Academic Regulations of the University
7. Academic Performance Evaluation
7.1 Academic Performance Evaluation for Degree Students
Academic Performance Evaluation as described in this section applies to Degree and Certificate Students. The corresponding process for Special Students is described in Section 9, below.
Note: in addition to the regulations listed below, a number of programs specify additional requirements that must be fulfilled. Consult 7.5 below for additional information regarding: B.A.S., B.Com., B.Hum., B.I.B., B.I.D., B.I.T. B.J., B.J.Hum., B.Math., B.Mus., B.P.A.P.M., B.Sc. Double Hons. Mathematics and Physics, B.S.W.
The Academic Performance Evaluation is the annual assessment of the student's status in his or her degree. The first evaluation is made, at the end of the winter term, for all students who have completed at least 4.0 credits at Carleton University or on the University of Ottawa Exchange once all final grades are available. Subsequent evaluations occur at the end of the winter term following the completion of a minimum of 4.0 additional credits. A completed course is any course registration, including repeated courses, that results in a grade or notation other than WDN, IP, CTN, AUD or DNC. The basis of the evaluation is the student's Overall CGPA, Major CGPA and, where appropriate, Core CGPA. For students in combined programs Major CGPAs are calculated for each major where possible. The evaluation is made by comparing CGPAs to the minima required by the student's degree at the time of the evaluation. The possible outcomes of an Academic Performance Evaluation are: Good Standing, Academic Warning, Suspension, Continue in Alternate, Continue in General, Dismissed from Program, or Debarment .
The status Good Standing signifies that a Performance Evaluation has found that the student fully meets the academic standards prescribed for the student's program and is eligible to continue in that degree.
The status Academic Warning signifies that the student's performance with respect to the academic standards of the degree is deficient. The student may continue in the degree but must clear the Academic Warning by achieving a Good Standing assessment at the next Academic Performance Evaluation.
The status Suspension signifies that the student must leave his or her degree for at least one year. See also Section 7.1.1 and Section 7.3. Suspension occurs if at least one of the following conditions applies:
- the student has an Overall CGPA that is less than 1.00;
- while on Academic Warning, the student has failed to achieve a Good Standing assessment at the next Academic Performance Evaluation;
- the student has exceeded the maximum allowable number of discredits for the program;
- the student was Admitted with Additional Requirements and has failed to satisfy those requirements.
The status Continue in General is applied at an academic performance evaluation (APE) if the student (i) is in an Honours B.A., B.C.S., B.Sc., or B.Math. program, (ii) would be suspended at this APE due to a low CGPA, and (iii) meets or exceeds the minimum requirements for Good Standing in a general program. The student will have his or her program changed to the corresponding or other general program within the same degree and may apply to change this program within the degree, as long as the student would be in Good Standing in the subsequent program.
The statuses Continue in Alternate (CA) and Dismissed from Program (DP) indicate that the student's performance has fallen below a minimum standard for the program and in consequence the student is removed from the program, and is not readmissible to this program. These APE statuses are restricted to some professional and limited enrolment programs where there is high demand for the program and limited space in its required courses. The degrees and programs that use these statuses are: B.Eng., B.A.S. Design, B.Hum., B.J., B.J.Hum., B.Com., B.I.B., B.I.D., B.P.A.P.M. The status CA or DP is assigned if any of the conditions for Suspension apply, in addition to any conditions set by the program. The status CA is assigned if, in addition, the student's Overall CGPA is at least 1.00. A student with status CA is eligible to continue at the university and may apply through Admissions Services for admission to another degree or to Special studies. In the case of BAS Design, a student required to leave this program with status CA may apply immediately for admission, through the Registrar's Office, to one of the other BAS programs. The status DP is assigned if the Overall CGPA is less than 1.00. A student with status DP may apply for admission to Special studies only.
If a student satisfies the conditions for Suspended, Dismissed from Program or Ineligible to Return (no longer in use) at a performance evaluation in the student's current degree and the student has a previous decision of Suspended, Dismissed from Program or Ineligible to Return on the record in this or another degree or Special studies, then the student will be removed from the current degree with the standing Debarred. A Debarred student is not eligible for any studies at the university for at least three years. See Section 7.3, Readmission after Suspension or Debarment.
