Note:

While advisors in academic units and the Registrars of the Colleges are always available to give advice and guidance, it must be clearly understood that the ultimate responsibility rests with the student for completeness and correctness of course selection, for compliance with prerequisite, co-requisite requirements, observance of exceeded courses, etc., for completion of Program details, for proper observance of degree requirements, the Distribution/Breadth Requirement and for observance of regulations, deadlines, etc. Students are responsible for seeking guidance from a responsible officer if they are in any doubt; misunderstanding, or advice received from another student will not be accepted as cause for dispensation from any regulation, deadline, program or degree requirement.

Students should also note the Important Notices section of this Calendar.

Registration

Details of the procedures by which students of the Faculty of Arts & Science register -- enrol in courses for which they are eligible, and pay or make arrangements to pay fees -- are found in the Registration Instructions online: www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/course/timetable.

Taking Courses Outside the Faculty

Courses at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC), and the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design (Daniels)

Students registered in the Faculty of Arts & Science may enrol in most courses offered by UTM, UTSC, and Daniels, provided that they meet the enrolment controls and prerequisites established by those divisions. These courses count towards the 20.0 Full Course Equivalents (FCE) required for a Faculty of Arts & Science degree and are included in the cumulative grade point average (CGPA) calculation. These courses may also count towards Faculty of Arts & Science program requirements; students should check with the relevant academic unit before enrolling. Faculty of Arts & Science students enrolling in UTM, UTSC, and Daniels courses should also note that, although academic and course refund deadlines may be different for UTM/UTSC/Daniels students, as a Faculty of Arts & Science student they must adhere to all Faculty of Arts & Science deadlines (e.g. enrolment deadlines, drop deadlines, CR/NCR deadlines, refund deadlines, etc.), with the exception of the start and end of classes.  

Non-degree students in the Faculty of Arts & Science may enrol in Arts & Science, UTM, UTSC, and Daniels courses.

Graduate Courses Sponsored by a Faculty of Arts & Science Academic Unit
In exceptional circumstances, undergraduate degree students in the Faculty of Arts & Science may be granted permission to count a graduate course sponsored by a Faculty of Arts & Science academic unit toward their undergraduate degree.   Students making such requests should use the form available on the Faculty website. Students are expected to have already exhausted all undergraduate courses available in the Faculty in the relevant subject area before requesting to enrol in a graduate course sponsored by a Faculty of Arts & Science academic unit. Note that not all Faculty of Arts & Science academic units will allow undergraduate enrolment in a graduate course, even in exceptional circumstances; others may require a minimum GPA and/or the instructor’s permission. 
  
For degree requirement purposes, a graduate course will count as a 400-level course. Permission to count a graduate course toward a student’s program requirements is a separate matter and at the discretion of the relevant program.  

Courses of Other Divisions 
Students should select their courses from those offered in the Faculty of Arts & Science.  If, however, they identify a course(s) offered in a division, faculty or school of the University (other than the Faculty of Arts & Science, the University of Toronto Mississauga, the University of Toronto Scarborough, or the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design), including a graduate course sponsored by an academic unit outside of the Faculty of Arts & Science, that may be appropriate for inclusion in their program(s), they may request permission to enrol or remain enrolled in the course for degree credit. A student will use the form available on the Faculty website and obtain permission from the division, faculty, or school offering the course, and obtain confirmation from the relevant undergraduate academic unit that the course may be used to fulfil the requirements of one of their programs. 

Students should initiate the procedure well in advance of the beginning of classes, so that they may choose alternate courses if permission is not granted. Once the form is completed, the academic unit that will count the course towards a program will arrange to enrol the student in the course (unless enrolment has already taken place.) When taking a course in another division, a student is subject to course-specific dates and deadlines of the other division.  

Non-degree students in the Faculty of Arts & Science may enrol only in Arts & Science, UTM, UTSC, and Daniels courses. They may not request permission from the Faculty to enrol in courses from other divisions.

Courses of Other Universities (Letters of Permission and Transfer Credit) 
Degree students with a cumulative grade point average of at least 1.50 may take a maximum of 5.0 Full Course Equivalents (FCE) elsewhere for transfer credit. Transfer credits received as a result of studies completed on an exchange program are not included in this maximum. Students admitted with transfer credit may be limited in the number of courses that they may transfer after admission (with the exception of from an exchange program) and should consult the chart available on the web at www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/tc/postadmission/eligibility. Prior to taking courses at a Canadian or U.S. university, students are advised to request a Letter of Permission to confirm acceptability of those courses for transfer credit. For other universities, students may submit a request for transfer credit after completing courses elsewhere; note that there is no guarantee that transfer credit will be awarded. Permission obtained from an instructor or from an academic unit for program purposes does not obligate the Faculty to grant transfer credit. There is a $40.00 non-refundable charge for each Letter of Permission and associated Addendum request and a $25.00 non-refundable fee for each Transfer Credit request. Assessments of transfer credit may take several weeks to process depending on the time of year and the nature of the request. Applicants are responsible for submitting requests well in advance of any deadlines they must meet and for obtaining the appropriate advising concerning the Letter of Permission and Transfer Credit processes.

