Undergraduate Programs
Calendar 2004-05
Calendar 2004-05
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Undergraduate Programs Calendar 2004-05 |
Bachelor of Arts and Science
1 The Faculties
1.1 Location
853 Sherbrooke Street West Montreal, QC H3A 2T6 Canada Telephone: (514) 398-4210 Faculty Websites: www.mcgill.ca/arts and www.mcgill.ca/science Degree Website: www.mcgill.ca/artscisao/basc Student Affairs Office Website: www.mcgill.ca/artscisaoThe Student Affairs Office of the Faculties of Arts and of Science and the Office of the Associate Dean (Student Affairs) of the Faculty of Science are located in Dawson Hall, Rooms 110 and 115. The Student Affairs Office serves students in both Arts and Science.
1.2 Administrative Officers
For a listing of administrative officers in the Faculty of Arts, refer to Administrative Officers, and for those in the Faculty of Science, refer to Faculty Administrative Officers. Note that the Associate Dean (Student Affairs) of Science is responsible for students pursuing a B.A. & Sc.
The B.A. & Sc. Program Administration Committee (PAC), which oversees the curriculum and regulations for the degree, consists of the following members:
Bruce Arndtsen, B.A.(Car.), Ph.D.(Stan.)
Chemistry
André Costopoulos, B.A.(McG.), M.A.(Montr.), Ph.D.(Oulu)
Anthropology
Morton J. Mendelson, B.Sc.(McG.), A.M., Ph.D.(Harv.)
Associate Dean (Academic Affairs), Faculty of Science
Gregory Mikkelson, M.S., Ph.D.(Chic.)
Philosophy & McGill School of Environment
Timothy R. Moore, B.Sc.(Swansea), Ph.D.(Aberd.)
Geography
Enrica Quaroni, B.A., Ph.D.(McG.)
Associate Dean (Student Affairs), Faculty of Arts
1.3 Programs and Teaching in Arts and in Science
Programs and teaching in Arts are described in section Programs and Teaching in Arts Those in Science are described in section Programs and Teaching in Science The two faculties jointly offer the B.A. & Sc., so students pursuing that degree are at home in both Arts and in Science.
1.4 Student Affairs Office
The Student Affairs Office, located in Dawson Hall, provides assistance in interpreting records as well as general academic information and advice on the following: prerequisites and programs, degree requirements, registration, course change, procedures for withdrawal, deferred exams, supplemental exams, rereads, academic standing, inter-faculty transfer, year or term away, transfer credits, second programs, second degrees, and graduation.
Special requests can be made, in writing, to the Associate Dean (Student Affairs) of Science, who is responsible for students pursuing a B.A. & Sc.
The Committee on Student Standing (CSS) of the Faculty of Science will consider appeals of the Associate Dean's decisions. For information about CSS, see the Associate Dean's secretary.
For more information, please refer to our Website at www.mcgill.ca/artscisao.
2 Degree Admission Requirements
For information about admission requirements to the B.A. & Sc., please refer to Admission Requirements.
For information about inter-faculty or inter-degree transfers, please refer to Inter-Faculty Transfer as well as to the relevant information posted on the Students Affairs Office Website at www.mcgill.ca/artscisao and in the Student Affairs Office, Dawson Hall, Room 110.
3 Degree Requirements
Each student pursuing a B.A. & Sc. must be aware of the regulations as stated in this section of the Calendar.
While departmental and Faculty advisers and staff are always available to give advice and guidance, the ultimate responsibility for completeness and correctness of course selection and registration, for compliance with, and completion of, program and degree requirements, and for the observance of regulations and deadlines rests with the student. It is the student's responsibility to seek guidance from the Student Affairs Office if in any doubt; misunderstanding or misapprehension will not be accepted as cause for dispensation from any regulation, deadline, program or degree requirement.
To be eligible for a B.A. & Sc., students must fulfill all Faculty degree and program requirements as indicated below:
Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)
Time Limit for Completion of the Degree
3.1 Minimum Credit Requirement
Students must complete the minimum credit requirement for the degree as specified in the letter of admission.
Students are normally admitted to a four-year program requiring the completion of 120 credits, but advanced standing of up to 30 credits may be granted to students who obtain satisfactory results in the Diploma of Collegial Studies, International Baccalaureate, French Baccalaureate, Advanced Levels, and Advanced Placement tests.
Students who are readmitted after interrupting their studies for a period of five consecutive years or more may be required to complete a minimum of 60 credits and satisfy the requirements of a program. In this case, a new GPA will be calculated. The Associate Dean (Student Affairs) of Science, in consultation with the appropriate department, may approve a lower minimum for students who had completed 60 credits or more before interrupting their studies.
Students who are readmitted after a period of absence are normally subject to the program and degree requirements in effect at the time of re-admission.
3.2 Residency
To obtain a B.A. & Sc., students must satisfy the following residency requirements: a minimum of 60 credits of courses used to satisfy the B.A. & Sc. requirements must be taken and passed at McGill, exclusive of any courses completed as part of the basic science requirements defined below. At least two-thirds of all departmental program requirements (Multi-track, Honours, Faculty) must normally be completed at McGill. However, students in Major Concentrations or Faculty or Honours Programs who pursue an approved Study Away or Exchange Program may, with departmental approval, be exempted from the two-thirds rule. In addition, some departments may require that their students complete specific components of their program at McGill.
3.3 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)
Each candidate for a B.A. & Sc. must achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.00.
