Course Enrolment

In This Section:

 

Year of Study

A Faculty of Arts & Science student who has:

  • Completed fewer than 4.0 credits is in Year 1
  • Completed 4.0 to 8.5 credits is in Year 2
  • Completed 9.0 to 13.5 credits is in Year 3
  • Completed 14.0 or more credits is in Year 4

 

Number of Courses Taken (“Course Load”)

Students may proceed towards the degree at a rate of their own choosing, within the following parameters:

  1. The recommended course load for full-time students who are in good standing in each of the Fall and Winter terms is no more than 2.5 credits; the maximum course load in each term is 3.0 credits. During the priority period of enrolment students’ maximum course load, included waitlisted courses, is 2.5 credits; once the priority period has ended, students may enrol in/waitlist for an additional 0.5 credit to the maximum of 3.0 credits. Special consideration will not be granted on the basis of enrolment in more than the recommended maximum.
  2. The maximum course load for students who are in good standing during the Summer Session is 1.0 credit per term.
  3. Students on Academic Probation may take no more than 2.5 credits in each of the Fall and Winter terms and no more than 1.0 credit in each of the Summer terms.
  4. Once students have completed 4.0 credits in the Faculty of Arts & Science, their College Registrar may consider a request for an exception to the above limits; the Rotman Commerce Program Office considers requests for an exception for Bachelor of Commerce students. The College Registrar or Rotman Commerce Program Office, following Faculty guidelines, has the discretion to approve or deny such requests. Special consideration will not be granted on the basis of, and final examination schedules may be affected by, a course overload.
  5. Students restricted to a reduced course load on admission may take no more than 1.5 credits in a Fall or Winter term unless approved by their College Registrar, and no more than 2.5 credits overall during the Fall/Winter Session. They may take a maximum of 1.0 credit in the Summer Session. Students restricted to part-time studies who wish to transfer to full-time studies should consult with their College Registrar.
  6. To calculate course loads, students should consult this Calendar together with the Timetable. The codes “Y1” or “H1” in a course code in the Calendar indicate the credit value:

    Y1 = a full-credit course (1.0 credit), for which one credit is given (e.g., ANT100Y1)
    H1 = a half-credit course (0.5 credit), for which one half credit is given (e.g., HIS332H1)
     
  7. In the Timetable a section code is associated with a course code to indicate when the course is offered:

    F = “First Term;” the first term of the Fall/Winter Session (September – December) or the first term of the Summer Session (May-June)
    S = “Second Term;” the second term of the Fall/Winter Session (January – April) or the second term of the Summer Session (July – August)
    Y = full session; the entire Fall/Winter Session (September – April) or the entire Summer Session (May – August)
     
  8. Students should note that courses designated as “...Y1F” or “...Y1S” in the Timetable are particularly demanding.

 

Full-Time and Part-Time Status

Full-time Status

Part-time Status

 

Extra Courses

Extra courses appear on a student's academic record with a final course mark and are noted as "EXT". Extra courses do not count for degree credit and are not included in calculating a student's Grade Point Average, however, they may count toward prerequisite requirements, program requirements, and Breadth Requirements for HBA, HBSc, or BCom degree requirements.

A course may be designated Extra due to an exclusion or a repeated attempt at a previously passed course.

 

Repeating Failed Courses

Students may re-enrol in a course if they have received a mark lower than 50% or a status of No Credit (NCR) or Failure (FL), as long as they have not previously obtained credit for the course with a mark of 50% or higher or a status of Credit (CR) or Pass (P).

Each attempt at the course will appear on students’ academic records and the mark in the course will contribute to grade point average calculations, unless an attempt has been declared Credit/No Credit or designated Extra.

Students considering re-enrolling in a course are encouraged to contact their College Registrar's Office for advising.

 

Repeating Passed Courses

Degree and non-degree students may repeat, only once, any individual course in which they have already obtained credit with a final mark of 50% or higher or a status of Pass (P) or Credit (CR), regardless of the result of the second attempt. Note that the result of the second attempt could be any final mark or a status of Pass, Failure (FL), Credit, or No Credit (NCR); a previously passed course can be repeated only once. A direct equivalent transfer credit is considered a previously passed course.

For non-degree students, the second attempt at the course is always marked Extra. For degree students, the second attempt at the course is marked Extra unless the Second Attempt for Credit policy applies (see below).

