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.

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 Academic Year (May).

 

Note:

  • Students, registered for a term (i.e. spring/summer), whose eligibility to continue in their program or at the university was not determined prior to the start of that term will be permitted to complete any such course(s). Credit will be retained for the courses completed successfully, however, these grades may not alter their academic standing and eligibility to continue in their program or at the university in the following academic year.

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 A course from which a student has honourably withdrawn is not considered an attempt.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, BScN, and BSW. 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.

The Indigenous Teacher Education Program (ITEP) and the Teacher of Indigenous Languages as a Second Language Program (TILSL) are offered as multi-session programs and must be completed in their entirety. Credit is not retained for passed courses in a failed attempt at ITEP or TILSL.

The Indigenous Classroom Assistant Diploma Program (ICADP) is offered as multi-session program and must be completed in its entirety.

2.0 Good Academic Standing

Students will be considered in good academic standing if they achieve a minimum cumulative average of 60%, with the exception of the Bachelor of Education program (Concurrent and Consecutive), the Indigenous Teacher Education Program and the Teacher of Indigenous Language as a Second Language Program, where students must achieve a minimum program average of 70%, with no 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, BCOMM, 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, BComm, 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.  In addition to this, students in Criminal Justice will require a 70% program average to progress into the third year of the Criminology, Corrections, Policing, or Legal Studies & Administration Stream.

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 4714 Practicum I to progress to Year 2 (Consecutive) and Year 6 (Concurrent).

4.0 Academic Probation (BA, BBA, BCOMM, BFA, BPHE, BSc, BScN, BSW)

A student’s Academic Standing is determined after a minimum of 18 credits have been attempted, at the end of the Fall/Winter (May). If a student’s cumulative average is between 50% - 59% they will be placed on probation.

When placed on probation students with a:

  1. cumulative average between 50% - 54% will be required to meet with an academic advisor to develop an academic success plan prior to registering in courses for the next academic year.
  2. cumulative average between 55% -59% are recommended to meet with an academic advisor to develop an academic success plan prior to registering in courses for the next academic year.

Students will be placed on probation and required to meet with an academic advisor upon return to studies after having been required to withdraw from the University (see section 9.0).

Students who have been admitted to the University on probation will be assessed once a minimum of 18 credits have been attempted at the end of the Fall/Winter academic year (May) and:

i. If their cumulative average is 60% or greater, admission probation status will be removed.

ii. If their cumulative average is between 50% 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 at the end of the Fall/Winter Academic Year (May).

5.0 Release from Academic Probation (BA, BBA, BCOMM, BFA, BPHE, BSc, BScN, BSW)

A student’s Academic Standing is determined after a minimum of 18 credits have been attempted, at the end of the Fall/Winter (May).

Students will be removed from Academic Probation if their cumulative average is 60% or higher when their progress is reviewed in May.

Students on academic probation who do not achieve a cumulative average of 60% in the following academic year, but do achieve a sessional average (average for the current academic year) of 63% or higher can proceed on probation and must meet with an academic advisor before registering for the next academic year.

Students on academic probation who do not achieve either a 60% cumulative average or a 63% sessional average from the Fall/Winter will be required to withdraw (see section 7.0).

6.0 Required Withdrawal from a Program

Students will be asked to withdraw from their program if they do not meet the requirements outlined below. Students who have been asked to withdraw from their program 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.

6.1 BPHE

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

6.2 BSW

Students will be withdrawn from the Bachelor of Social Work program should they receive more than one grade of 'Unsatisfactory' in the Field Practicum courses.

6.3 BScN

Students will be withdrawn from the BScN program should they receive more than one grade of “Unsatisfactory” in Clinical Practicum 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. Separate course offerings will not be available until the following academic year.

 

7.0 Required to Withdraw from the University

Students will be required to withdraw from the University if they have a cumulative average below 60% for two consecutive academic years and their sessional average is below 63%; or if their cumulative average is below 50%.

8.0 Petition of Decision for the Required Withdrawal from the University

Students asked to withdraw from their program or the University may petition the decision to the University’s Academic Appeals and Petitions Committee. Such petitions must demonstrate extraordinary circumstances that prevented adherence to university policies, see Academic Petitions for more details.

Students who have been asked to withdraw more than once, must petition for readmission prior to returning to their studies.

9.0 Returning to Studies after One Year Academic Withdrawal

Students returning after one year academic withdrawal will need to reapply to the university to reactivate their record, except for withdrawal from the BEd program (see section 6.4).

Students returning after completing their required one year academic withdrawal for the second time must petition for readmission prior to returning to the University.

Students may be eligible to exclude up to 18 credits from the calculation of their cumulative average when they have successfully completed a minimum 18 credits after returning from academic withdrawal (minimum 63% sessional average). To be considered, students must submit a petition to the University Academic Appeal and Petition Committee. If approved, all assigned grades will not be included in the calculation of the cumulative average but will be visable on the student’s transcript.

Students returning to studies after one year academic withdrawal should meet with an Academic Advisor to discuss a return to studies plan.

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

 

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