Except otherwise noted, the general audience for the academic calendar, or reference to it, are for current students.
Refer to the Undergraduate Studies Academic Calendar and Graduate Studies Academic Calendar for proper format and spelling.
Courses
- Always use the subject code in course lists.
Examples: PSYCH 101 (not Psychology 101), SMF 230 (not Sexuality, Marriage, and Family
Studies 230). - The subject code should appear before each number.
Examples: ECON 211, ECON 221, ECON 290 (not ECON 211, 221, 290). - Always link both the subject code and course number in hyperlinks to course descriptions:
- For undergraduate: use the generic link (do not copy/paste the URL) using the following convention to avoid needing to update links annually:
- Course: ugradcalendar.uwaterloo.ca/courses/subjectcode/coursenumber
Example: ugradcalendar.uwaterloo.ca/courses/ECE/413 - Subject: ugradcalendar.uwaterloo.ca/courses/subjectcode
Example: ugradcalendar.uwaterloo.ca/courses/ECE - Series: ugradcalendar.uwaterloo.ca/courses/subjectcode/seriesS
Example: ugradcalendar.uwaterloo.ca/courses/ECE/200S - For graduate:
Example: https://uwaterloo.ca/graduate-studies-academic-calendar/graduate-course/subject/KIN - Avoid using only the subject codes (e.g., ENGL 133) in materials intended for other audiences;
subject name can be used in full or use the course title (matching case listed in the Calendar). - Examples:
Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies — SMF 101.
SPCOM 111 — Leadership, Communication, and Collaboration.
Credential names
See programs, specializations, minors and options under the capitalization section.
Course versus class
- Course is the term used to describe the unit of study relating to a specific academic discipline and identified by a subject code and number.
- Class is the term used when sections of a course have been assigned.
Grade versus mark
- Grade is the term used to describe the final number assigned to a student for each course at the end of the term. They can be numeric or non-numeric.
- Avoid using the term mark for a current student audience.
Oxford comma
The Oxford Comma is used in academic calendars to reduce confusion, especially in course descriptions
Per cent
The per cent symbol (“%”) can be used when referring to averages or grades.
Examples:
- PHYS 111 can be substituted with a grade of at least 70%.
A minimum Economic major average of 65%.
References to the publication
- Undergraduate publication: Refer to as “Undergraduate Studies Academic Calendar” or “Undergraduate Calendar.”
- Graduate publication: Refer to as “Graduate Studies Academic Calendar or “Graduate Calendar.”
- Refer to content as being located/found “in” the publication, not “on.”
Units versus credit
- Unit is the term used to indicate the unit of measure for the accumulation of academic requirements. Singular for 1.0 or lower (e.g., 0.25, 0.5 unit); plural for more than 1.0 (e.g., 1.5, 22.5 units, 4.0 academic course units).
- Credit is the term used to indicate an academic requirement has been met, or a type of grade.
Examples: - Eight academic course units (16 courses).
- The student has been granted 2.0 units in transfer credit.
- I received credit for BIOL 130.
- This course has a credit/no credit grading basis.