3.4 Time Limit for Completion of the Degree
Students who need 96 or fewer credits to complete their degree requirements are expected to complete their program in no more than eight terms after their initial registration for the degree. Students in the Freshman Program become subject to these regulations one year after their initial registration. Students who exceed these limits must receive permission from the Associate Dean (Student Affairs) of Science to continue their studies. Permission for exceeding the time limits will normally be granted only for valid academic reasons, such as a change of program (subject to departmental approval) and part-time status.
3.5 Program Requirements
3.5.1 Freshman Program
Students who need to complete 97-120 credits to fulfill their degree requirements must, within their first year at McGill, complete 21 credits of basic Science courses: 7 credits in Mathematics (MATH 139 or 140 or 150 and MATH 141 or 151) and 14 credits in at least two departments from Biology (BIOL 111 and/or 112), Chemistry (CHEM 110 and/or 120), and Physics (PHYS 101 or 131 and possibly PHYS 102 and 142). They should choose the remainder of their first-year courses, keeping in mind the requirement that they take 21 credits of Arts electives over their 120-credit degree.
Students who have completed the Diploma of Collegial Studies, Advanced Placement exams, Advanced Levels, the International Baccalaureate, the French Baccalaureate, or McGill placement examinations may receive exemption and/or credit for all or part of the basic science courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics and statistics, and physics as well as exemption from all or part of the 21-credit requirement of Arts electives over their degree. Similarly, students who have completed courses at other universities or colleges may receive exemptions and/or credits.
For further details, refer to information about the B.A. & Sc. Freshman Program on the Web at www.mcgill.ca/artscisao.
3.5.2 Departmental Programs
Students pursuing a B.A. & Sc., other than those registered in the Freshman Program, are required to have an approved program (Multi-track, Honours, Faculty), and to select their courses in each term with a view to timely completion of their degree and program requirements. Students must complete one of the program streams described below.
In all cases, the degree also includes a required integrative course (BASC 201; 3 credits), a complementary integrative course (3 credits) within or outside a student's programs selected from the complementary list in section 11.6 "Integrative Courses", plus electives (12-15 credits).
3.5.3 Multi-Track System
To recognise the diversity of student backgrounds and interests and the multiple routes to understanding provided by a modern university, the Faculties of Arts and of Science offer a 90-credit multi-track system that includes a Major Concentration in one faculty complemented by either a Major Concentration or two Minors/Minor Concentrations in the other faculty and that may be completed in one of the following ways:
Options
1) Arts Major Concentration (36) + Science Major Concentration (36-38) (see section 11 "Programs in the B.A. & Sc.", for a list of programs open to students in the B.A. & Sc.)
2) Major Concentration in Arts or Science (36-38) + two Minors/Minor Concentrations in the other faculty (2 x 18 = 36)
Regulations
- Programs offered by Computer Science, Mathematics and Statistics, and Psychology are considered Science programs for the purpose of the B.A. & Sc.
- Within both options, all Concentrations must be in different academic units. Thus, students may take a Geography program either in Arts or in Science, but not in both.
- Students will include within the 36 or 18 credits of their Major Concentrations or Minors or Minor Concentrations any university-level (200- or above) prerequisites to required courses within their programs.
- No course may fulfill the requirements for more than one program.
Definitions
Units:
academic departments or administrative equivalents.
Programs:
lists of required and complementary courses (including prerequisites for required courses) prepared and maintained by units.
Major Concentration:
36-38 credits taken from a unit's Major program.
Minor Concentration:
18 credits taken from a unit's Minor program. Expandable Minor Concentrations are those that can, on the completion of 18 additional approved credits, be expanded into a Major Concentration within the appropriate unit.
HONOURS PROGRAM
Honours programs demand a high degree of specialisation, and require students to satisfy specific departmental and Faculty Honours requirements while maintaining a good academic standing. They are designed to prepare students for graduate study.
At the time of publishing this Calendar, no honours programs had been approved for the B.A. & Sc. However, students should consult www.mcgill.ca/artscisao/basc for an up-to-date list of B.A. & Sc. programs.
JOINT HONOURS PROGRAM
Students who wish to study at the Honours level in two disciplines can combine a Joint Honours Program Component from an Arts discipline with one from a Science discipline; see "Joint Honours Programs" for a list of available programs. Each Joint Honours component consists of a maximum of 36-38 required and complementary credits (not including program prerequisites). In cases where a minimum of 24 credits are in courses normally restricted to Honours students, the total of required and complementary credits may be as few as 30.
To complete a Joint Honours degree, a student must achieve a minimum CGPA of 3.00. The program GPA (the GPA of all required and complementary courses taken at McGill that constitute the Joint Honours program) must be a minimum of 3.00, although academic units may set higher requirements for their component of the program GPA.
At the time of publishing this Calendar, only one Science Joint Honours Component (Mathematics) had been approved for the B.A. & Sc., although another (Psychology) was pending approval. Students should consult www.mcgill.ca/artscisao/basc for an up-to-date list of B.A. & Sc. programs.
FACULTY PROGRAM
A Faculty program is an approved selection of courses constituting a concentration in an intellectually coherent and inter-faculty field of studies. These courses must include approved selections from the Faculties of Arts and of Science and possibly other faculties. Students in the B.A. & Sc. who complete a Faculty program must also complete a Minor Concentration or a Minor.
At the time of publishing this Calendar, a Faculty program in Cognitive Science was pending approval. Students should consult www.mcgill.ca/artscisao/basc for an up-to-date list of B.A. & Sc. programs.
3.6 Course Requirements
All required and complementary courses used to fulfill program requirements must be completed with a grade of C or better. Students who fail to obtain a satisfactory grade in a required course must either pass the supplemental examination in the course or do additional work for a supplemental grade, if these options are available, or repeat the course. Course substitution will be allowed only in special cases; students should consult their academic adviser.
