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Science – Advising, Enrolment, Registration, Graduation and Other Administrative Procedures

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Student Responsibility

Every effort is made in the Faculty of Science to ensure that each student receives academic advice and sufficient information to guide in course selection and program choice. Within this context, the student is solely responsible for the following:

• ensuring that the courses chosen in consultation with an adviser meet all program (refer to the Faculty of Science Programs of Study section) and degree (refer to the Faculty of Science Regulations Governing Undergraduate Degree Requirements section) requirements for graduation;
• ensuring that course prerequisites are satisfied and that chosen courses are not exclusions of other courses already taken;
• verifying the accuracy of registration records, including all course changes;
• fulfilling the requirements and being aware of academic progress in all registered courses;
• noting and abiding by the sessional deadline dates published on the Current Students Web page each year, especially course add and drop deadline dates.

Advising

Before each academic session begins, every student can meet with an adviser to discuss program and degree requirements. However, it is the responsibility of all students to familiarize themselves with both the requirements of their individual programs of study (refer to the Faculty of Science Programs of Study section) and the regulations governing their degree requirements (refer to the Faculty of Science Regulations Governing Undergraduate Degree Requirements section).

In preparation for enrolment, and at the advising appointment, the following should be considered:

• Choice of subject area(s). Every student must choose one or two subject area(s) according to personal interests and career goals.
• Choice of program. All students who have completed 24 or more credits must choose a program (bachelor, Specialized Honours, Honours Major, Honours Double Major or Honours Major/Minor) in accordance with Faculty of Science regulations, including minimum grade point average requirements for Honours programs. See Faculty of Science Regulations Governing Undergraduate Degree Requirements, Faculty of Science Regulations Governing Examinations and Academic Standards (Designation of Honours or Bachelor Program section), and the program of study requirements in the Faculty of Science Programs of Study section.
• Faculty of Science degree requirements and regulations. Refer to the Faculty of Science Regulations Governing Undergraduate Degree Requirements section.

Course selection at the 1000 level. The 1000-level (entry-level) of all programs is multidisciplinary. Course requirements are outlined under the program of study requirements for each subject area in the Faculty of Science Programs of Study section. Besides ensuring that students are well prepared for more advanced study in the subject areas of their choice these requirements ensure that students achieve an adequate and appropriate breadth in science, help students to develop basic computational, mathematical and laboratory skills, and also an appreciation of the humanities and social sciences. Most introductory courses carry prerequisites, normally at the 12U level. Unless stated otherwise in the program of study requirements Honours Double Major candidates and Honours Major/Minor candidates are expected to complete all 1000-level requirements for both majors and/or minor, excepting course credit exclusions.

• Since the normal yearly full-time credit load is 30 credits, it may not be possible for the student to complete all the 1000-level requirements for any degree program in year one. It is important to complete in year one those courses that are prerequisites for required 2000- level courses or that are introductory to the major or minor subject area. It is advisable to complete as many of the other required 1000-level courses as possible in year one to avoid timetable conflicts in later years. In some circumstances, equivalent courses approved in writing by the major program(s) may be substituted for the courses listed.
• Course selection above the 1000 level. Complete details of the course requirements for all subject areas and programs are found in the Faculty of Science Programs of Study section. Degree checklists for all programs/subject areas are available from the Office of Science Academic Services.
• Prerequisites/corequisites. Most courses in the Faculty of Science have prerequisite and/or corequisite requirements. These may be specific courses (indicating specific required background knowledge) or they may be general prerequisites (indicating a required level of maturity in university studies in the subject area or overall). As indicated in the Faculty of Science Regulations Governing Undergraduate Degree Requirements section, it is the student's responsibility to enrol in only those courses for which the student has successfully completed all designated prerequisites and to take concurrently all specified corequisites not already completed successfully. Students who lack the stated prerequisites but have reason to believe they can succeed in a course must obtain written permission from department concerned (consult the departmental undergraduate office regarding the procedure to be followed) before enrolling.
• Course credit exclusions. Students should avoid enrolling in any two courses which are designated as course credit exclusions of one another, since credit will be given for only one. For more information regarding course credit exclusions, refer to Course Credit Exclusions in the Faculty of Science Regulations Governing Undergraduate Degree Requirements section.
• Scheduling. All information regarding courses to be offered in each session, times, places etc. is found on the York Courses website (https://w2prod.sis.yorku.ca/Apps/WebObjects/cdm).

Changes in Program/Subject Area(s)

Candidates may change their degree programs and/or subject area(s) from the time of their advising sessions in the spring until the tenth class day of the fall term, provided their standing, prescription of studies and timetable arrangements permit the proposed changes, and provided they are supported in writing by the academic advisers concerned. All program and subject area changes must be effected through the Registrar’s Office by submitting a Program Change Request available on the Program Change Web page at http://www.registrar.yorku.ca/program/change/index.htm. Transfer credit assessments must be reviewed after any change in program/subject area.

Enrolment

Students enrol in courses through the Web enrolment system. Information on how to use the system is provided on the Enrolment and Registration Guide Web page at http://www.registrar.yorku.ca/enrol/guide/index.htm.

A maximum of 33 credits during a fall/winter session and 15 credits during a summer session may be taken at York University and/or at another institution.

Course Changes

Course changes are permitted, but only for limited periods of time, and in accordance with the sessional dates in the enrolment guides. Written permission of the course instructor(s) may be required. Students should consult their advisers regarding the effect course changes may have on the fulfillment of program and degree requirements, but it is the responsibility of the student alone to recognize the consequences of course changes on academic progress. Students are responsible for verifying their enrolment during each academic session.

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit towards a York University degree may be granted for courses taken at other accredited postsecondary institutions prior to registration at York University. Transfer credit assessments for the Faculty of Science are specific to the program and subject area(s) in which the student plans to enrol at York University. If the student does not enrol in the program(s) and subject area(s) specified on the admission application or, subsequent to first registration, changes subject area(s) and/or program(s), the transfer credit must be reassessed.

Letters of Permission

A student wishing to take a course at an external accredited institution for credit towards a degree program in the Faculty of Science is required to obtain a letter of permission from York University prior to taking the course.

Request forms, and detailed information and instructions, for letters of permission are available online on the Letters of Permission web page at http://www.registrar.yorku.ca/enrol/lop/index.htm.

Reactivation

A student who has been absent from the University for one or more session(s) must apply to be reactivated to the Registrar’s Office (available online at http://www.registrar.yorku.ca/enrol/reactivate/index.htm ).

Note: this does not apply to students who have been debarred from York University or to students who have taken postsecondary courses at another institution during their absence from York University; all such students must apply, through the Admissions Office, to be re-admitted to York University.

Graduation

Students should apply to graduate in the calendar year in which they expect to qualify for the degree, irrespective of whether or not they plan to attend the graduation ceremony. A student registered in an Honours program may apply to graduate with a bachelor degree, provided bachelor program requirements are met. The application to graduate can be found on the Apply to Graduate Web page at http://www.yorku.ca/mygraduation/preparing/apply/index.htm.

Degree Reclassification

A student who has completed a York University bachelor degree in the Faculty of Science may continue, after graduation, in a Specialized Honours program in the same subject area or in an Honours Double Major or Honours Major/Minor program including the same subject area, provided the grade point average is that required for the Honours program.

A student who wishes to pursue a second degree in a different field of study must apply to the Admissions Office for admission as a second degree candidate.