Regulations

Registration consists of completing the registration forms accurately either electronically or on paper, and at the required times, of having them approved by deans or their delegates where necessary, and paying the required fees to the Student Accounts Office. All students register in a program of study offered by one of the four faculties into which the university is divided. Faculties are further divided into schools and departments, each with its own director or head, who are responsible for the academic integrity of their programs, and for counselling students in academic matters. A head/director may refuse to grant permission for a student to register for a course more than twice. Official and binding statements as to which courses students must offer to qualify for graduation are issued only by the Registrar's Office and upon written application.

Course load
Fall-winter semester:

The normal course load for full-time undergraduate students in the fall-winter semester is thirty credit hours (30h), or fifteen hours (15h) per semester. The course load for part-time undergraduate students in the fall-winter semester is less than nine (9h) credit hours.

Overloads
Students who have achieved a sessional grade point average of 2.5 in the previous academic year may register for 33h. Those who have achieved a sessional grade point average of 3.0 or higher in the previous academic year may register for 36h. First year students may register in no more than 30h.

Intersession
A maximum of nine hours (9h) may be taken in each part of intersession, except in science courses with laboratories and graduate courses where the maximum is six hours (6h). Thus a maximum of eighteen hours (18h) may be taken between the winter semester and the subsequent fall semester.

Changes to registration
Students are responsible for maintaining the accuracy of their record. The Registrar's Office will only record course, section and program changes when a student has initiated the process by following the drop, add or program change procedures. Similarly the Registrar's Office will only record a change of name or withdrawal from the University, or place a student on the list of potential graduates when the student has completed and submitted the appropriate forms either by mail, via the university's internet registration system, or in person.

Program changes
Admission is to a specific program. Students transferring from one program to another, for example, from science to business administration or from history to English, must apply on a program change form and have it approved by the director or department head of the unit they wish to enter, and by the Registrar's Office. Normally students must have a GPA of 2.00 to enter a program and a GPA of 3.00 to enter an honours program.

Course changes
During registration and add drop periods, most adds and drops, should be made on the registration system on the internet. For purposes of registration, sections of courses are considered to be individual courses.

Two-semester or fall semester courses may be added to a student's registration until September 12, and winter semester courses until January 14.

Two-term or fall term courses discontinued on or before September 17 and winter term courses discontinued on or before January 20 will not appear on a student's transcript. Fall term courses discontinued between September 17 and October 29, two-term courses discontinued between September 17 and January 20, and winter-semester courses discontinued between January 20 and March 4 appear on the transcript as W (withdrew). Courses noted by a W are not counted in the student's GPA.

The notation F (failed) will appear on the student's official record for courses discontinued after the above dates unless permission has been granted by the dean for the course to be discontinued without academic penalty for substantial medical, psychological or compassionate reasons.

• At the beginning of each course, professors are required to indicate, in writing, the work load for the course, together with the appropriate tentative dates and values of tests, term papers, quizzes, and other assignments, attendance requirements, and the value of final examinations.
• No credit is given for a course unless all requirements for it have been completed.
• Tests cannot be scheduled within the last ten days of classes in each term, except for routine weekly or end-of-chapter tests or daily exercises necessary to the presentation of a course, laboratory tests, and oral examinations in the languages.
• All term papers must be due to instructors no later than the last scheduled class.
• Tests and/or examinations may not be held in the study days prior to either the fall or winter semester examination periods.

The grade point average is the weighted sum of the grade points earned, divided by the number of courses attempted. Courses with a notation of 'W' are not included in the GPA.  The sessional grade point average (SGPA) refers to a particular session; the program grade point average is calculated on courses offered towards a degree program and is used to determine a students' eligibility to graduate, it does not appear on the official transcript.  Only the most recent grade in repeated courses will be included in any GPA.

Alpha grades GPA value Percentage range* Rating

* These percentage ranges are provided to assist other institutions in interpreting letter grades. Their only internal application is with the university scholarship committee. They are not reported elsewhere.

December examinations are held for all first semester courses, for all 1000 -level courses, and may be required in any two-semester course. Examinations are held in April for all second semester and all two-semester courses. Examination schedules are posted in the latter parts of October and February. Examinations are conducted, as a rule, by written papers. Take-home examinations may be given, in which case students are allowed the whole examination period to complete them and must submit their papers no later than the day of the last scheduled examination.

