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REGISTRARIAL SERVICES: REGISTRAR'S OFFICE AND STUDENT FINANCIAL SERVICES

Rules and Regulations


Transfer Students

Students who enter with prior experience at a postsecondary educational institution are enrolled in an Honours program if their prior cumulative grade point average (including failed courses) is at least the equivalent of 5.00 on the York scale. (Note: courses taken at other postsecondary institutions are not calculated as part of the student’s grade point average at York, nor do they appear on the York transcript.)

Academic Standing Requirements for Visiting Students

Individuals who wish to enrol in undergraduate credit courses, but who do not intend to complete a degree or a certificate may be admitted to York as a visiting student (refer to the Admissions section for more information). There are three categories of visiting students:

  1. Those who hold an undergraduate degree (three-year bachelor's degree minimum) from an accredited university/university-level institution;
  2. Those who do not hold an undergraduate degree but wish to enrol in York courses to fulfill the academic, upgrading or professional development requirements of a professional designation;
  3. Those who are currently attending another recognized university and wish to take York courses on a letter of permission issued by their home institution.

Repeated course legislation does not apply to visiting students but only to academic degrees and certificates. Therefore, all courses attempted or taken will count in the overall cumulative grade point average.

GPA Requirement

Students in categories a) and b) whose overall cumulative grade point average falls below 4.00 on at least 24 credits attempted will not be allowed to enrol in any subsequent session as visiting students. Students who are not permitted to re-enrol must apply for re-admission through the Admissions Office.

Credit Limits

Students in category b) who have maintained an overall cumulative grade point average of 4.00 throughout their studies and who have completed 30 credits will not be allowed to enrol in subsequent sessions and must either reactivate to proceed as visiting students or may choose to apply for admission to a degree or certificate program.

Visiting students admitted to the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies may:

(i) enrol in degree credit courses providing they meet the published corequisite(s) and prerequisite(s), or obtain permission of the Chair of the discipline concerned;

(ii) not register in a course equivalent to one already completed.

Faculty Transfers

Students who were last registered in an undergraduate degree program in another Faculty of York University and who wish to transfer to the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies must submit a Faculty or Degree Change Request form to Student Client Services. Refer to the Academic Standing section for degree/program academic standing requirements.

Information for Continuing Students in a Grandparented Program

Students who were registered in a degree and program formerly in the Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies or the Faculty of Arts have been moved to the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies. Grandparenting provisions have been developed for students continuing in these degrees and programs.

Grandparented rules allow students to complete their studies following the rules of the programs they were in prior to the Fall/Winter 2009-2010 Session. This includes all major and degree requirements including general education requirements and upper level requirements, as well as the electives or required credits outside the major. For more information on the grandparenting rules visit http://www.yorku.ca/laps/transition/faqs/grandparented.html.

Second or Subsequent Degrees

Students who hold an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution, and who are admissible according to Faculty and University policies, may pursue a second (or subsequent) degree program in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies.

Eligibility for admission and standing will be assessed according to performance in the first or subsequent degree(s). Students will be assessed as eligible for an Honours degree if they have graduated with Honours standing in their first degree. Students who are eligible for an Honours degree program will be enrolled in Honours, but may elect to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. Students admitted to an Honours degree and 90-credit bachelor program will be granted transfer credit in accordance with the University’s residency requirement. Under certain circumstances, students admitted to a 90-credit bachelor’s degree program may qualify to proceed in an Honours degree; however, the transfer credit granted upon admission will not be amended.

All second (and subsequent) degree candidates must meet the residency requirements and must satisfy all upper-level requirements and requirements in the major/minor subject(s). Grade point averages are calculated for students in second (or subsequent) degree programs only on the courses taken for that degree and not on courses taken to satisfy requirements for the first or subsequent degree(s).

A student holding a university undergraduate degree may apply for admission to studies leading to a second degree. Such students must be admissible to the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies. Students must apply through Admissions for second and subsequent undergraduate degree(s). University residency requirements apply.

Course Loads

Fall/Winter Session

A full course load is defined as 30 credits during the fall/winter session. Students may take a maximum of 36 credits overall (and 18 credits per term) without petitioning. Students with substantial familial or financial responsibilities outside the University are advised to consider taking fewer courses in a session. It is recommended that students take their personal circumstances and academic standing into consideration before taking a course load of 36 credits in the fall/winter session.

