2000-1-5 Progression & Graduation from a Program

Policy

1. Students are expected to study and complete the courses in a program in the sequence in which they are presented in the program and in a timely fashion.
2. In order to progress through a program from one Academic Achievement Level (AAL) to the next and, ultimately, graduate from a program, the student must satisfy all requirements including course requirements, College requirements and any program-specific requirements in a timely fashion.

Prerequisite and Co-requisite Courses

1. In all instances, requirements for prerequisite and co-requisite courses must be met.
   1. A prerequisite courses is one which must be successfully completed before the student is allowed to register in a related course.
   2. A co-requisite course is one which must be studied concurrently with a specified related course. In some instances, with prior permission, a student may complete a co-requisite course before the related course.
2. The student is responsible for ensuring that all prerequisite and co-requisite conditions are met before registering in a course. Failure to meet a pre- or co-requisite will result in the de-registration of the student from the related course.
   1. Failure to meet a prerequisite, or co-requisite will result in the de-registration for the student from the related course.
   2. For degree programs, the completions of a course without the successful completion of any prerequisite, or co-requisite courses will not be recognized and will not receive credit or a grade.
   3. For degree programs, if the prerequisite to a previously failed course changes prior to the student repeating the course, the new prerequisite is binding on the student.
   4. For degree programs, a failed prerequisite or co-requisite will not be upgraded to a passing grade on the basis of successful completion of the related course.
   5. For degree programs, it is at the discretion of the Dean to override prerequisite or co-requisite requirements.

Program Progression

1. In order to advance in good academic standing to a subsequent semester of a program, a full-time student must maintain both a term and program Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.00.
2. A full-time student whose term GPA is less than 2.00 is considered to be in Academic Jeopardy. A student in this state may continue in his program. After grades have been issued at the end of each term, the Registrar will issue to each student in Academic Jeopardy a warning concerning his poor performance and the consequences of future poor performance.
3. A full-time student who achieves a term GPA of less than 1.50 in three terms, in one or multiple programs, over any three calendar years (nine consecutive semesters) will be dismissed from the College by the Registrar for 12 months. A student seeking re-admission to a College program after dismissal must re-apply for admission to the College. See the Application & Admission to Programs (2000-1-1) policy - sections 38-41 (Academic Dismissal).
4. Programs may have program-specific progression rules. Program progression rules identify requirements (e.g. a course grade of C or greater, successful completion of all courses in an AAL) that must be met in order for the student to progress to a higher Academic Achievement Level (AAL), or register in higher level courses, or graduate from the program.
   1. Program progression and graduation requirements will be published in course outlines when the requirements relate to specific courses and in program documents.
5. It is the student's responsibility to be aware of and meet all program progression rules in a timely fashion.
6. The student's standing (Good Standing, Jeopardy, Dismissal) at the end of each semester will be noted on the student's transcript.

Repeated Courses

1. A student may attempt a course: low up to three times. After the second attempt, the student must receive permission from the student's program Dean for the third attempt. Conditions, requirements, a learning contract, etc. may be established for the third attempt.
   1. Some programs may not allow progression or graduation with more than one failure of an individual required course.
      1. Program restrictions on the repetition of courses will be published in program documents.
2. Failure to achieve the minimum grade in a course required for progression or graduation within the permitted number of attempts will result in the removal of the student from the program.
3. Withdrawal from a course on or before the date for withdrawal without academic penalty will cause this course registration not to be counted as a course attempt.

Repeated Level

1. In some programs, students may be required to repeat an AAL. The requirement to repeat a level may include the requirement to repeat courses previously passed. In such cases, to progress, the student must pass all courses, including repeated courses.

Graduation from a Program

1. To be eligible for graduation from a program, a student must satisfy all of the following conditions.

Minimum Grade Point Average

1. In order to graduate from a program, the student must achieve the following minimum final Grade Point Average(s).
   1. The student must achieve a final program Grade Point Average of 2.00 or greater.
   2. In a degree program, the student must achieve a final cumulative Grade Point Average of 2.00 or greater for all core courses and for all non-core courses.
   3. Some programs may require a greater final Grade Point Average(s). These greater requirements will be published by the program.

Required Courses

1. The student must successfully complete all required courses in order to graduate from a program.
2. The student must achieve the minimum passing grade and progression grade in in each and every course prescribed for the program from which graduation is expected.
   1. In programs other than degree programs, D is the College minimum passing grade and progression grade.
   2. In degree programs, D is the minimum passing grade and C- is the minimum progression/graduation grade.
   3. Some programs may require for progression through and/or graduation from the program, a grade or grades greater than the College minimum grade. In such cases, the program-required minimum grades must be achieved.
      1. Program-specific minimum grades for progression and graduation will be published in the relevant course outlines and in program documents.
3. The student may also successfully complete a course through transfer credit, Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR), course substitution or exemption.

Currency of Courses

1. Courses must be current in order to be counted towards program graduation requirements. Courses completed more than seven years prior to graduation will normally be considered stale-dated (i.e. not current) and therefore not acceptable for meeting program graduation requirements.
   1. Exceptions to the above currency requirement may be granted by the program Dean when the lack of currency of the course(s) does not jeopardize the student's achievement of the program learning outcomes/goals or the student's preparation for further studies or professional undertakings.

