SOE Procedures

• All  required  all  of  the  required  courses  and  elective  courses  as  listed  in  the Schedule of Studies of the Undergraduate Calendar and the B.Eng. Program Guide for the year in which you started your degree.
• A minimum overall cumulative average of 60%
• A minimum cumulative average of 60% in all ENGG courses

Section X ‐Degree Programs, Bachelor of Engineering [B.Eng.] 
 

Course Information 

Course Selection 

The course selection period for the following semester occurs near the mid‐term point of the current  semester.  Students  can  pre‐select  their  courses  when  their  selection  window  opens.   Selection windows are based on your student ID number and your class level, both of which can be found on your Program/Academic Evaluation page on your WebAdvisor account.  The course schedule is available for viewing on WebAdvisor approximately 2 weeks prior to the start of the course selection period.  Students are advised to identify ahead of time sections that would work best for their Schedule of Studies and to identify back‐up options in case their first choice fills before their window opens. 

Find the Step‐by‐step instructions for course registration using WebAdvisor.

The final exam schedule is not available during the course selection period, but is posted prior to the beginning of the final add period for the following semester.  It is the student’s responsibility to check the final exam schedule before the next semester begins, and when adding courses to their schedule during the Final Add Period. 

The final add period is open to all students with active status and there are no selection windows. 

The start and end dates of all course selection periods and add periods are published in:  

Section III ‐ Schedule of Dates

Late Course Adds 

After the semester begins, requests to add a course after the last day of the add period will be denied unless the student can provide a reasonable explanation for extenuating circumstances.  There  is  plenty  of  opportunity  to  add  courses  long  before  the  semester  begins.   Line  ups,  ignorance of deadline dates and/or neglect are not acceptable excuses. 

Waiving Course Prerequisites 

Many courses offered by the SOE have course prerequisites. Students need to obtain credit in the prerequisite course or courses before they are allowed to enroll in the subsequent course. The decision to sign a waiver for a prerequisite rests with the individual course instructor; however, the policy within the SOE is to strictly enforce prerequisites for all courses. Exceptions exist for extenuating circumstances, including transfer students. This does not mean transfer students are guaranteed to receive waiver forms. Decisions are at the discretion of the School of Engineering and are based on individual circumstances.

A student wishing to register in an ENGG course for which he/she does not have credit for the prerequisite(s) should request permission from the Engineering Program Counselling Office.  The Engineering Program Counselling office will contact the course instructor if necessary.

A student wishing to register in a non-ENGG course for which he/she does not have credit for the prerequisite(s) may request permission by doing the following:  

• Complete a Course Waiver Request form               
• Locate the course instructor and respectfully request their signature                
• Submit the completed form to Undergraduate Services for processing.

Dropping Courses 

Courses must be dropped by the last class day of the semester.  It is important to remember that if you drop a course, you may not have the prerequisite for a subsequent course. 

Students wishing to drop a course after the last class day must appeal to the Academic Review Committee. They must have grounds for academic consideration as outlined in the Undergraduate  Calendar  (medical,  physiological  or  compassionate).   Please  note  there  is  NO  guarantee that your request will be granted.   

Section VIII ‐ Academic Consideration 

How do I drop a course? 

This can be accomplished through the “Register and Drop Sections” function of WebAdvisor.

Failing a Course

Sometimes things do not work out as planned.  The following chart outlines the main pathways available with respect to failing a course: 

Taking Courses Outside of U of Guelph - Letters of Permission 

From time to time, students who are off‐stream from their Schedule of Studies may wish to take a course at another institution as a visiting student to get caught up in their program and/or back on sequence with their Program Guide.  It is important to note that transfer credits for individual courses will not be granted unless the Letter of Permission is obtained prior to staring the course.  Students who register at another institution without a letter of permission may be required to apply for readmission to Guelph, should they wish to return. Readmission is not guaranteed and minimum admission requirements apply. 

IMPORTANT:  Only students with “Eligible to Continue” status under the Continuation of Study requirements will be permitted to take courses on letter of permission. 