A student, who, because of unavoidable circumstances, was detained or rendered unfit to write a required examination, may appeal for a special examination. A student who wishes to have such an appeal considered must:

Within 48 hours after the end of the examination, report, or have a representative report, to the Registrar (in writing if possible) intention to appeal for a special examination and

1. Within one week after the end of the examination submit to the Registrar a written request for a special examination. This request must be accompanied by an explanation of the circumstances which made it impossible for the student to write the regular examination and a medical doctor's report, or other document, which supports the appeal.
2. The responsibility for setting and conducting special examinations will lie with schools and departments. Special examinations should be completed as soon as possible and normally (i.e. wherever possible) by the end of the January immediately following for December exemptions and by the end of the May immediately following for April exemptions.

Any request to re-read an examination paper must reach the Registrar within 30 days after release of the final examination results. The request must be accompanied by a fee of $10 which will be refunded only if the mark is raised. All requests for a re-read will be directed by the Registrar to the director or head concerned for implementation. Re-reads of examinations will be conducted by the head/director of the unit involved and a faculty member who has expertise in the subject area. In the event that the head/director is the instructor, the dean will designate a replacement to conduct the re-read.

Re-reads may be requested in any or all courses in which a student is registered without reference to class standing or the final grade assigned. A re-read of a mid-year examination will be granted only after consultation with the head of the department or director of the school concerned. A student who requests a re-read in a course forfeits the grade originally assigned.

Students have the right to review a written examination paper in the presence of the instructor.

Students may transfer to Acadia from other accredited universities up to the first 60h required for a 120h degree program, Students also may transfer from elsewhere 6h of the last 60h required for their intended degree.

Transfer credit may be given for individual courses taken at other accredited universities or institutions which have transfer credit agreements with Acadia. All courses transferred for credit must be directly applicable to the student's program of study at Acadia University. Transfer courses reduce the total number which must be taken for a degree at Acadia. Transfer credits should be distinguished from advance standing which is placement at a certain level in a specific subject area by a school or department of the University. Credit cannot be given for non-university courses or for knowledge obtained elsewhere, however valuable it may be. Advance standing may be given for such knowledge, however. Credit is not given for courses taken elsewhere while a student is on academic dismissal from Acadia.

A student enrolled at Acadia University, who wishes to take a course at another university for transfer of credit to Acadia, must obtain approval in writing and in advance for this through the Registrar. If approval is obtained, the Registrar will issue an appropriate letter of permission to the host university that the student wishes to attend. A transcript of the student's record will be sent. Applicants are reminded that normally the last 60h required for a degree must be taken at Acadia. A fee is charged for this service.  Applicants are reminded that normally the last 60h required for a degree must be taken at Acadia.

Acadia University recognizes the value of carefully planned study in another country for qualified students interested in such opportunities. Opportunities exist for the direct exchange of students with Dundee University, University College of Wales (Swansea), Queen Margaret (Edinburgh), and Sunderland Polytechnic, University of Plymouth, in the United Kingdom, with the University of Western Sydney in Australia, with Franklin College, East Carolina University and Shenandoah University in the United States, with Groupe CIN, affiliated with the Université de Nancy in France, La Rioja in Spain and Bielefeld University and University of Freiburg in Germany. Arrangements also exist for exchange with several New England institutions through the Nova Scotia-New England Student Exchange Program. (See also departmental entry for Languages and Literatures).

Students with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or better, who are in their second year of study at Acadia, will be considered for study abroad. Application must be made no later than January 24. Forms and information are available from the Registrar.

Upon their return from study abroad, students must present full and official documentation showing courses completed, results obtained, and attendance at classes, to the Registrar for evaluation and award of credit. The fourth year of their program, that is, 30h, must be completed at Acadia subsequent to study abroad.

Students must apply to graduate. Deadlines for application are given in the calendar dates section. Students who do not complete this form are not considered for graduation.

Convocation

Acadia University holds one convocation ceremony in May of each year.  Undergraduate students who apply to graduate by August 15 and complete all degree requirements before October 1 may be approved for graduation by act of the Acadia Senate at its October meeting, or they may defer their graduation until the following May of they wish to participate in the convocation ceremony.  In any case, the Registrar can provide a letter noting that all requirements have been met and the student is in good financial standing with the university.  Such a letter is normally accepted by other institutions as equivalent to a degree conferral until the degree has been officially conferred at the May convocation or the October Senate meeting.

