Faculty of Science academic policies

• Academic Honesty
  Except for exams and tests, it is assumed that you can discuss problems and assignments among yourselves, with tutors and the professor as long as what you turn in is your own work. In other words, discussions are part of the learning process; once you learn how to approach a problem, you are expected to solve it yourself, write up your own submission, and that is what you turn in. It is dishonest to turn in as your own any work which has been copied from the work of someone else.
  
  

  Tests and exams

  All tests and exams are written individually. You are not permitted to talk or to share materials (papers, calculators) during the exam. In some cases you will be assigned to a specific exam room and/or seat; it is considered suspicious for any student to attempt to write in a different room or to move to any seat other than the seat to which (s)he is assigned. You are not permitted to have any prohibited material on your person in any form while writing an examination. This includes, but is not limited to notes or papers of any kind, recording or communication devices, cellphones, exam aids not authorized for the exam,  etc.

  Please remember that you must present your student ID at every exam or you may be prevented from writing the exam.

  Any suspicious act will be investigated in accordance with the university's Academic Integrity Policy, which is located in the Academic regulations section of the Academic Calendar. Please carefully read the material in this section and seek clarification from the appropriate academic advisor if necessary.

• Policy for Religious Observances

  It is Faculty of Science policy to provide special consideration for recognized holy days that may be observed by our students. Though not all holy days require students to be absent from school, accommodations may still be necessary in some cases. As a student, it is your responsibility to check the dates for all course work and exams on a regular basis and notify your instructor and/or the Faculty of Science office per the options below. 

  • If the holy day will conflict with scheduled labs and tutorials, you must submit a request to the Senior Lab Instructor or Course Instructor at least seven working days before the scheduled meeting time of the lab or tutorial.
  • If the holy day will conflict with the due date for an assignment less than 20% of your final grade, you must submit a request to the Course Instructor at least seven working days before the due date.
  • If the holy day will conflict with in-term tests/midterm exams, you must submit a request to the Faculty of Science office via the Academic Consideration Form at least seven working days prior to the date of the test/midterm exam.
  • If the holy day will conflict with the final examinations, you must submit a request via the Academic Consideration Form and the Application for Deferred Final Examination form to the Office of the Registrar at least 15 working days prior to the first day of the final examination period as per the Final Exams Policy below.

  Failure to contact the appropriate person by the deadline will result in special consideration not being granted. The Academic Consideration and Deferred Final Examination forms can be accessed through the links provided above. 

• Term Marks
  Make sure you log in to the course Canvas site often to check your term grades. If you are unsure your grades have been calculated correctly, or you suspect a grade for a specific piece of term work is missing, you must contact the course instructor immediately and no later than the last day of classes for clarification.
• Final Grades

  Official grades are released by the Office of the Registrar only; your final grades cannot be released by anyone else. Please do not contact your instructor for this information. Grades will be posted in accordance with the Grading section of the academic calendar.

  Your final exam grades will not be posted, but you will be able to infer your grade based on your posted final grade and your term work grades. If, after having checked your grades, you want to check that your Science course grades were calculated correctly, you should email the course instructor with a list of the grades you think you should have to request clarification.

• Viewing Final Exams

  Solutions to final exams will usually not be posted. If you need to see your final exam for a Science course, please refer to the course information for your specific instructor's final exam view procedure. Students wishing to view their final exam must follow the procedures outlined by the course instructor in the course syllabus. If the procedure has not been communicated, students must contact the course instructor directly to submit a written request no later one week (seven days) after the release of final grades for that semester, stating why they would like to view the exam. Reasons may include:

  • To calculate the final numeric grade (in cases where it is difficult to infer).
  • To determine which items of the course material gave you the most difficulty.

  Each instructor will specify the method through which the written request should be submitted. There is no fee associated with viewing a final exam.

  Students will have 15 minutes to look over their final exam. Only the use of a calculator is permitted during the exam view appointment. No writing instruments, cell phones or other electronic devices will be permitted. Missed exam view appointments will not be rescheduled.

  Note: This is an opportunity for students to view their answers and see where any mistakes were made. As per the university's policy, unless a clerical error has occurred, instructors may not make changes to the final grade awarded in a course as a result of an exam view. If, after viewing the final exam script, you wish to dispute the final grade awarded, you will need to submit for a Final Grade Appeal through the Registrar's office. Please see the Academic calendar for more information on final grade reappraisals and appeals or contact the Science Advising office.