7.1.1 Discredits
If a course registration in any term results in a student exceeding the allowed number of discredits for the program, then the student will be Suspended, Continue in Alternate, Dismissed from Program, or Debarred as of the end of that term. This action is part of the Academic Performance Evaluation at the end of the winter term, but is not part of a general Academic Performance Evaluation after the summer or fall terms.
7.1.2 Three Failures of a Course (Engineering)
A student in the Bachelor of Engineering degree must leave the degree with the status Continue in Alternate or Dismissed from Program if the student fails one course on three occasions.
7.2 Assessment in Concentrations, Specializations and Minors
In conjunction with the Academic Performance Evaluation, additional averages are calculated for program elements. A CGPA is calculated over the courses contributing to any minor, concentration, specialization. These CGPA results are available for decisions on satisfactory or unsatisfactory performance in the program element. Students with a CGPA that is below the minimum required for a Concentration, Specialization or Minor may be removed from that Concentration, Specialization or Minor.
7.3 Readmission after Suspension or Debarment
Suspension is from a particular degree, not the university. Upon receiving notice of Suspension from one degree, students may register immediately as Special students, or seek admission, through Admissions Services, to other degrees of the university. Degree programs may accept such students in Good Standing if the student meets those requirements or on Academic Warning.
Students who have been Suspended will be inadmissible to their original degree for one year. Students who have been suspended and wish subsequently to be re-admitted to their original degree must petition through the Admission Services, providing an explanation of the circumstances leading up to the Suspension, what has occurred during the period of suspension, and what the student's goals now are. See also 4.9.1 (d) for certain special cases.
Debarment is from all studies at the university. After debarment, students wishing to be considered for readmission to a degree or certificate program, must wait three years and then make an appeal to the Senate Undergraduate Studies Committee. On readmission after debarment, students may be required to complete certain specific courses and to forfeit certain previously completed credits in order to provide a reasonable expectation of success. The CGPA will be based upon those credits, successful and unsuccessful, accepted upon readmission.
Students returning to the university after suspension or debarment will not have their CGPA re-started. At the point of re-admission, they may be allowed a pro-rated maximum number of discredits.
7.4 Minimum CGPA Requirements
The standard CGPA requirements used in Academic Performance Evaluation are presented in Table 1. The minimum required CGPA increases with the number of program credits (See Note 1) at the time of the Academic Performance Evaluation. Students with a CGPA close to the minimum at their first assessment will have to improve their academic achievement significantly in order to maintain the Good Standing status through to graduation.
The Standard Minimum CGPA Requirements for Minors, Concentrations, and Specializations are presented in Table 2. These are not used in the Academic Performance Evaluation but are used to determine continuation status in the program element.
Table 1: Minimum CGPA Requirements for Good Standing Status
| Program credits completed | Honours | Architecture B.I.D. B.I.T. programs | Engineering programs | 15.0 credit General | 20.0 credit Major |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 to 5.0 | Overall 4.00 | Overall 3.00 | Overall 4.00 | Overall 3.00 | Overall 3.00 |
| 5.5 to 10.0 | Overall 4.50 Major 5.50 | Overall 3.50 | Overall 4.50 | Overall 3.50 Major 3.50 | Overall 3.50 Major 3.50 |
| 10.5 to 15.0 | Overall 5.00 Major 6.00 | Overall 3.50 | Overall 5.00 | Overall 4.00 Major 4.00 | Overall 3.50 Major 3.50 |
| 15.5 or more | Overall 5.00 Major 6.50 | Overall 4.00 | Overall 5.00 | Overall 4.00 Major 4.00 | |
| Graduation | Overall 5.00 Major 6.50 | Overall 4.00 | Overall 5.00 | Overall 4.00 Major 4.00 | Overall 4.00 Major 4.00 |
Note:
- The Program Credits are the course credits earned by the courses the student has completed, with either a passing or a failing grade, that would contribute to the credits required for graduation in the student's program had they been passed. The program credits include credits obtained through transfer, advanced standing, letters of permission or exchange. The program credits do not include courses from which the student has withdrawn.
