MEMO
Dean of
Graduate Studies
STREET ADDKLSS
Maggie Benston Student
Services Centre 1100
Burnaby BC V>A iSf.
Canada
MAIL1NC ADDRESS
8888 University Drive
Burnaby BC VsA 1S6
Canada
SFU
S.12-115
TO
Senate
TEL
FROM Mary-Ellen Kclm, Acting Dean, Graduate Studies
RE
GGR 1.3.6 Admission as a Qualifying Student
[GS2012.01
GGR 1.3.S Conditional Admission
[GS2012.02
cc
DATE 12 June 2012
GGR 1.3.6 Admission
as
a Qualifying Student
GGR 1.3.8 Conditional Admission
GS2012.0T
GS2012.02
At its meeting of 6 Februaiy 2012, SGSC reviewed and approved the revision to GGR
1.3.6, Admission as a Qualifying Student, and GGR 1.3.8, Conditional Admission.
The calendar language was edited at its meeting of 11 June 2012 and SGSC is
recommending the revised regulation to Senate. This gives rise to the following
motions:
Motion:
That Senate approves the changes to GGR 1.3.6 Admission as a Qualifying Student
Motion:
That Senate approves the changes to GGR 1.3.8 Conditional Admission
Effective Date is January 2013
end.
Senators wishingto consulta moredetailed report of curriculum revisions may do so by going
to Docushare: https://docushare.sfu.ca/dsweb/View/Collection-12682
If you are unable to access the information, please call 778-782-3168 or email
shelley _gair(o)sfu.ca.
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
ENGAGING THE WORLD
Revision of GGR 1.3.6 Admission as a Qualifying Student and GGR 1.3.8 Conditional
Admission.
Motion:
That SGSC approves the proposed changes in GGR 1.3.6 (Admission as a Qualifying Student) and
GGR 1.3.8 (Conditional Admission).
Rationale:
Over the last few years, it has become clear that faculty have been uncertain as to whether an
applicant should be recommended for qualifying or conditional admission, and as a result, the
two admission categories have been used interchangeably. These revisions make it clear when it
is appropriate to recommend admission as a qualifying student and when a conditional admission
is more appropriate as well as the obligations that are associated with making such an offer.
Specific Changes:
1) The category of Qualifying Admission will be used solely for those admissions where the
department determines that the applicant is not ready to begin graduate work either
because their undergraduate performance thus far does not warrant entry into a graduate
program, or because they need to make up deficiencies in their background prior to
commencing graduate work in their area of interest. Students admitted under the
designation 'qualifying'will be required to take undergraduate courses and will not be
permitted to take graduate courses at SFU. No credit will be given toward any graduate
degree offered by
SFU for any graduate work completed at a different institution during
the qualifying period.
2) An offer of Qualifying Admission will normally specify a set of conditions to be
completed within one year. The requirements will include between 12 and 30 units
of
specified undergraduate course work and will specify the required grade for each course.
Applicants who require less than 12 units of undergraduate work to demonstrate their
academic preparedness or to provide the necessary background for the particular area of
study should be considered for regular admission. For other cases a minimum of 12 units
is established to ensure that an adequate amount of work is required. The maximum of 30
units ensures that the required work can be completed within one year.
3) Under the current language
of GGR 1.3.6, an offer of Qualifying Admission does not
guarantee admission to the degree program once the qualifying conditions have been met.
However, this has not prevented departments from extending such guarantees. With these
proposed revisions to GGR 1.3.6 all offers of Qualifying Admission must include a
guarantee of future admission to the graduate degree program provided that all of the
requirements specified in the offer of Qualifying Admission have been met in the time
specified. As an alternative to offering a Qualifying Admission, a department can always
provide advice to the applicant regarding any steps that the applicant could take that
would strengthen the application, should the applicant choose to re-apply in the future.
4) The category ofConditional Admission will be used solely for those admissions where an
applicant does not meet the minimum admission requirements but where the department
has concluded that the applicant is essentially ready to undertake a graduate program.
