The following definitions will help you to understand some of the terminology used at Ryerson.
| Academic Consideration | The term describing alternate arrangements that may be made, dependent upon the circumstances and what is appropriate for both the student and the University, such as the extension of a deadline for an assignment, re-weighting of an examination or assignment because of missed work, or permission to continue on probationary status. Requests for Academic Consideration must be made as soon as the circumstances arise. See Senate Policy 134 |
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| Academic Misconduct | Includes actions such as: plagiarism, cheating, misrepresentation of personal identity or performance, submission of false information, damaging or tampering with the scholarly environment, contributing to academic misconduct, unauthorized copying or use of copyrighted materials and violations of departmental policies on professional behaviour. See Essential Policy Highlights. |
| Academic Standing | Statement of your overall academic performance at Ryerson. Your Academic Standing is determined from your grades at the end of each term. There are five Academic Standings at Ryerson: Clear, Probationary, Required to Withdraw, Permanent Program Withdrawal and Disciplinary Suspension. |
| Academic Standing Variation | Additional criteria that is used, in specific programs, to determine your Academic Standing and overall academic performance. |
| Accreditation | Review at the provincial, Canadian or international levels by professional bodies of some university programs (for example, in the fields of nursing, architecture or engineering). Canada has no formal system of university accreditation. |
| Advanced Standing | When you have been admitted into Ryerson at a level other than first year or first semester. |
| Academic Advisement Report | An advising transcript that assesses all courses that you have taken or are enrolled in and determines which ones will be used towards graduation requirements. |
| Aegrotat Grade | Credit granted by a Dean, in consultation with the instructor, only under exceptional circumstances when there has been acceptable performance in a course and some course work remains to be completed. From Latin, meaning “he/she is ill”. |
| Affidavit | An affidavit is a document where the contents have been sworn or affirmed to be true. It is sworn and signed before a lawyer, a commissioner of oaths or a notary public. |
| Antirequisite | When one course is too similar in content to another course to allow both to be used for credit towards graduation. |
| Audit/Auditor | To audit a course, or to be an auditor, is to attend classes but not receive an evaluation or marks. Only day lecture courses can be audited; no labs or continuing education courses are available for audit. |
| Awards | Refers collectively to awards, bursaries and scholarships. |
| Bursary | Financial aid that isn’t a loan and that you typically don’t have to pay back. A bursary is usually awarded based on financial need and other factors. |
| Basis of Admission | Academic requirements used to grant an Offer of Admission or Advanced Standing for a Ryerson program. |
| Billing Units | The measure used to calculate undergraduate tuition fees. |
| Calendars | In the post-secondary context, a calendar is the official statement of program curricula and courses that have been approved by the academic governing body of the institution. Ryerson publishes calendars for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education programs and certificates. www.ryerson.ca/calendar |
| Chair/Director | A faculty member who serves as the head of an Academic Unit for a specified number of years. |
| Challenge Credit | Credit for learning and experience outside of the traditional post-secondary environment, normally achieved through a successful challenge examination. |
| Collaborative Program | An academic program offered jointly by Ryerson and Ontario College partners. |
| Convocation | The graduation ceremony where eligible students are conferred their academic award and are presented with their graduation award document. |
| Core Courses | Courses that comprise an essential knowledge base for a career or further study. In many programs these are categorized as Required or Professional courses. |
| Corequisite | A course that must be taken concurrently with, or prior to, another course. |
| Course | A series of lectures, lessons, labs, etc in an academic subject area which has been approved for inclusion in one or more programs. A Ryerson courses has a unique course code, title and description. Course descriptions include number of course hours, course weight, billing units and requisites. |
| Course Hours | The hours associated with a given course may include lecture, seminar, studio and laboratory hours and such activities as unsupervised studio and laboratory work, internship and independent study. |