Section VIII ‐ Letter of Permission

Supplemental Privilege

Supplemental privileges are granted at the discretion of the Academic Review Committee, affording a student who has received a failing grade on the original course attempt the opportunity to obtain credit for the course while retaining the original failing grade. 

Students  registered  in  the  B.Eng.  program  are  normally  permitted  only  one  supplemental  privilege during their studies. A supplemental privilege may be granted for 3000 or 4000 level courses by the Academic Review Committee provided the course failure impacts the time line for graduation, and provided the final grade of the failed course is 40% or higher. 

Requests for a supplemental privilege must be submitted to the Program Counsellor by the 5th class day of the subsequent semester.   

Section VIII – Supplemental Privilege 

NOTE: A supplemental privilege is considered a separate course attempt and is intended to provide an evaluation of the full course material. If a student does not pass the supplemental privilege an additional failure in the course will be added to their transcript. Students who request a supplemental privilege are reminded that the B.Eng. degree has a 3rd failure rule which includes attempts for supplemental privilege. 

Academic Consideration 

The  School  of  Engineering  operational  procedures  for  requesting  academic  consideration  are  outlined in this section and are intended to be a summary only.  If you are perusing Academic Consideration consult a Program Counsellor immediately to identify all of your options and refer to the University of Guelph’s regulations and procedures:   
Section VIII – Academic Consideration, Appeals and Petitions

Academic  consideration  is  granted  on  the  basis  of  appropriate  medical,  psychological  or  compassionate grounds.  Appropriate grounds for academic consideration are further explained in the undergraduate calendar (see links above).  Compassionate grounds refer to circumstances that are beyond the student’s control and are unforeseeable.   

Academic consideration is not automatic, nor guaranteed. 

Students seeking academic consideration may submit a written request to the Academic Review Committee or a completed Request for Academic Consideration form.  The request form is recommended because it provides helpful guidance to the student and clarifies for the committee the action being requested.  The form is available at the following location: 
SOE Academic Webpage under “Forms”  
   
The  types  of  requests  for  academic  consideration  are  many  and  varied.  If  you  believe  your  situation warrants academic consideration but you are unsure, please book an appointment to meet with the program counsellor for further guidance and direction. 

Unacceptable as Grounds for Academic Consideration 

Missing  assignment  due  dates,  midterms  and/or  final  exams  due  to  sleeping  in,  faulty  alarm  clocks, entertainment events, flight or travel plans, vacation and/or misreading course outlines, final exam schedules or deferred exam schedules does not constitute grounds for consideration. 

During the Semester

Requests  for  academic  consideration  during  the  semester  are  reviewed  and  decided  by  the  instructor of the course (i.e., late assignments, missed or late lab, missed midterm, etc.).  The instructor may ask for documentation to support the grounds stated.  Students are encouraged to meet with their program counsellor if they believe consideration has been unduly denied; if multiple courses are affected, or; if the circumstances are severe and are expected to persist throughout the remainder of the semester. 

After the Semester Ends 

Requests for academic consideration after the semester is completed and during the final exam period are reviewed and decided ONLY by the academic review committee or designate.   

IMPORTANT:  Course instructors cannot approve deferred exam requests for missed final examinations.  All requests for deferred final exams must be submitted to the program counsellor (medical grounds only) or to the academic review committee (psychological or compassionate grounds). 

Submission Deadlines  

Requests to the academic review committee may be submitted at any time.  However, submission deadlines for regular meetings of the academic review committee are published in:

Section III, Schedule of Dates.  

Where do I submit my documentation and request form? 

For the following circumstances only, requests should be submitted directly to the Engineering Program Counsellor: 

• Missed a final exam and have appropriate medical documentation
• Missed a final exam due to death in immediate family and have documentation
• Missed deferred exam (1st instance only) and have appropriate medical documentation
• Missed deferred exam (1st instance only) due to death in immediate family and have documentation
• Request a late course drop between 40th class day and before commencement of the final exam period (see Dropping Courses section in this program guide for more information)

All requests for academic consideration should be submitted to Undergraduate Program Services, 3rd Floor University Centre. 

