Glossary

Academic standing:	A student’s official status of enrolment at the university as evaluated at the end of each semester; used to assess whether students are meeting the standards prescribed for continuing in the university and/or their programs.
Academic year:	The period from September 1 to August 31.
Appeal:	The request for review of a judgment regarding the application of regulations.
Award:	A general term used to mean any presentation, monetary or otherwise, made to a student.
Bursary:	A monetary award given to a student where the primary criterion is financial need.
Calendar day:	Any day of the week, including Saturdays and Sundays, on which business can be conducted.
Corequisite:	A course that must be taken concurrently with the course for which it is required.
Course:	A unit of work in a particular subject normally extending through one semester or session, the completion of which carries credit toward the requirements of a degree or diploma.
Cotutelle:	A bilateral doctoral enrolment/co-enrolment and exchange agreement between two universities (home institution and partnership institution) in different countries. Home institution refers to the university in which the graduate student is enrolled. Partnership institution refers to the university in which the graduate student will work to gain international research experience.
Credit hour:	The measure used to reflect the relative weight of a given course toward the fulfilment of degree requirements. Unless otherwise indicated, a course normally has a credit hour value of three.
Credit restriction:	Where two or more courses are closely related, credit may be limited to one of the courses.
Cross-listings:	The practice of offering a single course under two different course codes.
Degree:	An academic credential awarded upon successful completion of a prescribed set and sequence of requirements as specified by a program and that meet a standard of performance consistent with university and provincial degree-level expectations.
Doctoral degree:	An advanced degree in a specific area of disciplinary or interdisciplinary study that includes course work and a candidacy exam. It is normally completed after receiving a master’s degree in a related subject area. A doctoral degree requires intensive research and the creation and defence before an examining committee of a thesis that constitutes an original contribution to a field of study.
Examination:	A form of testing intended to assess the level of students’ knowledge, ability, skills, comprehension, application, analysis and/or synthesis of the subject matter in a course of study. This includes, but is not limited to, in-person, online, take-home, practical and laboratory examinations.
Field:	An area of study within a graduate program related to its demonstrable and collective strengths. A field may appear on the academic transcript but not on the degree parchment.
Final examination:	An examination normally scheduled during the final examination period.
Final examination period:	The period of calendar days stated in the Academic Schedule that is set aside in each semester and/or session for the administration of final exams.
GPA:	The abbreviation for grade point average. A semester GPA is the weighted average of the grade points awarded on the basis of academic performance during a single semester. A cumulative grade point average (CGPA or cumulative GPA) is the weighted average of the grade points awarded in all courses completed and included for the achievement of the degree in which the student is registered.
Graduate diploma:	A prescribed set of degree credit courses and/or other forms of study that can be undertaken as a stand-alone program or to complement a graduate degree program, and to provide specialization, sub-specialization or inter- or multi-disciplinary qualification. A graduate diploma is comprised of at least 12 credit hours of graduate-level study.
	Graduate diplomas are classified as concurrent graduate diplomas (type 2) and direct-entry (type 3) graduate diplomas, consistent with the requirements as set out by the Council of Ontario Universities:
	A concurrent graduate diploma is offered in conjunction with a specified master’s or doctoral degree, the admission to which requires the candidate be already admitted to the master’s or doctoral degree. It requires advanced-level, usually interdisciplinary, study, at least 50 per cent of which is in addition to the general requirements for the degree.
	A direct‐entry graduate diploma is a stand-alone, direct-entry program, developed by a unit already offering a related master’s (and sometimes doctoral) degree, and designed to meet the needs of a particular clientele or market. Type 3 graduate diplomas at the university may include non-degree credit courses to a maximum of 30 per cent of the total program credit hours.
Master’s degree:	An advanced degree that is normally completed after receiving a first degree in a related subject area. It contains a prescribed set of courses, and/or other units of study, research or practice within an area of disciplinary or interdisciplinary study, normally requiring at least 30 credit hours of study.
	Master’s degrees may comprise a thesis component, a project or major paper, or be primarily comprised of coursework:
	A master’s degree with thesis is a research-oriented program comprised of advanced courses and intensive research culminating in a thesis. The thesis constitutes at least nine credit hours and involves an oral examination with assessment by a thesis examiner.
	A master’s degree with a project or major paper is a research-oriented program comprised of advanced courses and intensive research culminating in a project or major paper. The project or major paper constitutes at least six credit hours of supervised research and assessment by a research supervisor and a second reader.
	A master’s degree by coursework is comprised primarily of course work, and may also include other units of study, research and practice.
Prerequisite:	A course that must be successfully completed prior to commencing a second course for which it is required.
Program:	A complete set and sequence of courses, combination of courses, and/or other units of study, research and practice, the successful completion of which qualifies the candidate for a formal credential, provided all other academic and financial requirements are met.
Registration:	The process of selecting, enrolling in and being assessed fees for courses.
Registration period:	In a semester, it is the period extending from the first day of registration to the tenth lecture day, as stated in the academic schedule. In a session, it is the period extending from the first day of registration to the fifth lecture day.
Scholarship:	A monetary award to a student based primarily on academic merit, although other criteria may be considered based on donors’ requirements.
Semester:	Sixty days of lectures and an examination period.
Session:	A period of approximately six consecutive weeks in the summer semester consisting of 30 days of lectures and a final examination period. The first half of summer semester is designated as spring session; the second half is designated as summer session.
Special student:	A student who has applied and been accepted to take graduate-level courses without seeking a degree. Special students register formally in courses, with the consent of the instructor; such students submit assignments, write examinations, receive grades and may request an official transcript. Such students are charged full course fees.
Transcript:	The complete report of a student’s academic record.
Transfer credit:	Academic credit granted for work completed at an institution outside of the university.
Visiting student:	A student admitted to another post-secondary institution, attending the university on a letter of permission.
Waiver:	Permission granted by the appropriate authority for exemption from a particular program requirement and/or a particular university regulation.
Working day:	Any day, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, statutory holidays and university closures, on which business can be conducted.