Academic Standing and Progression

Please note that the term ‘program’ in this document refers to a specified grouping of courses within areas of disciplinary or interdisciplinary study (for example: Specialization in Biology) that must be completed as a partial requirement necessary to fulfill a degree.

A student’s academic level is defined as follows:

First year: completion of fewer than 24 credits
Second year:completion of 24-53 credits
Third year: completion of 54-83 credits
Fourth year: completion of 84 or more credits AND registration in a 4-year program

1.0 Assessment

Academic Standing involves the assessment of a student’s eligibility to progress at the University and/or to enter or remain in a program.

Normally, a student’s Academic Standing is determined after a minimum of 18 credits have been attempted, at the end of the Fall/Winter (May) and Spring/Summer (August) Terms.

Note:

  • Students, registered for a Session, whose eligibility to continue in their program of study has not been determined prior to the start of that session should understand that should they be found ineligible to continue in that program, they will be permitted to complete any such course(s). Credit will be retained for such courses completed successfully. However these grades will not alter the determination of a student’s ineligibility for registration for future sessions in that program.

1.1 Average Calculations

For each student, a program average and a cumulative average will be calculated. These averages will be used to assess a student’s eligibility to proceed.

  • Program averages will be based on the calculation of all attempted credits used to fulfill program requirements, as well as all failed credits in a program.
  • Cumulative averages will be based on the calculation of all attempted credits.
  • Average calculations include failed grades. All final grades below 50% are considered failures. Final grades below 40% will be included in average calculations as 40%. Final grades from 40-49% will be included in average calculations as the actual grades assigned. All final grades will be recorded on official transcripts as assigned.
  • Averages are rounded up for progression purposes (i.e. a 69.5% will be rounded up to 70%).

1.2 Credit Attempt

A course is considered to have been attempted when a final grade has been assigned to it. A course from which a student has honourably withdrawn is not considered an attempt.

1.3 BA, BBA, BCOMM, BFA, BPHE, BSc, BScN, BSW

Students are permitted a maximum of two attempts at a particular course. If a course is attempted twice, the higher grade obtained will be used in the calculation of the average. A student must receive departmental approval to attempt any course for a third time.
Exceptions to this rule apply to specific courses in the BPHE and BScN program. Please see Section 6.0 for further details.

1.4 Education

The BEd degree is offered as a two-year program and must be completed in its entirety. Credit is not retained for passed courses in a failed attempt at the Bachelor of Education Program.

Students are permitted to fail (below 60%) one course in the  Bachelor of Education program, with the exception of the following courses listed below. In this case, students are only allowed to make one attempt at the course.

2.0 Good Academic Standing

2.1 BA, BBA, BCOMM, BFA, BPHE, BSc, BScN, BSW

Students will be considered in good academic standing if they achieve a minimum cumulative average of 60%.

2.2 Education

Students will be considered in good academic standing if they achieve a mimimum program average of 70%, with no course mark lower than 60%.

3.0 Academic Progression

3.1 Bachelor Degree (Three year)

BA, BSc, BCOMM, Liberal

In order to progress in a program and to graduate from the degree, students must achieve a minimum cumulative average of 60% and a minimum program average of 60%.

3.2 Bachelor Degree (Four year)

BA, BSc, BBA, BPHE, BScN

In order to progress in a program and to graduate from the degree, students must achieve a minimum cumulative average of 60% and a minimum program average of 60%.

3.3 Honours Bachelor Degree

BA, BBA, BSc, BFA, BPHE, BSW

In order to graduate from an Honours degree, students must achieve a minimum cumulative average of 60% and minimum program average of 70%.  Students in an Honours Specialization, Honours Major, BFA, or Bachelor of Social Work may not progress into the fourth year if they do not have a 70% average in their honours program.

3.4 Bachelor of Education (Consecutive and Concurrent)

Concurrent students must complete their Nipissing Honours degree, including the Concurrent Education specific courses, by the end of April, in order to progress into Year 5 Bachelor of Education professional years.  All courses required for the Honours undergraduate degree and/or teachable subject requirements must be completed by May 1 of the year for which the BEd Year 5 transition is being made.

In order to progress to Year 2 in the Consecutive program and Year 6 in the Concurrent route, students must achieve an average of 70% overall, with no mark lower than 60% in EDUC courses.

Students must pass EDUC 4717 Practicum I to progress to Year 2 (Consecutive) and Year 6 (Concurrent).

4.0 Academic Probation (Undergraduate)

  1. Students will be placed on probation if at least 18 credits have been attempted and the student’s cumulative average is between 55%-59%.
  2. Students placed on probation will be eligible to register in a maximum of 24 credits in the following Fall/Winter Term, and 18 credits for the Spring/Summer Term.  Students placed on probation may be required to follow a comprehensive Academic Success Plan including mandatory academic advising, transition activities and study skills workshops.
  3. Students will be placed on probation upon readmission to studies after having been required to withdraw from the University.
  4. Students newly admitted to the University on probation will be assessed once a minimum of 18 credits have been attempted and:
     i) If their cumulative average is 60% or greater, admission probation status will be removed and standing will be assessed as outlined above;
     ii)  If their cumulative average is between 55% and 59%, they will be allowed continue on probation (maximum of 18 credits) and will be reassessed once a total of 30 credits have been attempted.

5.0 Release from Academic Probation (Undergraduate)

Any student who is placed on academic probation and achieves a cumulative average of 60% will be removed from probation upon the next academic standing assessment.

Note:

  • Students on probation whose cumulative average is below 60% will be allowed to continue on probation, into the next term, if they achieve a sessional average of at least 63% while on probation. This will be permitted only if less than 57 credits have been attempted.

6.0 Required Withdrawal from a Program

6.1 BScN

Students will be withdrawn from the BScN program should they receive more than one grade of “Unsatisfactory” in Clinical Practicum courses.

6.2 BPHE

Students will be withdrawn from the BPHE program should they receive more than one grade of “Unsatisfactory” in Community Leadership Placement courses.

6.3 Education

Students will be required to withdraw from the program if the second attempt at the failed course is unsuccessful.
Students who are required to withdraw will not be considered for readmission until they have been out of the program for one year.
Separate course offerings will not be available until the following academic year.

6.4 All undergraduate programs

Students will be withdrawn from a program when a minimum of 18 credits have been attempted in their program, and they have a program average below 60%.

A student may request a program change to a different Nipissing program for which they may be eligible. Credit for already completed courses may be applied to the new program if applicable.

7.0 Petition of Decision for Required Withdrawal from a Program

Students asked to withdraw from an undergraduate program may submit a formal request to the appropriate Dean’s office to be allowed to proceed on probation.

8.0 Required Withdrawal from the University

Students will be required to withdraw from the University if:

  1. Their cumulative average is below 55%
  2. They are on probation and their cumulative average is below 60%

Any students required to withdraw will not be re-admissible to the University for at least one calendar year.

9.0 Petition of Decision for the Required Withdrawal from the University

Any student required to withdraw from the University may appeal the decision to the University’s Undergraduate Standing and Petitions Subcommittee (S & P) at a specified date.

Upon re-admission, students may petition the S&P Senate Subcommittee to exclude up to 18 credits from the calculation of the cumulative average. If such petitions are approved, all assigned grades will continue to be included on the student’s transcript.

Student inquiries related to Academic Standing and Progression may be directed to the Academic Advising Office.

 

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