Arts & Science Calendar 97-98: Table of Contents: Programs and Courses
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Choosing Courses & Key to Course Descriptions

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Introduction

NOTE: While Departmental counsellors and College Registrars are always available to give advice, THE ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY RESTS WITH THE STUDENT for complete- ness and correctness of course selection, for compliance with exclusions, prerequisite and corequisite requirements, for completion of Program details, for proper completion of the Breadth Requirement, and for observance of regulations, deadlines, etc. Students are responsible for seeking guidance from a responsible officer if they are in any doubt; misunderstanding, misapprehension or advice received from another student will not be accepted as cause for dispensation from any regulation, deadline, Program or Degree requirement.

1. The Council of the Faculty of Arts and Science reserves the right to change the content of, or to withdraw, any course. In such cases every effort is made to provide equivalent alternative instruction, but this cannot be guaranteed.

1. The Faculty also reserves the right to limit the number of students in any course or any section of a course if the number wishing to take the course should exceed the resources available. Notwithstanding this, every effort is made to accommodate students in 100-series courses.

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Definition of "Course"

In these two pages the word "course" is used in two senses:

  1. In reference to a single course (such as "standing in a course" etc.) "course" refers equally to a full course or a half course.
  2. In reference to a given number of courses (such as the requirement of obtaining standing in at least fifteen courses for a BA or BSc) "courses" refer to FULL courses OR the equivalent number in FULL AND HALF courses combined. To "pass a course" or "obtain standing in a course" normally means to obtain a mark of 50 or more in that course ("Credit" in "Credit/No Credit" courses).
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Course Descriptions and Rules Governing Course Choice

Course descriptions, in alphabetical order by Department/College, are in Section V. For an explanation of terms and abbreviations used in these descriptions, including Prerequisites, Co-requisites, Exclusions, etc., see Key to Course Descriptions below. Students may choose from among these courses, subject to the following rules:

  1. Students must satisfy the degree and program requirements and other regulations set out in the Calen- dar and its supplements.
  2. Students must meet all prerequisite, co-requisite and exclusion requirements.
  3. Students may take no more than six 100-series courses for degree credit.
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Number of Courses Taken ("Course Load")

Students may proceed towards the degree at a rate of their own choosing, except as provided below:

  1. The recommended course load for full-time students in the Winter Session is no more than five courses.
  2. The recommended course load during the Summer Session is a maximum of two courses.
  3. Students "On Academic Probation" may take no more than five courses in the Winter Session except as provided under "students restricted to a reduced course load" (see 4. below).
  4. Students restricted to a reduced course load on admission may not take more than 3.5 courses in the Winter Session and a maximum of 2.0 courses in the Summer Session. If these students wish to transfer to full-time studies, they may apply through their College Registrar after the session in which they pass at least 4 courses in the Faculty with a cumulative Grade Point Average of 2.50. (Transfer credits are not counted.)
  5. Students should attempt to balance their course load between the two terms of any session.
  6. To calculate Session and Term course loads, students should consult this Calendar together with the Timetable. Calendar course descriptions bear the suffix "Y" (a full course), or "H" (a half-course). The course suffixes, "A,B,F,S", appear ONLY in the Winter/Summer Timetable and Instructions; for a full explanation, see Key to Course Descriptions below. The following table may be helpful in calculating course loads:
    Suffix Load per Session Load per Term
    Y 1.0 1.0
    H .5 .5
    A,B 1.0 2.0
    F,S .5 1.0
  7. Students should note especially that "A" and "B" suffix courses, full courses concentrated in one term, are particularly demanding.
  8. Full-time students (except those in 3. and 11.) may select a sixth course during the registration period.
  9. Students are advised to use discretion in adding any more courses to their program than the number recommended in 1. and 2. Students will not receive special consideration of any kind on account of a course overload. Examination schedules may be affected by a course overload.
  10. In the Winter Session, students may add additional courses, beyond six, through their College Regis- trar. In the Summer Session, students may add additional courses, beyond two, through their College Registrar. The Registrar, following Faculty guidelines, has the discretion to approve such requests.
  11. Students are not allowed a sessional course overload until they have completed four full courses in the Faculty. This applies to First Year students and transfer students from other institutions.
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"Credit" Courses, "Extra" Courses, and "Supplemental" Courses