Note: Only 1.0 FCE in transfer credit at the 300+ level may be used to satisfy the degree requirement of a minimum of 6.0 FCE at the 300+ level. All 300+ level transfer credits received as a result of studies completed on an exchange program can contribute toward the 300+ level degree requirement. Please refer to the Letters of Permission and Transfer Credit (Post-Admission) Guidelines on the Registrar’s Office web site at www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/tc/postadmission.

International Opportunities 
See the section on Student Services & Resources for international opportunities for Arts & Science.

Course Loads

For more information on course loads please refer to the Guide to Programs & Courses section.

Fall/Winter Session
The recommended course load for full-time students in each of the Fall and Winter terms is no more than 2.5 FCE; the maximum course load in the Fall/Winter Session is 3.0 FCE per term.

Summer Session
The maximum course load during the Summer Session is 1.0 FCE per term. 

Cancelling Courses or Registration

1. Pay any outstanding fees;
2. return any books to the Library and pay any outstanding fines;
3. vacate any laboratory or athletic lockers and return any equipment in their possession.

Fees

• tuition fees
• academic and other incidental fees
• residence fees and other residence charges
• library fines
• Bookstore accounts
• loans made by colleges, faculties or the University
• Health Service accounts
• unreturned or damaged instruments, materials and equipment
• orders for the restitution, rectification or the payment of damages, fines, bonds for good behaviour, and requirement of public service work imposed under the authority of the Code of Student Conduct.

1. Official transcripts of record will not be issued.
2. The University will not release the diploma nor provide oral confirmations or written certification of degree status to external enquirers.
3. Indebted graduands will be allowed to walk on stage and have their names appear on the convocation program but will not receive their diploma until their account is paid.
4. Registration will be refused to a continuing or returning student.
5. Official letters (e.g., confirmation of graduation, QECO) will not be issued.
6. Education verifications may not be issued.

Course Marks

1. Students who miss a term test for reasons beyond their control may, no later than one week after the missed test, submit to the instructor or academic unit a request for special consideration explaining the reason for missing the test, and attaching appropriate documentation, such as the Verifiction of Illness or Injury form (www.illnessverification.utoronto.ca).
2. If a request with documentation cannot be submitted within one week, the academic unit may consider a request to extend the time limit.
3. A student whose explanation is accepted by the academic unit will be entitled to one of the following considerations:
   a) Whenever possible, the student may be offered the opportunity to do a make-up test.
   b) Where a make-up test is not possible or the student’s circumstances do not permit a make-up test, the instructor may allocate the percentage weight of the test to any combination of the remaining term work and/or final exam in the course.
   c)  If the student misses the remaining term work for acceptable reasons, the full percentage weight of the missed work may be allocated to the final exam. Exception: the weight of a final exam in a 100-series course may not be increased beyond 80% as an initial accommodation for a legitimate absence.  However, if the student misses the make-up opportunity or subsequent test that was to be re-weighted, then the weight of the final exam may be increased beyond 80%.
   d)  In courses where the mid-term test is the only marked work in the course other than the final examination, an initial make-up test opportunity normally must be given.
4. No student is automatically entitled to a second make-up test opportunity.  The academic unit will determine what accommodation is appropriate for a student who misses a make-up test for legitimate reasons.
5. A student who misses a term test cannot subsequently petition for late withdrawal from the course without academic penalty on the grounds that no term work was returned before the drop date.

Faculty Final Examinations

A Faculty final examination counting for between one-third and two-thirds of the final mark must be held in each 100-series course, unless exemption has been granted by the Faculty of Arts & Science. In 200-, 300- and 400-series courses, the Departments will decide whether or not an examination is appropriate. Courses in the 200-series will normally have a final examination. The ratio of term work to examination will be the same for all sections of multi-section courses that have final examinations. The relative value of each part of a written examination must be indicated on the question paper.

Final examinations are held at the end of each term. Students taking courses during the day may be required to write evening examinations, and students taking evening courses may be required to write examinations during the day. Examinations may be held on Saturdays. Students who make personal commitments during the examination period do so at their own risk. No special consideration is given and no special arrangements are made in the event of conflicts resulting from personal commitments.

Students who are unable to write their examinations due to illness, etc., should contact their College Registrar (see "Petitions Regarding Examinations", below).

Students who have two Faculty final examinations in the same time slot, or three consecutive Faculty final examinations (e.g., morning, afternoon, evening; or afternoon, evening, next morning), should submit a Final Examinations Conflict form using their University of Toronto email account to examconflicts.artsci@utoronto.ca 

Students who cannot write a final examination at the scheduled time due to a religious obligation should should submit a Final Examinations Conflict form using their University of Toronto email account to examconflicts.artsci@utoronto.ca as soon as the conflict is known, and no later than the deadline shown on the examination schedule.