Summer Session

A full course load is defined as 15 credits in the summer session. Students may take a maximum of 18 credits overall without petitioning. Students with substantial familial or financial responsibilities outside the University are advised to consider taking fewer courses in a session. It is recommended that students take their personal circumstances and academic standing into consideration before taking a course load of 18 credits in the summer session.

Courses Taken at York University

Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies degree candidates may enrol in courses offered by other York University Faculties provided they meet the publicized corequisite(s) and/or prerequisite(s). Students are responsible for ensuring that out-of-Faculty courses meet Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies degree and program requirements. Out-of-Faculty courses are credited at the level at which they are taken.

York University courses are also offered in Italy by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics. In addition, independent study, directed reading and thesis courses are offered by some departments/schools. Students interested in arranging such courses should inquire at the relevant department/school. Individual programs may place restrictions on the number and nature of courses taken.

Courses at Other Accredited Universities/Letter of Permission (LOP)

Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies students pursuing a degree or a certificate may request a letter of permission to receive credit at York for courses taken at other accredited universities. Students not working toward a liberal arts and professional studies degree or a certificate are not eligible for letters of permission.

It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that:

(i) courses completed on a letter of permission meet program requirements;

(ii) courses will fulfill residency requirements for purposes of graduation or the granting of a certificate;

(iii) the letter of permission request with course descriptions is submitted to the appropriate departmental office and returned with the completed form and the application fee to Student Client Services;

(iv) a letter of permission is granted prior to enrolling in courses at another institution;

(v) if they do not register for the courses or do not complete the approved courses, the student must provide the Registrar’s Office with documentation from the host institution confirming that the student did not register or withdrew from the courses without academic penalty;

(vi) arrangements are made for the host institution to forward an official transcript to the Registrar’s Office as soon as final grades are available.

Notes:

  1. Students who receive a letter of permission to take their last course(s) at another institution will not normally graduate at the convocation directly following the session in which the letter of permission was issued.
  2. Some programs may have specific policies restricting letters of permission on the basis of accreditation or professional association requirements. Please review the department/school policy.
  3. Certain courses with a professional orientation fitting within the program of a division of York University, but offered by an institute or organization other than those already approved for purposes of credit may be eligible for credit towards a degree in the division concerned, provided the course in question is approved for this purpose by the Senate Committee on Admissions on the recommendation of an Academic Council of York University (http://www.yorku.ca/secretariat/policies/document.php?document=74).

LOP regulations:

  • students must be enrolled in a Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies degree or certificate program;
  • including courses taken on a letter of permission, students may enrol in a maximum of 18 credits in a summer session and 36 credits (18 credits per term) in a fall/winter session;
  • students must obtain a minimum grade of C (as understood in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies) for credit to be granted;
  • a letter of permission will not be granted to students who are on academic warning, program warning, debarment warning or academic probation;
  • if a student receives academic warning, program warning, debarment warning, academic probation or is ineligible to proceed at the conclusion of the session prior to taking courses on a letter of permission, the letter of permission will be rescinded;
  • should a student leave York University to pursue study at another postsecondary institution without a letter of permission, upon return to York, a new application to York is required and all previous transfer credit will be re-assessed.

Audit a Course

With the permission of a course director, an auditor attends classes and participates in a course in the same way as other students, but does not submit assignments or write tests or examinations. Restrictions may apply. Further information about admissibility, application procedures, courses available and fees may be obtained at Student Client Services.

Directed Reading Courses

Students who are pursuing directed reading courses may do so after having successfully completed (passed) 24 credits in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies. The Faculty provides for such independent reading courses which are subject to the guidelines of the departments and schools, and to the following regulations:

  • The maximum permissible number of directed reading courses depends on a student’s degree option and availability.
  • Students in Honours programs may take 24 credits; students in a bachelors program may take 18 credits.
  • Within their last 30 credits, students may take a maximum of 12 credits in directed reading courses.
  • Students may take a maximum of 12 credits of directed reading courses with the same faculty member.