Supporting Documentation   

Students applying for academic consideration to the academic review committee must provide documentation to support their grounds.  Examples of appropriate supporting documentation that apply to typical situations are listed below.  Other types of documentation may be needed for unusual or rare cases.

• Medical note from Student Health Services (on‐campus)
• SOE off‐campus medical form (provided on the SOE website)
• Letter from psychiatrist or family physician
• Letter from Student Counselling Services or Centre for Students with Disabilities
• Police report
• Death certificate or funeral notice

Students are strongly encouraged to write a letter describing their circumstances and provide relevant information regarding how they plan to manage their situation in the future to avoid a reoccurrence.  Dates and time lines are important. 

A Note about Privacy 

Supporting  documentation  is  not  intended  to  provide  the  committee  with  private  personal  details,  medical  or  otherwise.   The  objective  is  to  provide  the  committee  with  sufficient information to make an informed decision that both maintains academic integrity and provides the  student  with  appropriate  accommodation,  where  warranted.   In  essence,  the  committee  needs to know to what extent the circumstances reasonably prevented the student from meeting their academic obligations.  Documentation from medical, counselling and legal professionals may be worded to confirm that the symptoms or the impacts of the circumstances were sufficient to  impair  the  student’s  ability  to  complete  their  academic  requirements,  without  disclosing  personal details. 

Decisions and Appeals 

Decisions  by  the  academic  review  committee  are  determined  by  majority  vote  and  are  deliberated  based  on  the  balance  of  probability.   This  means  the  committee  will  consider, through  discussion,  the  credibility  of  the  documentation  provided  in  conjunction  with  other  options the student may have had available to them.  Other options available for managing their academics may include: 

• Dropping a course sooner to manage course load
• Meeting with the program counsellor to explore options
• Seeking personal counselling help

The committee will also consider whether the action being requested is in the best interest of the student, academically, if granted. 

Students are not permitted to be present at the academic review committee meeting, which is why it is important to provide complete and accurate supporting documentation and a personal letter.  Requests  for  academic  consideration  that  have  been  denied  may  be  appealed  by  contacting the Judicial Officer at judicial@uoguelph.ca. 

The appeal process is explained further on the University of Guelph Judicial Office website.

Grounds for Academic Consideration

Requests for academic consideration are to be accompanied by supporting documentation to the extent possible. Students unsure of documentation requirements should contact their Program Counsellor.  Requests that cannot be substantiated through appropriate documentation may be denied. 

Psychological Grounds 

For academic consideration based on psychological grounds the student will be asked to provide documentation for the period affected.  The necessity for documentation will depend in part upon the length of time affected by the circumstances and the amount of work missed during this time.  During the semester, the student should submit this documentation to the Program Counsellor who will then advise the instructor of the need for consideration. After completion of the semester, the student must apply to the Academic Review Sub‐committee for consideration. When the psychological difficulty affects final examinations or final assignments, Counselling Services, upon receipt of student  authorization, may send supporting documentation to the Program Counsellor. If the difficulty is of a duration that will affect a number of courses or completion of the semester's work, the student should contact the Program Counsellor for advice and to discuss their academic options. 

Compassionate Grounds 

Unforeseen circumstances beyond the student's control in either their personal or family life may affect academic performance.  The procedure to follow to request academic consideration based on compassionate grounds depends upon the severity of the circumstance and the amount of work missed.  During the semester, students may wish to contact the instructor for consideration for missed semester work resulting from a compassionate circumstance of limited duration.  If the circumstance is more significant and is anticipated to affect the remainder of the semester; or if the semester is already completed, the student should consult with the Program Counsellor for advice in making an application to the Academic Review Sub‐committee.  Generally, work commitments will not constitute grounds for academic consideration. 