Normally, students are permitted to repeat a failed course only once. (Failure is considered to be a grade of less than C or the administrative failures of J and KF.) If a required course is failed a second time, a student may appeal to the Associate Dean (Student Affairs) of Science for permission to take the course a third time. If permission is denied by the Associate Dean and/or by the Committee on Student Standing of the Faculty of Science, on appeal, the student must withdraw from the program. If the failed course is a complementary course required by the program, a student may choose to replace it with another appropriate complementary course. If a student chooses to substitute another complementary course for a complementary course in which a D was received, credit for the first course will still be given, but as an elective. If a student repeats a required course in which a D was received, credit will be given only once.
Full details of the course requirements for all programs as well as the locations of departmental advisory offices, program directors, and telephone numbers for further information are available as follows:
For descriptions of B.A. & Sc. programs that are available to Arts students, see Academic Programs.
For descriptions of B.A. & Sc. Science programs that are available to Science students, see Academic Programs.
For descriptions of B.A. & Sc. Science programs that are not available to Arts or Science students, see the unit's section below.
For descriptions of B.A. & Sc. Science programs offered by the McGill School of Environment, see Programs Offered. (At the time of publishing this Calendar, no MSE programs had yet been approved for the B.A. & Sc., but students should consult www.mcgill.ca/artscisao/basc for an up-to-date list of B.A. & Sc. programs.)
3.6.1 Course Overlap
Students will not receive credit towards their degree for any course that overlaps in content with a course passed at McGill, CEGEP, at another university, or Advanced Placement exams, Advanced Level results, International Baccalaureate Diploma, or French Baccalaureate. It is the student's responsibility to consult the Student Affairs Office or the department offering the course as to whether or not credit can be obtained and to be aware of exclusion clauses specified in the course description in the Calendar.
Sometimes two different departments offer the same course. Such courses are called "double-prefix" courses. When such courses are offered simultaneously, students should take the course offered by the department in which they are obtaining their degree. For example, in the case of double-prefix courses CHEM XYZ and PHYS XYZ, Chemistry students would take CHEM XYZ and Physics students would take PHYS XYZ. If different departments offer a double-prefix course in alternate years, students could take whatever course best fits their schedule.
Credit for statistics courses will be given with the stipulations specified in section Course Overlap
Credit for computer courses will be subject to the following restrictions:
1) credit for courses offered by the School of Computer Science is governed by rules specified as "Notes" in the School's entry in the Faculty of Science section of the Calendar.
2) credit for computer courses offered by faculties other than Arts or Science requires the permission of the Associate Dean (Student Affairs) of Science.
3.6.2 Courses outside the Faculties of Arts and of Science
The following regulations apply to students in the B.A. & Sc. who wish to take courses outside the Faculties of Arts and of Science:
- Regardless of their minimum credit requirement towards their B.A. & Sc., students are allowed a maximum of 12 credits in ELECTIVE and/or COMPLEMENTARY courses taken in faculties other than the Faculties of Arts and of Science.
- Students in certain designated programs that include a number of REQUIRED and COMPLEMENTARY courses in other faculties are permitted a maximum of 30 credits outside the Faculties of Arts and of Science. These programs are the Faculty Programs in Environment (not yet approved), the Minor Concentration in Environment (not yet approved), and the Major Concentration in Geography (Urban Systems).
- Any courses taught at McGill University may be used towards the maximum allowed except for courses in Continuing Education for which students receive credit only in Continuing Education.
- For the purpose of this policy, courses taught in other faculties and specifically listed in the Arts or Science section of the printed Calendar are considered as courses taught in the Faculties of Arts and of Science.
- The maximum number of credits allowed will be strictly enforced.
3.6.3 Courses Taken Under the Satisfactory/ Unsatisfactory Option
Students may take one elective course per term that is graded under the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Option, to a maximum of 10% of their credits taken at McGill to fulfill their degree requirements. The decision to have an elective course graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory must be made by students before the end of the Drop/Add period. For more information and restrictions, please see "Courses Taken under the Satisfactory/ Unsatisfactory (S/U) Option" .
3.6.4 Courses in English as a Second Language
ESL courses are only open to students whose primary language is not English and who have studied for fewer than five years in English-language secondary institutions. Students in the B.A. & Sc. may take a maximum of 12 credits, including academic writing courses for non-anglophones.
3.6.5 Auditing of Courses
No auditing of courses is allowed at McGill University.
4 Advising
Fall term advising for newly admitted students takes place during the week prior to the beginning of classes. Students newly admitted to the Winter term should consult the Calendar of Dates for exact advising dates.
Students who need 96 or fewer credits to complete their degree requirements must consult an academic adviser in their proposed department of study to obtain advice and approval of their course selection. To facilitate program planning, they must present their transcripts and letters of admission. Such students who have not fulfilled the 21-credit basic science requirement of the B.A. & Sc. should also seek advice from an adviser in the Student Affairs Office. For a detailed description of advising and registration procedures, students should refer to Welcome to McGill, which they receive upon acceptance from the Admissions, Recruitment and Registrar's Office, as well as to the information posted on the Student Affairs Website, www.mcgill.ca/artscisao.
Students who need 97-120 credits to complete their degree requirements will normally be registered in a Freshman Program until they complete their first year. They must consult an adviser in the Student Affairs Office to obtain advice and approval of their course selection. For a detailed description of advising and registration procedures, Freshman students should refer to Welcome to McGill, which they receive upon acceptance from the Admissions, Recruitment and Registrar's Office, as well as the Student Affairs Website, www.mcgill.ca/artscisao.
Advising for all returning students takes place in March for the coming academic year. For more information, students should refer to the Student Affairs Website, www.mcgill.ca/artscisao.
