Academic assessment
Academic standing is a measure of your achievement in your studies. It determines whether you can continue your studies at Dalhousie and affects whether you can graduate.
Your undergraduate standing is listed per term under your undergraduate GPA on your academic record in DalOnline.
It is first assessed after you attempt 24 credit hours (degree) or 16 credit hours (technology) and is normally assessed at the end of each term.
It’s important that you know your academic standing at Dalhousie. In Good Standing is required for graduation but what In Good Standing means can differ by Faculty.
In Good Standing
Students who meet the required cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.00 are in good academic standing, except for students in the Bachelor of Science (Nursing) admitted 2016 or later where a cumulative GPA of 2.30 is required.
Standing is assessed at the end of the academic term. For the fall term, standing is assessed the first week of January, winter term standing is assessed the first week of May, and for the summer term, standing is assessed the last week of August. If you don’t meet the requirements to be in good standing, you will be placed on academic probation or academically dismissed from your program. Below, we’ve broken down how this works in each faculty.
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Academic Probation
Students with a cumulative GPA of less than 2.00 and greater than or equal to 1.70 who have completed at least 24 credit hours at the undergraduate level will be placed on academic probation.
Students on probation can continue to register on probation provided their term GPA is at least 2.00.
Students will be returned to “good standing” when they achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.00. Students on probation who do not achieve a term GPA of 2.00 will be academically dismissed.
Students require a cumulative GPA of 2.00 to graduate. Therefore, no one will be allowed to graduate while on probation.
Academic Dismissal
Students with a cumulative GPA of less than 1.70 who have completed at least 24 credit hours at the undergraduate level or 16 credit hours at the technology level will be academically dismissed for a 12-month period.
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences students who have been academically dismissed for the second time will not normally be allowed to apply for re-admission for at least three calendar years. Students may, however, petition the Student Affairs Committee for re-admission after two years provided they have met with the Assistant Dean.
Faculty of Agriculture
Academic Probation
Students with a cumulative GPA of less than 2.00 and greater than or equal to 1.70 who have completed at least 24 credit hours at the undergraduate level or 16 credit hours at the technology level will be placed on academic probation.
Students on probation are allowed to continue to register on probation provided their term GPA is at least 2.00. Students will be returned to “good standing” when they achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.00. Students on probation who do not achieve a term GPA of 2.00 will be academically dismissed.
Students require a cumulative GPA of 2.00 to graduate. Therefore, no one will be allowed to graduate while on probation.
Academic Dismissal
Students with a cumulative GPA of less than 1.70 who have completed at least 24 credit hours at the undergraduate level or 16 credit hours at the technology level will be academically dismissed for a 12-month period. While you are dismissed, you will not be permitted to take classes, and any classes you are registered in for current or future terms will be dropped.
Faculty of Agriculture students who have been academically dismissed for the second time will not normally be allowed to apply for re-admission for at least three calendar years. Students who have been dismissed for either the first or second time may appeal this decision (see section 24 of the academic calendar).
Faculty of Computer Science
Academic Probation
Students with a cumulative GPA of less than 2.00 and greater than or equal to 1.70 who have completed at least 24 credit hours at the undergraduate level will be placed on academic probation.
Students on probation can continue to register on probation provided their term GPA is at least 2.00.
Students will be returned to “good standing” when they achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.00. Students on probation who do not achieve a term GPA of 2.00 will be academically dismissed.
Students require a cumulative GPA of 2.00 to graduate. Therefore, no one will be allowed to graduate while on probation.
Academic Dismissal
Students with a cumulative GPA of less than 1.70 who have completed at least 24 credit hours at the undergraduate level will be academically dismissed for a 12-month period. While you are dismissed, you will not be permitted to take classes, and any classes you are registered in for current or future terms will be dropped.