| Course Load | For OSAP, your course load is expressed as a percentage of a full course load. For example, if a full course load for your program is 5 courses and you are taking 3 courses, that’s 60% of a full course load. Any changes to your course load must be brought to the attention of the Student Financial Assistance Office for OSAP purposes. |
| Course Intention | The first step in the enrollment process where students pre-select the courses they expect to take in the upcoming academic year. |
| Course Outline | Also called course syllabus; a detailed summary of course content and requirements which is distributed by the instructor at the beginning of the term. |
| Course Substitution/ Course Directive | The assessment and approval of a curriculum exception where one course is used as a replacement for another course or is used to fulfill the requirements of an elective group. |
| Course Unit | The total number of courses you are enrolled in each term. Each program has a standard number of course units for each term and/or year you are in. Your fees are calculated according to what percentage of the standard course units you are taking. |
| Course Weight | A numerical coefficient (multiplier) used to express a course’s relative importance in the calculation of your Cumulative Grade Point Average. Single-term courses normally have a course weight of 1.00. Multi-term courses normally have a course weight of 2.00. Course Weight variances appear in the individual course descriptions. |
| Credit Course | A course for which a grade is assigned and for which one semester or year of course credit is granted towards a certificate, diploma or degree. |
| Cumulative grade point average (CGPA)/ Grade Point Average (GPA) | An average calculated as an indicator of overall academic performance; a criterion for graduation requirements, for honours standing or other academic distinctions and for determining Academic Standing; calculated as the sum of the products of course weights and earned grade points, divided by the sum of the course weights and rounded up to the next higher second decimal place. |
| Curriculum | The prescribed course of study in a program; all the courses required to be expected successfully completed to earn a degree or certificate. |
| Dean | A faculty member who serves as the head of a Faculty. |
| Dean’s List | An academic distinction recorded on a student’s transcript. The criteria for the Dean’s List are published annually on each Faculty’s website. |
| Deferred Grade | An interim grade assigned during the investigation of academic misconduct (as described under the Student Code of Academic Conduct). The deferred grade will be replaced by an official course grade upon resolution of the matter. |
| Degree Completion Program | A post-secondary degree pathway offered in partnership with an Ontario College. |
| Degree program | The complete set and sequence of courses, combination of courses and/or other units of study, research and practice prescribed by the University for the fulfillment of a degree. Degrees are granted for meeting the established requirements at a specified standard of performance consistent with the university’s Degree Level Expectations. |
| Department | The Teaching Department is the academic department responsible for the development, teaching and grading of a course. A Program Department is responsible for the administering of one or more programs. |
| Direct Entry | A post-secondary degree pathway from college to university which recognizes the completion of a specific Ontario College diploma; credits earned in specific programs at an Ontario College are applied towards direct entry or advanced standing at Ryerson. |
| Faculty (Organization) | An administrative and academic division within Ryerson
comprised of departments and schools with related fields of study. There
are eight faculties at Ryerson: Arts, Communication & Design,
Community Services, Engineering and Architectural Science, Science, Ted
Rogers School of Management, the Yeates School of Graduate Studies and
the G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education. |
| Faculty (Person) | A member of the
academic teaching staff, professional librarians and counsellors of the
university. |
| Failure for Non-Attendance
(FNA) | A grade awarded by an instructor when
the student has been absent from most course meetings and has submitted
no work for grading. |
| Fees Statement | This tells you how much you owe Ryerson and acts as a
receipt when you have paid your fees. |
| Graduation | The receipt of an
academic degree or certificate, marking the completion of studies.
Students are required to apply to graduate, it is not an automatic
process. The ceremony where degrees and certificates are conferred is
called Convocation. |
| Graduation in
Absentia | Although your degree or certificate
will be conferred at Convocation, you will not be attending in person.