Advising is also available by e-mail: advisor.artsci@mcgill.ca.
5 Registration
All students register by Minerva, McGill's Web-based registration system.
New students register in August prior to the first day of classes. For detailed information about registration, please see "Registration" , Welcome to McGill, the Student Affairs Website www.mcgill.ca/artscisao, and the Minerva Website www.mcgill.ca/minerva.
Returning students register at the end of April and in May for the coming academic year. For detailed information about registration, please see "Registration" , the information at www.mcgill.ca/artscisao and the Minerva Website, www.mcgill.ca/minerva.
Students who fall into unsatisfactory standing at the end of the academic year will have their registration cancelled. They may not reregister. However, students who can provide proof of extenuating circumstances that affected their academic performance may appeal to the Associate Dean (Student Affairs) of Science for readmission. For more information, students should consult the Student Affairs Office, Dawson Hall, or the Student Affairs
Website, www.mcgill.ca/artscisao.Students who have an outstanding fee balance from a previous term or outstanding fines will not be permitted to register. In addition, students who have registered for the upcoming academic year, but who subsequently take summer courses without paying the fees, will have their registration cancelled. Registration will be denied until these debts are paid in full. Students must pay all debts before the end of the registration period to be permitted to register. Students with financial problems should consult the Student Aid Office, Brown Student Services Building.
Students who decide not to return to McGill after initiating registration must withdraw from all of their courses on Minerva or inform the Student Affairs Office in writing. The deadline for withdrawal from the University is the same deadline as for a course withdrawal; see the Calendar of Dates. After the deadline, students may, under exceptional circumstances, be granted permission to withdraw from the University. Such students should contact the Student Affairs Office in Dawson Hall for further information.
5.1 Program Registration
Students should refer to Welcome to McGill or to the Arts and Science Registration information on how to register for programs on the Student Affairs Website www.mcgill.ca/artscisao and the Minerva Website www.mcgill.ca/minerva. For a list of programs that can be taken by students pursuing a B.A. & Sc., see Section 11 .
5.2 Course Registration
All courses have limited enrolment. Students pursuing a B.A. & Sc. may register for, and take for credit, any course, unless otherwise indicated, in the sections of the Calendar applicable to the Faculties of Arts and of Science, subject to the course restrictions listed in this section.
Since the registration system is unable to verify whether or not degree regulations are respected, it is technically possible to register for courses that may not be credited towards the B.A. & Sc. When students' records are manually verified, however, any courses taken that violate the degree regulations will be flagged after the end of course change period as "not for credit towards the B.A. & Sc.". As a result, the students' expected date of graduation may be delayed.
Some courses may require special permission. Students should consult this Calendar and/or the Class Schedule well in advance of the course change, (drop/add) period to determine if permission is required of the instructor, the department, or the Faculty for any course they wish to take.
Students who believe they have valid reasons to take a course that may not be credited towards the B.A. & Sc. must obtain the permission of the Associate Dean (Student Affairs) of Science.
5.2.1 Registration for First-Year Seminars
Registration for First-Year Seminars is limited to students in their first year of study at McGill, i.e., newly admitted students in U0 or U1. These courses are designed to provide a closer interaction with professors and better working relations with peers than is available in large introductory courses. These seminars endeavour to teach the latest scholarly developments and expose participants to advanced research methods. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. The maximum number of students in any seminar is 25, although some are limited to even fewer than that.
Students may take only one First-Year Seminar during their first year at McGill. Students who register for more than one will be obliged to withdraw from all but one of them.
5.2.2 Registration in Multi-Term Courses
Students who select a multi-term course are making a commitment to that course for its entirety. Students MUST register in the same section in all terms of a multi-term course. Credit will be jeopardized if students deliberately register in different sections of a multi-term course. In exceptional cases, when circumstances are beyond the student's control, the Student Affairs Office may grant permission to change section mid-way through a multi-term course. Students must make their request in writing to the Associate Dean (Student Affairs) of Science citing their reason for the request. The request must also have the written support of the instructors of the sections involved and of the coordinator of the course (if applicable).
5.2.3 Registration for Graduation
Students in their final year must indicate the expected date of graduation on Minerva and verify this date on verification forms and unofficial transcripts. When final-year students change their expected date of graduation, they must notify the Student Affairs Office immediately. Failure to do so may postpone graduation.
Students who complete their degree requirements at any time after their last registered term at McGill must apply to the Associate Dean (Student Affairs) of Science to graduate. Application to graduate must be made sufficiently in advance of the expected graduation date to allow the Faculties of Arts and of Science to verify the student's record. For further information, students should contact the Student Affairs Office.
6 Grading and Credit
Before the end of the course change (drop/add) period, each instructor will inform students of the following:
- whether there will be a final examination in the course;
- how term work will affect the final mark in the course;
- how term work will be distributed through the term;
- whether there will be a supplemental examination in the course, and if so, whether term work will be included in the supplemental grade (courses normally have supplemental examinations, and courses with formal final examinations must have supplemental examinations);
- whether students with marks of D, F, J, or U will have the option of submitting additional work, and, if so, how the supplemental mark will be calculated with the extra work.
6.1 Incomplete Grades
An instructor who believes that there is justification for a student to delay submitting term work may extend the deadline until after the end of the course. In this case, the instructor will submit a grade of K (incomplete), indicating the date by which the work is to be completed. The maximum extensions for the submission of grades to the Student Affairs Office are as follows:
Students' deadlines for submitting their work must be sufficiently in advance of these dates to ensure that the work can be graded and the mark submitted on time.
It is important to note that instructors may impose earlier deadlines than those listed.