Students in any undergraduate degree program offered by the Faculty of Computer Science, where the first major is computer science or applied computer science, who receive a grade lower than C in the same required CSCI course twice, will be dismissed. The required CSCI courses are:
| Bachelor of Applied Computer Science | Bachelor of Computer Science | Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science / Bachelor of Science in Computer Science |
CSCI 1110, CSCI 1120, CSCI 1170, CSCI 1800, CSCI 1801, CSCI 2100, CSCI 2110, CSCI 2134, CSCI 2141, CSCI 2170, CSCI 2201, CSCI 2690,CSCI 2691, CSCI 3101, CSCI 3130, CSCI 3160, CSCI 3171, CSCI 3172, CSCI 3691, CSCI 4163, CSCI 4691 |
CSCI 1110, CSCI 1120, CSCI 1300, CSCI 1315, CSCI 1170, CSCI 1800, CSCI 1801, CSCI 2100, CSCI 2110, CSCI 2112, CSCI 2122, CSCI 2134, CSCI 2141, CSCI 3101, CSCI 3110, CSCI 3120, CSCI 3130, CSCI 3136, CSCI 3171 |
CSCI 1110, CSCI 1120, CSCI 1300, CSCI 1315, CSCI 1170, CSCI 1800, CSCI 1801, CSCI 2110, CSCI 2112, CSCI 2122, CSCI 2134, CSCI 2141, CSCI 3110, CSCI 3120, CSCI 3130, CSCI 3171 |
Faculty of Computer Science students who have been dismissed and who have been required to withdraw from the university for one term or more may be readmitted to a program in the Faculty of Computer Science only once.
Faculty of Engineering
Lower Division Academic Probation
Students with a cumulative GPA of less than 2.00 and greater than or equal to 1.70 who have completed at least 24 credit hours at the undergraduate level will be placed on academic probation.
Students on probation can continue to register on probation provided their term GPA is at least 2.00. Students will be returned to “good standing” when they achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.00. Students on probation who do not achieve a term GPA of 2.00 will be academically dismissed.
Lower Division Academic Dismissal
Students with a cumulative GPA of less than 1.70 who have completed at least 24 credit hours at the undergraduate level or 16 credit hours at the technology level will be academically dismissed for a 12 month period. While you are dismissed, you will not be permitted to take classes, and any classes you are registered in for current or future terms will be dropped.
BEng and DipEng students who fail the same course more than once will be dismissed.
Faculty of Engineering students who have been academically dismissed for a second time will not be readmitted to any engineering program at Dalhousie.
Upper Division Academic Probation
Students in the Bachelor of Engineering (Upper Division) with a cumulative GPA of less than 2.00 and greater than or equal to 1.70 who have completed at least 12 credit hours will be placed on academic probation.
Students on probation may continue to register on probation provided their term GPA is at least 2.00. Students will be returned to “good standing” when they achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.00. Students on probation who do not achieve a term GPA of 2.00 will be academically dismissed.
Students require a cumulative GPA of 2.00 to graduate. Therefore, no one will be allowed to graduate while on probation.
Upper Division Academic Dismissal
Students with a cumulative GPA of less than 1.70 who have completed at least 12 credit hours will be academically dismissed for an eight-month period. While you are dismissed, you will not be permitted to take classes, and any classes you are registered in for current or future terms will be dropped
Students on probation who do not achieve a term GPA of 2.00 or greater will be academically dismissed for an eight-month period.
Students who have been academically dismissed will not be allowed to apply for readmission for at least eight months.
Students who fail the same course more than once will be dismissed.
Students who have been academically dismissed for a second time will not be readmitted to any engineering program at Dalhousie.
Faculty of Health
Academic Probation
Students with a cumulative GPA of less than 2.00 and greater than or equal to 1.70 who have completed at least 24 credit hours at the undergraduate level will be placed on academic probation.
Students on probation are allowed to continue to register on probation provided their term GPA is at least 2.00. Students will be returned to “good standing” when they achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.00. Students on probation who do not achieve a term GPA of 2.00 will be academically dismissed.
Students require a cumulative GPA of 2.00 to graduate. Therefore, no one will be allowed to graduate while on probation.
Academic Probation – Bachelor of Science (Nursing) degree program admitted in September 2016 or later.
Students with a cumulative GPA of less than 2.29 and greater than or equal to 1.7 who have completed at least 24 credit hours will be placed on academic probation.
Students on probation can continue to register on probation provided their term GPA is at least 2.30.
Students will be returned to "good standing" when they achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.30. Students on probation who do not achieve a term GPA of 2.30 will be academically dismissed.
Students require a cumulative GPA of 2.30 to graduate. Therefore, no one will be allowed to graduate while on academic probation.
Academic Dismissal
Students with a cumulative GPA of less than 1.70 who have completed at least 24 credit hours at the undergraduate level will be academically dismissed for a 12-month period.
