Student Handbook - Academic Policies and Regulations

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Undergraduate Academic Calendar

The School of Pharmacy section of this Calendar contains regulations that must be followed and requirements that must be satisfied to obtain a Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

  • Admission Requirements
  • Degree Requirements
  • Granting of Bachelor of Science (Honours Science)
  • Examinations and Standings
  • Information for Graduates

Course outlines  

Pharmacy course instructors use standardized course outlines to provide information to students about the expectations for their courses. The course outline acts as the contract between the instructor and their students and provides guidance while enforcing policies and procedures. 
Illness and extenuating circumstances Information specific to pharmacy students can be found on the Pharmacy student accommodation for illness and extenuating circumstances web page.

Academic integrity 

Academic integrity is taken very seriously and it is your responsibility as a student to know, understand, and follow the University of Waterloo policies. Violations can have serious consequences, affecting your grades, academic standing, and future career.  

You are responsible for reporting instances of academic dishonesty that you may witness. Every member of the University of Waterloo community must demonstrate their commitment to honesty, trust, and fairness by ensuring they do all they can to create a level playing field. If you are aware of misconduct, talk to your Professor, Academic Advisor, the Associate Dean of your Faculty, or the Office of Academic Integrity about the situation. 

More information: 

Exam procedures

  • Your WatCard must be presented.
  • Have only authorized exam materials on your desk.
    • Turn off and put away all electronics.
    • Put away all study materials.
    • Belongings such as coats, backpacks, etc. must be stored in your locker.
  • You are prohibited from consuming food and drinks (with the exception of water in a clear bottle with no label).
  • If you need a break to use a washroom, eat, or for a religious observance, you must be accompanied by a proctor.
    • If a single short break will not be sufficient because you are medically required to consume food or drinks regularly during a final exam, you must register for special accommodations with AccessAbility Services and must submit appropriate documentation from a recognized professional at least three weeks prior to the start of the final examination period.
  • You must remain in the exam room for at least one hour.
  • There will be no extension of time for students who are allowed to sit for exams after arriving late.
  • If students provide or obtain assistance from another student, or have unauthorized aids during tests, such individuals will be liable to disciplinary action.
  • Full details on Rules for Test Conduct can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.
  • Once you have completed your exam, show the proctor your Examsoft green screen and quietly leave the room.
  • You must leave the room and building immediately at the end of the exam to minimize noise levels and distractions for those still writing the exam.

Grievances and petitions 

A grievance or petition relating to an assigned academic decision, grade, or other evaluation, or relating to other decisions based on University policies, may be made by following the procedures outlined in the Grievances, Petitions, and Re-Assessments section of the Science Faculty Information and Regulations chapter of the University Calendar. 

A student may wish to request special consideration in two situations:

  1. Grievance: a challenge of an academic grade or decision. Challenges are appropriate when the student is disputing the grade or decision.
  2. Petition: a petition for special consideration. Petitions are appropriate when the student agrees that the rules have been applied fairly and is not disputing grades but is requesting special consideration because of extenuating circumstances (e.g. illness).

More information: 

* School of Pharmacy Contact for Petitions, Grievances and Appeals: Director of Admissions and Undergraduate Affairs – Kaitlin Bynkoski

Intellectual Property Rights

Students should be aware that their courses contains the intellectual property of their course coordinators, TA, and/or the University of Waterloo. Intellectual property includes items such as:

  • Lecture content, spoken and written (and any audio/video recording thereof);
  • Lecture handouts, presentations, and other materials prepared for the course (e.g., PowerPoint slides);
  • Questions or solution sets from various types of assessments (e.g., assignments, quizzes, tests, final exams); and
  • Work protected by copyright (e.g., any work authored by the course coordinator or TA or used by the course coordinator or TA with permission of the copyright owner).

Course materials and the intellectual property contained therein, are used to enhance a student’s educational experience. However, sharing this intellectual property without the intellectual property owner’s permission is a violation of intellectual property rights. For this reason, it is necessary to ask the course coordinator, TA and/or the University of Waterloo for permission before uploading and sharing the intellectual property of others online (i.e., to an online repository).

Permission from a course coordinator, TA or the University is also necessary before sharing the intellectual property of others from completed courses with students taking the same/similar courses in subsequent terms/years. Doing so without expressed permission is considered a violation of intellectual property rights.

Please alert the course coordinator if you become aware of intellectual property belonging to them (past or present) circulating, either through the student body or online. The intellectual property rights owner deserves to know (and may have already given their consent).

Exceptions to academic policies 

The curriculum is structured to encourage the development of a cohesive group of professional students, however, there may be circumstances where an individual has grounds for requesting an exception to the academic policies. A request for a reduced course load, for valid reasons, is one such example. In this type of situation, the student may submit a petition for exception to academic regulations in accordance with Policy 70 (Student Petitions and Grievances). 

Examinations and Standings

The School of Pharmacy sets and administers its examinations in accordance with the rules and regulations set by the Faculty of Science and the University of Waterloo. Student academic standings are considered each term by the School of Pharmacy faculty and are made in accordance with the regulations listed as follows: 

  • The factors considered in academic standing in Pharmacy are the term average and the number of failed courses. 
  • The minimum term average required for promotion in the program is 60%. 
  • The standard minimum passing grade in each PHARM course is 60% with the following exceptions. A grade of at least 70% will be considered a passing grade for the clinical patient care rotation course PHARM 430, PHARM 440, and PHARM 450. 
  • A number of courses will be graded on a credit/no credit (CR/NCR) basis. 
  • "Satisfactory Standing" requires that a student achieves a minimum term average of 60% with no failed courses. This entitles a student to proceed to the next term of study. The examinations and standings section of the Undergraduate Academic Calendar should be consulted for circumstances of less than satisfactory standing and procedures on how to clear failed courses. 

Awards of Excellence

Term Distinction

  • Students who excel academically receive the designation of being on the Term Distinction list. This designation is indicated on students’ transcripts once term grades become official if they have achieved a term average of ≥ 80.00%, have carried a full course load, and do not have an INC, IP, DNW, NMR, WF, UR, or failed course.  

Graduating Honours

  • A student who demonstrates exceptional academic performance in a degree-granting program may be recommended to graduate with either “Dean’s Honours” or “Distinction”, based on their final cumulative average.