Academic Regulations of the University

9.1  Application

Applications to study as a Special student are available from the Registrar's Office or the Registrar's Office website (carleton.ca/registrar) and must be completed in full before being processed. Applications must include transcripts of all previous study (high school, post-secondary) as well as a processing fee.

9.2  Academic Performance Evaluation for Special Students

Academic Performance Evaluation for Special students is carried out at the same time as for Degree Students. Special students receive their first Academic Performance Evaluation when the student has completed 2.0 credits since the most recent admission to Special studies when final grades are available. Subsequent evaluations occur when the student has completed an additional 2.0 or more credits. The result of an Academic Performance Evaluation is that the student is in Good Standing, on Academic Warning or is Suspended.

A Special student is considered to be in Good Standing at an Academic Performance Evaluation if their CGPA is at least 3.00.

A Special student is considered to be on Academic Warning at an Academic Performance Evaluation if their CGPA is less than 3.00 and at least 1.00 and they were in Good Standing before the evaluation.

Special students are Suspended if

1. they are on Academic Warning at the time of a subsequent Academic Performance Evaluation and do not achieve Good Standing at that Academic Performance Evaluation, or
2. their CGPA is less than 1.00 at the time of any Academic Performance Evaluation.

A Suspended Special student may not return to Special studies for one year.

9.3  Course Load

Special students normally may enrol in a maximum of 1.0 credit in each of the summer, fall and winter terms.

Students who enrol as Special after suspension from a degree or certificate program do not qualify for course overload.

Special students who have completed at least 1.0 credit taken at Carleton University and have a CGPA of at least 7.00 may petition to the Registrar's Office to register in a maximum of 1.5 credits in each of the summer, fall and winter terms. Permission from the Registrar's Office is required.

Special students may enrol in 2.5 credits in each of the fall and winter terms and in 2.0 credits in the summer term under either of the following conditions:

1. The student is enrolled full time in a degree program at another institution and can present a Letter of Permission authorized by an appropriate official of the institution; or
2. The student holds an undergraduate degree from a recognized institution and wishes to pursue further study for professional development or in preparation for entry into graduate study.

9.4  English Language Proficiency

Special students must satisfy the university English language proficiency requirement.