Current Program Requirements

1. The student must successfully complete the course requirements of the program version in effect at the time of graduation (i.e. the program version of the currently graduating students who are completing the program in the normal, scheduled time frame) unless the program Dean has approved alternative arrangements in writing to the Registrar.
2. The requirements for graduation from the program will include any changes made to the curriculum while the student is in progress in the program, provided that the changes are published six months prior to implementation (failing published notice of six months, a two-thirds majority of affected students may permit the change) and the changes are implemented prior to or at the time at which a student, following the normal, on-time progression through the program curriculum, would normally be scheduled for that part of the curriculum. The program graduation requirements will not include changes made to the curriculum in semesters that had already been completed by a student following the normal, on-time progression through the program. A student who has worked ahead of the normal, on-time progression through the curriculum will not be disadvantaged or faced with additional requirements because of the curriculum changes.

Interrupted Studies

1. A student who does not register in a program for two or more successive academic terms normally scheduled for the program will be considered as having interrupted studies.
2. The student who resumes studies after an interruption will be required to meet the program requirements in effect at the time of the student's return to the program. That is, the returning student will be required to fulfill the requirements of the program version in place for the students in the program term to which the student is returning who are following the normal, on-time progression through the program.
3. On resumption of studies after an interruption, the student's previously completed courses will be assessed by the program department against the current version of the program curriculum. (See the above statement.) The Dean will establish the requirements to be met in order for the student to graduate from the program version in effect on the student's return to the program.
4. After a break in any duration in the normal course of studies, a student may be required to demonstrate skills or knowledge that are sufficient to permit a return to studies or clinical placement that is safe and with a reasonable chance of success.
5. Students who have interrupted their studies may not be eligible to graduate from a program that is no longer offered (suspended or cancelled) by the College. See the Graduation from a Suspended or Cancelled Program section in this policy.

Program Completion Time Limit

1. The student is expected to complete the program within 150% of the normal full-time program duration, beginning with the date of the student's initial enrolment in the program. Students with documented disabilities may be expected to take up to 200% of the normal full-time program duration. For degree programs, the corresponding maximum durations are 175% and 200%.
2. The student who has not completed the program within the above time frame will become subject to the program curriculum and requirements in place at the time of graduation (i.e. the requirements faced by the currently graduating students who are completing the program following the normal, on-time progression through the program). The Dean will establish the requirements to be met in order for the student to meet the graduation requirements of the program version in effect at the time of graduation.
3. Students who have extended their studies beyond the normal program completion time may not be eligible to graduate from a program that is no longer offered (suspended or cancelled) by the College. The policy statements below concerning graduation from a suspended or cancelled program may supersede the above statements concerning program completion time limits. See the Graduation from a Suspended or Cancelled Program section within this policy.

Residency Requirement

1. The student must have successfully completed at Lambton College at least 25% of the courses and credit-hours in the program in order to satisfy residency requirements. See the Residency Requirements & Recording of Courses & Grades (2000-1-9) policy.

Additional Program Requirements

1. Where a program establishes additional requirements beyond the successful completion of required courses, these additional requirements must be satisfactorily completed (e.g. time requirements, fitness requirements.).

Graduation Application

1. A prospective graduate must submit an application for graduation to the Office of the Registrar & Financial Aid Services at least ten weeks before the date of the convocation ceremony.
2. Programs whose end dates extend beyond the regular end dates of the academic year of programs with a final term scheduled to take place over the Spring (May/June) are deemed as having provisional status. Students registered in these programs will be allowed to participate in the annual spring convocation ceremonies as provisional graduates. Provisional status is determined at the program level and not at the student level.

Graduation Fee

1. A graduation fee must be paid for each credential for which a student applies.

Outstanding Accounts

1. All debts owing to the College must be fully paid and all borrowed College property returned to the College before the College will provide confirmation or evidence (e.g. transcript, diploma) of the student’s completion of the program, work in the program, eligibility for graduation or graduation from the program, or permit participation in any College ceremony or event recognizing completion of or graduation from a program of study.

Additional Certificates and Diplomas

1. Certificates or diplomas for two programs may be received in one academic year provided that the requirements for them are completed in two different terms.
2. A student may receive only the highest level credential for which that student is eligible within an academic year.
3. A student must be registered in the program for which a graduation application is submitted in the graduation term.

Graduation from a Suspended or Cancelled Program

1. Once a program has been suspended, students may graduate from the program for a period after the date of suspension equal to 150% of the normal length of the full-time program (e.g. three years for a diploma program normally delivered over two calendar years.)
2. A student who has interrupted his/her studies and returned to a program, or enrolled in a program on a reduced-load or part-time basis for an extended period of time, or extended the period of study beyond 150% of the normal full-time program duration for whatever reason, may not have sufficient time to complete the program and so may not become eligible for graduation.
3. A student may not graduate from a cancelled program.