A student holding one undergraduate degree from Acadia University, who wishes to obtain a second undergraduate degree from a different faculty or school, must complete a minimum of 30h subsequent to completing the requirements of the first degree. This minimum 30h must include all specific courses and grade requirements that are different from the first degree and must include a new major. Where the second degree requires a major concentration, at least 12h of the 30h must be in the discipline of that concentration.

Students holding an ordinary undergraduate degree from Acadia University who subsequently complete additional studies that fulfill honours degree requirements, but in less than an additional 30h, cannot be awarded a second degree. Rather, they will be issued a conversion certificate which indicates that they now hold the equivalent of an honours degree.

University Scholar
A candidate for a first bachelor's degree may be granted the designation "University Scholar" provided that the student has received credit for at least 90h taken from Acadia, obtained a CGPA of at least 3.5 on all Acadia courses, and obtained no mark below B- for any university course taken at Acadia or elsewhere, excluding results from study abroad programs.

Deans List Scholar
The Dean's List includes the names of the top 5% of non-graduating students degree, by faculty or school, registered in 30h or more in each year of undergraduate study of their first undergraduate degree. The selection is made after the undergraduate examination results are available in the spring.

Academic Probation and Dismissal
 

Probation
All students registered in more than 15h in the fall/winter session who obtain a sessional grade point average of at least 1.00 and less than 1.50, and who have not already incurred probation, will be placed on academic probation, but are eligible to re-register.

Dismissal

• All students placed on probation and registered in more than 15h in the succeeding fall/winter session who obtain a grade point average less than 1.50, will be placed on dismissal.

• All students registered in more than 15h in the fall./winter session who obtain a sessional grade point average less than 1.00, will be placed on dismissal.

• During the twelve-month period subsequent to incurring dismissal, students may not register for any course offered by Acadia University, nor be able to receive credit for any course taken elsewhere.

• All students who incur academic probation or dismissal will be advised in writing of their academic status, appeal dates, and procedures.

Re-admission following academic dismissal

At the end of this period of academic dismissal, students may apply for re-admission and, if accepted, will be on probation.

Only a student's current academic standing appears on the official record; either Eligible to Register, May Register on Probation, Not Eligible to Register, or Graduated.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity demands responsible use of the work of other scholars. It is compromised by academic dishonesty such as cheating and plagiarism. A student who is uncertain whether or not a course of action might constitute cheating or plagiarism should seek in advance the advice of the instructor involved.

• Cheating is copying or the use of unauthorized aids or the intentional falsification or invention of information in any academic exercise.

• Plagiarism is the act of presenting the ideas or words of another as one's own. Students are required to acknowledge and document the sources of ideas that they use in their written work.

• Self plagiarism is also a form of plagiarism. It is the presentation of the same work in more than one course without the permission of the instructors involved.

• A student who knowingly helps another to commit an act of academic dishonesty is equally guilty.

• Penalties are levied in relation to the degree of the relevant infraction. They range from requiring the student to re-do the piece of work, through failure on that piece of work, to failure in the course, and to dismissal from the university.

Procedures concerning infractions of academic integrity

• Faculty members, after informing their director/head and contacting the student involved, shall attempt to determine the personal responsibility of the student and impose penalties where appropriate.

• The student can appeal the faculty member’s decision to the department director/head and, if still not satisfied, to the dean.

• The student can appeal the dean’s decision to the Vice-President Academic who shall inform the student of his/her decision as to the student's personal responsibility and the penalty imposed. 

• A student has the right to appeal the decision of the Vice-President Academic to the Senate Committee on Academic Discipline. Students have the right to have legal counsel when appearing before this committee.

• Computing Services and the Vaughan Memorial Library publish policies for the use of university computer facilities, both hardware and software and the use of the university library and its resources..  Violation of these policies, or other abuse of university computer facilities, will be dealt with in the same manner as other forms of cheating or as a non-academic offence. For the dedicated purpose of inter-institutional loan and document delivery services, patron records may be stored on a remote database. Some violations may also lead to criminal prosecution.  It is the students' responsibility to familiarize themselves with the Computing Services policies.

Procedures on complaints in other academic matters

The complainant should first attempt to resolve the matter with the instructor.  If it cannot be so resolved, the complaint, preferably in writing, must be presented to the appropriate head of department or director of the school who will conduct an investigation and attempt a resolution.  If the matter cannot be settled by the head/director, it shall be referred to the appropriate dean of faculty.  Any complainant may at any time have the assistance of the vice-president, academic of the Acadia Students' Union.