Information regarding dates, times and locations of examinations will not be given by telephone or email; for the most up to date examination timetable consult the Faculty's current students web site at www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current.

Rules for the Conduct of Examinations

1. No person will be allowed in an examination room during an examination except the candidates concerned and those supervising the examination.
2. Candidates must appear at the examination room at least twenty minutes before the commencement of the examination.
3. Candidates shall bring their photo identification (signed Photo ID) and place it in a conspicuous place on their desks. Photo identification may include any one of the following, as long as it contains a photo and a signature: current University of Toronto Photo ID (TCard) OR up-to-date Passport (any country) OR current Driver’s License (any country) OR current Canadian health card (any province or territory).
4. Candidates shall place their watch or timepiece on their desks.
5. All coats and jackets should be placed on the back of each candidate’s chair. All notes and books, pencil cases, turned off cell phones, laptops and other unauthorized aids as well as purses should be stored inside candidate’s knapsack or large bag, which should then be closed securely and placed under candidate’s chair. Candidates are NOT allowed to have a pencil case on their desk and any pencil cases found on desks will be searched. All watches and timepieces on desks will be checked. Candidates are not allowed to touch their knapsack or bag or the contents until the exam is over. Candidates are not allowed to reach into the pockets or any part of their coat or jacket until the exam is over.
6. The Chief Presiding Officer has authority to assign seats to candidates.
7. Candidates shall not communicate with one another in any manner whatsoever during the  examination. Candidates may not leave the examination room unescorted for any reason, and this includes using the washroom.
8. No materials or electronic devices shall be used or viewed during an examination, except those authorized by the Chief Presiding Officer or Examiner.  Unauthorized materials include, but are not limited to: books, class notes, or aid sheets.  Unauthorized electronic devices include, but are not limited to: cellular telephones, laptop computers, calculators, MP3 players (such as an iPod), Personal Digital Assistants (“PDA” such as a Palm Pilot or Blackberry), pagers, electronic dictionaries, tablets,  Smart Watches and Smart Glasses.
9. Candidates who use or view any unauthorized materials or electronic devices while their examination is in progress - or who assist or obtain assistance from other candidates or from any unauthorized source - are liable to penalties under the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters, including the loss of academic credit and suspension.
10. In general, candidates will not be permitted to enter an examination room later than fifteen minutes after the commencement of the examination, nor to leave except under supervision until at least half an hour after the examination has commenced.
11. Candidates shall remain seated at their desks during the final ten minutes of each examination.
12. At the conclusion of an examination, all writing shall cease.  The Chief Presiding Officer may seize the papers of candidates who fail to observe this requirement, and a penalty may be imposed.
13. Examination books and other material issued for the examination shall not be removed from the examination room except by authority of the Chief Presiding Officer.

The University is not responsible for personal property left in examination rooms.

Credit/No Credit

Degree students in the Faculty of Arts & Science may select up to 2.0 Full-Course Equivalents (FCE) of their degree credits to be assessed on a Credit/ No Credit (CR/NCR) basis. This option is available for Arts & Science students taking courses offered by the Faculty of Arts & Science, the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design (Daniels), the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), or the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC). Some courses may not be eligible for CR/NCR -- refer to the Academic Calendar of the relevant division.

Students must choose this mode of assessment no later than the last date to cancel the relevant course. Once the deadline has passed, students may not reverse this decision. Students may add or remove the CR/NCR option on ACORN (www.acorn.utoronto.ca). See the Faculty's website for full details of the CR/NCR option: www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/forms-services/crncr

To achieve a status of CR (Credit), a student must achieve a final mark of at least 50%. Marks below that will be assessed as NCR (No Credit). Courses with a final status of CR will count as degree credits but will have no effect on the student’s GPA. They will count as Distribution Requirements, Breadth Requirements, and degree credits, but cannot be used to satisfy program requirements or the 12.0 different FCE requirement between programs for a student's degree unless explicitly permitted by the program.

Courses with a final status of NCR will not count as degree credits but will not count as failures, and will also not be included in the GPA calculation.

Students may exercise this option to a total of 2.0 FCE throughout their degree studies. The choice is not restricted as to year or level of course.

Students taking a course on a CR/NCR basis will not be identified individually to the instructor teaching that course; they will be assessed in the same way as all other students in the course, i.e. will have the same assignments and tests and will be evaluated with the same expectations.

This option is not available to Arts & Science non-degree students.

Note to graduating students: The CR/NCR option is only open to degree students. Once students have graduated, they become non-degree students and they may not complete courses on a CR/NCR basis, even if they enrolled in the course before their graduation. This means if a student is graduating in June and they select a summer course as CR/NCR or if a student is graduating in November and they enroll in a fall or winter course as CR/NCR, the CR/NCR option will be removed and a percentage mark will appear on the student’s record.

