Academic policies
The Office of the Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs (MB 4.201) is dedicated to the academic integrity of the university and the acceptable academic conduct of all undergraduate business students. As a John Molson student, you are responsible for your actions and academic conduct:
Students may want to repeat courses for different reasons. A student who fails a course may want to repeat the course to achieve a passing grade, and a student who achieved a passing grade may want to repeat the course to achieve a better grade. In some cases, a student may want or need to repeat the same course more than twice. In this latter case, students cannot register for the course themselves. They must submit a Student Request Form and specify the term and course sections they wish to be registered for.
The following are policies related to repetition of courses as indicated in the Undergraduate Calendar. Additional observations or clarifications follow each numbered point, as needed.
Repetition of Courses
1. A student may repeat a failed course only once. However, a student who fails a required course twice may appeal to the appropriate Student Request Committee for permission to take the course a third time. If permission is not granted, the student may not be allowed to continue in the University towards that program and/or degree.
Observation: A student who fails a required course twice and wishes to repeat that course must submit a John Molson Student Request Form and indicate clearly the specific term and course section for which registration is needed, for example, COMM 234 A-LEC(1111). If many sections of the course are available, two or three choices should be provided in case your preferred section is full when you submit your request. If the request is granted, then you will be registered in one of the course sections. Make sure that the course sections you choose do not conflict with other courses.
2. A student who has received a passing grade for a course may repeat the course for personal reasons (e.g. to meet an external requirement) only once. A student may appeal to the appropriate Student Request Committee for permission to take the course a third time. The student’s record and transcript will include all grades, but grades with the “REPT” notation will carry no credit value.
Observation: A student who wishes to repeat a course a third time for a valid reason (e.g., obtaining a minimum grade of B- in specific courses required for admission to the graduate CPA program at Concordia) must follow the same instructions indicated above.
3. A student who wants or needs to repeat a course that is prerequisite to other courses must do so before taking any following course in the sequence.
Clarification: If a student wishes to repeat a course (e.g., COMM 212) for a better grade, then the student must register for that course before registration for any course that has COMM 212 as a prerequisite. Two examples will help clarify this policy.
Example 1
Mary registered for COMM 308 in Winter 2015 and earned D+ in that course. She is not pleased with that grade and believes she needs a better understanding of the material covered in that course because she wishes to pursue a major in Finance. In that case, Mary must do the following:
- Register for COMM 308 in Summer 2015 or Fall 2015 before registering for any subsequent course, such as FINA 385, FINA 395, COMM 315, or COMM 320. If Mary had already registered for any of these latter courses for Summer 2015 or later terms, she needs to drop any course that blocks her registration in COMM 308, register for COMM 308 and then register for that course.
- Once she has registered for COMM 308, Mary may decide if she wants to (1) register for one or more subsequent courses in the same term as COMM 308 or (2) repeat COMM 308 first and then register for the subsequent course(s) in a future term. For example, Mary can register for COMM 308 in the first term of Summer 2015 and then register for FINA 385 or repeat COMM 308 in the first term of Summer 2015 and register for FINA 385 and other courses in the second term of Summer 2015 or in Fall 2015.
If Mary completes FINA 385 or COMM 315 or COMM 320 before registering for COMM 308 to repeat it, she will not be able to register for COMM 308.
Example 2
Joe registered for ACCO 320 in Winter 2015 and earned C- in that course. He is pursuing the major in Accountancy and plans to pursue the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation in the future. Furthermore, he wishes to apply to the CPA program offered at Concordia University, which requires a minimum grade of B- in ACCO 320. In this case, Joe must do the following:
- Register for ACCO 320 before registering for any subsequent course, such as ACCO 400, 420, 425, 435 and 450. If Joe had already registered for any of these latter courses for Summer 2015 or later terms, he needs to drop any course that blocks his registration in ACCO 320, register for ACCO 320 and then register for that course.
- Once he has registered for ACCO 320, Joe may decide if he wants to (1) register for one or more subsequent courses in the same term as ACCO 320 or (2) repeat ACCO 320 first and then register for any subsequent course(s) in a future term. For example, he can register for ACCO 320 in the first term of Summer 2015 and then register for ACCO 420 or repeat COMM 308 in the first term of Summer 2015 and then register for ACCO 420, ACCO 425 or other courses in the second term of Summer 2015 or in Fall 2015.
If Joe completes any of the five 400-level courses noted above, before registering for ACCO 320 first, he will not be able to register for ACCO 320.
4. The grade corresponding to the latest attempt of the course will be used for calculating the cumulative GPA and the final graduation GPA.
5. In the case of courses taken more than once in the same assessment period, only the grade corresponding to the latest attempt of the course will be used in the calculation of the annual WGPA.
Clarification: Assessment of academic performance is done in May. The assessment period covers one academic year (summer, fall and winter). However, if a student has attempted less than 12 credits in one academic year, the assessment period will be longer than one academic year.
6. A grade obtained as the result of a penalty for academic misconduct will remain in the calculation of the annual WGPA, the cumulative GPA, and the final graduation GPA whether or not the course has been repeated.
