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Return to: Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences [ALES]
Please Note [August 30, 2024] - The Code of Student Behaviour has been updated to the Student Academic Integrity Policy, effective September 1, 2024. See Amendments to the Calendar for more information.
Admission and Transfer
Admission requirements are detailed in the following Calendar sections:
Transfer Credit
A maximum of 60 units of course weight completed outside the University of Alberta will be granted toward an undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences. A minimum of 60 units of course weight must be completed at the University of Alberta, of which a minimum of 30 units of course weight must be completed while registered in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences.
Current students, including those interested in exchange programs and study abroad, must receive permission to take courses at another institution for credit to their degree program. A student is not eligible if they have already received the maximum allowable transfer credit (60 units of course weight), or if they do not present satisfactory academic standing. There is no obligation to grant transfer credit unless prior permission has been obtained. Qualified students must contact ALES Student Services to obtain the necessary forms and approval before enrolling at another institution.
University Infectious Diseases Regulation
See University Infectious Diseases Regulation for information.
Practicum Placements, Professional Practice and the Public Interest
The Dean, or a designate acting on behalf of the Dean, may immediately deny assignments of a student, withdraw a student from, or vary terms, conditions or site of a work experience placement or practicum (Internship, Cooperative Education, Integrated Dietetics and the Human Ecology Practicum), if the Dean or designate has reasonable grounds to believe that this is necessary in order to protect the Public Interest. Refer to Practicum Intervention Policy .
Academic Standing
- Assessment of Academic Standing
Academic standing will be assessed on the basis of a grade point average (GPA). Students are expected to maintain a GPA of at least 2.0. See Additional Grades and Remarks and Academic History (Transcript) Records for information on calculation of GPAs and the academic record.
A review of academic performance is conducted for each student at the end of each Fall/Winter. Decisions regarding continuation will be based on courses completed during Fall/Winter only. Any courses completed during Spring/Summer will not be considered as part of the decision on academic standing.
The assignment and reassignment of academic standing are based on a student’s performance in a minimum of 9 units of course weight. If, at the time of review, the student has attempted fewer than 9 units of course weight since the last assignment of academic standing, the review will be deferred and the academic standing assigned at the last review will remain in effect until the next review.
- Continuation in the BSc Honors in Food Science and the BSc Honors in Nutrition
Continuation in the BSc Honors in Food Science and the BSc Honors in Nutrition requires a GPA of at least 3.0.
Students in the BSc Honors in Food Science who do not attain the required GPA will be moved to either the BSc in Nutrition and Food Science, Food Science and Technology Specialization or the BSc in Nutrition and Food Science, General Program. Students in the BSc Honors in Nutrition who do not attain the required GPA will be moved to the BSc Nutrition and Food Science, General Program (provided they are not Required to Withdraw). The Academic Standing section (4) below will then be applied. Students in good academic standing who wish to transfer to the Nutrition and Food Science General Program (see BSc in Agriculture , BSc in Animal Health , BSc in Environmental and Conservation Sciences , BSc in Forestry , and BSc in Nutrition and Food Science (General Program) ) and BSc Nutrition and Food Science, Nutrition Major, the Dietetics Specialization (see BSc in Nutrition and Food Science, Dietetics Specialization and BSc Honors in Nutrition ), or the Food Science and Technology Specialization (see BSc in Nutrition and Food Science, Food Science and Technology Specialization and BSc Nutrition and Food Science, General Program ) must apply for admission.
- Continuation in the BSc Nutrition and Food Science Dietetics Specialization and the BSc Nutrition and Food Science, Food Science and Technology Specialization
Continuation in the BSc Nutrition and Food Science - Food Science and Technology Specialization requires a GPA of at least 2.7. Continuation in the BSc Nutrition and Food Science - Dietetics Specialization requires an overall GPA of 3.0 and passing grades in the professional practice courses in each year of the program. Students who do not attain the required GPA will be eligible to apply to the BSc in Nutrition and Food Science - General Program. The Academic Standing section (4) below will then be applied. Whenever a student receives a grade of NC in a professional practice course, the student’s total academic and clinical performance is reviewed and considered in order to determine whether the student should be allowed to continue in the program.
