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Graduate Courses

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POLICY ON GRADUATE COURSES AND OTHER ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

[Also available in PDF version.]

Graduate Courses

All graduate programs are composed of a number of academic requirements that include graduate courses and other academic activities. A graduate course is a discrete, time-delimited unit of instructional/learning activity identified by a course code, in which students enroll. Graduate courses must be approved according to the relevant SGS policies and procedures. All graduate courses must have an instructor in charge who has a graduate faculty appointment in the graduate unit(s) responsible for the course. A full graduate course (course weight of one full course equivalent or 1.0 FCE) should involve a minimum of 48-72 hours of organized activity (e.g. 2 lectures or 3 hours of laboratory work a week over two sessions); a half course (0.5 FCE) should require approximately half this time commitment. Normally the beginning and end dates for courses should coincide with the beginning and end dates of University sessions.

Graduate courses may take many forms and their timing may not always coincide with the normal beginning and end of classes in each session.

Course Codes

All graduate courses have course codes consisting of:

  • a prefix associated with the academic unit (three letters);
  • a four-digit course number; and
  • a suffix associated with the course weight (alpha character).

Normally, course weight is measured in full-course equivalencies (FCE) and is indicated via a Y or H suffix:

  • Y Full course: 1.0 FCE normally taken over two sessions
  • H Half Course: 0.5 FCE normally taken over one session

Course weight variations occur in some graduate programs. These variations often take the form of modular courses. A modular course is a course that has a non-standard weight, may have non-standard start and end dates within a session, and is usually combined with other course components so that the total equals 0.5 or 1.0 FCE. The minimum contact hour requirement applies to modular courses, equivalent to course weight.

Other Academic Activities

Graduate programs may have a variety of requirements that are not courses but constitute other academic activities which have been approved according to SGS policies and procedures. Some common non-course academic activities are major research papers, comprehensive examinations, practica, internships, etc.

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GUIDELINES ON GRADUATE COURSES AND OTHER ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES:

[Also available in PDF version.]

See the Policy above for more information and for the definition of graduate courses.

Course Variations in Timing (see also modular courses under Course Codes above)

Intensive course: A course that is offered through a compressed timeframe. The minimum contact hours are equivalent to the course weight.

Extended course (+): A course in which the work continues into another academic session.

Continuous course (°): A course which may extend throughout a student’s program.

Course Delivery Modes

Face-to-Face: A course in which students are in the same place at the same time.

Distance-delivery: A course which uses a variety of technologically-mediated instruction. This course mode may include online instruction, webcast, podcast, audio/video and may be either synchronous or asynchronous.

Mixed: A course that is a mixture of face-to-face and technologically-mediated instruction

Alternate Course Types

The following descriptions of course types beyond the regular course description found in the policy section above are intended to provide guidelines for graduate courses structures and to clarify common terminology. They are not intended to constrain pedagogical innovation.

Reading and research course: Reading and/or research courses should involve as much reading and work as a normal seminar or other type of graduate course; written work should be a requirement of the course. Reading and/or research courses are subject to the grading practices policies in the same way as any other course. Only faculty holding a graduate appointment may direct a reading and/or research course, and they must hold a faculty appointment in the graduate unit where the course is being offered, normally in the student’s home graduate unit. In general, both the student and instructor should be on campus and the frequency of their meeting should be consistent with other courses. Approval to take a reading and/or research course is given by the graduate unit.

Seminar/Workshop Courses: Some graduate units offer seminar/workshop courses. These courses vary in format and delivery from unit to unit, and they may or may not count towards the number of courses required for the completion of a degree program. Consult the home graduate unit for details and program requirements.

Laboratory Courses: Some graduate units offer laboratory courses. These courses may vary in their requirements only in the site and method of learning.

Joint Courses: Joint courses exist where two or more graduate units participate to offer the course. A joint course has a three-letter course code prefix that begins with J. Joint courses are approved by both graduate units.

Cross-listed Courses: Cross-listed courses are those that are listed in the offerings of another graduate unit with the permission of both units. The course code does not change when cross-listed.

Topics Courses: Some graduate units offer topics courses. These courses vary from regular courses in that the content of these courses may vary from offering to offering.

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GRADUATE SEMINAR SERIES COURSES GUIDELINES FOR GRADUATE UNITS

[Also available in PDF version.]

Introduction

Attendance at a seminar series is regularly part of requirements in graduate degree programs as well as in collaborative programs. The requirement varies from required attendance to attendance plus other activities or attendance plus evaluated activities. These guidelines offer graduate units and collaborative programs the opportunity to choose from one of two graduate course types for seminar series. Units may wish to convert existing seminar series courses to one or the other of the two course types, where appropriate.