Students opting to do courses on a CR/NCR basis should be aware that their underlying percentage/letter grade will not be released or reported in any way. However, the Faculty cannot determine how an external body may read or interpret the CR/NCR on a transcript. If a specific mark may be required in a course for professional/graduate school applications or for other reasons in the future, students should not choose the CR/NCR option. Students may wish to seek academic advising at their College Registrar's Office when considering use of CR/NCR.

Students who transfer to the Faculty of Arts & Science from Daniels, UTM or UTSC will have all Daniels Faculty/UTM/UTSC CR/NCR options (if any) included in their Arts & Science academic record. These CR/NCR options are counted towards the 2.0 FCE maximum.

The CR/NCR option cannot be used for a course in which the student has committed an academic offence. If a student has specified the CR/NCR option for a course in which an academic offence has been committed, the CR/NCR option will be revoked and the percentage mark will stand as the course mark.

The following courses are not eligible to be taken as CR/NCR: courses where an individual student works on independent study or individual research supervised by a professor; First Year Seminars (199s)/Research Opportunity Program (399s)/Research Excursions (398s); Foundational Year Program courses (College Ones, Munk One); Rotman Commerce (RSM) courses; field courses; courses evaluated on a Pass/Fail basis.

Late Withdrawal – LWD

The Faculty of Arts & Science has a mechanism to assist students, in conjunction with their College Registrars, to remedy situations, particularly in their early years at university, where personal or other circumstances mean they are irretrievably behind in a course.

Degree students in the Faculty of Arts & Science may request to withdraw without petition from a total of no more than 3.0 Full Course Equivalent (FCE), provided such a request is made by the last day of classes in the relevant term. Non-degree students may also request LWD, provided they do not exceed the 3.0 FCE maximum throughout their combined degree and non-degree studies.

Students will make such requests to their College Registrar.

Withdrawals approved under this procedure will be noted on the academic record by the course status LWD (Late Withdrawal). This course status will have no effect on the GPA or other elements of the academic record.

Students who have fallen behind with assignments or are not at all prepared to write exams in one or more of courses will be expected to make use of this remedy, and should contact their College Registrar’s Office immediately.

Students seeking to avail themselves of this remedy will be expected to work with their College registrarial advisor to analyze what led to their predicament, to discuss what steps they can take to prevent it from happening again, and to learn from their experiences.

Students who transfer to the Faculty of Arts & Science from the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) or the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC), or the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design (Daniels) will have all UTM/UTSC/Daniels LWD requests (if any) included in their Arts & Science academic record. These LWD requests are counted towards the 3.0 FCE maximum.

Note that the option for Late Withdrawal is not available if an allegation of academic misconduct is under investigation. If LWD was previously granted in the course, it will be revoked and the percentage grade will stand as the course grade. 

Please note: Students who have not achieved final standing (a final passing mark/P/CR) in at least one course in the Faculty of Arts & Science who cancel their registration must re-apply for admission through the Ontario Universities Application Centre if they wish to return in the future. Late Withdrawal (LWD) does not constitute final standing in a course.

“Extra” Courses: 100-level, Repeating and Excluded Courses

• the course is a 100-level course and the maximum of 6.0 FCE at the 100-level allowable for degree credit has already been completed (see 1. below), or
• the course repeats work previously taken, either the same course taken over again (see 2. below) or the course lists as an exclusion another course that has already been completed (see 3. below)

Grading Regulations

Marks Review Procedure

The Faculty of Arts & Science implements the Grading Regulations, reviews course marks submitted by academic units and posts the official marks. Official marks are communicated to the students via ACORN.

Each academic unit has an appointed faculty member (e.g. a Chair, Program Director, Vice Principal) who is responsible for reviewing marks submitted by instructors. This appointed faculty member may ask for clarification of any anomalous results or distributions, or disparity between sections of the same courses. Both the appointed faculty member and the Dean have the right, in consultation with the instructor of the course, to adjust marks where there is an obvious and unexplained discrepancy between the marks submitted and the perceived standards of the Faculty. Final marks are official, and may be communicated to the students only after the review procedure has taken place. Marks, as an expression of the instructor’s best judgment of each student’s overall performance, will not be determined by any system of quotas.

GPA Equivalency Chart

* The grade point values above apply to marks earned in individual courses; grade point averages (SGPAs/AGPAs/CGPAs) are weighted sums of the grade points earned (see below), and thus do not necessarily correspond exactly to the scale above.

Note:

In order to “obtain standing” in a course, a student must receive at least a passing grade (50%)/P/CR in that course. A Grade of “F” is a failure. There are no supplemental examination privileges in the Faculty.