If marks to clear K's have not been submitted to the Student Affairs Office by April 30 for fall courses, or July 30 for winter courses and courses spanning fall/winter, the K is automatically changed to a KF and counts as an F in the GPA.
Students with a grade of K who have serious extenuating circumstances may request an extension of the K deadline (KE) from the Associate Dean (Student Affairs) of Science. Please see "Grading and Grade Point Averages (GPA)" for more information.
7 Examinations
Students should see "Examinations" for information about final examinations and deferred examinations.
The exam schedules are posted on the McGill Website, www.mcgill.ca, and in the Student Affairs Office, Dawson Hall, Room 110, normally one month after the start of classes for tentative Exam Schedule, and two months after the start of classes for final Examination Schedule. Students should also refer to the Student Affairs Website at www.mcgill.ca/artscisao for more information.
8 Supplemental Assessments
8.1 Supplemental Examinations
Students who wish to write supplemental examinations for certain courses must apply to the Student Affairs Office for permission. The following conditions apply:
- students must be in satisfactory or probationary standing;
- students must have received a final grade of D, J, F, or U in the course;
- students must avail themselves of this privilege at the time of the next supplemental examination period;
- special permission from the Associate Dean (Student Affairs) of Science is required if students wish to write supplemental exams totaling more than 8 credits in any supplemental exam period;
- only one supplemental examination is allowed in a course;
- the supplemental result may or may not include the same proportion of class work as did the original grade; the instructor will announce the arrangements to be used for the course by the end of the drop/add period;
- the format of the supplemental examination (e.g., multiple-choice or essay questions) will not necessarily be the same as the format for the final examination, so students should consult the instructor about the format of the supplemental;
- the supplemental result will not erase the grade originally obtained; both the original mark and the supplemental result will be calculated in the CGPA;
- in courses in which both a supplemental examination and additional work are available, students may choose the additional work or the examination or both; where both are written, only one supplemental mark will be submitted, reflecting marks for both the supplemental examination and the additional work;
- additional credit will not be given for a supplemental exam where the original grade for the course was a D and the student already received credit for the course;
- supplemental examinations in courses outside the Faculties of Arts or Science are subject to the deadlines, rules, and regulations of the relevant faculty;
- no supplemental examinations are available for students who fail to achieve satisfactory grades in a course with a deferred examination.
For courses in the Faculties of Arts and of Science, the supplemental examination period for fall courses is during the months of April and May, and for winter courses and courses spanning fall/winter during the last week of August. Supplemental applications are available at www.mcgill.ca/artscisao. The deadline for submission of applications is March 1 for fall courses and July 15 for winter courses and courses spanning fall/winter. A non-refundable fee for each supplemental paper is payable at the time of application. Students who register for a supplemental examination and subsequently find themselves unprepared for it should not write it; except for the loss of the registration fee, there is no penalty for not writing a supplemental examination. Students should consult the Student Affairs Office for further information.
8.2 Additional Work
Instructors of courses that include graded written term work may choose to provide the option of additional work to eligible students. The following conditions apply:
- if there is an option for additional work, it must be announced in the course outline at the beginning of the course;
- additional work involves revising one or more previously submitted papers or submitting new written work to replace the original work;
- students must be in satisfactory or probationary standing;
- students must have received a final grade of D, J, F, or U in the course;
- the mark resulting from the revised or additional work will be recorded as a supplemental mark;
- the supplemental result will not erase the grade originally obtained; both the original mark and the supplemental mark will count in calculating the CGPA;
- the weight of the additional work, in calculating the supplemental mark, will be equal to the weight given the work revised or replaced when the original mark was submitted;
- in courses in which both a supplemental examination and additional work are available, students may choose the additional work or the examination or both; where both are written, only one supplemental mark will be submitted, reflecting marks for both the supplemental examination and the additional work;
- additional work in courses outside the Faculties of Arts and of Science is subject to the deadlines, rules, and regulations of the relevant faculty.
Additional work applications are available in the Student Affairs Office. The deadline for submission of applications is March 1 for fall courses and July 15 for winter courses and courses spanning fall/winter. A non-refundable fee is payable for each course at the time of application. Students should consult the Student Affairs Office for further information.
8.3 Reassessments and Rereads
In accordance with the Charter of Student Rights, and subject to the conditions stated therein, students have the right to consult any written submission for which they have received a mark and the right to discuss this submission with the examiner.
The Faculties of Arts and of Science recognise two types of reassessments or rereads:
Reassessments and rereads for Arts courses are subject to the deadlines, rules, and regulations outlined in section Reassessments and Rereads Reassessments and rereads for Science courses are subject to the deadlines, rules, and regulations outlined in section Reassessments and Rereads Reassessments and rereads in courses not in the Faculties of Arts and of Science are subject to the deadlines, rules, and regulations of the relevant faculty.
9 Academic Standing
Academic standing is based primarily on students' cumulative grade point average (CGPA), but may also be affected by their term grade point average (TGPA). Academic standing is assessed in January for the fall term, in May for the winter term, and in September for the summer term. Academic standing in each term determines if students will be allowed to continue their studies in the next term and if any conditions will be attached to their registration.
Decisions about academic standing in the fall term are based only on grades that are available in January. Grades for courses in which students have deferred examinations and fall-term grades for courses that span the fall and winter terms do not affect academic standing for the fall term, even though they will ultimately affect students' fall TGPA. Therefore, academic standings for the fall term that are designated as "interim" should be interpreted as advisory. Note that interim standing will not appear on external transcripts. Interim standing decisions are mentioned below only if the rules for them differ from those for regular standing decisions.