Seminar series are viewed as distinct from “graduate seminars”. Seminars at the graduate level are generally defined in the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) Policy and Guidelines on Graduate Courses and Other Academic Activities (see above); this set of guidelines addresses seminar series courses in detail. Seminars which are not part of a “series” are commonly understood to involve smaller classes where the learning format may involve both lecture and student presentations. These more traditional courses are usually graded with a letter grade and weighted in the normal manner. Such graduate seminar courses are distinct from graduate seminar series courses which are the topic of these guidelines.

All graduate courses are subject to the University Grading Practices Policy as well as the SGS Graduate Grading and Evaluation Practices Policy.

Background and Rationale

These guidelines provide a framework for recording seminar series courses on the graduate student academic record in a consistent way while facilitating the various practices within graduate units.

In the past, required attendance at a seminar series was not regularly recorded on the student academic record and was simply tracked at the graduate unit level. In some cases, regular graduate course codes have been used, thus indicating a kind of activity that does not necessarily reflect the actual requirement. There is a range of possible activities associated with participation in a seminar series requirement, yet the options for recording that activity on the academic record are limited.

More recently, graduate units are seeking to have all elements of program requirements recorded on the student academic record through the Repository of Student Information (ROSI), including participation in seminar series when it is a graduate program requirement. This is in accordance with the SGS and University view that all program requirements should be on ROSI. However, weighting and grading of these requirements are not managed consistently across graduate studies.

These guidelines propose to standardize the recording of seminar series requirements into two types, and include clarification of course weighting and grading for each type. More consistent handling of seminar series will lead to a clearer presentation and interpretation of program requirements on ROSI and the transcript. Graduate units should consider which type is most appropriate to meet program requirements.

Graduate seminar series course types

TYPE 1: CR/NCR Seminar Series (Universal Designator) - required attendance only and/or non-evaluated activity

(Note: Graduate unit administrators enrol students in this type of course following ROSI manual instructions.)

This type of seminar series requirement is established as a "universal" graduate course and would appear on student academic record on the Repository of Student Information (ROSI):

  • SRM 3333 H or Y Master's Seminar Series - Compulsory Attendance
  • SRD 4444 H or Y Doctoral Seminar Series - Compulsory Attendance

These courses would be graded CR/NCR (no letter grades). The weight for this type of course is 0.0 FCE. Graduate units may add a subtitle for the specific name of the seminar series. The universal designators would be used for seminar series requirements where attendance only is required and may include non-evaluated activity. “Activity”, including attendance, is defined at the graduate unit or collaborative program level and may include activities such as student presentations at seminars or active student participation in discussion following the seminar. Similar, but slightly varying SRM/SRD numbers may be established to identify seminar series courses that run for the academic year, extend beyond a year, run continuously through a student’s program, etc. The graduate unit tracks attendance.

TYPE 2: Letter Grade Seminar Series (Graduate Unit Designator) - required attendance plus evaluated activity

This type of seminar series requirement is established as a graduate course with a graduate unit or collaborative program course code and specific title (that is, the graduate unit-specific title would replace the words “Graduate unit seminar series”, and “required attendance plus evaluated activity” would be retained in any such course title). Graduate unit seminar series courses are assigned a course weight (.5 FCE, for example). Grading for the course is established as letter grades at the time the course is proposed. In this course type, evaluated student activity is required in addition to attendance. A graduate faculty member is responsible for evaluation and assignment of grades. The graduate unit tracks attendance.

Procedures

(Note: Student enrolment in seminar series courses that are continuous is automatic after the first session; in master’s programs in which students may “stop out”, administrators delete enrolments during “stop-out” sessions.)

Type 1 CR/NCR Seminar Series (Universal):

  • The universal course type may only be used when the seminar series has been approved through graduate governance as a program requirement.
  • Submit a request for a universal course designator to SGS via the Faculty Graduate Dean’s Office in an e-mail addressing the following components:
    • Request to use a Type 1 CR/NCR Seminar Series (Universal) course
    • Name the graduate unit involved
    • Name of program in which the universal course code will represent an approved program requirement
    • Confirm that Compulsory Attendance is required and that the graduate unit will track attendance
    • Identify any other required non-evaluated activity
    • Confirm that course evaluation will be CR/NCR
    • Confirm that course weight will be 0 FCE
    • Explain if course will run for for a term, the academic year, extend beyond a year, run continuously through a student’s program, etc.
  • Once the course request has been reviewed by SGS, Graduate unit administrators will enrol students according to ROSI manual instructions.
  • Attendance is tracked by the graduate unit.
  • At completion, graduate units enter a grade (CR/NCR) on ROSI for each student.

Type 2 Letter Grade Seminar series (Graduate Unit):

  • Graduate units propose a new graduate course with a graduate unit course code following established graduate governance procedures.
  • If the seminar series requirement is a new program requirement, it is approved via graduate governance procedures.
  • Students enrol in this course type via ROSI.
  • Attendance is tracked by the graduate unit.

