Academic Regulations of the University

6.1 The Cumulative Grade Point Average

The Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) is the key assessment tool for performance evaluation. The CGPA is the ratio of the grade points earned on a set of courses to the total credit value of these courses. In calculating the CGPA the grade points contributed by each course are multiplied by the credit value of the course. So, for example, an A+ in a 0.5 credit course contributes 12.00 * 0.5 = 6.00 grade points. The CGPA is truncated to two decimal places (with no rounding).

The overall CGPA includes all courses that satisfy requirements of the student's program or would have satisfied such requirements if a passing grade had been obtained. In particular, an F grade is included in the calculation until it is removed through course repetition or replacement. When a course is repeated, the most recent grade is used. All Carleton credits counting toward advanced standing in the degree program are included in the CGPA calculation. All credits obtained through the University of Ottawa Exchange agreement are included in the CGPA calculation.

Courses Extra to the Degree (ETD), No Credit for the Degree (NCD) or Forfeit are not included in the calculation of the CGPA.

A CGPA calculated for a program element, such as Major or Core, is calculated in the same way using only the courses in the program element.

6.2 Maximum Number of Credits Below the 2000-level

A student may count a maximum of 7.0 credits below the 2000-level toward fulfilment of graduation requirements.

Credits in excess of this limit will be set aside as Extra to the Degree (ETD), No Credit for the Degree (NCD) or Forfeit. This allows students to increase their CGPA by pushing out low grades below the 2000-level through replacement by higher grades at the same level.

6.3 Discredits

A discredit is a course registration that results in a grade of F, FND, ABS, UNS.

The discredit has the same credit weight as the course. This definition includes courses taken on a Letter of Permission or on exchange.

A degree student is allowed a maximum of 5.0 credits of discredits after admission to the degree. Students admitted with advanced standing will have the maximum number of discredits adjusted on a pro-rata basis. Students in 5.0- or 6.0-credit certificate or diploma programs are allowed 2.0 credits of discredits.

If a student exceeds the maximum number of discredits before graduation they are suspended or debarred from the degree, certificate or diploma. The student receives a decision of Continue in Alternate or Dismissed from Program if the degree uses this decision in place of Suspension. See also Section 7: Academic Performance Evaluation. (Note: the language in this paragraph has been updated, April 21, 2015)

6.4 Course Load

In most undergraduate programs, the normal course load is the equivalent of 2.5 credits in each of the fall and winter terms and the equivalent of 1.0 credit in each of the early and late periods of the summer term. In some degree programs, the normal load is as much as 3.0 credits in each of the fall and winter terms and up to the equivalent of 1.5 credits in each period of the summer term. Multi-term courses are considered to have their credit weight evenly distributed over the terms. For example, a two-term 1.0 credit course is considered to contribute 0.5 credit to course load in each term.

A student is registered in a course overload if the student is registered in more credit equivalents per term than the normal load for his or her program. Students with an Overall CGPA of 7.00 who have completed a minimum of 4.0 credits at Carleton may choose to register in a course overload, to a maximum of 0.5 credit above the normal course load for their program in each of the fall and winter terms and in either the early or late period of the summer term. Students requiring permission for course overloads beyond these limits should contact the Registrar's Office.

6.5 Restrictions on Program Elements

A course is considered to be double-counted if it is used to satisfy both the requirements for:

1. the Major (or Majors) and a Minor (See Note 1, below);
   
   or
2. a Minor, Concentration, or Specialization and any other Minor, Concentration or Specialization (See Note2, below)

At most, 2.0 credits in double-counted courses may be included in the credits offered to fulfil requirements at graduation.

Notes:

1. In this regulation, the Major consists of the credits counting toward the Major CGPA. If the program uses only the Overall CGPA for assessment, then all credits are considered to be in the Major.
2. Item b) refers to specializations and concentrations that constitute optional choices. In these cases the Major (s) can be completed with or without a concentration or specialization.

In other cases, a Concentration or Specialization is contained within the Major and constitutes a required choice for that Major. These Concentrations and Specializations are not included in Item b) above.

