect to terminate the student's employment. For work terms that continue to completion, the student will be required to submit the appropriate evaluations and the work-term report.
Failed - Required to Withdraw
Results if a student fails to achieve the minimum term average of 60%, the student fails three or more courses in a term, or the student leaves the program without proper notification and fails to write the final examinations. This standing will also result if the student fails three attempts at the Final Year Objective Structured Clinical Examination milestone (OSCEm) as described under Degree Requirements.
Failed - May Not Continue in Pharmacy Plan
Results if a student has accumulated five failures in the degree requirements of the Pharmacy program (i.e., failures in courses and/or co-op work terms). This status will also result if a grade of less than the passing grade is obtained for a repeat course or approved alternative. Readmission into the Pharmacy program is not possible; however, a student receiving this standing may be considered for admission to another program in the Faculty of Science.
Clearing Failed Courses
A failed course may be passed in one of two ways, and the course instructor will decide which mechanism is appropriate. The two options are:
- Obtain the passing grade for the course based on the outcome of a supplemental examination or another assessment determined by the course instructor.
Notes:
- Supplemental examinations are not available in all courses; course syllabi will indicate whether a supplemental assessment is available.
- For courses that offer a supplemental examination, students will be eligible to write it only if they have a maximum of one failed course in that academic term and they are in satisfactory or better academic standing entering that term.
- Students will be notified if they are eligible for a supplemental examination in any course they have failed.
- There is a fee for supplemental examinations.
- If the supplemental examination is passed, an “S” will appear on Quest in the “SUPP”-labelled column adjacent to the original grade for the course. “Supplementary Exam Completed Grade: Satisfied” will appear on the official transcript adjacent to the original grade for the course.
- If the supplemental examination is failed, an “N” will appear on Quest in the “SUPP”-labelled column adjacent to the original grade for the course. “Grade: Not Satisfied” will appear on the official transcript.
- Only one attempt at a supplemental examination or assessment is allowed.
- If students are not successful, they must re-take the course when it is next offered, and may not proceed to the next term.
- Repeat the failed course or an approved alternative and obtain the passing grade for the course.
Notes:
- When a failed course has been successfully cleared the grade obtained in the cleared course is indicated on Quest and on the transcript.
- The original course and failing grade remain on the transcript, and are included in the calculation of averages.
- If a grade of less than the minimal passing grade is obtained for a repeat course, or approved alternative, students are given a Failed - May Not Continue in Pharmacy Plan standing; however, students receiving this standing may be considered for admission to another program in the Faculty of Science.
Academic decisions will be revised as appropriate based on clearing of failed courses.