- Certain Honours programs may have different minimum Overall or Major CGPA requirements from those indicated above.
Table 2: Standard Minimum Requirements for Minors, Concentrations and Specializations
| Program credits completed | All students in Hons. programs | All students in Architecture B.I.D. B.I.T. | All students in Engineering | All students in Major programs | All students in General |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 to 5.0 | 5.00 | 3.00 | 4.00 | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| 5.5 to 10.0 | 5.50 | 3.50 | 4.50 | 3.50 | 3.50 |
| 10.5 to 15.0 | 6.00 | 3.50 | 4.50 | 3.50 | 4.00 |
| 15.5 or more | 6.50 | 4.00 | 5.00 | 4.00 |
7.5 Additional Information Concerning Academic Performance Evaluation for Some Degrees
The standard regulations for Academic Performance Evaluation are modified for certain degrees and programs as presented in this section.
Bachelor of Architectural Studies (B.A.S.)
B.A.S. Conservation and Sustainability • Philosophy and Criticism • Urbanism
These programs follow the academic performance evaluation regulations governing Honours programs as described within sections 7.1 - 7.4 of the Academic Regulations of the University.
B.A.S. Design
The B.A.S. Design follows the academic performance evaluation regulations for Engineering and Design programs as described in section 7.0 of the of the Academic Regulations of the University, with the following additions and amendments:
- To be eligible to proceed into second year in B.A.S. Design, students must meet the following conditions:
- Students required to leave the B.A.S. Design program under item 1 are eligible to apply immediately for transfer to any of the other B.A.S. programs or any other degree.
- Students are assessed at each Academic Performance Evaluation using their Overall CGPA and the Core minimum as described below.
- With the exception of ARCS 1005 Drawing and ARCS 1105 [0.0] Course ARCS 1105 Not Found [1.0] for which requirements are outlined in item 1 above, Good Standing requires a minimum grade of C- in each Design Core course.
- The Design Core consists of the following courses: ARCS 1005 Drawing, ARCS 1105 [1.0] Studio 1, ARCS 2105 [1.5] Studio 2, ARCS 2106 [1.5] Studio 3, ARCS 3105 [1.5] Studio 4, ARCS 3106 [1.5] Studio 5, ARCS 4105 [1.5] Studio 6, ARCS 4106 [1.5] Studio 7
- B.A.S. Design students continue either in Good Standing or on Academic Warning.
- Students whose academic performance evaluation results in Suspension or who are required to leave the program under the rules Item 1 above, and who are not subsequently accepted into a different B.A.S. program, must leave the B.A.S. degree. Application for readmission to Design is not permitted, but application may be made to other B.A.S. programs after one year.
Bachelor of Commerce
Students in B.Com. are Honours students.
B.Com. students are in Good Standing (GS) if they meet the minimum requirement schedule provided in Regulation 7.4.
A B.Com. student not in Good Standing (GS) due to a deficiency of 1.0 grade point or less in one or both, Overall and Major CGPA requirements, is on Academic Warning (AW).
A B.Com. student is required to leave the program with the status Continue in Alternate (CA) or the status Dismissed from Program (DP) if:
- they are not in Good Standing due to a deficiency of more than 1.0 grade point in both of Overall and Major CGPA requirements, at any Academic Performance Evaluation, or
- the student was on Academic Warning and does not achieve Good Standing at the next Academic Performance Evaluation.
Bachelor of Humanities
The Bachelor of Humanities degree does not distinguish a set of courses forming a Major. Students are evaluated on the basis of their Overall CGPA and their Core CGPA.
Students are in Good Standing if the Overall CGPA at least 7.00 and the Core CGPA at least 7.00.
A student who is not in Good Standing but has Overall CGPA at least 6.00 and Core CGPA at least 6.00 is on Academic Warning.