When evaluation is complete, graduate units enter a grade on ROSI for each student.

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ACADEMIC YEAR

In the School of Graduate Studies, the academic year begins in September and ends in August. The academic year is divided into three sessions:

  1. Fall Session (September to December and designated YEAR9)
  2. Winter Session (January to May and designated YEAR1)
  3. Summer Session (May to August and designated YEAR5).

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GLOSSARY OF COURSE CODES

Primary Course Codes

Primary codes denote courses where one academic unit has responsibility for offering the course. If you are proposing a new primary course code, please consult your Faculty Graduate Affairs Office or the SGS Director of Information Systems.

AEC Adult Education and Counselling Psychology
AER Aerospace Science and Engineering
AGE Life Course and Aging
ALA Architecture, Landscape and Design - Landscape Architecture
ANT Anthropology
APS Civil Engineering
ARC Architecture, Landscape, and Design
ASI Asia-Pacific Studies
AST Astronomy and Astrophysics
BCH Biochemistry
BKS Book History and Print Culture
BME Biomedical Engineering
BTC Biotechnology
C&T Information Studies - McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology
CHE Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry
CHL Public Health Sciences
CHM Chemistry
CIE Comparative, International and Development Education
CIN Cinema Studies
CIV Civil Engineering
CLA Classics
COL Comparative Literature
CRI Criminology
CSB Cell and Systems Biology
CSC Computer Science
CTL Curriculum, Teaching and Learning
DEN Dentistry
DGC Dynamics of Global Change
DMI Advanced Design and Manufacturing
DRA Drama
EAS East Asian Studies
ECE Electrical and Computer Engineering
ECO Economics
EDE Environmental Engineering
EEB Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
EES Physical and Environmental Sciences (UTSC)
ENG English
ENV Environmental Studies
ERE European, Russian and Eurasian Studies
EXS Exercise Sciences
FAH Art - History of Art
FEC Financial Economics
FIS Information Studies
FOR Forestry
FRE French Language and Literature
GER Germanic Languages and Literatures
GGR Geography
GLG Geology
GRK Classics - Greek
HAD Health Policy, Management and Evaluation
HDP Human Development and Applied Psychology
HIS History
HPS History and Philosophy of Science and Technology
HSR Health Services and Policy Research
HUN European, Russian and Eurasian Studies - Hungarian Literature
IFA Professional Graduate Programs Centre (Mississauga) - Investigative and Forensic Accounting
IMM Immunology
IOS Optics
IRE Industrial Relations and Human Resources
ITA Italian Studies
JCV Cardiovascular Sciences
JDS Developmental Science
JPW Women's Studies
JSP Jewish Studies
JTB Genome Biology and Bioinformatics
JTH Ethnic and Pluralism Studies
KMD Knowledge Media Design
LAN Architecture, Landscape and Design - Landscape Architecture
LAT Classics - Latin
LAW Law
LIN Linguistics
LMP Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology
MAT Mathematics
MBP Medical Biophysics
MGT Management
MHI Health Policy, Management and Evaluation
MIE Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
MMF Mathematical Finance
MMG Medical Genetics
MMI Health Policy, Management and Evaluation - Management of Innovation
MMS Materials Science and Engineering
MSC Medical Science
MSE Materials Science and Engineering undergraduate 500 courses
MSL Information Studies - Museum Studies
MST Medieval Studies
MUS Music
NMC Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations
NFS Nutritional Science
NUR Nursing Science
OCT Occupational Therapy
PAS Addiction Studies
PCL Pharmacology and Toxicology
PHL Philosophy
PHM Pharmaceutical Science
PHT Physical Therapy
PHY Physics
PLA Geography - Planning
POL Political Science
PPG Public Policy and Governance
PSL Physiology
PSY Psychology
REH Rehabilitation Science
RLG Religion
SAS South Asian Studies
SDS Sexual Diversity Studies
SES Sociology and Equity Studies in Education
SLA Slavic Languages and Literatures
SLP Speech-Language Pathology
SOC Sociology
SPA Spanish
STA Statistics
SWK Social Work
TPS Theory and Policy Studies in Education
URD Architecture, Landscape and Design - Urban Design
URD Geography - Urban Design Studies
VIS Art - Visual Studies
WGS Women and Gender Studies
WPL Workplace Learning and Social Change

 

Joint Course Codes

Joint codes denote courses where two or more graduate units participate to offer the course. If you are proposing a new joint course code, please consult your Faculty Graduate Affairs Office or the SGS Director of Information Systems.