Each course counts for credit towards a degree unless

  1. the course is a 100-series course and the maximum of SIX 100-series courses allowable for degree credit has already been completed; it will then be designated as an "Extra";
  2. advance permission has been given by petition for a course to be taken as an "Extra" course. Complet- ed courses may not be retroactively designated as "Extra", nor will they be removed from the record.
  3. more than the maximum number of courses allowed with the same designator have been passed. These "supplemental" courses will count in the grade point average, program and breadth requirements.
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Dropping Courses, Repeating Courses, Courses Outside the Faculty and University

For further information on these matters see Dropping Courses.
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Course Designators

All courses are listed in the following pages under their respective program sponsor (the Department or College responsible for the course: for instance, "ANT" = Anthropology Department course, "INI" = Innis College course (see Table of Contents for complete listing).
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Course Number

The course number generally indicates the level of difficulty, e.g., a 100-series course normally indicates an introductory course, a 400-series course is an intensive course at the senior level. In some departments sev- eral courses may have the same general title; in these cases, the numbers are listed together, separated by "/ ", which means "OR"; for instance, "ECO 350Y/351H/352H" = ECO 350Y OR ECO 351H OR ECO 352H, each one being a seminar on a selected subject.
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"Y" and "H" Course Suffixes

The "Y" or "H" following the Course Number in this Calendar indicates only the credit value:

"Y" = a full course, for which one credit is given.

"H" = a half-course, for which one-half credit is given.

"A", "B", "F" and "S" Courses; in the Registration Instructions and Timetable.

"Y" remains as "Y" = a full course offered throughout the Session.

"Y" becomes "A" = a full course offered in the Fall Term of the Session.

"Y" becomes "B" = a full course offered in the Spring Term of the Session.

"H" remains as "H" = a half-course offered throughout the Session.

"H" becomes "F" = a half-course offered in the Fall Term of the Session.

"H" becomes "S" = a half-course offered in the Spring Term of the Session.

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Types and Duration of Instruction

"L" = Lectures

"S" = Seminars

"P" = Practical work in laboratories or studios

"T" = Tutorials

In the Winter Session the normal period of instruction is 26 weeks, with the Fall and Spring Terms each being 13 weeks. The number preceding the instruction codes opposite the course number and title indicates the total number of hours of instruction given in the course. The number of hours listed is approximate only; the actual contact hours of a course, or of different sections of a course, may vary from the number indicated in the Calendar, due to the size of the class or section, and the use being made of the tutorial or practical components of the class. This variation is at the discretion of the "course sponsor" (the college or department sponsoring the course); any questions concerning the allotment of hours in a course should be addressed to the course sponsor.

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Prerequisites, Co-requisites, etc.

Students are responsible for fulfilling prerequisites and co-requisites; students enrolled in courses for which they do not have the published prerequisites may have their registration in those courses cancelled at any time without warning. Students must also observe exclusions. Failure to meet these requirements may result in academic difficulties. If students withdraw from a course they must also withdraw from any course for which it is a co-requisite unless the Department giving the latter course agrees to waive the co- requisite.

Explanation of Symbols: the comma (,) the semi-colon(;) the ampersand (&) and the plus sign (+) all mean "AND". The solidus symbol (/) means "OR".

Exclusions: students may not enrol in a course that is listed as an exclusion of a course that they are taking, or in which they have already obtained a pass standing. If allowed by special permission to enrol in an excluded course, the second course taken will be listed as an "Extra" course. Students will be required to withdraw from the course if discovered during the session of enrolment and will be refused degree credit in the excluded course if discovered at any time in a subsequent session.

Prerequisite: A course (or other qualification) required as preparation for entry to another course. If stu- dents consider that they have equivalent preparation, they may ask the Department concerned to waive the stated prerequisite.

Co-requisite: A requirement to be undertaken concurrently with another course. The co-requisite will be waived if a student has previously obtained standing in it, or if the Department consents.

Recommended Preparation: Background material or courses that may enhance a student's understanding of a course.

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Student Telephone Service

Students in the Faculty have access to the University of Toronto Student Telephone Service. It allows students to use a touch-tone telephone to perform many procedures associated with the enrolment process and to access final course results. Currently students may submit their course requests before the beginning of classes in the Winter Session. Subsequently the system can be used to add and drop courses, change sections, list the current course enrolments and record degree requests. All students pay a sessional fee which is refundable if the Service is not used during the session.

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Revised: August 19, 1998

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