Additional Academic Information

Academic Year and Sessions

The academic year begins on September 1 and is divided into two “sessions”: the Fall/Winter session (normally beginning in September and ending in April) and the Summer session (normally beginning in May and ending in August). The Fall/Winter session contains full-year courses which are offered from September to April, Fall-term courses which are offered from September to December, and Winter-term courses which are offered from January to April. The Fall and Winter terms last for 12 weeks each, and contain one Reading Week per term. The Summer session comprises one twelve-week term or two six-week terms.

Recognizing that Reading Week is intended to provide the time for students to work on assignments and readings, instructors are not permitted to schedule tests or examinations, nor to assign additional readings, in undergraduate courses during the designated Reading Week (from the conclusion of classes on the Friday before Reading Week to the resumption of classes on the Monday following Reading Week). Some exceptions may apply in pre-approved field courses or experiential learning activities, as well as in programs that do not follow the regular academic schedule. In cases where extensions or other exemptions have been granted, those rearranged due dates may fall during a Reading Week.

The University offers field courses in many departments in the summer session. Details, including scheduling, of these courses are available from the departments concerned.

Academic Load and Course Overload

For academic purposes, a student registered in 2.0 credits or more per term or 3.5 credits or more over the Fall/Winter session is considered “full-time”. A student registered in 1.5 credits or fewer per term or 3.0 credits or fewer in the Fall/Winter session is considered “part-time.” It is not, however, the same definition that may be used for other purposes and students are advised to check with the applicable administrative office when determining their status.

Course overload for the Fall/Winter session is defined as enrolment in more than 2.5 credits (or equivalent) during the Fall term or the Winter term. Students enrolling in credits in addition to the normal full-time load are reminded that they are fully responsible for doing so and are cautioned against possible academic difficulties. Full-time students with an academic status of Good Standing may overload 0.5 credits in each of the Fall or Winter terms. Students with an academic status of Good Standing who wish to overload in more than 0.5 credits in the Fall or Winter terms must petition the Committee on Undergraduate Petitions (CUP) for approval of course overload. Students who do not have an academic status of Good Standing must petition to the Committee on Undergraduate Petitions for permission to overload.

Course overload for the Summer session: A full load in a six-week summer term is 1.0 credit. Students with an academic status of Good Standing may enrol in up to 1.5 credits in each six-week term. Students wishing to take more than 1.5 credits in a six-week term must submit a petition to the Committee on Undergraduate Petitions.

Notes:

The maximums do not apply where a program’s planned curriculum requires that students take an additional load.
Upon registration, students are responsible for making themselves aware of the academic and financial obligations and deadlines associated with each course.

Letters of Permission

Students registered in an undergraduate degree program at Trent University may, with certain conditions, be permitted to take undergraduate courses at other universities as credits towards their Trent University degree. Students must obtain a Letter of Permission from the Office of the Registrar prior to registering in courses at another university.

Only courses completed on a Letter of Permission with a minimum grade of 60% will receive credit at Trent University and will be recorded as a “Pass” on the student’s record. Courses completed with a grade between 50% and 59% will appear as “No Credit Granted (NCR)” on the student’s record and will carry a credit weight of zero. A failing grade (0%–49%) earned on a Letter of Permission course will appear as a “Fail” on the student’s record. Grades from courses completed on a Letter of Permission will not be included in the session or cumulative average. Courses taken on a Letter of Permission will count toward cumulative credit attempts.

To obtain a Letter of Permission, students must be in good academic standing and have an average of at least 60% on a minimum of 3.0 credits completed at Trent. Deadlines for Letter of Permission requests are listed in the Letter of Permission Guide.

For more details about study at foreign universities, see Study Abroad information.

Restrictions

Students taking Summer courses at another post-secondary institution on a Letter of Permission may not attempt more than 2.0 credits.
Registration in a Letter of Permission course must not put you in overload.
No more than 5.0 credits may be completed on a Letter of Permission. (For transfer students this number may be lower, depending on how many transfer credits they have received.)
The total number of non-Trent credits in an Honours program may not exceed 10.0. The total number of non-Trent credits in a General program may not exceed 7.5.
5.0 of the last 7.0 credits obtained by a candidate for a Trent University degree must be completed at Trent unless program notes stipulate otherwise.