Students requesting to repeat a passed course must do so at their College Registrar’s Office, where they will receive appropriate advising and will be enrolled in the course, provided there is space available; degree students will be enrolled as of the first day of the general enrolment period and non-degree students will be enrolled as of the first day of enrolment for non-degree students. (See General Course Enrolment Period of the Course Enrolment page)

Second Attempt for Credit

Please note that this policy does not apply to courses taken as a second attempt prior to September 2025. For courses taken as a second attempt prior to September 2025, refer to the Academic Calendar in effect when the course was taken. (See Archived Calendars)

For degree students, in the case where the mark in the second attempt at a previously passed course is higher, the Extra designation will be added to the initial attempt for up to a maximum of 2.0 credits in chronological order, unless:

  • The second attempt must be marked Extra due to an exclusion, in which case the Extra status will remain on the second attempt of the course.
  • The passed course was first taken as part of a previously completed degree, in which case the Extra status will remain on the second attempt taken as part of a subsequent in-progress degree.

Degree students do not need to submit a request to initiate this process. If the Extra designation is added to the initial attempt of the course rather than to the second attempt:

 

Credit/No Credit (CR/NCR)

Degree students in the Faculty of Arts & Science may select up to 2.0 credits to be assessed on a Credit/ No Credit (CR/NCR) basis. This option is available for Arts & Science degree students taking courses offered by the Faculty of Arts & Science, the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design (Daniels), the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), or the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC). Some courses may not be eligible for CR/NCR -- refer to the Academic Calendar of the relevant division. This option is not available to Arts & Science non-degree students.

Students who select a course to be assessed on a CR/NCR basis will not be identified individually to the instructor teaching that course; they will be assessed in the same way as all other students in the course (will have the same assignments and tests and will be evaluated with the same expectations).

Deadline

Students can choose or remove this mode of assessment on ACORN no later than the last day of classes. Once the deadline has passed, students may not reverse this decision.

Eligibility for CR or NCR

To achieve a status of CR (Credit) in a course, a student must achieve a final mark of at least 50%. Courses with a final status of CR will count as degree credits but will have no effect on the student’s Grade Point Average (GPA) calculation. They can also count toward the Breadth Requirements, but cannot normally be used to satisfy program completion requirements (Specialist, Major, Minor) or the 12.0 distinct credits between programs required for the degree. See the Calendar sections on Degree Requirements for details. 

A course with a final mark below 50% will be assessed as NCR (No Credit). Courses with a final status of NCR will not count as degree credits, and will also not be included in the GPA calculation.

If a student has specified the CR/NCR option for a course in which an academic offence has been committed, the CR/NCR option will be revoked and the percentage mark will stand as the course mark.

The following courses are ineligible for CR/NCR: courses where an individual student works on independent study or individual research supervised by a professor; Research Opportunity Program (299s/ 399s)/ Research Excursions (398s); First-Year Foundations Seminars; First-Year Foundations Ones Program courses; Rotman Commerce (RSM) courses; field courses; courses evaluated on a Pass/Fail basis. Other approved exceptions will be noted in the course description in the Calendar.

Important Notes and Limitations of CR/NCR

The underlying mark of a course completed on a CR/NCR basis will not be released or reported in any way. The Faculty cannot determine how an external body may read or interpret the use of CR/NCR on a transcript. If a specific mark may be required in a course for professional or graduate school applications or for other reasons in the future, students should avoid selecting the CR/NCR option. Students may wish to seek academic advising at their College Registrar's Office when considering the use of CR/NCR.

Students who transfer to the Faculty of Arts & Science from John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design (Daniels) , University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) or University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) will have all Daniels, UTM, and UTSC CR/NCR options (if any) included in their Arts & Science academic record. These CR/NCR options are counted towards the 2.0 credits maximum.

Special note to graduating students

The CR/NCR option is only open to degree students. Once students have graduated, they become non-degree students and they may not complete courses on a CR/NCR basis, even if they enrolled in the course before their graduation. For example, if a student is graduating in the Spring and they select the CR/NCR option for a Summer course, or if a student is graduating in the Fall and they select the CR/NCR option for a Fall or Winter course, the CR/NCR option will be removed upon graduation and a percentage mark will appear on the student’s record.

Courses that are not eligible to be taken as CR/NCR

The following courses are ineligible for CR/NCR: courses where an individual student works on independent study or individual research supervised by a professor; Research Opportunity Program (299s/ 399s)/ Research Excursions (398s); First-Year Foundations Seminars; First-Year Foundations Ones Program courses; Rotman Commerce (RSM) courses; field courses; courses evaluated on a Pass/Fail basis. Other approved exceptions will be noted in the course description in the Calendar.

 

Cancelling Courses

Students who do not intend to complete a course or courses must cancel the course on ACORN before the final date to cancel courses without academic penalty (see Academic Dates and Deadlines). Students still enrolled in a course after the final date to cancel the course will receive a mark for that course (unless Late Withdrawal is requested). Not attending classes, ceasing to complete further course work, and/or not writing the examination do not constitute grounds for cancellation without academic penalty from a course after the cancellation deadline; the course remains on the record with the mark earned, including a zero for incomplete work.