Medical Grounds 

For academic consideration based on medical grounds a student may be asked to provide medical documentation for the period of the illness or injury. The  necessity for documentation will depend in part upon the length of the illness and the amount of work missed during this time. If the medical situation results in missed semester work during the semester, the student should contact the instructor, presenting medical documentation where warranted. If the absence due to illness is of a duration that will affect a number of courses or completion of the semester's work, the student should contact the Program Counsellor for advice and to discuss their academic options. When the absence affects final examinations or final assignments the student should go to Student Health Services or a personal physician for  documentation. The student must always present medical documentation to the Program Counsellor for missed final exams. 

Off‐campus Medical Documentation 

If you seek medical attention off‐campus, the physician must complete a School of Engineering Off‐campus Medical Form which can be obtained from the SOE Website.

Final Exams

Final Exam Conflicts 

There is no legitimate reason for a student to have a timetable conflict during the final exam period.  It is the student’s responsibility to check the final exam schedule for all of their courses during  the  Final  Add  Period  immediately  prior  to  the  start  of  the  semester.   The  final  exam  schedule  is  made  available  to  students  on  WebAdvisor  approximately  4  weeks  prior  to  the beginning  of  each  semester.   If  a  student  identifies  a  final  exam  scheduling  conflict,  they  are  required to make adjustments to their course selections before the end of the final add period prior to the commencement of the semester.   Exam conflicts usually occur when a student adds a course AFTER the exam schedule has been published, but they have neglected to check the exam dates at the time when they added the course.  The final exam schedule is created based on student registrations from the course pre‐selection periods. 

If a student wishes to keep their course selections after identifying a final exam conflict, they are strongly advised to consult with the course instructor BEFORE the semester begins to request an alternate time to write the final exam.  The course instructor is not obliged to grant the request and may require documentation from the student to verify the reason for the request. 

If the instructor grants the request, it is the instructor’s responsibility to personally accommodate the student within the official final exam period and before the instructor’s deadline to submit final grades to the registrar for their individual course (typically, 7 days after the official date of the final exam).  The start and end dates of the official final exam period are published in Section III, Schedule of Dates in the Undergraduate Calendar. 

Missed Final Exams 

Missing a final exam is a serious academic situation.  Students may be granted a deferred final exam ONLY if they have legitimate grounds for academic consideration. 

The most common reason for missing a final exam is due to illness.  Normally, the Academic Review Committee will not grant a deferred exam to a student who chooses to write a final exam, and then afterward states that their medical, psychological or compassionate condition impacted their performance on the exam.   

If a student feels that their academic performance on a final exam is in jeopardy due to their medical, psychological or compassionate circumstances, it is the student’s  responsibility to consult their Program Counsellor as soon as possible so as to initiate action, and provide any required documentation.   

Requests for Academic Consideration, including all documentation, for a missed final exam should always be submitted directly to the Program Counsellor or Undergraduate Secretary (THRN 1406). 

University policy, effective May 1, 2013, requires that appropriate medical documentation must be provided within five business days of the date of the missed final exam to be eligible for consideration. 

Section VIII Academic Consideration, Appeals and Petitions

Students who are ill on the day of a final exam are advised to visit the on‐campus Student Health Services, an off‐campus medical clinic, or Emergency Services at Guelph General Hospital before attempting to write a final exam. Students, who state they were able to attend a final exam but were not able to seek medical services, will be denied academic consideration.  If you are ill and you choose to write your final exam while you are ill, you will not be granted a re‐write even if medical documentation is provided after the fact. 

If a student visits a physician off‐campus, an off‐campus medical form is required.   

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the physician clearly provides all pertinent information regarding the effects of the medical condition that prevented the student from writing the exam, the date of the medical examination and, where applicable, the dates the student would have been severely or moderately affected. 

The Academic Review Committee and/or the Program Counsellor have the right to deny medical consideration under one or more of the following conditions: 

• Absence of an off‐campus medical note or a medical note from Student Health Services.
• Absence of provision of sufficient information on the medical form by the attending physician.
• Apparent discrepancies in dates or the medical condition.
• The medical condition is deemed by the attending physician as being slight, negligible, or inconclusive.
• The medical examination is conducted after the symptoms of the illness have passed and the documentation is based solely on the student’s description of the illness. 

