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

Senate

TEL

FROM Mary-Ellen Kclm, Acting Dean, Graduate Studies

GGR 1.3.6 Admission as a Qualifying Student

[GS2012.01

GGR 1.3.S Conditional Admission

[GS2012.02

DATE 12 June 2012

GGR 1.3.6 Admission

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

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).

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

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.