Students are not permitted to cancel or withdraw from a course in which an allegation of academic misconduct is pending from the time of the alleged offence until the final resolution of the allegation. Should the resolution include a sanction for academic misconduct, students cannot subsequently cancel or request withdrawal from the course.

 

Late Withdrawal After the Drop Date (LWD)

The Faculty of Arts & Science has a mechanism to assist students, in conjunction with their College Registrars, to remedy situations, particularly in their early years at university, where personal or other circumstances mean they are irretrievably behind in a course, struggling with a course or cannot continue with the course. Students who have fallen behind with assignments or are not at all prepared to write exams in one or more of courses can contact their College Registrar’s Office to discuss a Late Withdrawal After the Drop Date (LWD) from the course.

Degree students in the Faculty of Arts & Science may request Late Withdrawal After the Drop Date (LWD) – to withdraw from a course without petition – for a total of 3.0 credits, provided such a request is made by the last day of classes in the relevant term. Non-degree students may also request LWD, provided they do not exceed the 3.0 credits maximum throughout their combined degree and non-degree studies.

Withdrawals approved under this procedure will be noted on the academic record by the course status LWD. This course status will have no effect on the Grade Point Average (GPA) or other elements of the academic record. 

Students seeking to avail themselves of this remedy will be expected to work with their College registrarial advisor to analyze what led to their situation, to discuss what steps they can take to prevent it from happening again, and to learn from their experiences. 

Students who transfer to the Faculty of Arts & Science from the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), or the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC), or the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design (Daniels) will have all UTM/UTSC/Daniels LWD requests (if any) included in their Arts & Science academic record. These LWD requests are counted towards the 3.0 credits maximum.

Note that the option for Late Withdrawal is not available if an allegation of academic misconduct is under investigation. If LWD was previously granted in the course, it will be revoked and the percentage grade will stand as the course grade. 

Please note: Students who have not achieved final standing (a final passing mark/P/CR) in at least one course in the Faculty of Arts & Science who cancel their registration must re-apply for admission through the Ontario Universities Application Centre if they wish to return in the future. Late Withdrawal (LWD) does not constitute final standing in a course.

 

Prerequisites, Co-requisites, and Exclusions

Prerequisites and co-requisites are established by academic units to ensure that students enrolling in a course have the necessary academic preparation to be successful. Students are responsible for fulfilling prerequisites and co-requisites, and if they enrol in a course for which they do not have the published prerequisites or co-requisites, it is at the discretion of the academic unit to cancel their enrolment in the course at any time during the enrolment period. If students withdraw from a course, they must also withdraw from any course for which it is a co-requisite unless the academic unit offering the latter course agrees to waive the co-requisite.

An exclusion is a course that is deemed to have content that significantly overlaps with another course. Prerequisites, co-requisites, and exclusions will be listed below the course description.

Prerequisite

A course (or other qualification) required as preparation for enrolment in another course. Prerequisites must be completed in advance of enrolment in a course. If students consider that they have equivalent preparation, they may ask the academic unit to waive the stated prerequisite.

Co-requisite

A course to be undertaken concurrently with another course. If a student has previously passed the co-requisite course, the academic unit will waive the co-requisite. 

Recommended Preparation

Background material or courses that may enhance a student’s understanding of a course, but that are not required for enrolment in the course.

Exclusions

Students may not receive degree credit for a course that lists as an exclusion a course they are currently taking or a course they have already passed. If they enrol in such a course, they may be removed at any time during the enrolment period at the discretion of the department. If allowed to remain enrolled in an excluded course, the second course taken will be designated Extra.

 

Taking Courses Outside the Faculty

Courses at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC), and the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design (Daniels)

Degree and non-degree Faculty of Arts & Science students may enrol in most undergraduate courses offered by UTM, UTSC, and Daniels if they meet the enrolment controls and prerequisites established by those divisions. The course will be included in grade point average calculations unless marked Extra or assessed on a Credit/No Credit basis.

For degree students, while still considered an earned credit, any course from UTM, UTSC, and Daniels taken in excess of 10.0 credits will not count toward the 20.0 credits required for a Faculty of Arts & Science degree. UTM, UTSC, and Daniels courses may also count toward program requirements; students are advised to contact the relevant Faculty of Arts & Science academic unit before enrolling in the course to discuss whether the course can contribute to program completion requirements.

Faculty of Arts & Science students enrolling in UTM, UTSC, and Daniels courses should also note that, although academic deadlines may be different for UTM, UTSC, or Daniels students, as a Faculty of Arts & Science student they must adhere to all Faculty of Arts & Science deadlines (e.g. enrolment, cancellation, Credit/No Credit, refund, etc.).