- Application of Academic Standing
- Satisfactory Standing (GPA 2.0 or higher) Students who maintain a satisfactory standing are permitted to continue their studies in the Faculty subject to meeting the specific requirements of their degree and the general requirements of the University of Alberta.
- Marginal Standing (GPA 1.7 to 1.9, inclusive). Students receiving their first marginal standing are permitted to continue their studies in the Faculty under academic warning. At the next assignment of academic standing, such students must present a Fall/Winter GPA of at least 2.0 on a minimum of 9 units of course weight to clear academic warning and continue their studies with Satisfactory Standing.
Students with Marginal Standing twice during their Academic Career in the Faculty will be required to withdraw (see d. Required to Withdraw).
- Unsatisfactory Standing (GPA of 1.6 or lower). Students with unsatisfactory standing are required to withdraw (see d. Required to Withdraw).
Students who are required to withdraw from the Faculty at the end of Fall/Winter may not register for the following Summer or Fall/Winter Terms. Students who register for Summer or Fall/Winter courses prior to the requirement to withdraw will have their registration cancelled without penalty.
- Requirement to Withdraw
Students with Unsatisfactory Standing or who are placed on Marginal Standing twice during their Academic career in the Faculty will normally be required to remain out of the Faculty (required to withdraw).
- Students who have completed less than 60 units of course weight and who have achieved a GPA of between 1.3 and 1.6 may be permitted to continue at the University of Alberta in the Fresh Start program providing they have not previously been required to withdraw from any postsecondary program. Normally, students who have committed an academic offense under the University of Alberta Student Academic Integrity Policy will not be recommended for the Fresh Start Program.
The Faculty will determine whether to recommend a student for participation in the Fresh Start program and will notify the student of that option. Successful completion of 18 units of course weight with a GPA of at least 2.7 or 24 units of course weight with a GPA of at least 2.0 [2.3 for the Business Management programs and 3.0 for the BSc in Nutrition and Food Science (Nutrition Major)] will be required for readmission. Further detailed information can be found in First- and Second-Year Students with GPAs of 1.3 to 1.6-Admission to Fresh Start Program , GPA Withdrawal Review and Fresh Start Program .
If successful in the Fresh Start program and all conditions specified by Open Studies and the Faculty have been fulfilled, students may apply for readmission to the Faculty as transfer students as described in Transfer Applicants .
- Students may discontinue studies for one year with permission of the Faculty and apply for readmission. Students who are readmitted will return on academic probation as described in Academic Warning, Academic Probation, Required to Withdraw subject to the terms specified by the Faculty at the time of the requirement to withdraw.
- Students who complete 18 units of course weight transferable to the University of Alberta with an AGPA of 2.7 or 24 units of course weight transferable to the University of Alberta with an AGPA of 2.0 [2.3 for the Business Management programs and 3.0 for the BSc in Nutrition and Food Science (Nutrition Major)] at another postsecondary institution may reapply for admission to the Faculty, unless they have been required to withdraw more than once from any postsecondary programs (see Withdrawal From Postsecondary Institution and GPA Withdrawal Review ).
- Students may petition their Required to Withdraw status and if successful will proceed on Academic Probation. At the next assignment of academic standing, such students must raise their Fall/Winter GPA to at least 2.0. Should their Fall/Winter GPA fall below 2.0 at any time during the rest of their program they will be required to withdraw and will not be readmitted to the Faculty.
- Students who have been required to withdraw and who, after being readmitted, again fall below a Fall/Winter GPA of 2.0 will be required to withdraw and will not be readmitted to the Faculty.