If a BSc (Nursing) student is readmitted, failure in any course (including non-nursing courses, core nursing courses including clinical practical and electives) will result in dismissal from the Nursing program.
BSW students who fail SLWK 4033 or who fail a repeated course, will be dismissed.
BHSC students who fail a required course for a second time will be dismissed.
Faculty of Health students who have been academically dismissed twice will not be allowed to apply for re-admission.
Faculty of Management
Academic Probation
Students with a cumulative GPA of less than 2.00 and greater than or equal to 1.70 who have completed at least 24 credit hours at the undergraduate level will be placed on academic probation.
Students on probation can continue to register on probation provided their term GPA is at least 2.00. Students will be returned to “good standing” when they achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.00. Students on probation who do not achieve a term GPA of 2.00 will be academically dismissed.
Students require a cumulative GPA of 2.00 to graduate. Therefore, no one will be allowed to graduate while on probation.
Academic Dismissal
Students with a cumulative GPA of less than 1.70 who have completed at least 24 credit hours at the undergraduate level will be academically dismissed for a 12-month period. While you are dismissed, you will not be permitted to take classes, and any classes you are registered in for current or future terms will be dropped.
BComm (Co-op) students who fail the same required course twice will be dismissed.
Work Terms
- COMM 2801 – Work Term I
- COMM 3801 – Work Term II
- COMM 3801 – Work Term III
Courses
- ECON 1101 – Introduction to Microeconomics
- MATH 1115 – Math for Commerce
- COMM 1101 – Introduction to Accounting II: Financial
- COMM 1502 – Core Business Applications
- COMM 1710 – Communication I
- COMM 1712 – Personal/Professional Development II COMM 1720 – Communications II
- COMM 2203 – Introduction to Finance II
- COMM 2310 – Business Ethics & CSR
- COMM 2501 – Statistics for Business
- COMM 2504 – Intermediate Quantitative Decision Making
- COMM 2603 – Legal Aspects in Business
- COMM 3511 – Management Information Systems
- COMM 4352 – Strategic Management
- ECON 1102 – Introduction to Macroeconomics
- COMM 1010 – Business in a Global Context
- COMM 1102 – Introduction to Accounting II: Managerial
- COMM 1503 – Intro to Quantitative Decision Making
- COMM 1710 – Communications I
- COMM 1711 – Personal/Professional Development I
- COMM 1715 – Business Communication
- COMM 2202 – Introduction to Finance I
- COMM 2303 – Introduction to Organizational Behaviour
- COMM 2401 – Introduction to Marketing
- COMM 2502 – Predictive Analytics
- COMM 3503 – Advanced Quantitative Decision Making
- COMM 3501 – Production/Operations Management
- COMM 4351 – Competitive Strategy
- COMM 4352 – Strategic Management
Note: classes taken in lieu of core courses will still be considered under this policy (i.e. STAT/MATH 1060 taken in lieu of COMM 2501)
BComm (Co-op) students who fail their second attempt at the same work term course (i.e. students required to repeat the work component and submit a new academic report) will be dismissed.
Faculty of Management Students who have been academically dismissed for the second time will not normally be allowed to apply for re-admission for at least three calendar years. Students may, however, petition the Program Director for re-admission after two years.
Faculty of Science
Academic Probation
Students with a cumulative GPA of less than 2.00 and greater than or equal to 1.70 who have completed at least 24 credit hours at the undergraduate level or 16 credit hours at the technology level will be placed on academic probation.
Students on probation are allowed to continue to register on probation provided their term GPA is at least 2.00. Students will be returned to “good standing” when they achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.00. Students on probation who do not achieve a term GPA of 2.00 will be academically dismissed.
Students require a cumulative GPA of 2.00 to graduate. Therefore, no one will be allowed to graduate while on probation.
Academic Dismissal
Students with a cumulative GPA of less than 1.70 who have completed at least 24 credit hours at the undergraduate level will be academically dismissed for a 12-month period. While you are dismissed, you will not be permitted to take classes, and any classes you are registered in for current or future terms will be dropped.
Students on probation who do not achieve a term GPA of 2.00 will be academically dismissed.
Faculty of Science students who have been required to withdraw for a second time must meet with the Assistant Dean (Student Affairs) who may recommend that they reapply for re-admission after two calendar years or who may refer the matter to the Faculty Committee on Studies and Appeals.