Procedures for the Fall Semester (ENGG courses only) 

Students who miss a final exam for an ENGG course in the fall  semester only are granted a deferred condition if appropriate documentation is provided to support their grounds for the request. The deferred condition for a missed final exam will be in the form of a two‐hour exam to be written during the first week of classes of the subsequent winter semester.  Exam schedules for “Deferred Conditions” are published on the School of Engineering website.

University policy, effective May 1, 2013, requires that appropriate medical documentation must be provided within five business days of the date of the missed final exam to be eligible for consideration. 

Medical documentation must be submitted directly to the Program Counsellor or the Undergraduate Secretary (THRN 1406). 

Students who are granted a deferred final exam for any non‐ENGG courses taken in the Fall Semester will write the deferred final exam during the scheduled deferred exam period as published.  

Section III, Schedule of Dates

Deferred final exam schedules will be posted on WebAdvisor, as required. 

Procedures for the Winter and Summer Semesters (all courses) 

Students who are granted a deferred final exam for any course taken in the Winter or Summer Semesters  will  write  the  deferred  final  exam  during  the  scheduled  deferred  exam  period  as  published. 

Section III, Schedule of Dates

Deferred final exam schedules will be posted on WebAdvisor, as required.   

Deferred Final Exam Period 

When a student makes a request for a deferred final exam, it is their responsibility to be prepared to write the exam during the scheduled deferred exam period as published in Section III, Schedule of Dates in the Undergraduate Calendar, or the scheduled deferred condition period posted on the  SOE  website,  regardless  of  when  they  receive  confirmation  from  the  registrar  that  the  deferred exam or deferred condition was granted. 

The start and end dates of the scheduled deferred exam period are published in the Schedule of Dates in the Undergraduate Calendar. The deferred exam schedule will be posted on WebAdvisor and the link will be communicated to the student via their uoguelph  email account once the  deferred exam schedule is finalized. 

 A student, who cannot attend their deferred exam or deferred condition, as scheduled, must make a request for academic consideration to receive an extension and they must have grounds for their request.  Medical documentation must be submitted to the program counsellor within 5 business days of the missed deferred exam or deferred condition. 

Final Design (41X)

All engineering students must successfully complete the capstone design project course associated with their engineering program in their final academic (i.e., graduating) semester. ENGG*41X0 (ENGG*4110, 4120, 4130, 4150, 4160, 4170, 4180), is collectively commonly referred to as 41X. As a prerequisite to 41X all students must successfully complete ENGG*4000 Proposal for Engineering Design IV. 

ENGG*4000

ENGG*4000 Proposal for Engineering Design IV must be taken in the semester immediately before ENGG*41X.  A few important notes about ENGG*4000:  

• It is zero credit course
• There is no tuition cost (other fees may apply for fall registration)
• It is a prerequisite to all of the 41X courses
• Acceptance into ENGG*4000 includes a graduation progress check to ensure students are on track

If you are planning to complete 41X in a fall term, you must apply for registration in ENGG*4000 in the preceding summer term. 

If you are planning to complete 41X in a winter term, you must apply for registration in ENGG*4000 in the preceding fall term. 

You cannot select ENGG*4000 on WebAdvisor. Registration in the course is a manual process that is completed by the course coordinator. Details instructions on registering for ENGG*4000 will be emailed to all students at the beginning of the winter course selection  period for both summer and fall registration. While registered in ENGG*4000 students are responsible for finding a faculty advisor and design group members for their 41X design project. Accreditation rules require that your faculty advisor must hold a P.Eng. License.

ENGG*41X 

Registration into 41X requires: 

• Completion of ENGG*4000
• A pre‐graduation check by the engineering program counsellor (note: all 1000 and 2000 level core courses must be completed prior to registering for 41X)
• 60% ENGG average

The successful completion of ENGG*4000 will allow you to add 41X on WebAdvisor.  Instructions for registration in 41X are available upon request from the program counsellor and are emailed to the undergraduate listserv at the beginning of the fall and winter course selection periods. 

Students are responsible for creating their own design group of 3 or 4 students and for finding a faculty advisor for their project.