Course Policies

Scholastic Discipline

Students are advised to carefully read the section on Scholastic Discipline in the Academic Calendar.

Statement on Academic Offenses

Scholastic offences are taken seriously, and students are directed to read the appropriate policy in the Academic Calendar, and specifically, the definition of what constitutes a Scholastic Offense.

University Policy for Plagiarism

Students must write their essays and assignments in their own words. Whenever students take an idea, or a passage from another author, they must acknowledge their debt both by using quotation marks where appropriate and by proper referencing such as footnotes or citations. Plagiarism is a major academic offence, see Scholastic Offence Policy in the Western Academic Calendar (link above).

Absence from Course Commitments

A. Absence for medical illness:

Students must familiarize themselves with the Policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness.

Statement from the Dean’s Office

If you are unable to meet a course requirement due to illness or other serious circumstances, you must provide valid medical or other supporting documentation to the Dean's office as soon as possible and contact your instructor immediately. It is the student's responsibility to make alternative arrangements with their instructor once the accommodation has been approved and the instructor has been informed. In the event of a missed final exam, a "Recommendation of Special Examination" form must be obtained from the Dean's Office immediately. A student requiring academic accommodation due to illness, should use the Student Medical Certificate when visiting an off-campus medical facility or request a Record's Release Form (located in the Dean's Office) for visits to Student Health Services.

B. Absence for non-medical reasons:

Absences from midterms, final exams, or late essays or assignments, must be documented in the Dean's office. Documentation must be submitted by the student directly to the Dean`s Office and not to the instructor. It will subsequently be the Dean`s Office that will determine if accommodation is warranted.

C. Special Examinations

A Special Examination is any examination other than the regular examination, and it may be offered only with the permission of the Dean of the Faculty in which the student is registered, in consultation with the instructor and Department Chair. Permission to write a Special Examination may be given on the basis of compassionate or medical grounds with appropriate supporting documents.
A Special Examination must be written at the University or an Affiliated University College no later than 30 days after the end of the examination period involved. To accommodate unusual circumstances, a date later than this may be arranged at the time permission is first given by the Dean of the Faculty. The Dean will consult with the instructor and Department Chair and, if a later date is arranged, will communicate this to Registrarial Services. If a student fails to write a scheduled Special Examination, permission to write another Special Examination will be granted only with the permission of the Dean in exceptional circumstances and with appropriate supporting documents. In such a case, the date of this Special Examination normally will be the scheduled date for the final exam the next time the course is offered.