Academic Regulations

Admission to the Faculty

The requirements for admission to the Faculty of Humanities are presented on this page.

Credit for Courses Offered by Other Faculties or Institutions

Courses Offered by Other UVic Faculties

All courses in other faculties are acceptable for elective credit in the Faculty of Humanities, if the regulations of the department offering the courses permit and prerequisites are met.

Substitution of Elective Credit for Required Courses

With the consent of the department offering the student’s degree and with the permission of the Associate Dean of Academic Advising, students may substitute up to 3 units of 300 or 400 level elective credit for required courses at the 300 or 400 level in Faculty of Humanities degree programs.

Students should review individual department entries for information on the use or substitution of elective credit.

Courses in Other Institutions

A student who has been admitted to the faculty may not take courses at another institution without the prior written approval, in the form of a Letter of Permission, of the Associate Dean of Academic Advising. To be eligible for a Letter of Permission, a student must have completed or be registered in no fewer than 6.0 units at the University of Victoria.

Students are solely responsible for checking the University of Victoria credit for courses to be taken elsewhere, prior to registration, to make sure that there will be no duplication of course credit already received (see also Duplicate and Mutually Exclusive Courses).

Students are responsible for ensuring that the transcripts for all course work undertaken at other institutions are sent to Undergraduate Records at UVic.

Candidates for a bachelor’s degree must normally complete at UVic a minimum of 30 units at the 100 level or above, including at least 18 of the minimum 21 upper-level units required for all degree programs. Students may take at another institution:

• no more than 6 of the 18 to 24 upper-level units required for the Honours Program
• no more than 3 of the 15 upper-level units required for the Major Program
• no more than 3 of the 9 upper-level units required in each area of the General program
• no more than 3 of the 9 upper-level units required for a Minor

Limit on the Number of Degrees Awarded

A student proceeding towards a BA or BSc degree in a Double Honours, Joint Honours and Major, Double Major, Combined Major, Interfaculty or General Program may receive no more than one degree upon completion of any of these programs. Students seeking a second bachelor’s degree should refer to Second Bachelor’s Degree.

Graduation

Once a degree, diploma or certificate has been awarded by the University Senate, no change can be made to the programs that constitute that credential (see “Application for Graduation”).

Declaring a Program

All students continuing in the Faculty must declare a program by filing a Record of Degree Program (RDP) with the Academic Advising Centre prior to graduation. If a degree program has been chosen and program entry requirements satisfied, students may file an RDP once they have attained second-year standing (credit for at least 12 units of course work) and should do so once they have attained third-year standing (credit for at least 27 units of course work). The purpose of this RDP is to ensure that proposed courses will meet the requirements of the selected program. Any subsequent change to a declared program also must be filed with the Academic Advising Centre.

Students who have not satisfied the “Academic Writing Requirement” must do so before they declare their program.

The RDP is approved in writing by the Academic Advising Centre and, in the case of students who wish to pursue an Honours Program, by the department(s) concerned. Students who satisfactorily complete the program of courses set out in the RDP with the required grades are normally recommended for the degree.

Students who do not have an RDP approved, or who follow a program different from that set out in the approved RDP, may not be eligible to graduate.

Note: Students should be aware that limitations may apply to proposed combinations of the following: concurrent degree programs, degree/ diploma combinations and degree/minor options.

Guidelines for Ethical Conduct

The Faculty of Humanities expects students to adhere to a code of ethical conduct. The Faculty supports models of ethical conduct based on the following guidelines:

• exercise of personal discipline, accountability and judgement
• acceptance of personal responsibility for continued competency and learning
• the duty to recognize the dignity and worth of all persons in any level of society
• the duty to recognize one’s own limitations
• maintenance of confidentiality of information appropriate to the purposes and trust given when that information was acquired

Regulations Concerning Practica

General

The Faculty reserves the right to approve any institution that provides placements for student practica, and to change any placement assigned to a student. The student, however, has the right to be informed in writing of the reasons for any change in placement.

Attendance

Attendance at practicum activities is required. Students are expected to notify the host institution whenever practicum appointments cannot be kept, and also to inform the course instructor.

Denial and Withdrawal

Practicum Denial

Teachers or administrators who refuse a student’s continued participation in a practicum for misconduct or repeated absences, or where the educational progress of the institution’s students is in jeopardy, must immediately discuss the matter with the Chair of the department. The Chair will then either inform the student of the conditions under which he or she may resume participation in the practicum or require the student to withdraw from the practicum and inform the student in writing of the reasons. Students will be denied the practicum experience if their preparatory work is considered unsatisfactory by their instructors and by the Chair of the department in the Faculty of Humanities.

Temporary Withdrawal of Students Pending Report

The Chair may require a student to withdraw temporarily from a practicum if, during the course of a term, there are reasonable grounds to believe that the conduct or lack of competence of a student enrolled in the practicum has adversely affected or may adversely affect:

• students or clients, or
• personnel, including students associated with the practicum

The student will be required to withdraw temporarily pending the receipt of a report on the conduct and lack of competence of the student.

Required Withdrawal

After giving the student an opportunity to be heard, the Chair may require a student to withdraw from the practicum if the Chair is satisfied that the student’s conduct or lack of competence may adversely affect members of any of the groups identified in the paragraph above.

Voluntary Withdrawal

Students seeking voluntary withdrawal from a practicum, whether permanent or temporary, must receive permission to do so from their faculty supervisor in the department.

Notification of Records Services

Students who withdraw temporarily from a practicum must notify Records Services in writing. Students who are required to withdraw from a practicum will be withdrawn from any course involved by written notification from the Chair to Records Services.

Appeals

The normal avenues of final appeal are available to students who have been required to withdraw from a practicum, at every stage of the process. Students in the Faculty of Humanities may follow regular appeal procedures within the Faculty.