Students admitted under the designation 'conditional' will begin theirgraduate work and
will be permitted to register in any courses necessaryto progress through their graduate
program. Graduate courses taken while admitted conditionally may be applied to the
student's graduate program requirements.
5) An offer ofConditional Admission will specify the grades that the applicant is expected
to receive in their first two graduate level courses. It is expected that these two courses
will normally be completed within the first two terms of registration.
6) The use ofConditional Admission for students who have not completed their degree or
have not provided evidence ofmeeting the English language competence requirement at
the time ofadmission will be discontinued. These students will be granted regular
admission with the requirement that documentation ofthe fulfillment ofthese
requirements will normally be provided before the end ofthe second term ofenrolment.
After this time students will not be able to enroll until the documentation is provided.
GGR 1.3.6 Admission as a Qualifying Student
FROM:
Normally, qualifying students will be working either to improve cumulative grade point averages
in order to meet the minimum University requirement, or to make up deficiencies in their
backgrounds to satisfy the graduate program committee in their area of interest. An applicant
may be recommended for admission as a qualifying student when it is expected that the
admission requirements for a master's or a doctoral program can be met through the satisfactory
completion of no more than 30 units of specified courses. A qualifying student who has
completed the make-up work may then apply under 1.3.3 or 1.3.4 for admission to a master'sor
doctoral program.
The minimum University requirements for admission as a qualifying student are as follows.
a) a bachelors degree, or the equivalent
b) submitted evidence
of academic ability, usually in the form of references from qualified
referees
Admission as a qualifying student does not guarantee future admission to a master'sor doctoral
program unless the offer of admission states that satisfying specific requirements within a
specific period of time will result in automatic admission to the program.
Normally a student will be admitted with qualifying status for a maximum of one year (three
consecutive terms).
y
TO:
Qualifying admission may be offered to applicants who are deemed not yet ready to begin their
graduate work. The applicant normally will have completed a bachelor's degree but may have a
cumulative grade point average well below the University minimum admission requirements, or
may have substantial deficiencies in their academic preparation for direct admission to the
program. Qualifying students will typically be working to make up deficiencies in their
background to begin graduate work in their area of interest. An offer of qualifying admission
must be accompanied by a set
of expected requirements to be completed within one year. The
requirements normally will consist
of between 12 and 30 units of specified undergraduate
courses and will include the required grade for each course. Applicants who require less than 12
units of undergraduate work to demonstrate their academic preparedness, or to provide the
necessary background for the particular area
of study should be considered for regular admission.
A minimum
of 12 units is established to ensure that an adequate amount of work is required. The
maximum of 30 units ensures that the required work can be completed within one year.
If these requirements are met within the stipulated time frame then the qualifying student will be
admitted to the degree program for which the qualifying offer
of admission was given. Ifthe
student fails to complete the specified courses or to achieve the required grades, either additional
courses will be required or admission to the graduate program will be denied.
The minimum University requirements for admission as a qualifying student are as follows:
a) a bachelor'sdegree, or the equivalent
b) submitted evidence of academic ability, usually in the form of references from qualified
referees
GGR 1.3.8 Conditional Admission
5"
GGR 1.3.8 Conditional Admission
FROM:
Conditional admission may be offered to an applicant who is substantially ready to undertake a
program but who has not completed all admission requirements at the time
of application. An
offer of conditional admission will specify the remaining requirements to be met and a limited
time period within which the requirements must be met. Normally, the requirements must be
fulfilled either prior to enrolling in the program, or within the first term of enrolment.
TO:
Conditional admission may be offered to an applicant who does not meet the minimum academic
admission requirements but who is deemed to be substantially ready to undertake a graduate
program. For example, an applicant who has completed the degree required for admission to the
graduate program, but whose academic average is slightly below the minimum required for
admission to that program, may be considered for conditional admission. An offer of conditional
admission will specify the graduate courses that the applicant must complete and the grades that
are expected in order to be granted regular admission. These courses should be completed no
later than the end of the second term of enrolment. Graduate courses taken while admitted
conditionally may be applied to the student's graduate program requirements.
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