Other notations, which have no grade point values are:

AEG - Aegrotat Standing on the basis of term work and medical evidence
CR/NCR - Credit/No Credit; see above
EXT or XTR or X - Extra course, not for degree credit; course has no effect on status or grade point average.
GWR - Grade withheld pending Review
IPR - (Course) In Progress
LWD - Late withdrawal without academic penalty
NGA - No grade available
P/FL - Pass/Failure. In cases where the FL grade is used in calculating grade point averages, the symbol “FL %” is used and a grade point value of 0.0 is assigned
SDF- Standing Deferred; granted only by petition
WDR - Late Withdrawal without academic penalty after the relevant deadline; granted only by petition  Refer to information on Petitions. 

Grade Point Average

The Grade Point Average (GPA) is the weighted sum (a full course is weighted as 1.0, a half-course as 0.5) of the grade points earned, divided by the number of courses in which grade points were earned.

Courses that are not included in the GPA are: courses noted with AEG standing, transfer credits, courses designated as Extra, courses taken as CR/NCR, and courses evaluated on a Pass/Fail basis in which a grade of Pass (P) is achieved.
If a grade of Fail (FL) is achieved in a course evaluated on a Pass/Fail basis, a grade point value of 0.0 may be assigned in which case the course is included in the GPA.

Courses taken as a non-degree student or a non-degree visiting student are included in the GPA.

Four types of grade point averages are used:

1. The sessional GPA is based on courses taken in a single term or Session (Fall, Winter or Summer);
2. The annual GPA is based on courses taken in the Fall/Winter Session;
3. The cumulative GPA takes into account all courses taken in the Faculty, except courses marked Extra, courses completed with a grade of P, and courses taken as CR/NCR;
4. The Concurrent Teacher Education Program (CTEP) GPA takes into account all Bachelor of Education courses. This GPA is only used for CTEP students.

Sessional, annual, and cumulative GPAs are also calculated for all non-degree and non-degree visiting students. For non-degree students who have completed a degree in the Faculty, the cumulative GPA includes all courses taken both as a degree student and as a non-degree student.

Academic Standing

There are four kinds of academic standing: In Good Standing; On Probation; On Suspension; Refused Further Registration. Academic standing is assessed for the first time at the end of the session in which a student achieves final standing in at least 0.5 Full Course Equivalents (FCE) (excluding Credit/No Credit, Pass/Fail, and courses marked Extra) in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

Academic standing is assessed twice a year:

1. At the end of the Fall/Winter Session; the GPAs used for this assessment are the annual and the cumulative GPAs.
2. At the end of the Summer Session; the GPAs used for this assessment are the sessional and the cumulative GPAs.

In Good Standing:

Students are described as In Good Standing if they have not been assessed as On Probation, Suspended nor Refused Further Registration; these terms are explained below. 

Probation; Suspension; Refused Further Registration

1. A student shall be on academic probation who
   a) has a cumulative GPA of less than 1.50 or
   b) returns from suspension.
2. A student who is on probation and, at the end of the relevant Fall/Winter Session or Summer Session 
   a) has a cumulative GPA of 1.50 or more shall be in good standing
   b) has a cumulative GPA of less than 1.50 but an annual GPA of 1.70 or more (Fall/Winter Session)/sessional GPA of 1.70 or more (Summer Session) shall continue on probation.
   c) has a cumulative GPA of less than 1.50 and an annual GPA of less than 1.70 (Fall/Winter Session)/sessional GPA of less than 1.70 (Summer Session) shall be suspended for one calendar year unless a one-year suspension has previously been imposed, in which case a three-year suspension will be imposed.
3. A student who, having been suspended for three years, is again liable for suspension shall be refused further registration in the Faculty.

This image shows how Academic Standing is determined.

NOTE: Students On Academic Probation may take no more than 2.5 Full Course Equivalents (FCE) in each of the Fall and Winter terms, and no more than 1.0 FCE in each of the Summer terms.

Appeals and Petitions

Students are responsible for observing sessional dates, course prerequisites, and exclusions, satisfying the degree requirements and following the rules and regulations in the Calendar and the Registration Instructions.  Failure to follow regulations, requirements and deadlines may result in academic and/or financial consequences or penalties, and failure to inform oneself about these will not be accepted as sufficient excuse to avoid these consequences. Students should always consult their College Registrar immediately for guidance if anything happens that interferes with continuing or completing their courses, or that appears to be contrary to rules, regulations and deadlines.

Appeals At the Academic Unit Level

Academic appeals concern issues arising within a course that relate to the pedagogical relationship of the instructor and the student, such as the organization of a course, grading practices, or conduct of instructors.  These fall within the authority of the academic unit sponsoring the course and are not the subject of petitions. Students are encouraged to discuss any issues regarding the academic aspects of a course first with the instructor. It is recommended that such discussions should be documented in writing where appropriate. The successive stages of appeal after the course instructor must be documented in writing.  These successive stages are: the Undergraduate Coordinator or Associate Chair; the Chair or Program Director of the Academic Unit; then the Office of the Dean, Faculty of Arts & Science. An appeal must have been reviewed at the academic unit level before being referred to the Dean’s Office; appeals to the Dean’s Office must be in writing.