Notes

Students who obtain a Letter of Permission should register at the host university as a Visiting Student rather than as a student in a degree program. Students who register in a degree program will jeopardize their registration status at Trent and will need to apply for readmission. A Letter of Permission issued to a student who subsequently transfers to another post-secondary institution will be considered invalid.
Students who are granted a Letter of Permission to complete the final course(s) of their program at another university during the Fall/Winter session and intend to graduate in the spring convocation must provide grades to the Office of the Registrar in the form of an official transcript by May 1 in order to ensure that their names appear in the convocation program and that their diplomas are printed for the day of the ceremony. Students who are granted a Letter of Permission to complete the final course(s) of their program at another university during the Summer session and intend to graduate in the Fall must submit an official transcript to the Office of the Registrar as soon as possible after completion of the course for inclusion in the next Convocation Roll to Senate.

Official Results of Letter of Permission

Courses approved for a Letter of Permission will appear on a student’s Trent University transcript with a status of INP (In Progress) at the time the Letter of Permission is issued. Students are required to make arrangements to have an official transcript forwarded to the Office of the Registrar upon completion of the course. Once the official transcript is received, the student’s record will be updated with the completed course(s) and grade(s).

If an official transcript, or evidence of non-enrolment, is not forwarded to the Office of the Registrar within 60 calendar days of the end of the session specified in the Letter of Permission, a grade of Fail will be assigned.

Transcripts forwarded in support of Admissions or Financial Aid will not be considered official for Letter of Permission completion.

Application Process for a Letter of Permission

There are different application procedures depending upon where the student wishes to study. Check the website for details:

Location of Host University	Apply to:	Timeline:
Within Canada	Office of the Registrar	Varies, depending upon session
Outside Canada: Fall/Winter session	Office of the Registrar	March 1
Outside Canada: Summer session	Office of the Registrar	Varies

Application Requirements

Course syllabi for all courses being requested must accompany the application.
Allow up to 10 working days for processing.
A processing fee must be submitted with the completed application form—see the web page for details.
Incomplete applications will be returned to the student unprocessed.

Graduation and Convocation

For students to graduate, Senate must confirm that they have successfully completed the academic requirements for their degree. Once students have graduated and are free of all financial obligations to the University, they are eligible to receive official transcripts, noting the successful completion of their degree, and to receive their degree or diploma.

In the year in which they intend to graduate, students must submit an Application to Graduate form to the Office of the Registrar through myTrent. The Office of the Registrar will assess whether the students are enrolled in the courses required to complete the academic requirements for their degree, and will inform the students by email of the result of this assessment. See the Undergraduate Academic Dates & Deadlines section for deadlines.

Once grades have been processed, the names of all students who have successfully completed the academic requirements for their degree are submitted to Senate for approval. Only those students who have completed the academic requirements for their degree prior to convocation are allowed to participate in the convocation ceremony.

Students who have successfully completed the academic requirements for their degree, but who are not free of financial obligations to the University, may participate in the spring convocation ceremony but will not receive their degree or diploma until their financial obligations are met. Students who have successfully completed the academic requirements for their degree too late for the spring convocation ceremony will have their names submitted to the next appropriate meeting of Senate and receive their degree or diploma, provided they are free of all financial obligations to the University. Students may participate at the next spring convocation ceremony.

Once the degree, diploma or certificate is conferred, the undergraduate academic record will not be modified as a result of repeating, withdrawing from, or taking additional courses. Academic standing notations will not be removed. Final grades in courses completed during the final term of study may be appealed as per the Final Grade Appeal policy. Additional academic credentials such as minors, specializations, emphases, or options may not be added to a degree once it has been conferred. In a circumstance in which an administrative error on the part of the University is discovered after a credential has been conferred, the error will be corrected as necessary.

This restriction does not preclude a student from pursuing an Honours degree after the completion of a General degree, or a second degree under the Second Degree Regulations. Academic dishonesty transcript notations will be removed automatically five years after the notation has been placed on the transcript, or sooner with approval of the Vice-President (Academic) as per the Academic Integrity Policy.