• Missed Midterm, Test, Coursework, Tutorial, or Lab

  Academic Consideration for Missed In-Course Work, Labs/Tutorials, Tests, and Midterms

  If you are unable to submit coursework, attend a lab/tutorial, or write a midterm or test due to an extenuating circumstance, you can request Academic Consideration. Please review the chart below for further information regarding the Academic Consideration process. Note: If the consideration is approved, our policy is to add the weight of a missed test or midterm to the final exam, unless the course instructor offers another accommodation. 

  Important: Do not write a midterm, test, or submit coursework if you are experiencing a serious health issue that will negatively impact your performance. In almost all cases, you cannot receive academic consideration after a test or midterm has been written, or coursework has been submitted. If you become ill or experience a medical issue during a midterm or test, you must notify the course instructor or an invigilator immediately and indicate that you need to leave or receive medical attention.

  How to Request Academic Consideration

  The process depends on the type of work and its weight in your final grade.

  Type of missed work	What you need to do
  Coursework worth 20% or less of your final grade, which includes assignments, quizzes, individual labs and tutorials	Review your course outline for instructions. Generally, course instructors require that you inform them as soon as possible. They will approve or deny these requests.
  Coursework worth more than 20% of your final grade	Submit an Academic Consideration Form within three working days. Supporting documentation or an eligible attestation (see below) must also be included. These requests are approved by the Faculty of Science office.
  Course test 10% or higher or a midterm examination, regardless of its weight	Submit an Academic Consideration Form within three working days. Supporting documentation or an eligible attestation (see below) must also be included. These requests are approved by the Faculty of Science office.

  Supporting Documentation and Attestations

  If you are required to submit an Academic Consideration Form, you must also provide either supporting documentation or an eligible attestation. Requests without either will be denied.

  • Supporting documentation: Examples include a medical note, published obituary, death certificate, accident report or other documentation from an acceptable authority. Note: we may contact the source to verify its authenticity.
  • Student attestation: May be used once per academic term without additional documentation and can cover up to three consecutive working-days, including multiple evaluations and courses. This form is intended for unforeseen circumstances that were beyond the student's control. We reserve the right to request additional information or documentation to verify an attestation.

  NOTE: The Attestation Form is a separate form from the Academic Consideration Form. The Academic Consideration form provides a link to the Attestation Form, which must be completed if you are not providing other documentation.

  Important Deadlines

  • Requests submitted after three working days of the missed work will be denied.
  • Supporting documentation must be dated no later than 24 hours after the missed work.
  • Requests related to religious observances and varsity athletics must be received in advance. These are covered in other sections of this page. 

  FAQs

  1. What is considered an extenuating circumstance? This is generally a circumstance that was unforeseen or beyond your control. This can include religious observance, debilitating physical or psychological illness or event, or a family emergency or other compelling personal reason. Events that can be seen as being within your control, such as missing a bus, do not fall within this category.
  2. What if I missed midterms from two different faculties due to the same event/health matter? Submit a separate Academic Consideration Form to each faculty. However, you need to only complete 1 Attestation Form for all missed work within the allowable three-day period. 
  3. Do you require the University Medical Statement for missed in-course work? Currently, we will also accept notes from medical professionals, provided that they include the following: an office stamp, the doctor's licence number and signature, and the exact dates of your absence for medical purposes that include the date(s) of the missed work. If you are submitting the university's medical statement, the doctor must report your medical issue as serious or severe, or your request will be denied. Note: we do not accept prescriptions, bloodwork results/requisitions, photos of injuries, or other similar documentation as medical documentation, as they do not meet the above criteria.
  4. What if my course doesn't have a final examination? We will approve the missed work, but you'll need to reach out to the course instructor to discuss how this can be accommodated. In some courses, a scheduled rewrite of a midterm may be available. 
  5. Are Spring and Summer considered one semester? Yes, so only one attestation is allowed.

  For more information about academic consideration and missed coursework, please refer to:

  • The Academic Consideration Form
  • The Ontario Tech University Examination and Grading Policy
  • The Procedures for Consideration of Missed In-term Course Work and Examinations

  Deferring a Final Exam

  How to apply

  1. Contact instructor: Inform your course instructor directly about your intention to request a deferral.
  2. Submit forms: Complete and submit both the "Application for Deferred Final Examinations" and the "Academic Consideration" forms for each exam deferral request.
          a) Deferrals due to medical reasons must include the University Medical Statement. We do not accept regular doctor notes.     
          b) The University Medical Statement must be ​​​​​​​completed no later than 24 hours of the missed exam.
          c) If you are using an attestation, it can only apply to 1 day of the final exam period.