Petitions to the Faculty

Petitions concern issues relating to degree requirements, academic regulations, examinations,  and administrative rules.  These  may be petitioned to the Faculty, provided the petition is submitted prior to the specified deadlines. The Faculty recognizes that an exception may be required in the face of unpredictable, exceptional circumstances.   In submitting a petition to have regulations waived or varied, students must present compelling reasons and relevant documentation, and must demonstrate that they have acted responsibly and with good judgment in attempting to observe Faculty regulations. Students are requested to present their entire case from the outset so their circumstances may be reviewed adequately for an equitable decision. The Committee on Standing routinely denies petitions that in its view do not present a valid reason for an exception to the regulations.  Students are encouraged to seek advice on all such matters from their College Registrar's Office.

Petitions must 1) state the student’s request; 2) provide the reasons why an exception should be made in a clear and concise manner; and 3) be accompanied by relevant supporting documentation.  A petition is considered in confidence by the Committee on Standing, which is charged with interpreting and administering the regulations of the Faculty. The Committee has the authority to grant exceptions and to attach conditions to its decisions.

It is the responsibility of the student to provide a valid UofT email address to which a petition decision may be sent. Only UofT email will be used to reply to petitions.   Non-receipt of a decision due to incorrect email address is not grounds for reconsideration.

Deadlines to File Petitions

The deadlines for petitions are strictly enforced. If there are compelling reasons why a petition is being filed after the deadline, a covering letter explaining the reasons and requesting late consideration must accompany the petition. The issue of lateness must be satisfactorily resolved before the substance of the petition may be considered. Late petitions without sufficient reason for lateness will not be considered, no matter how compelling. 

Petitions for Term Work

• The deadline is five working days after the last day of the examination period for the term in question (for term work during the Fall term, the deadline is five working days after the University reopens in January).

Petitions for Examinations

• The deadline is five working days after the last day of the examination period for the term in question (for December examinations, the deadline is five working days after the University reopens in January)
• UTM/UTSC courses: Within 72 hours of a missed examination, students must file a petition with their Faculty of Arts & Science College Registrar's Office, with the required supporting documentation

Petitions for Withdrawal (see also Late Withdrawal above)

• Fall-Winter Session courses:  The deadline is the following 15 November
• Summer Session courses:   The deadline is the following 28/29 February

All documentation supporting petitions must be submitted as soon as possible, and no later than three weeks after the date the student initiates the petition.

Late petitions and petitions with late documentation will not be considered, as above.
 

Documentation in Support of Petitions

The Faculty seeks documentation that provides pertinent evidence for decisions determining whether or not an exception should be made to regulations that are designed to ensure equitable treatment for all students. Acceptable forms of documentation are of two types:

1) Medical:

• The best medical documentation acceptable at the University of Toronto is the University's Verification of Illness or Injury Form. This form is designed to solicit the information needed for a petition, and nothing more. When submitted with a petition, students submit the original document only; no faxed or scanned copies will be accepted. This form may only be completed by Dentists, Nurse Practitioners, Physicians/Surgeons, Psychologists, Psychotherapists or Social Workers registered and licensed in Ontario: www.illnessverification.utoronto.ca.
• If a student must substitute another document, the best document will contain precisely the same information required on a Verification of Illness or Injury form: date(s) of visits, date range when the student was affected by the medical circumstances, and the degree of impact on the student. This documentation must be original and be clearly marked with a signature, the practitioner’s address, and the practitioner’s registration number.

2) Non-Medical:

• College Registrar’s Letter (appropriate in certain circumstances)
• Accessibility Services Letter (required for accessibility-related petitions)
• In some situations, other non-medical supporting documentation may be relevant. The Faculty has provided guidelines and a form that may be useful to those providing such documentation. www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/petitions/pdfs/supplemental_petition_documentation.pdf

Medical Documentation:

If illness is being presented as the reason for the request for an exception or an accommodation, the claim of illness itself is not necessarily sufficient grounds to guarantee approval of the request. All cases are examined in their entirety before a decision is made:  an illness or injury’s duration and resulting incapacitation are taken into account along with other relevant factors in the context of the course at issue.   Note that the physician’s report must establish that the patient was examined and diagnosed at the time of illness, not after the fact. The Faculty will not accept a statement that merely confirms a later report of illness made by the student to a physician.

Petitions Regarding Term Work (see also Term Work)

Matters concerning term work normally fall within the authority of the instructor. Students unable to comply with given deadlines must contact their instructor prior to the deadline if an extension to the deadline is being requested.  Students should expect no consideration if an issue is raised after the assignment deadline.  

Normally, all term work must be submitted by the last day of classes, unless an earlier date has been specified by the instructor. Instructors may grant extensions beyond their own deadlines or beyond the last day of classes up until five working days after the end of the examination period, provided that a student presents legitimate reasons, e.g. illness, with appropriate documentation as determined by the instructor.