A student is required to leave the program with the status Continue in Alternate (CA) or the status Dismissed from Program (DP) if:
- the student was on Academic Warning and does not achieve Good Standing at the next Academic Performance Evaluation,
or - the student has Overall CGPA less than 6.00 or Core CGPA less than 6.00 at any Academic Performance Evaluation.
A student who has completed the first year of the B.Hum. may apply to transfer to the second year of the B.J.Hum. Transfers into higher years will not be considered.
The Humanities Core
HUMS 1000 [1.0] Myth and Symbol, HUMS 2000 [1.0] Reason and Revelation, HUMS 3000 [1.0] Culture and Imagination, HUMS 4000 [1.0] Politics, Modernity and the Common Good
Bachelor of Industrial Design
- Students in the Bachelor of Industrial Design degree are assessed at each Academic Performance Evaluation using their Overall CGPA and the Industrial Design Core courses. (The Industrial Design program does not distinguish a set of courses forming a Major).
The following evaluation criteria apply:
- students are subject to an evaluation at the end of the winter term if they have completed 4.0 credits since admission or since the preceding evaluation;
- in addition, students will receive an evaluation of their Industrial Design Core courses at the end of each Winter term as long as they have completed a Core course in the preceding summer, fall or winter terms.
Industrial Design Core Courses
IDES 1300 Projects IA, IDES 1301 Projects IB,IDES 2300 Projects IIA, IDES 2302 Projects IIB, IDES 3300 [1.0] Projects IIIA, IDES 3302 Projects IIIB,IDES 4301 Minor Projects A, IDES 4302 Minor Projects B
- Good Standing - Good Standing requires a grade of C- or better in each of the Industrial Design Core courses as well as an Overall CGPA at or above the minimum given in Table 1 of Section 7.4.
- Academic Warning - Students who are not assigned the status Good Standing or Ineligible to Return will be on Academic Warning. The following conditions apply:
- a student who is on Academic Warning due to a grade less than C- in a Core course, but with an Overall CGPA high enough for Good Standing will be given permission to repeat this Core course and must achieve a grade of C- or better before the next evaluation.
- a student who is on Academic Warning due to an Overall CGPA less than the minimum required for Good Standing, and who also has a grade less than C- in a Core course must raise both the Overall CGPA and pass the Core course with a grade of C- or better before the next evaluation. This student must first raise his or her Overall CGPA to a level sufficient to achieve Good Standing, if an evaluation were made, before permission will be given to re-register in the Core course.
- Continue in Alternate or Dismissed from Program - Students satisfying any of the following conditions must leave the Industrial Design program with the status Continue in Alternate (CA) or Dismissed from Program (DP):
- have an Overall CGPA that is less than 1.00,
- have failed to achieve a Good Standing assessment at the next Academic Performance Evaluation while on Academic Warning,
- have exceeded the maximum allowable number of discredits for the program,
- have failed to satisfy any additional course requirements received on admission,
- have received a grade of less than C- in the same Core course twice,
- have not completed the program within seven years.
Bachelor of Information Technology
For purposes of Academic Performance Evaluation B.I.T. students are considered General students. In addition to the requirements for Good Standing specified in the Academic Regulations of the University, students in the Interactive Multimedia and Design program of the B.I.T. must present a Core CGPA of at least 4.5 in the following:
BIT 1400 [0.5] | Introduction to Programming and Problem Solving | |
IMD 1000 [0.5] | Introduction to Interactive Multimedia Design | |
IMD 1001 [0.5] | Graphic Design | |
IMD 1002 [0.5] | Visual Dynamics | |
IMD 1004 [0.5] | Software Tools | |
IMD 1005 [0.5] | Web Development | |
IMD 2900 [1.0] | Design Studio 1 | |
IMD 3900 [1.0] | Design Studio 2 | |
IMD 3901 [1.0] | Design Studio 3 | |
IMD 4901 [1.5] | Senior IMD Project | |
IMD 4902 [1.0] | Design Studio 4 |
Bachelor of International Business
Students in B.I.B. are Honours students.