6.6 Maximum Number of Program Elements

In addition to the student's Major or Majors, the maximum allowed combined number of Minors, Concentrations and Specializations for any student is two. Note that this restriction does not apply to the Co-op Option or to Mention : Français.

6.7 Combined Honours Programs

In some cases Combined Honours programs are defined with a single unified Major incorporating the credits from both disciplines. In other cases, for example in the B.A. Honours degree, requirements are established separately by each discipline and combined according to the registration of the student in a particular Combined Honours pattern. In the latter case, when a particular course satisfies the requirements for both Majors, the course will be used to fulfil the requirements for one Major and a different course at the same level will be required to satisfy the other Major.

6.8 Simultaneous and Subsequent Degrees

1. A student who has graduated with a Carleton University degree in a particular program will not be subsequently admitted to the same degree and program. Specifically, students who have graduated with a:
   1. B.A., B.A.S., B.Sc. or B.Math. degree may apply subsequently for admission to the same degree if they apply for a different major or, if they graduated with a General or Major degree, they apply for an Honours degree with the same major.
   2. B.Eng. or B.I.T. degree may apply subsequently for admission to the same degree only if they apply for a significantly different program. A program with distinct streams constitutes a single program for this rule.
   3. B.I.D., B.Com., B.I.B., B.C.S., B.Mus., B.Hum., B.S.W., B.J., B.J.Hum.  or B.P.A.P.M. may not apply subsequently for admission to the same degree.
   4. B.J., B.Hum. may not apply to the B.J.Hum., and B.J.Hum. may not apply to B.J. or B.Hum.
2. A student who has graduated with a Carleton University degree that includes a minor will not be subsequently admitted to the same minor.
3. A student who has successfully completed a university degree in a given discipline will not be admitted to a minor in the same discipline in conjunction with subsequent degree studies.
4. A student will only be admitted to one degree and program at a time. The student's record will show only one active degree and program in any given term. Note that certain Certificates and Diplomas do allow concurrent degree studies.
5. A Carleton University degree student is not allowed simultaneously to be registered in degree studies at another post-secondary institution without the permission of Carleton University.

6.9 Credit for ESL courses

A student in a degree program may receive credit for previously completed English as a Second Language courses from the sequence ESLA 1300, ESLA 1500, ESLA 1900, ESLA 1905, with the following restrictions:

1. for students in degrees offered by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences or the Faculty of Public Affairs, up to 2.0 credits will be counted toward the degree;
2. for students in degrees offered by the Sprott School of Business, credit will be allowed only for ESLA 1900 (or ESLA 1905);
3. for students in degrees offered by the Faculty of Science, credit will be allowed only for ESLA 1900 (or ESLA 1905);
4. for students in the Bachelor of Engineering degree, no credits from this sequence will be counted toward the degree;
5. for students in the Bachelor of Industrial Design degree or the Bachelor of Architectural Studies degree, credit will be allowed only for ESLA 1900 (or ESLA 1905).

6.10 Restrictions on Credit for Certain Courses

Some courses may not be used for credit in certain programs. Restrictions may be listed in the course descriptions, the academic regulations for certain degree programs, and/or in this section.

6.10.1 Co-operative Education (Co-op) work term and report courses do not count for credit in any degree.

6.10.2 In addition, B.A. students in Economics will not receive credit for MATH courses below the 1000-level.

6.10.3 Students in the B.Mus. degree will not receive credit for MUSI 1106 or MUSI 1107.

6.10.4 Students in the B.Com. or the B.I.B. degree will not receive credit for BIT 2001, BIT 2002 or any 0000-level mathematics course.

6.10.5 Students in the B.Com. degree will not receive credit for BUSI 3602 or COMP 1001.

6.10.6 Students admitted with advanced standing to the B.Com., B.I.B., B.Hum., B.P.A.P.M., B.I.T. or B.Eng. degree will not receive credit on admission for courses with a grade below C- taken earlier.

6.10.7 For courses excluded from the B.Sc. see the Academic Regulations for the Bachelor of Science Degree section of this Calendar. For courses excluded from the B.Math. see the Mathematics programs section of this Calendar.