9.1 Satisfactory/Interim Satisfactory Standing
9.2 Probationary/Interim Probationary Standing
Students in probationary standing may continue in their program, but must carry a reduced load (maximum 14 credits per term) and raise their CGPA to return to satisfactory standing (see above). They should see their departmental adviser to discuss their course selection.
Students in interim probationary standing may continue in their program, but should evaluate their course load and reduce it as appropriate. They are strongly advised to consult a departmental adviser, before the withdrawal deadlines, about their course selection for the winter term.
- Students who were previously in satisfactory standing will be placed in probationary standing if their CGPA falls between 1.50 and 1.99.
- Students who were previously in probationary standing will remain in probationary standing if their CGPA falls between 1.50 and 1.99 and their TGPA is 2.50 or higher, although the TGPA requirement will not apply to the summer term.
- Students who were previously in interim unsatisfactory standing will be placed in probationary standing if their CGPA falls between 1.50 and 1.99 and their TGPA is 2.50 or higher.
- Students who were previously in unsatisfactory readmitted standing will be placed in probationary standing for the Fall or Winter term if their CGPA is less than 2.00, but they satisfy relevant conditions specified in their letter of readmission.
9.3 Unsatisfactory Readmitted Standing
Students who were previously in unsatisfactory standing and who were readmitted to the B.A. & Sc. by the Associate Dean (Student Affairs) of Science or the Committee on Student Standing of the Faculty of Science will have their standing changed to unsatisfactory readmitted standing. Their course load is specified in their letter of readmission as are the conditions they must meet to be allowed to continue in their program. They should see their departmental adviser to discuss their course selection.
9.4 Unsatisfactory/Interim Unsatisfactory Standing
Students in interim unsatisfactory standing may continue in their program, but should evaluate their course load and reduce it as appropriate. They are strongly advised to consult an academic adviser, before the withdrawal deadlines, about their course selection for the winter term.
Students in unsatisfactory standing have failed to meet the minimum standards set by the faculties. They may not continue in their program, and their registration will be cancelled.
Appeals for readmission by students in unsatisfactory standing should be addressed to the Associate Dean (Student Affairs) of Science no later than July 15 for readmission to the fall term and November 15 for the winter term. Readmission will be considered only when proof of extenuating circumstances that affected academic performance can be provided (e.g., medical or other documentation). Students in unsatisfactory standing for the second time must withdraw permanently.
Normally, supplemental examinations are not permitted; however, students in unsatisfactory standing may appeal to the Associate Dean (Student Affairs) of Science for permission to write a supplemental examination, clearly stating the reasons for special consideration and providing proof as appropriate.
- Students will be placed in unsatisfactory standing (winter or summer term) or interim unsatisfactory standing (fall term) if their CGPA falls or remains below 1.50.
- Students who were previously in probationary, unsatisfactory readmitted, or interim unsatisfactory standing will be placed in unsatisfactory standing (fall or winter term) if their TGPA falls below 2.50 and their CGPA is below 2.00.
- Students who were previously in unsatisfactory standing and who were readmitted to the B.A. & Sc. by the Associate Dean (Student Affairs) of Science or the Committee on Student Standing of the Faculty of Science and who have not at least satisfied the conditions to attain probationary standing that were specified in the letter of readmission will be placed in unsatisfactory standing.
9.5 Incomplete Standings
Standing awaits deferred exam.
Must clear K's, L's or Supplementals.
Standing Incomplete.Students with incomplete standings in the winter or summer term may register for the fall term, but their standing must be resolved by the end of the course-change period for that term. Students whose incomplete standing changes to satisfactory, probationary, or interim unsatisfactory standing may continue in the program. Students whose standing changes to unsatisfactory standing may not continue in their program, and their registration will be cancelled.
Students whose standing changes to unsatisfactory and who wish to ask for permission to continue in their program must make a request to the Associate Dean (Student Affairs) of Science as soon as they are placed in unsatisfactory standing. Readmission will be considered only when proof of extenuating circumstances that affected academic performance can be provided (e.g., medical or other documentation).
Students whose standing is still incomplete by the end of course change period should immediately consult with the Student Affairs Office.
At the end of the winter term, students with a mark of K or L will be placed in the appropriate standing in June, if the outstanding mark in the course will not affect their result. Otherwise the standing decision will only be made once their incomplete marks have been cleared. For more information about incomplete grades please refer to "Incomplete Grades" on page 52.
10 Awards and Honourary Designations
10.1 Honours and First-Class Honours
Departments may recommend to the Faculties of Arts and of Science that graduating students registered in an Honours program be awarded Honours or First-Class Honours under the following conditions:
- students must complete all requirements imposed by the department;
- for Honours, the CGPA at graduation must be at least 3.00;
- for First-Class Honours, the CGPA at graduation must be 3.50 or better;
- some departments have additional requirements that must be met before students are recommended for Honours or First-Class Honours (see the departmental entries).
- Students in an Honours program whose program GPA or CGPA is below 3.00 or who did not satisfy certain additional program requirements must consult their adviser to determine if they are eligible to graduate in a program other than Honours.
10.2 Distinction and Great Distinction
Students in the Faculty or the Multi-track programs whose academic performance is appropriate may be awarded their degrees with Distinction or Great Distinction under the following conditions:
- students must have completed a minimum of 60 McGill credits towards the same degree to be considered;
- for Distinction, the CGPA at graduation must be 3.30 to 3.49;
- for Great Distinction, the CGPA at graduation must be at least 3.50;
- these designations may be withdrawn, in the case of transfer students, if their CGPA in another faculty or at another university is not comparable to the CGPA earned in the B.A. & Sc.