B.I.B. Students are in Good Standing (GS) if they meet the minimum requirement schedule provided below:
The B.I.B. defines a Language Core consisting of the required 4.0 credits in the language of specialization.
Good Standing in BIB requires:
At the first APE:
- Overall CGPA at least 4.50
- Major CGPA at least 6.00
- Language Core CGPA at least 6.00
At all subsequent APEs and at graduation:
- Overall CGPA at least 5.00
- Major CGPA at least 6.50
- Language Core CGPA at least 6.50
A B.I.B. student who is not in Good Standing (GS) due to a deficiency of 1.0 grade point or less in any of the Overall, Major, or Language Core CGPA requirements, is on Academic Warning .
A B.I.B. student is required to leave the program with either the status Continue in Alternate (CA ) or the status Dismissed from Program (DP) if:
- they are not in Good Standing (GS ) due to a deficiency of more than one grade point in all of the Overall, Major or Language Core CGPA requirements at any Academic Performance Evaluation, or
- the student is on Academic Warning and does not achieve Good Standing at the next Academic Performance Evaluation.
Bachelor of Journalism
A student who is not in Good Standing in the Bachelor of Journalism degree must leave the program with the status Continue in Alternate (CA) or the status Dismissed from Program (DP) .
A student who has completed the first year of the B.J. may apply to transfer to the second year of the B.J.Hum. Transfers into higher years will not be considered.
Continuation to Second Year
Continuation in Good Standing after the first Academic Performance Evaluation will be guaranteed only to first year Journalism students who achieve a B+ or better in JOUR 1000 [1.0] and an Overall CGPA of at least 8.00 in first year on 5.0 full credits. The School also maintains a number of places in second year for students who wish to transfer from Carleton or elsewhere. Normally, offers are made to students with an overall CGPA equivalent to 10.00 (A-) or better.
Continuation in Good Standing at subsequent Academic Performance Evaluations requires the standard minimum Major CGPA of 6.50 and Overall CGPA of at least 5.00.
General Prerequisite
Students may not continue into 3000-level or higher courses unless the following three minimum requirements are met:
- at least C standing in JOUR 2201;
- a CGPA of at least 6.50 over the courses JOUR 1000, JOUR 2201 [1.0], JOUR 2205 and JOUR 2501;
- an Overall CGPA of at least 5.00.
Bachelor of Journalism and Humanities
The Bachelor of Journalism and Humanities degree distinguishes between a student's Overall CGPA and their Core Humanities CGPA.
The Core Humanities CGPA is calculated on the basis of the following four courses:HUMS 1000, HUMS 2000, HUMS 3000, HUMS 4000.
Continuation Regulations
Continuation in Good Standing after the first Academic Performance Evaluation will be guaranteed only to first year Bachelor of Journalism and Humanities students who:
- achieve a B+ or higher in JOUR 1000 and an Overall CGPA of 8.00 or higher in first year on 5.0 full credits, which must be completed within the first fall/winter session of enrolment within the program, and
- achieve a CGPA of 7.00 or higher in their Humanities Core.
A student is required to leave the program with the status Continue in Alternate (CA) or the status Dismissed from Program (DP) if he or she fails to continue in Good Standing.
A number of places in second year are available for students who wish to transfer from Carleton or elsewhere. Normally, offers are made to students with an overall CGPA equivalent to 10.0 (A-) or higher.
Continuation in Good Standing at subsequent Academic Performance Evaluations requires the completion of a minimum of 4.0 additional credits towards their degree, an Overall CGPA of 7.00 or higher and a Core Humanities CGPA of 7.00 or higher.
After their first Academic Performance Evaluation, a student who is not in Good Standing but has an Overall CGPA of 6.00 or higher and Core CGPA of 6.00 or higher is on Academic Warning.
A student is required to leave the program with the status Continue in Alternate (CA) or the status Dismissed from Program (DP) if:
- the student was on Academic Warning and does not achieve Good Standing at the next Academic Performance Evaluation,
OR - the student has an Overall CGPA of less than 6.00 or a Humanities Core CGPA of less than 6.00 at any Academic Performance Evaluation.