  Deadlines:

  • Religious observances and academic conflicts: Submit both forms at least 15 working days before the first day of the examination period.
  • Other reasons (e.g., bereavement, medical): Follow the standard application process as soon as you recognize the need for a deferral. Must be submitted within 3 working days from the missed exam.

  Fees:

  • If your deferral is approved, a non-refundable $65 per-exam deferral fee will be applied to your student account.
    • Exceptions apply for bereavement, religious observances, or rescheduling as part of an accommodation plan (Student Accessibility).
    • You can view our Payment Methods web page for acceptable payment options.

  Important Change Regarding Missed Deferred Exams:

  Effective June 2026, the Examination and Grading Policy includes the following provisions:

  Failure to Write a Deferred Examination

  1. A student who is granted a Deferred Examination to make up a missed Examination will receive a grade of zero if they do not write the Deferred Examination on the scheduled deferred examination date.
  2. In most circumstances, a student who misses a deferred examination will not be permitted to make it up. Students who are unable to write their deferred examination due to a transitory illness or injury should submit a Consideration for Late Withdrawal. The university reserves the right to deregister the student from future academic terms until which time the deferred examination has been written. Accommodation requests made on the grounds of a disability or other protected grounds will be assessed in good faith and may result in the application of an alternative accommodation.
• Test and Exam Conflicts

  Term tests (midterms)

  If a scheduled midterm exam in a Science course will conflict with another test or a course, you must contact the Faculty of Science office at least seven working days before the date of the exam. Special early exam arrangements may be made under these circumstances if the student applies by the deadline.

  Final exams

  The final exam schedule is posted on My Ontario Tech. It is the student's responsibility to check the schedule carefully and to note any conflicts.

  If you have any exam conflicts, you must notify the Office of the Registrar right away (note one exception below). There are two types of conflicts:

  • Two exams at the same time: The Office of the Registrar will arrange for you to write one of the exams earlier or later on the same day in the conflict room. 
  • Three exams in a 24-hour period: The Registrar's office will contact the faculty responsible for the middle exam and you will need to apply for a deferred exam. To do so, you will need to follow the Deferred Examination Application process as outlined above.
• Varsity Student Policy

  The Faculty of Science encourages students to take part in all manner of extracurricular activities on campus. Although we know the Athletics department makes a concerted effort to schedule games and provincial commitments outside of class time, there are instances when student-athletes representing the school will have varsity events that will conflict with class time.

  As a student-athlete, it is your responsibility to make your studies a priority. As outlined at the Varsity Student-Athlete Manual, student-athletes are expected to provide confirmation of their participation in varsity athletic competitions by completing the letter provided by the Athletics department and submitting a copy to all instructors and the Academic Advising office by the published deadline. In addition to this letter, you must submit a schedule highlighting potential conflicts with term work and exams.

  It is your responsibility to check the dates for all course work and exams on a regular basis and to notify your instructor and the Science Academic Advising office of any conflict within three working days of the date of the exam or assignment being posted. Failure to do so may result in special consideration not being granted.

• MATH 1000U/PHY 1030U and MATH 1010U/PHY 1010U

  MATH 1000 and PHY 1030 (Introduction to Calculus and Introduction to Physics): These courses need to be taken in combination and are designed for those students who either don't have calculus from high school or don't feel particularly comfortable with the calculus material (e.g. if you received a D grade in Grade 12 Calculus). This combination can also be taken by any student who would like to review the calculus material, even if you have a background in calculus.

  By the end of the term, all students who take this course sequence will be prepared to move on to the Winter courses MATH 1020 and PHY 1020 or PHY 1040 with exactly the same background as the students who take MATH 1010 and PHY 1010; there is no disadvantage. One point to note for students in Biological Science (including Life Science) and Forensic Science: PHY 1030 labs and some of the lectures will have a focus on many biological applications, so you may find the PHY 1030 course more interesting and relevant to your chosen area of study.

  MATH 1010 and PHY 1010 (Calculus I and Physics I): These courses need to be taken in combination and are designed for those students who have calculus from high school and feel comfortable with the calculus material (Engineering students must take these courses but Science students have a choice). By the end of the term, all students who take this course sequence will be prepared to move on to the Winter courses MATH 1020 and PHY 1020 or PHY 1040 with exactly the same background as the students who take MATH 1000 and PHY 1030. PHY 1010 labs will have a focus on many physical science applications (chemistry, physics and engineering). 