Courses at Other Divisions on the St. George Campus

Faculty of Arts & Science degree students may be eligible to enrol in certain courses offered by divisions other than the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC), and the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design (Daniels) if they meet the enrolment controls and prerequisites established by those divisions. Degree students may also request exceptional enrolment in certain courses of other divisions on the St. George campus in which they are not eligible to enrol, including a course administered by a graduate unit outside of the Faculty of Arts & Science.

Students are advised to contact their College Registrar’s Office to discuss in what way a course might contribute to their degree requirements in advance of enrolling, or requesting enrolment, in the course. Should a student wish a course to contribute to the completion requirements of a program in which they are enrolled, they should contact the relevant Faculty of Arts & Science academic unit in advance of enrolling, or requesting enrolment, in the course.

If a student is requesting exceptional enrolment in a course offered by another division on the St. George campus, they should contact the division to request enrolment well in advance of the beginning of classes, so that they may choose alternate courses if permission is not granted. If permission is granted, the division will contact the Office of the Faculty Registrar in the Faculty of Arts & Science to request that the student be enrolled.

Faculty of Arts & Science degree students enrolling, or who have been enrolled, in courses at other St. George divisions should note that, although academic and course refund deadlines may be different for students registered in these divisions, as a Faculty of Arts & Science student they must adhere to all Faculty of Arts & Science deadlines (e.g. enrolment, cancellation, refund, etc.), with the exception of the start and end of classes. In addition, students should note that policies applicable to courses offered by other St. George divisions may differ from those of the Faculty of Arts & Science; for example, the option for Credit/No Credit may not be available.

Non-degree students in the Faculty of Arts & Science may enrol only in undergraduate Arts & Science, UTM, UTSC, and Daniels courses. They may not request permission from the Faculty or from another division on the St. George campus to enrol in courses from other divisions.

Courses Administered by a Faculty of Arts & Science Graduate Unit

In exceptional circumstances, undergraduate degree students in the Faculty of Arts & Science may be granted permission by a Faculty of Arts & Science graduate unit to enrol in a graduate course. Students are expected to have already exhausted all undergraduate courses available in the Faculty in the relevant subject area before requesting to enrol in a graduate course. Note that not all Faculty of Arts & Science graduate units will allow undergraduate enrolment in a graduate course, even in exceptional circumstances; others may require a minimum grade point average and/or the instructor’s permission. Please contact the relevant graduate unit for details.

For undergraduate degree requirement purposes, a graduate course will count as a 400-level course. Graduate courses may also count toward program requirements; students are advised to contact the relevant undergraduate Faculty of Arts & Science academic unit before requesting enrolment in the course to discuss whether the course can contribute to program completion requirements.

For information concerning enrolling in a course administered by a graduate unit on the St. George campus outside the Faculty of Arts & Science, refer to ‘Courses at Other Divisions on the St. George Campus’ . For information concerning enrolling in a course administered by a graduate unit at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC), or the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design (Daniels), please contact the relevant graduate unit.

Courses at Partner Institutions (Outbound Exchange Programs)

Information concerning the application process for outbound exchange opportunities and for transfer credit from studies completed on an exchange program is available on the Learning Abroad and Exchange Programs page.  

Transfer credits received as a result of studies completed on an outbound exchange program contribute to the degree requirement of a minimum of 10.0 credits in Faculty of Arts & Science courses. In addition, all 300+ level transfer credits received from studies completed on an exchange program can contribute to the 300+ level degree requirement.

Courses at Other Recognized Institutions (Letters of Permission and Transfer Credit)

Students registered in the Faculty of Arts & Science should choose courses offered by the Faculty of Arts & Science or University of Toronto courses from outside of the Faculty of Arts & Science within stated parameters. However, degree students who have completed their first academic session (Fall/Winter or Summer) in the Faculty of Arts & Science with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of at least 1.50 and who are in good standing may be eligible to receive a maximum of 5.0 transfer credits overall for courses taken at a recognized institution on the basis of a Letter of Permission.

Students admitted to the Faculty of Arts & Science with transfer credit from previous studies may be limited in the number of Letter of Permission transfer credits that they can use toward the 20.0 credits required for their degree, since students must complete at least 10.0 credits in Faculty of Arts & Science courses toward their degree.

In addition, a maximum of 1.0 credit in transfer credits at the 300+ level granted by Letter of Permission can contribute toward the degree requirement of a minimum of 6.0 credits at the 300+ level.  

Transfer credit will not be granted for courses that were not pre-approved by a Letter of Permission. Permission obtained from an instructor or from an academic unit for program purposes does not obligate the Faculty to grant transfer credit. Requests for Letters of Permission are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Detailed eligibility requirements and timelines for Letters of Permission are available on the Faculty of Arts & Science website.

Note that students who take courses pre-approved by a Letter of Permission during the final term before the convocation period in which they plan to graduate will need to delay their graduation. Please see the Faculty of Arts & Science page on graduation for more information.

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