In exceptional circumstances (usually financial need or sickness), the School of Journalism and the College of the Humanities may also permit students to take a leave of absence for one year while remaining registered in the program.
General Prerequisite
Students may not continue into 3000-level or higher Journalism courses unless the following two minimum requirements are met:
- a grade of C or higher in JOUR 2201
- a CGPA of at least 6.50 over the courses JOUR 1000, JOUR 2201, JOUR 2205 and JOUR 2501
Transferring from the B.J.Hum. to the B.J. or B.Hum.
A student who wishes to transfer from the B.J.Hum. to the B.J. or the B.Hum. may apply through Admissions and will be accepted if, upon entry to the new program, they would be in Good Standing.
A student who fails any A.P.E. and who is consequently on Academic Warning or who must leave the program with Continue in Alternate (CA) may transfer into the B.J. or the B.Hum. only if they would be in Good Standing upon entry into their new degree.
A student in Good Standing in either the B.J. or the B.Hum. may apply to transfer into the B.J.Hum. and will be accepted at the discretion of the School of Journalism and the College of the Humanities, and must normally have an overall CGPA equivalent to 10.00 (A-) or higher.
Bachelor of Mathematics
The standard procedures for Academic Performance Evaluation are followed with the following additions:
Good Standing at any Academic Performance Evaluation requires that the CGPA over the following courses be at least 7.00 for Honours programs and at least 5.00 for General programs:
MATH 1007 [0.5] | Elementary Calculus I | |
or MATH 1004 [0.5] | Calculus for Engineering or Physics | |
MATH 1107 [0.5] | Linear Algebra I | |
or MATH 1104 [0.5] | Linear Algebra for Engineering or Science | |
MATH 2007 [0.5] | Elementary Calculus II | |
or MATH 1005 [0.5] | Differential Equations and Infinite Series for Engineering or Physics | |
MATH 2107 [0.5] | Linear Algebra II | |
Bachelor of Music
For purposes of Academic Performance Evaluation, students in the Bachelor of Music program are subject to the standard rules for Honours students with the following additional requirement for Good Standing:
In addition to other requirements, Good Standing in Bachelor of Music requires that the Performance CGPA be at least 6.00.
The Performance CGPA is the cumulative grade point average calculated over all courses in the Performance Core in the same manner as other CGPA calculations.
The courses in the Performance Core are:
MUSI 1900 [0.5] | Performance I | |
MUSI 1901 [0.5] | Performance II | |
MUSI 2900 [0.5] | Performance III | |
MUSI 2901 [0.5] | Performance IV | |
MUSI 3900 [0.5] | Performance V | |
MUSI 3901 [0.5] | Performance VI |
Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management
Students in the B.P.A.P.M. are subject to the standard Academic Performance Evaluation (APE) process with the following additions and amendments:
- Students are in Good Standing at the first APE if they have a Major CGPA of a least 7.0 and an Overall CGPA of at least 7.0. A student who is not in Good Standing but has a Major CGPA of at least 6.0 and an Overall CGPA of at least 6.0 is on Academic Warning. Students with a Major CGPA of less than 6.0 or an Overall CGPA of less than 6.0 are required to leave the program with the status of Continue in Alternate (CA) or the status Dismissed from Program (DP).
- Students are in Good Standing at any subsequent APE and at graduation if they have a Major CGPA of at least 6.5 and an Overall CGPA of at least 6.5.
- Students who do not receive Good Standing at any subsequent Academic Performance Evaluation will be required to withdraw from the program with the status Continue in Alternate (CA) or the status Dismissed from Program (DP) .
Bachelor of Social Work
Students in the Bachelor of Social Work program are assessed by the standard process of Academic Performance Evaluation, with the following exception.
Good Standing requires:
- If the number of credits included in the Overall CGPA is at most 15.0, the Overall CGPA is at least 6.00 and the Major CGPA is at least 6.00.
- If the number of credits included in the Overall CGPA is at least 15.5, the Overall CGPA is at least 6.00 and the Major CGPA is at least 6.50.