• Science Course Conflicts

  The Faculty of Science does not allow students to miss part or all of a Science course due to conflict, unless: 

  The course was attempted and failed previously and the student is in clear academic standing (CGPA of 2.0 of higher). The student must also agree to the following conditions:

  • The student will not be permitted to withdraw late or appeal her/his final course grade on the basis that (s)he missed the lecture material.
  • Any in-class work is the student's responsibility and special consideration will not be granted because of the missed lectures.
  • (S)he must attend any in-class tests/exams; if a test is scheduled in the lecture time, (s)he is required to attend. Failure to do so will result in a grade of zero for the test/exam.

  If you wish to apply for a Science course conflict approval, you should submit a Science Registration Concerns form before the end of the first week of classes.

• Enrolling Late
  Students should enrol in all courses (including lectures, labs and tutorials) by the add deadline as posted in the Academic Calendar by the Office of the Registrar. In most cases, course additions and switching of sections will not be permitted after the deadline. If there are exceptional circumstances, you may be permitted to enrol late, provided you accept full responsibility for the missed work. An appeal for late withdrawal due to missed work will not be granted. Exceptional circumstances are determined by the Science Academic Advising office. If you are thinking of enrolling late into a Science course, you should contact the Science Academic Advising office as soon as possible.
• Prerequisite Waivers

  Course prerequisites are not waived except in the most exceptional of circumstances. Prerequisites for each course are carefully chosen to provide the necessary background knowledge for success in the course. The only circumstance that may justify waiving a course prerequisite is that the student has acquired the necessary background knowledge by some other means.

  If you have the necessary background knowledge, you may apply for a waiver of a prerequisite by completing the Prerequisite Waiver Form.

• Laboratory Carry-Forward

  If you fail a first-year Science course but complete all of the laboratory work and obtain a passing grade in the lab, you may apply for a carry-forward using the Application for a Laboratory Carry-Forward Form. Forms must be submitted to the Faculty of Science office (science.undergraduate@ontariotechu.ca) no later than two weeks after the start of the course for the Fall and Winter terms, and five business days for the Spring/Summer term. Failure to do so will void the request, and you will be responsible for completing the laboratory in the repeated course. Students are expected to attend labs while awaiting the outcome of a laboratory carry-forward request.

  Further regulations are indicated on the application. By signing the form, you agree to adhere to all regulations.

• Students Not Officially Enrolled in Courses
  Students must be officially enrolled in a course to attend lectures, labs and tutorials. If you are not on the class list (lecture, lab or tutorial), you will be allowed to submit term work up to the end of the second week of classes, but the work will not be graded until your name appears on the official class list. After the second week of classes, no term work will be accepted or graded.
• Student Laptop Requirements
  Having a laptop is an important part of your academic learning as an Ontario Tech University student. Hardware and software requirements may vary by program and faculty. The minimum requirements for Faculty of Science programs are available on the IT Services website. Students are advised to review these requirements prior to purchasing a laptop.
• Courses and Sections That are Full

  The Faculty of Science does not, as a rule, enrol students into courses or sections that are full. This is especially true for labs, where safety is an issue. Some flexibility may be possible in lectures or tutorials (not connected to labs), only when:

  • It won't disrupt the learning experience for currently registered students.
  • There is sufficient faculty support to allow for additional students.
  • The room is large enough to accommodate additional students on the course list.

  Instructors do not permit students to register in sections that are full. Instead, students should contact the Science Academic Advising office if they have any questions.

• Challenge Exams for Credit Policy

  Students may apply to the Faculty of Science to write an examination(s) allowing them to demonstrate their competence in a certain subject(s) for the purpose of advanced standing.

  These challenge exams are granted in situations where the student has:

  • Taken and passed the course at another institution, but the transfer credit was not granted due to a D grade or because the course was taken more than eight years ago; or
  • Knowledge of the material due to outside responsibilities such as employment in a particular field.

  The Faculty of Science does not grant challenge exams for:

  • Courses attempted and failed at the university.
  • Courses with a laboratory component.

  The fee for these examinations is 50 per cent of the applicable course fee, and must be paid in advance. The challenged course grade appears as Pass/Fail, and is unreversible if you fail. Unsuccessful attempts are counted as failures on the transcript and on the GPA.

  If you wish to apply for a Challenge Exam for Credit, you can request a form from Science Advising, and it must be submitted no later than two weeks before the start of any term. The letter should include details on where/how you gained the relevant knowledge and why you wish to write the exam. Challenge exams are normally written during the deferred exam period (generally the week before the first week of classes in each term) to allow students to pick up prerequisite courses. The date of the exam you will be provided with is non-negotiable.