Note: Students with marginal standing or who are on academic probation are only permitted to interrupt their programs with the prior, written approval of the Associate Dean (Academic). Should students in either of these categories interrupt their programs for more than twelve months without prior approval, readmission will not be granted unless the student meets the current readmission criteria.
- First-Class Standing: First-Class Standing in a given year is awarded to any undergraduate student who obtains a GPA of not less than 3.5 on a minimum of 24 units of course weight taken during Fall/Winter. Students who attend for only one term of Fall/Winter are eligible if they complete at least 12 units of course weight with a minimum GPA of 3.5.
- Dean’s List: This designation is given to students who achieve a GPA of at least 3.7 on a minimum of 18 units of course weight in Fall/Winter. Students who attend for only one term of Fall/Winter are eligible if they complete at least 9 units of course weight with a minimum GPA of 3.7.
Graduation
- Eligibility for Graduation
Students that have completed all of the requirements in their program and present Satisfactory Standing are eligible for Graduation .
- Courses Extra to the Degree
Courses successfully completed while registered in a program which are not being used for degree credit are known as courses extra to the degree. Such courses are, however, included in the assessment of academic standing.
The Faculty will designate courses as extra to degree when they are not being used for degree credit. When a course designated by the Faculty as extra to degree could also satisfy a degree requirement, the student may request a revision of the designation of that course. If the Faculty agrees to the revision, a course that was previously deemed to be satisfying the same degree requirement must in turn be declared extra to degree.
- Graduation Grade Point Average
To be eligible for graduation from any of the programs offered by the Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences, students must present Satisfactory Standing and obtain a GPA of at least 2.0 (2.7 for the BSc in Nutrition and Food Science, Food Science and Technology Specialization and the BSc in Nutrition and Food Science, Dietetics Specialization; and 3.0 for the BSc in Honors in Food Science and the BSc Honors in Nutrition) on their last 60 units of course weight counting towards their degree (including courses completed at another institution).
When calculating the Graduation GPA all courses from a particular term of study must be used. When fewer credits than were taken in a specific term are needed to meet the requirement of the last 60 units of course weight counting towards the degree, the grade points will be calculated by multiplying the GPA of all courses completed in that term by the number of credits required to meet the 60 units.
- Extension to the Graduating Year
Students who have completed 120 units of course weight (150 units for combined degrees) or more are permitted to register only in those courses necessary to complete their current program and meet graduation requirements as quickly as possible. Approval of ALES Student Services is required for every course beyond 120 units of course weight (150 units for combined degrees) in which they register.
- Graduation with Distinction
The notation “With Distinction” is inscribed on the permanent record and graduation parchment if a student has obtained a Graduation GPA of 3.5 or higher on the last 60 units of course weight of their program completed at the University of Alberta.
Interruption of Studies
Students who, for any reason, fail to maintain any registration in a program for 12 or more consecutive months will be required to apply for readmission to the program in order to resume their registration (see also Application for Readmission or Internal Transfer ). Students who interrupt their studies for any reason without prior written permission from the Associate Dean (Academic) will need to meet all admission criteria including competitive AGPA, and will be required to satisfy the degree program requirements for the year they are readmitted.
Time Limit to Complete Program
Students in the BSc Nutrition and Food Science, Dietetics Specialization must complete their program within six years from the year of original admission to the Dietetics Specialization. Exception requests must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean (Academic).
For all other programs offered by the Faculty, students who have not completed their degree within eight years from the year of original admission and wish to do so must follow the program requirements in the current Calendar. Exception requests must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean (Academic).
Appeals and Grievances
A copy of Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences regulations regarding appeals on grades, academic standing and practicum intervention may be obtained from ALES Student Services. Certain academic standing decisions made by the Faculty Academic Appeals Committee may be appealed to the General Faculties Council Academic Appeals Committee. Decisions made by the Faculty Practice Review Committee may be appealed to the General Faculties Council Practice Review Board.
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