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Faculty Information and Regulations

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Faculty Information and Regulations

Each student in the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences must be aware of the Faculty Regulations as stated in this publication. While departmental and faculty advisers and staff are always available to give advice and guidance, the ultimate responsibility for completeness and correctness of your course selection and registration, for compliance with, and completion of your program and degree requirements, and for the observance of regulations and deadlines, rests with you. It is your responsibility to seek guidance if in any doubt; misunderstanding or misapprehension will not be accepted as cause for dispensation from any regulation, deadline, program or degree requirement.

Minimum Credit Requirement

Minimum Credit Requirement

You must complete the minimum credit requirement for your degree as specified in your 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 if you obtain satisfactory results in the Diploma of Collegial Studies, International Baccalaureate, French Baccalaureate, Advanced Levels, and Advanced Placement tests.

Normally, Quebec students who have completed the Diplôme d'études collégiales (DEC) or equivalent diploma are admitted to the first year of a program requiring the completion of a minimum of 90 credits, 113 credits for Bioresource Engineering, 115 credits for Dietetics plus any missing basic science prerequisites, and 122 credits for the Concurrent Degrees in Food Science and Nutritional Sciences.

Students from outside Quebec who are admitted on the basis of a high school diploma enter the Freshman Major, which comprises 30 credits (see Freshman Major in this publication).

You will not receive credit toward your degree for any course that overlaps in content with a course successfully completed at ƬƵ, at another university, at CEGEP, or Advanced Placement exams, Advanced Level results, International Baccalaureate Diploma, or French Baccalaureate.

If you are a student in the B.Sc.(Ag.Env.Sc.), you must take a minimum of two-thirds of your course credits within the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)

Minimum Grade Requirement

Minimum Grade Requirement

You must obtain grades of C or better in any required, complementary and freshman courses used to fulfil program requirements. You may not register in a course for which you have not passed all the prerequisite courses with a grade of C or better, except by written permission of the Departmental Chair concerned.

Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)

Academic Advisers

Academic Advisers

Upon entering the Faculty and before registering, you must consult with the Academic Adviser of your program for selection and scheduling of required, complementary, and elective courses. The Academic Adviser will normally continue to act in this capacity for the duration of your studies in the Faculty.

A Faculty Adviser is also available in the Student Affairs Office to assist you with student record related matters.

Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)

Categories of Students

Categories of Students

Full-Time Students

Full-Time Students

Full-time students in satisfactory standing take a minimum of 12 credits per term. (A normal course load is considered to be 15 credits per term.)

Students in Probationary standing are not normally permitted to take more than 14 credits per term. In exceptional circumstances, the Committee on Academic Standing may give permission to attempt more.

Part-time Students

Part-time Students

Part-time students carry fewer than 12 credits per term.

Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)

Academic Standing

Academic Standing

You must prove that you can master the material of lectures and laboratories. Examinations are normally held at the end of each course but other methods of evaluation may also be used. The grade assigned for a course represents your standing in all the course work.

The following rules apply to your academic standing:

  1. When your CGPA (or TGPA in the first term of the program) falls below 2.00, your academic standing becomes Probationary.
  2. If you are in Probationary standing, you may register for no more than 14 credits per term.
  3. While in Probationary standing, you must achieve a TGPA of 2.50 to continue in Probationary standing or a CGPA of 2.00 in order to return to Satisfactory standing. Failure to meet at least one of these conditions will result in Unsatisfactory standing. (In the case of Fall term, this will be Interim Unsatisfactory standing and the rules for Probationary standing will apply.)
  4. When your CGPA (or TGPA in the first term of the program) falls below 1.50, your academic standing becomes Unsatisfactory and you must withdraw. (In the case of Fall term, the standing will be Interim Unsatisfactory standing and the rules for Probationary standing will apply.)
  5. If you are in Unsatisfactory standing, you may not continue in your program. You may apply for readmission only after your registration has been interrupted for at least one term (not including Summer term).
  6. Readmission will be in the standing Unsatisfactory/Readmit and a CGPA of 2.00 must be achieved to return to Satisfactory standing or a TGPA of 2.50 must be achieved for Probationary standing. If you fail to meet at least one of these conditions, you will be required to withdraw permanently.

Committee on Academic Standing

Committee on Academic Standing

The Faculty's Committee on Academic Standing, consisting of academic staff, administrative staff and a student representative, reviews special requests made by students regarding their academic life.

Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)

Credit System

Credit System

The credit assigned to a particular course reflects the amount of effort it demands of you. As a guideline, a one-credit course would represent approximately 45 hours total work per course. This is, in general, a combination of lecture hours and other contact hours such as laboratory periods, tutorials and problem periods as well as personal study hours.

Please refer to University Regulations and General Information > Credit System.

Continuing Education Courses

Continuing Education Courses

Not all Continuing Education credit courses are recognized for credit within Faculty degree programs. Please contact the Student Affairs Office before registering for such courses.

Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)
Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)

Academic Credit Transfer

Academic Credit Transfer

Transfer credits based on courses taken at other institutions (completed with a grade of C or better) before entrance to this Faculty are calculated and assigned after you are accepted and have accepted the offer of admission.

Transfer credits may also be granted for courses taken at other institutions (completed with a grade of C or better) while you are attending ƬƵ You must secure permission to apply such credits to your program in this Faculty before you begin the work. Prior Approval Forms are available in the Student Affairs Office in the Faculty. Grades obtained in such courses do not enter into calculations of grade point averages (GPA).

Exemption from a required or complementary course on the basis of work completed at another institution must be approved by both the instructor of the appropriate ƬƵ course and the Academic Adviser.

As a full-time degree student, you may register, with approval of the Student Affairs Office, for course(s) at any university in the province of Quebec. Those courses successfully completed with a minimum grade of C (according to the standards of the university giving the course), will be recognized for the purpose of your degree but the grades obtained will not enter into your GPA calculations.

For further details, see University Regulations and General Information > Registration > Quebec Inter-University Transfer Agreement (IUT), or go to to access the online application.

Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)

Regulations Regarding Second Academic Majors

Regulations Regarding Second Academic Majors

While registered in a Major in the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, you may pursue a second set of courses of greater scope than a Minor (e.g., Faculty Program, Major, Honours Program, Major Concentration) in either this Faculty or another faculty. Application for a Second Academic Major must be made to the Associate Dean (Student Affairs) in the Student Affairs Office, Laird Hall, Room 106. Following are the regulations and procedures for Second Academic Majors:

  1. You must be in Satisfactory academic standing with a minimum CGPA of 3.00 in order to apply for a Second Academic Major.
  2. In consultation with the appropriate authority associated with each Major (Academic Adviser, Associate Dean), you must construct a proposal showing all the courses that are to be taken to satisfy the entrance and program requirements of both the First and Second Academic Majors.
  3. A minimum of 36 credits must be unique to the Second Major (i.e., not part of the Required or Complementary courses taken for the First Major).
  4. You must obtain prior approval for all proposed Second Academic Majors from your Academic Adviser and the Student Affairs Office and from the Associate Dean, adviser or appropriate committee of the other faculty concerned.
  5. Normally, proposals for Second Academic Majors will be initiated before completion of U1 year of the First Academic Major.
  6. The academic standards applicable to each Major will be respected.

Procedures for Minor Programs

Procedures for Minor Programs

If you want to register for a Minor program, you must complete a Minor Approval form (usually at the beginning of your U2 year), and return it duly completed to the Student Affairs Office. The Minor program will then be added to your record and will automatically continue each year unless you officially cancel it in writing. If you want to cancel the Minor, you must notify both the Minor adviser and the Student Affairs Office. The Minor Approval form is available on the Faculty website and in the Student Affairs Office, Laird Hall, Room 106.

Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)
Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)

Course Change Information

Course Change Information

  1. Courses: please refer to University Regulations and General Information > Registration > Course Change Period, and the Important Dates website www.mcgill.ca/importantdates.
  2. Course withdrawal (Transcript notation of “W”): please refer to University Regulations and General Information > Registration > Regulations Concerning Course Withdrawal, and the Important Dates website www.mcgill.ca/importantdates.
  3. Other changes: Information about changes may be obtained from the Student Affairs Office of the Faculty.
Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)

Graduate Courses Available to Undergraduates

Graduate Courses Available to Undergraduates

Undergraduates who want to take graduate courses must have a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 3.20. Final approval must be obtained from Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)

Attendance and Conduct in Class

Attendance and Conduct in Class

Matters of discipline connected with, or arising from, the general arrangement for teaching are under the jurisdiction of the Dean of the Faculty.