Academic Distinctions

Medals

The Governor General, President Symons, Bagnani, and Muldoon Medals are awarded each year at the spring convocation ceremony. No application is necessary; students are considered automatically under the criteria listed below. Winners of these medals will have this distinction noted on their official transcript.

Governor General’s Medals

The gold medal is awarded to the graduate student with the highest standing on graduation, and the silver medal is awarded to the student with the highest standing on graduation with an Honours degree.

President Symons Medals

Established in 1972 in honour of T. H. B. Symons, the founding president of Trent University. Awarded to students in the Honours program who achieve high overall standing on graduation.

Professor Gilbert Bagnani Medals

Established in 1986 to honour the late Professor Gilbert Bagnani, one of the founding faculty members of Trent University. Awarded to graduating students in the General program who achieve high overall standing.

Muldoon Medal

Established in 2019 in honour of Joe Muldoon, Head of Trent University Durham GTA from 2013 – 2019. Awarded to graduating students, who have taken more than 50% of their courses at Trent University Durham GTA, in both the Honours and General program who achieve high overall standing.

Dean’s Honour Roll

All students who have completed a minimum of three full-course equivalents for which grades have been assigned and achieve an average of 80% or higher in their most recent session and have an overall cumulative average of 75% or higher will have their names placed on the Dean’s Honour Roll. This academic distinction will appear on the official transcript. The names of graduating students who are eligible for the Dean’s Honour Roll will be noted in the convocation program. Postgraduate program students do not qualify for the Dean’s Honour Roll (including those in certificate programs and the BEd professional years).

President’s Honour Roll

All graduating students who achieve an overall cumulative average of 80% or higher and who are in good academic standing at graduation will have their names placed on the President’s Honour Roll. This academic distinction will appear on the official transcript. The names of graduating students who are eligible for the President’s Honour Roll will be noted in the convocation program. Postgraduate program students do not qualify for the President’s Honour Roll (including those in certificate programs and the BEd professional years).

Second Degree

Admissions and General Requirements

Students who hold a Trent undergraduate degree, or an undergraduate degree from another Canadian university, and wish to pursue a second degree must apply for admission to the second degree program.
Students must normally satisfy the program requirements for the Calendar in effect at the time of their readmission to the University.
A second degree is not available in all subject areas.
Applicants will not be admitted to a second degree program where there is substantial overlap in the degree requirements. For example, students may not earn an Honours degree in Chemistry at Trent if they already have an Honours degree in Chemistry from another university.

First Degree Earned at Trent University

General degree in another subject following a General degree or an Honours degree: the student must complete at least 5.0 credits beyond the first degree.
Honours degree following a General degree in the same subject (including joint-majors): the student must complete at least 5.0 credits beyond the first degree.
Honours degree in another subject following a General degree or an Honours degree: the student must complete at least 10.0 credits beyond the first degree.
Honours degree following a minor in the same subject: students may return for a second degree in a subject in which they have obtained a minor, but only at the Honours level. The student must complete at least 10.0 credits beyond the first degree.

First Degree Earned from Another Canadian University

A maximum of 10.0 credits (the equivalent of two years of full-time study) may be transferred for credit towards a second degree.

General degree in another subject following an Honours degree: the student must complete at least 7.5 credits beyond the first degree.
Honours degree following a General degree in the same subject or Honours in another subject: the student must complete at least 10.0 credits beyond the first degree.
Honours degree following a minor in the same subject: students may apply for a second degree in a subject in which they have obtained a minor, but only at the Honours level. The student must complete at least 10.0 credits beyond the first degree.

Notes

All work for the second degree must be completed at Trent University (Letters of Permission for credit from another institution will not be permitted).
Students will not be permitted to include a minor in the second degree.
Trent students who have credits which exceed the degree requirements in a first degree program may have them applied to the second degree program.
The student must meet the same standards for continuation and graduation as required of students registered in a first degree program. See Undergraduate Degree Requirements for requirements which apply to all undergraduate degree programs.
Third degrees: Credits from the first two degrees cannot be applied to a third undergraduate degree. To obtain a third undergraduate degree, a student must complete all courses required for the program (15.0 credits for a General degree and 20.0 credits for an Honours degree).

Undergraduate Academic Information & Regulations