10.3 Dean's Honour List
At the time of printing this Calendar, the following regulations had yet to be approved by the Faculties of Arts and of Science. Consult www.mcgill.ca/artscisao/basc for possible revisions to the regulations.
The designation Dean's Honour List may be awarded to a graduating student under the following conditions:
- students must have completed a minimum of 60 McGill credits towards the same degree to be considered;
- students must be among the top 10% of the graduating class of B.A. & Sc. students; this calculation is based on the CGPA;
- this designation may be withdrawn, in the case of transfer students, if their CGPA in another degree program or at another university was not comparable to the CGPA earned in the B.A. & Sc.
- the designation Dean's Honour List may be awarded at the end of each academic year to continuing students under the following conditions:
- students must have completed at least 27 graded credits during the academic year to be considered;
- students must be among the top 10% of students in the B.A. & Sc. This calculation is based on the sessional GPA (i.e., combined GPA for the fall and winter terms).
10.4 Medals and Prizes
Various medals, scholarships, and prizes are open to continuing and graduating students. Full details of these are set out in the Undergraduate Scholarships and Awards Calendar, available from the Admissions, Recruitment and Registrar's Office or on the Web at www.mcgill.ca. No application is required except in the case of the Moyse Travelling Scholarships.
11 Programs in the B.A. & Sc.
11.1 Major Concentrations
11.1.1 Arts
The Arts Major Concentrations available to B.A. & Sc. students are listed here and are described in detail in the Faculty of Arts section of the Calendar.
11.1.2 Science
The Science Major Concentrations available to B.A. & Sc. students are listed here and are described in detail either below in the Arts & Science (AS) section or in the Faculty of Arts (A) section of the Calendar as indicated.
11.2 Faculty Programs
The Faculty Programs available to B.A. & Sc. students are listed here and are described in detail either below in the Arts & Science (AS) section or in the McGill School of Environment (E) section of the Calendar as indicated.
11.3 Honours Programs
There are currently no Honours programs approved for B.A. & Sc. students. Students interested in an Honours degree should consider the Joint Honours Programs in the next section.
11.4 Joint Honours Programs
Joint Honours programs in the B.A. & Sc. are created by combining a Joint Honours Program component from an Arts discipline with one from a Science discipline. Students must register for both Joint Honour Program components. Joint Honours students should consult an adviser in each department to discuss their course selection and their interdisciplinary research project (if applicable).
11.4.1 Arts
The Arts Joint Honours components available to B.A. & Sc. students are listed here and are described in detail in the Faculty of Arts section of the Calendar.
11.4.2 Science
There are currently only two Science Joint Honours components available to B.A. & Sc. students, which are listed here and are described in detail in the Faculty of Arts section of the Calendar.
11.5 Minor Concentrations or Minors
11.5.1 Arts
The Arts Minor Concentrations available to B.A. & Sc. students are listed here and are described in detail in the Faculty of Arts section of the Calendar.
11.5.2 Science
The Science Minors (M) or Minor Concentrations (MC) available to B.A. & Sc. students are listed here and are described in detail either in the Faculty of Science (S) or Faculty of Arts (A) section of the Calendar as indicated.
11.6 Integrative Courses
11.6.1 Required Integrative Course
All students pursuing a B.A. & Sc. must take BASC 201, normally in U1.
11.6.2 Complementary Integrative Course
Students in the B.A. & Sc. are required to complete at least one other integrative course (at least 3 credits), possibly within one of their programs, chosen from the following:
ANTH 201 Prehistoric ArchaeologyANTH 203 Human Evolution ANTH 227 Medical Anthropology ANTH 312 Zooarchaeology ATOC/EPSC 250 Natural Disasters ECON 347 Economics of Climate Change ENGC 200 Communications - Pre-Electronic Age ENGC 210 History of Communication - Electronic Age ENVR 200 The Global Environment ENVR 201 Society and Environment ENVR 202 The Evolving Earth ENVR 203 Knowledge, Ethics and Environment GEOG 200 Geographical Perspectives: World Environmental Problems GEOG 203 Environmental Systems GEOG 302 Environmental Management 1 GEOG 350 Ecological Biogeography LING 390 Neuroscience of Language LING 555 Language Acquisition 2 MATH 328 Computability and Mathematical Linguistics MATH 330 Mathematical Finance MATH 338 History and Philosophy of Mathematics PHIL 220 Introduction to History and Philosophy of Science 1 PHIL 221 Introduction to History and Philosophy of Science 2 PHIL 341 Philosophy of Science 1 PHIL 350 History and Philosophy of Ancient Science PHIL 411 Topics in Philosophy of Logic and Mathematics PHIL 441 Philosophy of Science 2 SOCI 225 Medicine & Health in Modern Society SOCI 234 Population and Society SOCI 235 Technology and Society SOCI 338 Intro to Biomedical KnowledgeAs a substitute, students can fulfill the requirement for a complementary integrative course by conducting library or empirical research that integrates the components of their program as a 3- or 6-credit independent study course, thesis course, or research course.
12 Academic Programs
12.1 Required Integrative Course for B.A. & Sc.
BASC 201 (Arts & Science Integrative Topics) is a required course in the B.A. & Sc., normally taken in U1. It introduces students to a variety of interdisciplinary topics that exemplify the benefits of applying scholarship from Arts and Science to a problem. It also provides students in the degree with a common experience and a reference group. For details, see the Course section of the Faculty of Science.
12.2 Programs in Arts or in Science
All B.A. & Sc. Arts programs are described in detail in the Faculty of Arts section of the Calendar. B.A. & Sc. Science programs that are open to B.A. students (i.e., programs in Computer Science, Mathematics and Statistics, and Psychology as well as some in Geography) are described in the Faculty of Arts section. Science Minors that are open to B.A. & Sc. students are described in the Faculty of Science section. B.A. & Sc. Science programs that are open only to B.A. & Sc. students are described below.