Students may be admonished by a professor or instructor for dishonest or improper conduct. If disciplinary action is required, it must be reported to the Associate Dean (Student Affairs).

Punctual attendance at all classes, laboratory periods, tests, etc., is expected of all students.

Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)

Incomplete Grades

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 graduating in June
Fall courses January 15
Winter courses, and courses spanning Fall/Winter April 30
Non-graduating students
Fall courses January 15
Winter courses, and courses spanning Fall/Winter May 15

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 above.

If marks to clear Ks have not been submitted to the Student Affairs Office by the above dates, 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). Please refer to University Regulations and General Information > Student Records > Grading and Grade Point Averages (GPA) for more information about grading and credit.

Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)

Examinations

Examinations

You should refer to University Regulations and General Information > Examinations for information about final examinations and deferred examinations. Examination schedules are posted on the ƬƵ website, www.mcgill.ca, normally one month after the start of classes for the Tentative Exam Schedule, and two months after the start of classes for the Final Exam Schedule.

Every student has a right to write essays, examinations and theses in English or in French except in courses where knowledge of a language is one of the objectives of the course.

Oral presentations made as part of course requirements are in English.

Reassessments and Rereads

Reassessments and Rereads

In accordance with the Charter of Student Rights, and subject to its stated conditions, you have the right to consult any written submission for which you have received a mark. You also have the right to discuss this submission with the examiner.

If, after discussion with your instructor, you want to have a formal final examination reread, you must apply in writing to the Associate Dean (Student Affairs). The following conditions apply:

  • grades may be either raised or lowered as the result of a reread;
  • rereads in courses outside the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are subject to the deadlines, rules and regulations of the relevant faculty.

Application for rereads must be made by March 31 for Fall term courses and by September 30 for Winter term and Summer term courses. You are assessed a fee for formal rereads. Any request to have term work re-evaluated must be made directly to the instructor concerned.

Any request to have in-course submissions reassessed must be made within 10 working days after the graded material has been made available to you.

Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)

Deferred Examinations

Deferred Examinations

The Faculty offers deferred exams for medical reasons and exceptional circumstances (to be approved by the Associate Dean (Student Affairs)) for the Fall and Winter period. Verify dates on the Important Dates website at www.mcgill.ca/importantdates, apply on Minerva and provide medical documentation to the Student Affairs Office.

Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)
Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)

Degree Requirements

Degree Requirements

To be eligible for a B.Eng.(Bioresource), B.Sc.(Ag.Env.Sc.), B.Sc.(F.Sc.), or Concurrent B.Sc.(F.Sc.) and B.Sc.(Nutr.Sc.) degree, you must have passed, or achieved exemption, with a minimum grade of C in all required and complementary courses of the program. You must also have a CGPA of at least 2.00.

In addition, if you are a student in the Dietetics program, you must have completed the Stages of professional formation requiring a CGPA of 3.00.

You must have completed all Faculty and program requirements; see the Minimum Credit Requirement section of this publication.

In order to qualify for a ƬƵ degree, you must complete a minimum residency requirement of 60 credits at ƬƵ. If you are in the B.Sc.(Ag.Env.Sc.), you must take a minimum of 2/3 of your course credits within the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)

Dean’s Honour List

Dean’s Honour List

For information on the designation of Dean’s Honour List awarded at graduation, see the University Regulations and General Information > Dean's Honour List section in this publication.

Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)

Distinction

Distinction

For information on the designation of Distinction awarded at graduation, see University Regulations and General Information > Distinction in this publication.

Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)

Honours and First Class Honours

Honours and First Class Honours

Departments may recommend to the Faculty that graduating students registered in an Honours program be awarded Honours or First-Class Honours under the following conditions:

  • you must complete all Honours program requirements; for Honours, the CGPA at graduation must be at least 3.00;
  • for First-Class Honours, the CGPA at graduation must be at least 3.50;
  • some programs may impose additional requirements, which must be met before you are recommended for Honours or First-Class Honours.

Students in an Honours program whose CGPA is below 3.00 or who did not satisfy certain program requirements must consult their academic adviser to determine their eligibility to graduate in a program other than Honours.

Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)

Medals and Prizes

Medals and Prizes

Various medals, scholarships and prizes are open to graduating students. No application is required. Full details of these are set out in the Undergraduate Scholarships and Awards Calendar, available at www.mcgill.ca/students/courses/calendars.

Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)
Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated May. 3, 2010) (disclaimer)
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