Glossary

Wilfrid Laurier University - 2001/2002 Undergraduate Academic Calendar

Glossary

F – Fall term
W – Winter term
F-W – Fall and Winter terms
S – Spring term
IS – Intersession
SS – Summer Session
† – Course normally offered every second or third year
†† – Course offered occasionally

Courses not designated with a † or †† are normally offered at least once during the academic year.

Academic Probation

The establishment of specific requirements or conditions that a student must meet or fulfil within a stipulated time or else be suspended from further study at the University.

Academic Term

There are three academic terms in the calendar year: 1) Fall: September to December; 2) Winter: January to April; 3) Spring: May to August

Academic Year

The academic year in the undergraduate system, consists of two terms (totalling an eight-month duration), typically from September to April. Years are normally classified as First Year (0.5 to 5.0 credits), Second Year (5.5 to 10.0 credits), Third Year (10.5 to 15.0 credits) and Fourth Year (honours students with 15.5 to 20.0 credits), and are used to indicate the level at which a student is studying.

Audit

A course without credit toward a degree or program. The student will not be allowed to write the final examination and will not receive a course grade. The classroom and laboratory privileges and responsibilities will be at the discretion of the instructor. The deadline to revise the status of a course from credit to audit is the final date to withdraw without academic penalty. Tuition fees are usually one-half of the regular course fee. (See Financial Services section.)

C
Co-operative Education Option
C

A program, structured so that relevant work experience is integrated with academic studies. (See Arts, Science, and School of Business and Economics chapters: Co-operative Education Options.)

Co-requisite

A co-requisite for a course states a condition or conditions which must be satisfied concurrently with registration in the course. This condition will normally be registration in a specified course unless credit is already held for the co-requisite course.

Convocation

The ceremony that occurs in the spring and fall where degrees are conferred on the graduands.

Course

A unit of study in a given discipline identified by a unique number and name in a given department. (See Course Description Definitions for information concerning all related definitions.) The weight or value of a course is defined as follows: a full-credit course normally consists of three contact hours per week taken over an eight-month period (September - April). A half-credit course is normally conducted over a four-month period. A credit denotes a full-credit course with 1.0 indicated in the course description. A half-credit course is indicated with the 0.5 weight, and a quarter-credit course as 0.25 in the course description.

Course Withdrawal Definitions

Cancel: Withdrawing from all courses before classes have begun for a specific academic term.

Drop: Withdrawing from one or more courses, but remaining in other(s) for a specific academic term.

Withdraw: Withdrawing from all courses after classes have begun for a specific academic term.

Credit

A measure indicating the relative weight assigned a particular course. A credit can be obtained in a number of ways, for example, by successfully completing a full-credit course, two half-credit courses or four quarter-credit courses. In the program and course descriptions, the following symbols are used following the course number:
One and a half (1.5) credits: (‡)
Full-credits (1.0): (*)
Half-credits (0.5): Do not have a symbol added to the course number.
Quarter-credits (0.25): (º)

D
Degrees in Absentia
D

Degrees awarded to graduands who are not able to be present at the Convocation ceremonies.

Department

An academic department as duly constituted by the Senate and Board of Governors (e.g., Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Department of Physics and Computing, Department of History)

Discipline

Same as a subject (e.g., English, history, physics). See Discipline Codes in Using this Calendar chapter.

E
Elective
E

A course chosen as part of a program but not a required course. The choice of elective may be subject to departmental approval or may have to be chosen from a stated group of courses.

Exclusion

An exclusion is a statement within a course description, indicating either that a student cannot hold credit for both the course to which the exclusion statement is attached and any course listed in the exclusion statement. It may also state that the course cannot be counted for credit in a program or toward the degree listed.

F
Field of Specialization
F

All the courses used to calculate the grade point average associated with the progression and graduation requirements for a specific honours program. This may include courses from a variety of departments as in the case of interdepartmental programs. (See University Regulations chapter, Progression Requirements: Honours Programs.)

G
Grade Point (GP)
G

A number grade based on an equivalent letter grade. (See the Grades section of University Regulations chapter.)

Grade Point Average (GPA)

The average of the grade points attained in specific courses. For purposes of calculation, the grade point (GP) earned in a half-credit course will be given one-half weight of that earned in a full-credit course. Likewise the GP earned in a quarter-credit course will be given one-quarter weight of that earned in a full-credit course. (See the Grading System section of the University Regulations chapter.)

H
Honorary Degrees
H

These degrees are conferred by the Senate of the university to recognize individuals who have distinguished themselves in public service, scholastics and contribution to the general welfare of the community, province or country.

I
Irregular Course
I

A course for which the specific content has not been approved by Senate. This includes all courses titled Directed Studies or Special Topics, and is subject to special regulations. (See University Regulations chapter, Courses section)

J
Junior Course
J

A course at the 100 - 199 level (e.g., SP101 or PS100*).

M
Major
M

The main area of concentration in a general program or a secondary area of concentration in an honours program.

Minor

A secondary area of concentration in an honours or general program requiring a sequence of at least three full-credit courses or equivalent in one subject as specified in the program description.

O
Option
O

An area of concentration adjunct to a program. Also see Co-operative Option.

P
Practicum
P

(Music) A program, structured so that relevant work experience is integrated with academic studies. Normally, a student registers full time but completes a year's course requirements over three terms rather than over the usual two terms. (For details, see the Faculty of Music chapter.)

Prerequisite

A prerequisite for a course states a condition which must be satisfied prior to registration in the course. This condition may consist of a) obtaining credit for another course or other courses, or b) having a particular registration status, such as registration in a program and/or in a specified year, or as a senior student (i.e., a student who has obtained five or more credits), or c) having a minimum GPA (e.g., thesis courses).

Program

A group of courses, generally a combination of required and elective courses, which leads to a degree.

General program: A program consisting of a minimum of 15 credits and normally taken over three academic years.

Honours program: A program consisting of a minimum of 20 credits and normally taken over four academic years with an area of specialization.

Q
Qualified Off-campus Physician
Q

A qualified off-campus physician means a person licensed to practice medicine or dentistry in Ontario or any other jurisdiction, a psychologist registered under the Psychologists Registration Act or a person certified or registered as a psychologist by another jurisdiction.

S
Senior Course
S

A course at the 200 - 499 level (e.g., FR438 or HI247*). Such courses are normally restricted to senior students unless otherwise specified in the course description.

Student

A student is a person who is registered in a program that leads to a degree, diploma or certificate of the University and includes all students described in the section, Classification of Students, but does not include a visitor.

Subject

A specific field of study.

T
Transcript
T

An official document prepared by the Office of the Registrar recording a student's academic performance and bearing the University seal. A transcript contains a chronological listing of courses and grades obtained. A fee is charged for each transcript.

Official electronic version updated on February 4, 2002

M. Watson, Editor Course Timetable