Course Registration

1.0 Course Registration

1.1 Permission to Register

To be eligible to register for an academic term, students must meet the following requirements:

1. Students new to Carleton must be formally admitted to a  program OR Special student studies;
2. Returning students must be academically eligible to continue in their programs;
3. There must be no outstanding fees on the student account with the university;
4. The student must not have been suspended from the university for disciplinary reasons;
5. International students must be enrolled in or have received permission for exemption from the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP).

Registration information for the fall and winter terms is emailed to newly admitted and returning students by May 1 (carleton.ca/registration). Information regarding summer term is available from the Registrar's Office by February 1 (carleton.ca/summer).

1.2 Course Selection and Registration

Course selection must be completed according to the requirements of the faculty or school and major department(s) in which the student is registering. Students should seek the advice of their program adviser, academic unit, or Student Academic and Career Development Services.

Students planning to undertake professional training beyond their undergraduate studies should ensure that their undergraduate programs meet the requirements for admission to, or registration in, their intended post-graduate program.

Students are not permitted to register in course timetable conflicts.

All course selection and course change activity within the published deadlines (adds, drops, change of section) is completed using Carleton Central at central.carleton.ca. These activities are limited by deadlines set out in the Academic Year section of this Calendar. It is the student's responsibility to understand and meet these deadlines.

1.3 Payment of Fees

A student is responsible for all tuition and other fees resulting from registration in any and all courses. The student remains responsible for paying this debt whether or not the student attends or participates in the class or classes unless they withdraw within the published deadline set out in the Academic Year section of this calendar. Student Accounts may be viewed through Carleton Central and are the administrative responsibility of the Business Office.

1.4 Withdrawal

Students are responsible for formally withdrawing from a course or courses within the published deadlines. Ceasing to attend classes, or informing an instructor of intent to withdraw does not constitute withdrawal. Withdrawal is completed by using Carleton Central at central.carleton.ca. The official date of withdrawal from the course(s) is the date on which the student successfully completes the necessary withdrawal action.

Students must withdraw from a course or courses on or before the appropriate last date for withdrawal as indicated in the Academic Year section of this Calendar. Withdrawal is not permitted after the published deadlines.

Withdrawal activity may affect academic standing as prescribed by regulations governing the program and status with the University (full time or part time). Consult the Registrar's Office for information and guidance. A student who withdraws from a course retains no academic credit for any part of that course. Withdrawing from a course may have serious consequences for scholarships, OSAP and other student financial support programs. Students are advised to consult the Awards Office for guidance.

Fee adjustments for students who are withdrawing from a course, or courses, will be calculated as of the date of successful completion of withdrawal via Carleton Central.

1.5 Deregistration

After due process, the University may deregister a student under the following circumstances:

1. if it is determined that the student does not meet all of the requirements for permission to register as set out in 1.1 above;
2. if it is determined that an applicant for admission has, in the process, provided false or incomplete information;
3. if the student does not have, or present proof of when requested, the course prerequisite(s);
4. if the student is registered in a course timetable conflict;
5. if it is determined that the student has not met the additional admission requirements including satisfying the English language proficiency requirements of the University;
6. if it is determined that the student has not met the requirements of a conditional offer of admission;
7. if the student is not properly registered in the two terms of a full-session course.

1.6 Auditing Courses

An auditing student is defined as a student who attends a course for interest and not for credit. Auditing students may typically only enrol in lecture or seminar courses. Formal registration is required but the student does not receive academic credit for the course. Permission to audit a course is required from the instructor and students may be required to satisfy all registration requirements. Permission will also be subject to capacity, and generally will not be provided until after courses commence. The student may attend classes but will not receive formal evaluation and/or grading on any submitted material. The student should discuss with the instructor the conditions and expectations under which as an auditing student s/he may be permitted to participate, including attendance and participation in class discussion and group work, and the submission of any material. 

A request to change course registration from audit to credit status, or credit to audit, must be received by the Registrar’s Office no later than the last day to add a course (of that duration) in the term. Students must satisfy all registration requirements to register in the course for academic credit. Students may not retroactively appeal to change the registration status from audit to credit, but may subsequently re-register in the course for credit. Graduate students are limited to a maximum of 1.0 course-weight audit registration per program.

1.7 Credit for Closely-Related Courses

The university recognizes three distinct close relationships between courses.

Courses preclude credit for each other if they contain sufficient content in common that credit may not be earned for more than one of the courses. Should two or more courses be taken that preclude each other, only the most recent attempt will be available for program credit; the remaining earlier attempt(s) will be forfeited. Courses that preclude each other are not necessarily considered equivalent and may or may not be interchangeable in fulfilling degree requirements.

Courses are equivalent if the appropriate academic unit(s) consider the content of the courses to be sufficiently similar that either course may be used to fulfil a program requirement. Courses designated as equivalent to each other cannot both count for credit: credit is retained only for the most recent attempt. Examples of equivalent courses arise frequently in advanced standing and when new curriculum is introduced.

