Course and exam information

• Each course is graded as either numeric (with a grade between 0 and 100 recorded) or as a Credit/No Credit (with the grade recorded as either CR or NCR).
• Each course is assigned a course weight. This weight is usually 0.50 to indicate a course of regular weighting for one term (or one half year). Course weights used in the Faculty of Engineering range from 0.10 to 3.00.
• There are a number of non-numeric grades used. The official grades list is shown in the undergraduate studies academic calendar. There is also a transcript legend on the Registrar's Office web site which includes graded, non-graded standings, and requirement designation definitions.

• Course grades are submitted at the end of each term by your instructor. Although your instructor may inform you of your grade in other ways, the only official grade is the one that can be viewed on Quest.
• Course grades are normally viewable early in the month following the end of the term, however they are not final grades until the Standings and Official Grades date listed in the Important dates.
• You have the right to a supervised review of a copy of your final examination after the grades are displayed on Quest. The intent of this review is not to debate the grade assigned but rather to help you understand the places where improved answers may have resulted in a better grade. This process is described in Policy 70.
• In the case of the Co-operative Work Term (COOP) courses, grades are submitted primarily based on the employers evaluation. Normally a credit is awarded for a marginal or higher evaluation.

The most important and final authority on a course's information is the course syllabus. The course syllabus is to be available to you at the end of the first week of classes. This web page describes all aspects of the course including content, assessments, and timing constraints.

The University of Waterloo Undergraduate Studies Academic Calendar provides a list of current courses with course descriptions, but does not provide specific information on course availability.

The Registrar's Office maintains an area of the web that lists a schedule of classes for the current and next academic terms. The terms are listed using the term code. In addition there is a list of future courses (Course Selection) for the second future term. The information for the next term evolves until the final schedule is set.

The midterm schedules are completed by either the department or the instructor. You will need to obtain the date and room assignment information by consulting with the instructor in your course.

Most final examinations are scheduled or supported in some way by the Registrar's Office. Each term a final exam schedule is posted. In some cases you may have some form of conflict with the examination timing. You are to discuss this with your instructor within one week of the posting of the final exam schedule or your academic advisor. There are a number of university approved examination regulations.

Also see Course evaluations (course critiques).

Students are expected to know what constitutes academic integrity, to avoid committing academic offences, and to take responsibility for their actions. Students who are unsure whether an action constitutes an offence, or who need help in learning how to avoid offences (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about "rules" for group work/collaboration should seek guidance from the course professor, TA, academic advisor, or the Undergraduate Associate Dean. The Office of Academic Integrity at the University of Waterloo maintains a website with a number of items of interest to students. In particular the page on Academic Integrity for students provides various examples as well as a tutorial on the subject. For information on categories of offences and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71 - Student Discipline. For typical penalties see Guidelines for the Assessment of Penalties.

Note for students with special needs: The AccessAbility Services office collaborates with all academic departments to arrange appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities without compromising the academic integrity of the curriculum. If you require academic accommodations to lessen the impact of your disability, please register with the AccessAbility Services office at the beginning of each academic term.

Students who believe that they have been wrongfully or unjustly penalized have the right to grieve; refer to Policy 70 - Student Petitions and Grievances, as well as Policy 72 - Student Appeals.