Discipline

The authority for Acadia University's judicial system derives from the power granted to the Board of Governors by the Province of Nova Scotia under the University's Act of Incorporation in 1891. These powers are exercised on behalf of the Board of Governors by the Manager, Campus Programs. The system itself is fundamentally informal, and the Judicial Board is staffed by students, faculty, members of the University's administration and Acadia Students' Union, none of whom are trained legal experts. Nevertheless, care has been taken to build into it the elements of natural justice, while at the same time, providing for the relatively speedy resolution of complaints.  To this end, specific time limitations and procedures have been established, the option of a pre-hearing settlement rather than going to a full hearing exists, and provision is made for appeals of decisions rendered by the Judicial Board.  All sanctions are imposed either by the Manager, Campus Programs, through a pre-hearing settlement, or by the Judicial Board after it has conducted a full hearing.

• Sanctions imposed will, as closely as possible; reflect the logical consequences of the student's misbehaviour.  Although punitive measures may be taken, efforts will also be made to provide for sanctions which will be educative and developmental in nature.

• Students who are subject to charges placed through the local police or RCMP may also be subject to a hearing under the University's judicial system.  As well, the University reserves the right to impose sanctions.

• This statement of judicial policies and procedures does not limit the freedom of the University to press criminal charges in cases where this is deemed to be the most appropriate course of action.

• The University reserves the right to refuse application for residence accommodation, to cancel residence privileges during the year, and to reassign students to other rooms for reasons it deems appropriate.

• Not all matters have been delegated to the judicial system.  Unless specifically referred to in this policy statement, matters or issues are not covered by such systems.  However, the Board of Governors and the Manager, Campus Programs have the authority to deal with any matter in a manner that is outside the limits and procedures of the student judicial system when they deem it appropriate or necessary to do so.

Judicial policies are described in considerable detail in the ASU student handbook and also the residence handbook.  Material on student discipline found in the university's calendar, the ASU handbook and the residence handbook all constitute part of the formal contract between the University and the student.  The official university judicial policy document is found on the university website under both Student Life and Campus Resources – Campus Programs. A copy of this document can also be obtained from the Department of Campus Programs.

For more information call (902) 585-1308.

Release of Information about Students

1.  Disclosure to students of their own records

1. Students have the right to inspect their academic record, except for information that is evaluative or opinion material compiled solely for the purpose of admission to an academic program, and to challenge contents, which they believe to be inaccurate.  An employee of the Registrar's Office will be present during such an inspection.

2. Students will, on submission of a signed request and payment of the current fee, have the right to receive transcripts of their own academic record.  These transcripts will be marked "Issued to Student."  Such right will not apply to students in debt to the university but they will still have the right to inspect and review their records.

3. No partial transcripts of records will be issued.

2. Disclosure to faculty, administrative officers, and committees of the university

Information on students may be disclosed without the consent of the student to university officials or committees deemed to have a legitimate educational interest.

3. Disclosure to third parties

1. The following information is considered public information and may be released without restriction, unless the student has requested that it be kept confidential: name; period of registration; program of studies; certificates, diplomas, degrees awarded.

2. Voting lists will be supplied to the ASU in order to conduct elections.

3. Information will be released without student consent to persons in compliance with a judicial order or subpoena or as required by federal or provincial legislation.

4. Necessary information may be released without student consent in an emergency, if the knowledge of that information is required to protect the health or safety of the student or other persons.  Such requests should be directed to the Registrar.

5. Other than in the above situation, information on students will be released to third parties only at the written request of the student, or where the student has signed an agreement with a third party, one of the conditions of which is access to their record (e.g. in financial aid). 

6. Upon graduation, some personal information will be entered into the alumni database and becomes subject to their privacy policies. The information will be used to notify graduates of university programs and activities, including fundraising and to communicate concerning alumni initiatives, including products or services to alumni. If graduates prefer not to receive such information, they should contact the alumni office on campus in person, by telephone or by email at alumni.office@acadiau.ca

 This policy is in accordance with the Nova Scotia Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Regulations and the Canadian Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.

[Table of Contents]

Web Version published by: The Office of the Registrar
Contact: registrar@acadiau.ca or admissions@acadiau.ca

Last revised: October 4, 2004