Two courses are cross-listed if they are the same course listed under two different subject codes, usually by two different academic units.

In all cases, credit will be given for only one of the courses in any equivalent, precluded or cross-listed pair. Students planning to enrol in such courses are advised to consult with their academic adviser in advance of registration to ensure that the course number under which they will be enrolling is appropriate to their program. Changes to resolve incorrect course selection due to equivalence, preclusion or cross-listing may not be made after the last day for course changes in the term (see the Academic Year section of this Calendar).

1.8 Two-term Courses

Certain courses may be taught over two academic terms. Students are registered in the same section of the course, and any linked components, in both terms. Changes cannot be made after the last day for course changes. These courses will be clearly identified in the registration information. The most common example is a 1.0-credit course taught over the fall and winter terms.

In place of a grade, the first term course will be assigned the notation CTN . The second term course will be assigned the final grade for the entire course. Credit will be given only for the complete course taught over two consecutive terms in corresponding sections. No credit will be given for part of the course.

1.9 Challenge for Credit

Challenge for credit is a Carleton University policy that enables students to gain undergraduate academic credit for their own learning and experience through work and related professional experience. It is not intended to overlap in scope with transfer of credits or admission with advanced standing.

This policy gives the student the opportunity to be examined on, and receive credit for, a recognized Carleton course without meeting the normal requirements of registration, attendance, and instruction. Students wishing to challenge for credit should inquire at the Registrar's Office and provide documentation to support the challenge. If the academic department is satisfied that the student has adequate experience and learning related to the course in question, it sets an appropriate examination. If the student is successful in the examination, the course is credited to his or her academic record.

Not all courses offered at the university are open to challenge for credit. Students must register in the course with the status of challenge and fees apply. Students seeking more information should contact the Registrar's Office.

Challenge for credit is available only to students formally admitted to and registered in a program leading to a degree, diploma or certificate. Special students are not eligible to apply for challenge for credit. Students may challenge for credit in a course only if they are in good standing academically. A student may not challenge for credit more than once in the same course. Students who challenge for credit are not permitted access to the course materials available to registered students.

A successful challenge for credit is denoted on the student's record by the notation CH. An unsuccessful challenge attempt is denoted by UCH. These notations have no impact on the CGPA calculation. Credits obtained by challenge may not be used to satisfy the residency requirement for the student's degree program or major discipline (see Section 5.2).

1.10 Academic Petitions and Appeals

1.10.1 Undergraduate Academic Petition

The Senate of the University establishes academic rules, regulations and deadlines, which are designed to ensure that academic standards are upheld and that all students are treated fairly and equitably. However, the University does understand that extenuating circumstances, beyond a student's control, can occur and adversely affect a student's ability to meet academic obligations. In those instances, a student may submit a petition, which is a formal request for accommodation with regard to normal rules, regulations and deadlines of the University. The following procedures are concerned with academic regulations and admission decisions. There is a separate review and appeal process for reconsideration of grades in term work and final examinations (See Sections 2.7 and 2.8). Concerns related to the offering of a particular course are within the jurisdiction of the Dean of the Faculty offering the course.

There are two types of circumstances that might warrant a request for an exception to published rules, regulations, or deadlines. One type of petition concerns personal circumstances such as illness, unanticipated occupational commitments, or other unanticipated serious events. The second type concerns whether a rule or regulation has been properly or fairly applied to a student's record.

A student seeking accommodation with respect to an academic regulation, rule, or deadline submits a petition in writing to the Registrar's Office. Unless subject to an earlier deadline, petitions must be submitted by the following deadlines:

January 30
- for petitions arising from the fall term

June 30
- for petitions arising from the winter term

September 30
- for petitions arising from the summer session

Students can obtain from the Registrar's Office the required Academic Petition form, information about the procedures to be followed, and details regarding the documentation needed to support a petition. Students seeking reconsideration of an admission decision must submit an application in writing to the Admission Services Office.

1.10.2. Undergraduate Appeal

An appeal is the process by which a student may challenge, in writing, the decision on a petition. Students may initiate an appeal by submitting an Academic Appeal Form to the Registrar's Office. Such appeals must be submitted within 14 days of receiving the decision on the original petition. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that the appeal submission is complete and includes all relevant matters which the committee should consider in rendering its decision. The Senate Undergraduate Studies Committee makes the final decision on an appeal.

1.10.3. Procedural Review

Students may request a procedural review of decisions made by the Senate Undergraduate Studies Committee. The review is initiated by a communication, in writing, to the Clerk of Senate. Procedural review is restricted to confirmation by the Clerk that (i) proper procedures have been followed as set out in the appropriate approved policy, (ii) that issues of bias have been properly addressed, and (iii) that the decision reached is within the scope of the delegated authority and is consistent with previous practice. A procedural review will not change the decision of an appeal. However, the Clerk will decide whether proper procedures have been followed and establish if any further actions are required.