For information about where each B.A. & Sc. program is listed, see section 11 "Programs in the B.A. & Sc.".
12.3 Biology (BIOL)
The Department of Biology, the discipline, and specific courses are described in the Faculty of Science section of the Calendar.
MAJOR CONCENTRATION IN BIOLOGY - CELL/ MOLECULAR OPTION(36 credits)The Major Concentration in Biology, Cell/Molecular Option, which is restricted to students in the B.A. & Sc., is a planned sequence of courses designed to permit a degree of specialization in cell/molecular biology.
Required Courses*(29 credits)MAJOR CONCENTRATION IN BIOLOGY - ORGANISMAL OPTION(37 credits)The Major Concentration in Biology, Organismal Option, which is restricted to students in the B.A. & Sc., is a planned sequence of courses designed to permit a degree of specialization in organismal biology.
Required Courses*(28 credits)12.4 Biomedical Sciences
Professor Ellis Cooper, Department of Physiology
McIntyre Medical Sciences Building, Room 1127
E-mail: ellis.cooper@mcgill.ca
Telephone: (514) 398-4334Professor Teresa Trippenbach, Department of Physiology
McIntyre Medical Sciences Building, Room 1116
E-mail: teresa.trippenbach@mcgill.ca
Telephone: (514) 398-4331Professor Ann Wechsler, Department of Physiology
McIntyre Medical Sciences Building, Room 1135
E-mail: ann.wechsler@mcgill.ca
Telephone: (514) 398-4341The following departments jointly offer this B.A. & Sc. program:
Anatomy and Cell Biology (ANAT)
Biochemistry (BIOC)
Microbiology and Immunology (MIMM)
Pharmacology (PHAR)
Physiology (PHGY)
The individual departments, their disciplines, and specific courses offered by them are described in their respective entries in the Faculty of Science section of the Calendar.
MAJOR CONCENTRATION IN BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES(36 credits)The Major Concentration in Biomedical Sciences, which is restricted to students in the B.A. & Sc., is a planned sequence of courses designed to permit students to survey the various biomedical sciences and acquire some additional in-depth exposure to one of them.
Required Courses(18 credits)12.5 Chemistry (CHEM)
The Department of Chemistry, the discipline, and specific courses are described in the Faculty of Science section of the Calendar.
MAJOR CONCENTRATION IN CHEMISTRY(36 credits)The Major Concentration in Chemistry, which is restricted to students in the B.A. & Sc., is a planned sequence of courses designed to permit a degree of specialization in this discipline.
Required Courses*(18 credits)12.6 Cognitive Science
Cognitive Science is the multi-disciplinary study of cognition in humans and machines. The goal is to understand the principles of intelligence with the hope that this will lead to better comprehension of the mind and of learning and to the development of intelligent devices that constructively extend human abilities.
A Faculty Program in Cognitive Science (54 credits) is under development by the following departments, which are described fully in the Faculty of Arts or Faculty of Science section of the Calendar:
Computer Science (COMP) (Science)
Linguistics (LING) (Arts)
Philosophy (PHIL) (Arts)
Psychology (PSYC) (Science)---------START OF REVISION -----------------------------------------------FACULTY PROGRAM IN COGNITIVE SCIENCE(54 credits)The Faculty Program in Cognitive Science, which is restricted to students in the B.A. & Sc., is a planned sequence of courses designed to permit students to focus on at least two relevant areas of study.Required Course(3 credits)Students should consult www.mcgill.ca/artscisao/basc for an up-to-date list of B.A. & Sc. programs.
--------------------------END OF REVISION ------------------------12.7 Earth, Atmosphere and Ocean Sciences
The following departments jointly offer a B.A. & Sc. program:
Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (ATOC)
Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPSC)
The departments, the disciplines, and specific courses are described in their respective entries in the Faculty of Science section of the Calendar.
MAJOR CONCENTRATION IN EARTH, ATMOSPHERE AND OCEAN SCIENCES(36 credits)The Major Concentration in Earth, Atmosphere and Ocean Sciences, which is restricted to students in the B.A. & Sc., is a planned sequence of courses designed to permit a degree of specialization in these disciplines.
Required Courses*(25 credits)12.8 Geography (GEOG)
The Department of Geography, the discipline, and specific courses are described in the Faculty of Science section of the Calendar.
Note that students may take a Geography program either in Arts or in Science, but not in both.
The following are considered Arts programs in the B.A. & Sc. and are described in the Faculty of Arts section of the Calendar:
Major Concentration in Geography
Major Concentration in Geography (Urban Systems)
Minor Concentration in Geography
Minor Concentration in Geography (Urban Systems)The following are considered Science programs in the B.A. & Sc. and are described either below (Major Concentration) or in the Faculty of Science section (Minors) of the Calendar:
Major Concentration in Geography (Physical Geography)
Minor in Geographical Information Systems
Minor in GeographyMAJOR CONCENTRATION IN GEOGRAPHY - PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OPTION(36 credits)The Major Concentration in Geography, which is restricted to students in the B.A. & Sc., is a planned sequence of courses designed to permit a degree of specialization in this discipline.
Required Courses(12 credits)12.9 Physics (PHYS)
The Department of Physics, the discipline, and specific courses are described in the Faculty of Science section of the Calendar.
MAJOR CONCENTRATION IN PHYSICS(36 credits)The Major Concentration in Physics, which is restricted to students in the B.A. & Sc., is a planned sequence of courses designed to permit a degree of specialization in this discipline.
Required Courses*(30 credits)
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