JAA Anthropology/South Asian Studies
JAB Anthropology/Botany
JAC Anthropology/Culture and Technology
JAH Anthropology/History
JAI Classics/Art/Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations
JAL Anthropology/Linguistics
JAM Anthropology/Materials Science and Engineering
JAP Anthropology/Psychology
JAR Anthropology/Religion
JAS Anthropology/Sociology
JAZ Anthropology/Zoology
JBB Biochemistry/Medical Biophysics/Medical Genetics
JBE Botany/Environmental Studies
JBF Botany/Forestry
JBI Biochemistry/Immunology
JBL Biochemistry/Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology
JBM Botany/Microbiology
JBP Management/Political Science
JBZ Biochemistry/Botany/Zoology
JCA Anthropology/Russian and East European Studies
JCB Biomedical Engineering/Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry
JCC Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry/Civil Engineering
JCF Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry/Forestry
JCH Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry/Chemistry
JCI Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry/Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
JCL Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology/Medical Science
JCM Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry/Public Health Science
JCN Civil Engineering/Environmental Studies
JCP Classics/Hist. and Phil. of Science and Technology
JCT Curriculum, Teaching and Learning/Theory and Policy Studies in Education
JDA Anthropology/Dentistry
JDB Botany/Molecular and Medical Genetics/Zoology
JDE Graduate Engineering Departments
JDS Human Development and Applied Psych./Psychology
JEB Biomedical Engineering/Elect. and Computer Engineering
JEC Environmental Studies/Public Health Science
JEH English/History
JEI Environmental Studies/Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
JEL Electrical and Computer Engineering/Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
JEM Electrical and Computer Engineering/Materials Science and Engineering
JEN Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry/Materials Science and Engineering/Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
JEP English/Philosophy
JER English/Religion
JES East Asian/South Asian Studies
JFC Comparative Literature/French Lang. and Literature
JFE Engineering/Forestry
JFG Forestry/Geography
JFK Medical Science/Pharmaceutical Science/Pharmacology
JFS Forestry/Social Work
JGC Germanic Langs. and Lits./Comparative Literature
JGE Environmental Studies/Geography
JGN Environmental Studies/Geology
JGP Geology/Physics
JHA History/South Asian Studies
JHC Curriculum, Teaching and Learning/Human Development and Applied Psych.
JHL Comparative Literature/History
JHM Health Policy, Management and Evaluation/Medical Science
JHP History/Political Science
JIC Comparative Literature/Italian Studies
JIL Italian/Linguistics
JIP Economics/Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations
JLA Comparative Literature/East Asian Studies
JLE Comparative Literature/English
JLM Linguistics/Mathematics
JLP Linguistics/Psychology
JMA Civil Engineering/Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
JMC East Asian/History/Political Science
JME Education/McLuhan Program
JMH Hist. and Phil. of Science and Technology/Medieval Studies
JMI Italian Studies/Music
JMM Biomedical Engineering/Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
JMP Mathematics/Philosophy
JMT Classics/Medieval Studies
JMY Chemistry/Materials Science and Engineering
JMZ Materials Science and Engineering/Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
JNC Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry/Environmental Studies
JNH Nursing Science/Public Health Science
JNP Environmental Studies/Pharmaceutical Science/Pharmacology
JNR Biochemistry/Pharmacology/Physiology
JNS Anatomy and Cell Biology/Psychology
JPA Anthropology/Physics
JPB Biomedical Engineering/Physiology
JPC Public Health Science/Political Science
JPD Political Science/Sociology
JPE Economics/Political Science
JPG Geography/Planning
JPH Hist. and Phil. of Science and Technology/Philosophy
JPI Immunology/Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology
JPJ Law/Political Science
JPL Law/Philosophy
JPM Medical Science/Pharmacology
JPN Environmental Studies/Physics
JPP Philosophy/Political Science
JPR Physiology/Zoology
JPS Astronomy/Physics
JPT Education/Philosophy
JPV Environmental Studies/Political Science
JPX Education/Nursing Science/Psychology/Social Work
JPY Pharmaceutical Science/Pharmacology
JPZ Microbiology/Zoology
JRL Linguistics/Romance Langs.
JRP Public Health Sciences/Rehabilitation Science
JRX Chemistry/Pharmaceutical Science
JSA Anthropology/Sociology and Equity Studies in Education
JSB Biomedical Engineering/Public Health Science
JSC Criminology/Social Work
JSE Environmental Studies/Sociology
JSL Law/Social Work
JSP Philosophy/Psychology/Sociology
JSS Biomedical Communications/Sheridan
JST Computer Science/Statistics
JTC Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry/Materials Science and Engineering
JTE Curriculum, Teaching and Learning/Sociology and Equity Studies in Education
JUS Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology/Medical Biophysics
JVP Environmental Studies/Philosophy
JXP Exercise Science/Public Health Science
JYG Molecular and Medical Genetics/Pharmacology/Physiology
JZB Botany/Zoology
JZP Psychology/Zoology

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