The student's academic performance is determined once a year in May following the end of the Winter term provided that he or she attempted a minimum of 12 credits during the academic year which includes the Summer, Fall and Winter terms. The following example illustrates the calculation of the GPA for Sam Wu (a hypothetical student) who completed 24 credits during the Fall 2015 and Winter 2016 terms.
| Course | Letter Grade | Grade Point (1) | Credit Value (2) | Weighted Grade Points (1) x (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2015 | ||||
| ECON 203 | B+ | 3.3 | 3 | 9.9 |
| MATH 208 | C+ | 2.3 | 3 | 6.9 |
| COMM 210 | B- | 2.7 | 3 | 8.1 |
| COMM 212 | C | 2.0 | 3 | 6.0 |
| Winter 2016 | ||||
| FRAN 211 | C+ | 2.3 | 6 | 13.8 |
| MATH 209 | F | 0.0 | 3 | 0.0 |
| COMM 223 | A | 4.0 | 3 | 12.0 |
| Totals | - | - | 24 | 56.7 |
Sam's GPA is calculated by multiplying the grade point for each course by its credit value to get a weighted grade point. The sum of the weighted grade points for all courses is then divided by the number of credits attempted.
Weighted GPA = 56.7 / 24 = 2.36
Note that the 3 credits for MATH 209 are included in the GPA calculation, even though Sam failed the course. He attempted to pass the course but failed. Since MATH 209 is a required course for the program, Sam must repeat it and pass it in a future term.
The GPA is calculated automatically every May for all students based on a specialized software program and printed on the student's transcript. Students can also calculate their GPA manually as shown above or use the GPA calculator available in the portal system.
If Sam registered in the program on a part-time basis and did not attempt a minimum of 12 credits during the 2015-2016 academic year, then the grades he achieves in those courses will be included in the calculation of his GPA in May of the following year.
B. Cumulative GPA
Let us assume that Sam attempts 30 additional credits during the academic year 2016-2017. If he accumulates a total of 82.8 weighted grade points, then his annual GPA for that year is 2.76 (= 82.8 / 30 credits). Given that Sam has taken courses over two academic years, a cumulative GPA can be calculated based on all the courses he attempted up to that date. The CGPA is calculated by adding the weighted grade points achieved in all the courses he attempted and dividing the total by the number of credits.
Cumulative GPA = (56.7 + 82.8) / (24 + 30) = 2.58
Please note that the CGPA includes the same courses that are included in the calculation of the Annual Weighted Grade Point Average, but it does not include the grades of courses which were completed in an earlier program, for which "transfer credit" has been awarded in the business program.
C. Graduation GPA
The graduation GPA is a cumulative GPA that is calculated when a student completes all the program's requirements and applies for graduation.
Please note that when a student repeats a course only the grade corresponding to the final attempt of a course is used in the calculation of the Annual, Cumulative and Graduation GPAs.
D. Academic Performance Regulations
The GPA ranges from 0 to 4.3. This range is split into three segments for performance assessment purposes as shown below.
| GPA | Standing |
|---|---|
| 0-1.5 | Failed standing |
| 1.6-2.0 | Conditional standing |
| 2.1-4.3 | Acceptable standing |
Failed standing
A student who achieves an annual GPA that is lower than 1.50 is placed in failed standing and dismissed from the program for a minimum period of one year. Failed students may apply for readmission to the program in subsequent years.
Conditional standing
A student who achieves an annual GPA that is between 1.50 and 1.99 is placed on conditional standing and required to achieve a minimum annual GPA of 2.0 at the time of the next GPA calculation. Failure to achieve the minimum GPA required will result in failed standing in the program.
Acceptable standing
A student who achieves a minimum annual GPA of 2.0 is in acceptable standing and is permitted to continue his or her program of study without restrictions.
E. Recognition of High Achievement
Students who achieve high levels of academic performance are rewarded in the following manners:
- Dean’s Honour List Students who achieve a minimum annual GPA of 3.75 are placed on the Dean’s Honour List provided they complete a minimum of 24 credits during an academic year.
- Distinction and Great Distinction Students who achieve a minimum graduation GPA of 3.40 are awarded a “Distinction” upon graduation. Those who achieve a minimum graduation GPA of 4.00 are honoured with “Great Distinction”.
- Membership in Beta Gamma Sigma Membership in Beta Gamma Sigma is another distinguished recognition that business students can receive at universities accredited by the AACSB. To be eligible for membership, a student must rank in the top 10 percent of the graduating class or the top 5 percent of students who are within 45 credits of completing their programs.
F. Tips for Success
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Students whose assessment is neither “Acceptable” nor “Conditional” standing must submit an application for readmission to obtain permission to register at the university.
Students who receive the assessment "Assessed: May Not Register without Special Permission" may apply for immediate readmission if there were extenuating circumstances that led to their poor academic standing (illness, death in the family, etc) or apply for automatic readmission after one year. Supporting documentation (doctor's note, death certificate, etc.) must be submitted with the application with an updated transcript. Students will be informed, in writing, of all necessary steps to apply for readmission.
Students who receive the assessment, "Assessed: May not re-register" must wait out at least two years before applying for readmission. Students in this situation must contact the John Molson Undergraduate Programs Office at extension 2721 and make an appointment with an Academic Advisor. At this appointment, it will be determined if the student is eligible for readmission. It is only with the Academic Advisor’s permission that a student in the academic situation can apply for readmission.
The deadline to submit the application for readmission is normally June 30th of every year. The exact deadline for the current year is specified on the application. Readmission is not available for the winter or summer session.
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Find forms and documents related to the above academic policies on the forms and procedures page.
