(NOTE: For interdisciplinary programs, the Head of the academic unit is the Dean of Graduate Studies.)
1. Evaluation Methods and Grading
2. Evaluation of Graduate Students
4. Incomplete Grades/Change of Grade
5. Re-Reading of Examination Papers
a) Students shall write their examinations in graduate courses at a time
to be determined by the Head of the academic unit on the recommendation
of the Faculty member(s) concerned.
b) A written copy of the course outline, including method of evaluation
in the course shall be provided to each student in the course as early as
possible, and in any case not later than two weeks after the start of the
course.
c) The final evaluation submitted to the Registrar shall consist of one
of the following letter grades with the appropriate numerical equivalent:
A 80 to 100%
B 65 to 79%
C 55 to 64%
D 50 to 54%
F below 50%
INC Incomplete
PAS Pass
FAL Fail
d) Supplementary examinations are not permitted.
2. Evaluation of Graduate Students
a) Failure to attain a final passing grade of A or B in a program course
shall lead to termination of a student’s program unless:
i) the regulations for a particular degree allow the student to repeat
the course. Only one such repeat will be permitted in a student’s program.
Failure to obtain a grade of A or B in the repeated course shall lead to
termination of the student’s program.
ii) the Dean of Graduate Studies approves a repeat of the course, upon
the recommendation of the Supervisor and the Supervisory Committee supported
by the Head of the Academic Unit, where a.i. above does not apply. Such recommendations
must provide sufficient grounds for a repeat. Only one such repeat will
be permitted in a student’s program. Failure to obtain a grade of A or B
in the repeated course shall lead to termination of the student’s program.
NOTE: In exceptional circumstances, the Dean of Graduate Studies may
approve a substitute course in place of the repeat upon the recommendation
of the Supervisory Committee and Supervisor supported by the Head of the Academic
Unit. Failure to obtain a grade of A or B in the substituted course shall
lead to termination of the student’s program.
b) Failure in a non-program course will not normally result in termination
of a student’s program.
c) The Supervisor and the Supervisory Committee may recommend that a candidate
be required to withdraw from the program, if after consultation with the
candidate, the candidate’s non-course work is deemed to have fallen below
a satisfactory level.
d) When departmental requirements for a degree requires an examination
of a candidate’s reading knowledge of a language(s) other than English,
the examination shall be set and marked by the appropriate language department,
or by an authority as determined by the Head of the academic unit and Dean.
The results of the examination will be transmitted to the candidate by the
Dean.
3. Deferral of Examinations
a) Graduate students who are prevented by illness, bereavement or other
acceptable cause, duly authenticated, from writing final examinations may
apply, with supporting documents within one week of the original examination
date to the appropriate head of the academic unit to have their examinations
deferred.
b) The Department's decision, including information on the appeals route
open to the student in the case of a negative decision, must be communicated
in writing to the student and to the Dean of Graduate Studies within one
week of the receipt of the student's complete application.
c) In those cases where the Department accepts the extenuating circumstances
the student may be permitted to write a deferred examination or, with the
consent of both the Department and the student, the grade submitted may
be based on term work alone.
d) An interim grade of "ABS" will be assigned by the academic unit in the
case of a student granted a deferred examination. This grade will be replaced
by the final grade which must be received by the Office of the Registrar
within one week following the commencement of classes in the next academic
semester or session.
e) Students who are prevented by illness or bereavement or other acceptable
cause, duly authenticated, from writing a deferred examination, may apply,
in writing, with supporting documents within one week of the scheduled date
of the deferred examination to the appropriate Department Head to have the
examination postponed to a time not later than the last date for examinations
in the semester following that in which the student was enrolled in the
course.
f) The Department's decision, including information on the appeals route
open to the student in the case of a negative decision, must be communicated
to the Registrar, to the student and to the Dean of Graduate Studies within
one week of the receipt of the student's complete application.
4. Incomplete Grades/Change of Grade
a) For good cause a grade of "Incomplete" may, with the approval of the
appropriate department or academic unit, be submitted. This "Incomplete"
grade shall, however, be valid only for one week following the commencement
of classes in the next academic session as stated in the University Diary.
In the event that a mark has not been received by the Registrar within the
prescribed deadline, the "Incomplete" grade shall be changed to "0 F".
b) Clause a. notwithstanding, for acceptable cause an extension of time
not exceeding the end of the semester following that in which the "Incomplete"
was given may be permitted by the Head of the academic unit. "Acceptable
cause" in these cases must be duly authenticated and will be illness, bereavement,
serious problems of a personal nature or the like.
c) Changes in grades for graduate courses must be submitted on the
appropriate form, which must be signed by the course instructor and approved
by the Head of the appropriate academic unit who will submit such changes
to the Registrar.
NOTE: A grade of less than 65% cannot be changed without the
approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies.
5. Re-Reading of Examination Papers
a) Students may apply to have a final examination paper re-read whether
or not they have obtained a passing grade in that course.
b) Students who wish to have a final examination paper re-read must make
written application to the Registrar enclosing a fee of $50.00 per paper within
one month of the release by the University of the grade reports. If the mark
is raised after re-reading, the fee is refunded. If the mark is unchanged
or lowered, the fee is forfeited.
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