Extensions beyond five business days after the end of the examination period can be approved only through a petition. Such petitions for an extension of time for term work must also be initiated within five business days after the end of the relevant examination period. Late requests will not be considered. Students must file the petition after consultation with the instructor regarding a suitable extension date. The Committee on Standing consults the academic unit concerned for information about the status of the course work, and the steps, if any, that must be taken to complete the course. Students seeking an extension of time for term work are expected to have been in contact with their instructor before the initial deadline and must continue working on the outstanding assignments while they await a decision.

Petitions Regarding Examinations (see also Examinations)

Students are expected to write their examinations as scheduled. Only in cases of documented debilitating illness or legitimate conflict should a student request a deferral of a final examination. Students who are too ill and/or incapacitated at the time of the examinations should petition to defer the examination they are unable to attend due to their medical condition. Petitions based on travel, employment, or personal plans will not be considered as students are expected to make themselves available during the published Examination Period to write final examinations.

In response to a petition for a deferred examination, a student may be granted the opportunity to write a special examination at a subsequent examination period or the regular examination in the next offering of the course. Satisfactory documentation must be provided to corroborate illness (see above). Students with chronic illnesses must provide medical documentation for the specific date on which the illness was acute, or a letter from Accessibility Services for those registered for such a disability (indicating they were seen at the time of flare up, etc.).

Students who have missed an examination and are requesting a deferral must submit a petition no later than one week after the end of the examination period through their college registrar. There is a fee of $70.00 per deferred examination (maximum $140.00 for multiple deferral requests in the same petition).

In the petition decision students are notified of the examination period in which the deferred examination will take place, and if the examination will be a regular or special examination. They must register to take the deferred examination and pay the fee by the deadline given, in order that arrangements can be made. The Faculty will notify those who do not register by the deadline that they have lost their privilege of a deferred examination and will revert the mark to one that includes a zero for the final examination. No further consideration will be given.

The Faculty posts, as soon as possible after the regular examinations have been scheduled, personal deferred examination schedules online for students who have paid the deferred examination fee. The table below should be used as a guideline; deferred exams may occur outside of this timeline. 

Students who must write a deferred examination in a course that serves as a prerequisite for subsequent courses may enrol in those courses provided they obtain the approval of the academic unit concerned and provided the term mark in the prerequisite (deferred) course is at least 60%.  If students are enrolling in courses for which the deferred examination is a prerequisite, they are advised to consult the academic unit sponsoring the upcoming course:  as they do not have the stated prerequisite, they may be removed during a pre-requisite check and reinstatement may not be possible if the course is full. 

Special Accommodations Fee

Students who request permission to write an examination outside the normal examination arrangements, e.g. at an Outside Centre, must submit a petition making their request at least three weeks prior to the beginning of the examination period. Late requests cannot be accommodated. A non-refundable fee of $30.00 for each examination is charged at the time of application. Students who have been granted permission to write a deferred examination will pay this fee in addition to the deferred examination fee of $70.00 per examination. These fees do not apply for accommodations resulting from conflicts with religious obligations or from arrangements made through Accessibility Services.

If permission has been granted for the examination to be written at an Outside Centre, students are also responsible for all costs for invigilation, postage, etc. charged by the Outside Centres involved. Students are advised to determine the total cost before petitioning. Such permission is granted only in the most extreme circumstances.

Notes:

1. Students who are granted Deferred Standing (i.e., the notation of “SDF”, for an extension of time for term work or for a deferred examination) and who have earned a Cumulative Grade Point Average of less than 1.50 will not be permitted to enrol in any further courses until the outstanding course work has been completed and final cumulative and sessional GPAs and status for the session have been assessed.
2. A second deferral of an examination is generally not permitted.  In the unusual instance where a second deferral is granted, the student may not enrol in further courses until the deferred examination has been written and the course has been completed. In such instances, pending the second deferred examination a mark of “0” for the examination will be included in the calculation of the course mark and the “SDF” notation will be replaced by the resulting mark.  Students are charged a further fee for each subsequent deferred examination.
3. Students who are not feeling well at the time of an examination must decide whether they are too ill to write.  If unsure, they should seek medical advice.  Students who become ill during an examination and cannot complete the examination must notify the Presiding Officer at the examination about their situation before they leave the exam hall and should seek immediate medical attention.  Students who simply leave the examination hall will be assumed to have completed the examination.
4. If students decide to write an examination which does not go well, they may not petition for a rewrite or late withdrawal. Arguments after the fact claiming an inability to function at full potential or to exhibit full knowledge of the subject matter will not be accepted as grounds for consideration of a petition concerning poor performance on an examination.
5. Students who choose to write an examination against medical advice should do so knowing that they will not be given consideration after the examination has been written. Students must not only take responsibility for making appropriate judgments about their fitness to attend examinations, but also must accept the outcome of their choices.