From Latin: “in the absence of”. |
| Graduation Variation | In addition to the standard graduation requirements that are applicable to all undergraduate programs, some programs stipulate additional requirements such as minimum GPAs in specific core courses, modified timespans or placement/internship requirements. |
| Honours Standing | A distinction recorded on a graduating student’s transcript and graduation award document when an overall cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher is achieved in an undergraduate program. |
| Incomplete (INC) Grade | The grade assigned to students when there is incomplete course work or a missed final examination due to documented medical or compassionate grounds. You must petition for an INC grade and provide documentation within time lines. |
| International Students | Non-immigrant students who have come to Canada to study on
a special student visa. |
| Internship | Opportunity for students to apply their knowledge and
skills in a practical context; a workplace experience, integral to the
degree, in the student’s field of study. |
| Letter of Permission | A request for
approval that is required for Ryerson students wishing to take courses
at another institution for credit toward their Ryerson degree. Request
must be submitted prior to taking the courses at the other institution. |
| Liberal Studies | Studies that develop the capacity to understand and appraise the social and cultural context in which the graduate will work as a professional and live as an educated citizen. Courses are indicated as follows, LL—Lower Level, UL—Upper Level, some language courses can be both LL and UL. If it does not say either LL or UL, it is not a Liberal Studies course. See Liberal Studies web site. |
| Major | A scholarly focus in an academic subject area offering both breadth and depth such as Biophysics or Human Resources Management, consisting of 25 to 30 core courses. |
| Minor | A minor is a grouping of 6 or more courses, mainly outside the major, selected by a student from an established minor curriculum. Minors are noted on a student’s Official Transcript. |
| Non-credit course | A course for which a grade may or may not be assigned and for which no credit is granted towards a certificate, diploma or degree. |
| Offer of Admission | The official letter of acceptance into a Ryerson program, confirming details such as the program, start term, entry level (first term or advanced standing), Basis of Admission and other conditions of the Offer. |
| Ombudsperson | An independent and impartial advocate appointed to investigate and resolve complaints from community members against the university; the word is derived from a Swedish term meaning “citizen’s representative”. |
| Ontario College | An Ontario College of Applied Arts and Technology or an Ontario College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning. |
| OSAP | Ontario Student Assistance Program – a mix of grants and loans available for students. |
| Out-of-Phase Student | A student who is completing his/her program requirements in an unsynchronized manner compared with fellow students admitted the same year. Ryerson’s full-time curricula are dynamic and are subject to change. Out-of-phase students are therefore encouraged to run an Academic Advisement Report and to contact their program department for curriculum assistance. |
| Pass-Fail Course | A course graded only as pass or fail and not used in the calculation of Cumulative Grade Point Average. |
| Post-baccalaureate program | Requires completion of a degree program for admission consideration. Post-baccalaureate programs normally lead to a second bachelor’s degree, a certificate or a professional credential. |
| Practicum | Workplace experience offered as part of an academic program under the direct supervision of a faculty member or workplace mentor. |
| Prerequisite | A specific course that must be successfully completed prior to enrolling in an advanced course. |
| Probationary Contract | A formal agreement between a student with a Probationary Academic Standing and the Program Department. This contract is required within five (5) working days of the first day of the semester or you will not be permitted to enroll in courses. This contract outlines a plan for studies including academic supports, minimum grades and term GPAs, restricted course load, specific course assignments and any other condition deemed necessary to return you to a Clear standing. |
| Professional Studies | Studies that induce functional competence by presenting the knowledge and developing the skills characteristic of current practice in the career field. |
| Professionally Related Studies | Studies that develop an understanding of the theoretical disciplines upon which the career field is based, or which synthesize the diverse elements of professional study. |
| Program | A balanced sequence of courses leading to the general intellectual development of the individual and to the acquisition of knowledge and skills related to a particular discipline, career, profession, etc. |
| Program balance | The balance between the different categories of courses in a program, usually expressed in the form of a ratio of credits, courses, hours and frequently expressed in terms of the ratio of professional to general. |
| RAMSS | Ryerson’s Administrative Management Self-Service system |
| Reinstatement | Restoration of a student’s eligibility to enroll in courses after being Required to Withdraw. |
| Scholarship | A type of aid you typically don’t have to pay back. A scholarship is usually awarded based on academic merit and other factors |
| Section | A scheduling term to describe the timetabling of courses into smaller classes (lectures, labs, etc.) throughout the week. |
| Semester | The teaching term – normal length in each semester is 12 weeks, with the exception of Bachelor of Engineering programs, which has a 13-week semester. At the end of a semester, students are evaluated and awarded credits for successful completion of each course. |
| Senate | The academic policy making body of Ryerson University. The Senate consists of elected representatives of the faculty, librarians, students and alumni and ex-officio members of the administration, including the Chancellor. Senate is chaired by the President. |
| Special Student | A special admissions category for students who are enrolled in one or more courses, but are not pursuing a degree. |
| Specialization | An optional, formal recognized designation showing successful completion of a required series of courses. |
| Term | Ryerson has three Academic Terms in the year: Fall
(September – December), Winter (January – April) and Spring/Summer (May – August). See Semester. |
| Timespan | The number of years normally given to complete graduation requirements. |
| Transcript | A record of courses taken and grades earned at Ryerson. |
| Transfer Credit | Credit achieved through an acceptable grade in an equivalent course completed at another post-secondary institution (as determined by the Ryerson course teaching department). |