Appeals Concerning Petition Decisions

Appeals concerning petition decisions progress as follows:

1. Petition to the Committee on Standing by appropriate deadline submitted through College Registrar (see Deadlines to File Petitions);
2. Appeal to the Committee on Standing within ninety days of the first decision; second petition submitted through the College Registrar;
3. Appeal to the Faculty Academic Appeals Board within ninety days of the second decision; written request for a hearing submitted through the College Registrar;
4. Appeal to the Academic Appeals Committee of Governing Council within ninety days of the decision of the Faculty Academic Appeals Board; written request for a hearing submitted directly to the Governing Council Office in Simcoe Hall, through the Appeals, Discipline and Faculty Grievances Office.

Reassessment of Marks

• February examinations - the following August 31
• April examinations - the following October 31
• June examinations - the following January 15
• August examinations - the following February 28/29
• December examinations - the following June 30

Student Records

The University's Policy on Access to Student Academic Records can be found on the Governing Council web site at http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/policies.

Mailing Address

Address information (mailing and permanent) must be viewed and updated on ACORN at www.acorn.utoronto.ca. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the mailing address is kept up-to-date on ACORN.

E-Mail Address

As a student at the University of Toronto, you have automatic access to the Information Commons, which is your passport to e-mail, the library and the Internet. Once you have your TCard, you must activate your University of Toronto e-mail account. Setting up a UTmail+ account is mandatory; see "University Policy on Official Correspondence with Students" at: http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/policies.htm.

TCard

The TCard is the official University of Toronto student ID card, bearing student information including name, student number, and image. It serves various functions, including library card, meal plan card & access card (if applicable). It is used for identification purposes within the University, such as Faculty examinations, student activities, and Athletic Association privileges. In order to get your first TCard you will be required to present documentation to validate your identity and citizenship status. The loss of the card must be reported promptly to the College Registrar or TCard office, the Library, and Meal Plan provider (if applicable). There is a fee for the replacement of lost cards. For more information on TCard issuance and services, visit http://sites.utoronto.ca/tcard/

Statement of Results

Students are able to check their course results, grade point averages, and academic status by accessing their academic record online through ACORN. Final course results will be available for viewing on ACORN as soon as possible after they are received and posted by the Office of the Faculty Registrar. Note that academic status is only assessed at the end of the Fall/Winter session and the end of the Summer session.

Students not in good standing (i.e. on probation, or suspended, or refused further registration) will receive notification by email to their UTMail+ account.

Transcripts

The transcript of a student’s record reports their complete registration history at the university including courses in progress and the standing in all courses attempted along with course average, information about the student’s academic standing including records of suspension and refusal of further registration, any current academic sanctions if relevant, completion of program(s) at the time of graduation, and conferral of the degree.

The University of Toronto issues consolidated transcripts, including a student’s total academic record at the University. However, graduate students who were previously enrolled at the University of Toronto as an undergraduate student may request that only the graduate portion of their record be issued.  Students may request their transcript online at www.acorn.utoronto.ca. Further information can be obtained at www.transcripts.utoronto.ca. A fee of $12.00 (subject to change) is charged for each transcript. Requests may also be made in person or by mail to:

University of Toronto Transcript Centre
Room 1006, Sidney Smith Hall
100 St. George Street
Toronto, ON M5S 3G3
Email: transcripts@utoronto.ca

Course descriptions

Copies of course descriptions are issued at the student’s request.   The cost is $5.00/session (with an unlimited number of courses within each session).  Requests listing all courses/sessions needed may be made in person or by mail to:

University of Toronto Transcript Centre
Room 1006, Sidney Smith Hall
100 St. George Street
Toronto, ON M5S 3G3
Email: transcripts@utoronto.ca

Request forms can be obtained online at www.transcripts.utoronto.ca.Each request should also include the student’s surname and given names (or previous surname, if applicable), student ID, address of where to mail the course descriptions, daytime/cell phone number and email address.

University of Toronto Regulations and Policies

As members of the University of Toronto community, students assume certain responsibilities and are guaranteed certain rights and freedoms.

The University has several policies that are approved by the Governing Council and which apply to all students. The University will assume that each student must has become familiar with the policies. The rules and regulations of the Faculty are listed in this calendar. In applying to the Faculty, the student assumes certain responsibilities to the University and the Faculty and, if admitted and registered, shall be subject to all rules, regulations and policies cited in the calendar, as amended from time to time.

All University policies can be found at: http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/Governing_Council/policies.htm

Those which are of particular importance to students are:

• Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters
• Code of Student Conduct
• Policy on University Assessment and Grading Practices (updated in 2012)
• Policy on Official Correspondence with Students
• Policy on Access to Student Academic Records
• Policy on Academic Transcripts (updated in 2012)
• Policy on Academic Continuity (updated in 2012)

More information about students’ rights and responsibilities can be found at http://life.utoronto.ca/get-help/rights-responsibilities.htm.