Evaluations

There is usually a final examination or its equivalent in each course (unless an exception is authorized by the Faculty). The final examination or its equivalent should be completed during the examination period. The professor, with the approval of the department, determines the format of the final examination (written examination, oral examination, final essay, take-home examination, or other form of exam).

Written examinations are of a minimum duration of one hour and of a maximum duration of three hours, except in the case of examinations prescribed by professional accreditations or other types of specific activities, where the duration may be longer.

Your professor must inform you of the nature of the final examination when informing you of the marking system. Your professor must also inform you, at the beginning of a course, about course requirements, delivery and evaluation methods, and the nature and timing of assignments, projects and examinations.

Unless otherwise authorized by the Faculty, the final examination, or its equivalent, cannot count for more than 60 percent (60%) or less than 30 percent (30%) of the final grade of a course. Course work (tests, term papers and other course work) carries a weight determined by your professor and approved by their department.

No. The use of a predetermined distribution (statistical or otherwise) in order to determine the assignment of marks is contrary to the principles of evaluation endorsed by Senate.

If a faculty deems that the assignment of marks in one or several courses is not in accordance with the official grading system or with the Faculty guidelines, the Faculty can take any corrective action required. However, this corrective action cannot result in a mark lower than that previously communicated to a student.

Providing you with feedback on your academic work allows you to assess the progress you’ve made in a course.

Your professors have to give, evaluate and return academic work that is worth at least 25% of the final course mark no later than one week prior to the deadline for withdrawal without financial credit (i.e. the withdrawal date without academic penalty and without financial credit).

When feedback cannot be provided before this date, due to the nature of the course, this should be clearly indicated in the course syllabus.

You have the right to see, upon request and after it has been marked, your own examination booklet. This consultation must be done under supervision. You will not be permitted to retain the original examination or the examination booklet after the consultation.

Yes, your professor may refuse to accept any assignment or examination that is not written legibly.

With the exception of practical laboratory examinations, comprehensive exams and project presentations, no final examination of any kind may be given outside of the official final examination period.

This does not apply to the Faculty of Education, to the undergraduate Doctor of Pharmacy program, or to the Undergraduate Medical Education Program, which have different exam periods. For more information, please contact them.

See the Important academic dates and deadlines page for examination period dates. You can also consult the exam schedule to check the time and place of your exams.

Professors can’t plan any evaluation worth more than 10% of your final grade during the last week of classes of a term, except for practical laboratory examinations, project presentations and assignments that required several weeks of preparation.

Regulation A-8.

Yes. You must always be ready to show your student card at an exam.

You can’t use any electronic device or communication tool during an exam that has not been expressly authorized. You must turn off any device you have, put it away and out of reach. You are responsible to check which electronic devices or tools (e.g. calculators) you are allowed to use for each examination. If you violate this regulation, you may be accused of academic misconduct.

Unless otherwise indicated in writing, the use of books, notes, mathematical tables, dictionaries or any other reference tool is not allowed. Also, you may not bring into or take away from the examination room any examination booklets.

You are responsible to check which materials you are allowed to use for each examination. If you violate this regulation, you may be accused of academic misconduct.

If you arrive more than 30 minutes late, you will not be allowed to write the examination.

You may not leave the examination room until one hour after the examination has begun.

Using the toilet is the only time where you may leave the examination room with the intention of returning. To do so you must leave your examination materials, student identification card and any electronic communication device (even if it was put away) with the designated sign-out staff person. You must also sign out and sign back in on the sheet provided.

If you have to miss any examination on medical grounds (physical or psychological), you must report so by submitting the online Declaration of Absence from an Evaluationform.

You must submit the form within three (3) working days of the examination date or the assignment deadline, except if extenuating circumstances prevent you from doing so; these circumstances must be documented.

You can request a maximum of one (1) deferred evaluation per course, and this evaluation must take place as soon as possible, within six (6) months of the end of the term for undergraduate students. Evaluation for graduate students must occur as soon as possible, within three (3) months of the end of the term.

Once you have submitted your Declaration of Absence form, the confirmation message will provide you with the relevant information for completing your deferred evaluation (this may vary depending on the faculty or course in question). It is recommended that you contact your professor after submitting your form, to start making arrangements for your deferred evaluation.

The Declaration of Absence doesn’t apply to the following: thesis defense, doctoral exam, practicums, internships, clinical placements, laboratories, field work or any type of experiential learning. Neither does it apply if you already have an academic accommodations plan that includes the right to defer assignments or extend deadlines.

A medical certificate is not required for a first absence from an evaluation in a course. As described in the previous question, in these circumstances, simply use the online Declaration of Absence from an Evaluation form. It is recommended that you contact your professor after submitting your form, to start making arrangements for your deferred evaluation. You must submit the form within three (3) working days of the examination date or the assignment deadline, except if extenuating circumstances prevent you from doing so; these circumstances must be documented.

In the case of a second absence, a medical certificate is required with the submission of the online form, and the academic unit and the Faculty concerned reserve the right to accept or reject the justification of absence. A medical certificate must include your name, the date of both the absence and the return to studies and the medical consultation date. The certificate does not require mention of the specific medical condition.

If you write an exam during the period when the Declaration of absence or medical certificate indicates that you are unwell, you will not be able to use your health as a reason to appeal your grade.

You are expected to assess your health situation and ability to write an examination prior to taking the exam.

You are expected to complete a final examination once begun. If you experience a significant deterioration of health while the examination is in progress and need to stop writing the exam, you must notify the proctor and arrangements for the evaluation will be made by the Faculty offering the course.

A significant deterioration of health during an examination is a situation whereby one requires immediate and/or emergency medical attention. In such circumstances, a student will be required to provide appropriate documentation to confirm that the medical situation caused significant, acute symptoms during the examination that prohibited them from completing the examination. The student must then fill out the deferred examination form within three (3) business days of the examination with appropriate supporting documentation.

Minor illnesses and ongoing chronic illnesses under medical management will normally not be considered valid grounds for granting a deferred final examination. However, if your usual health level worsens due to a flare up of your chronic condition, this could be valid grounds (e.g., a person living with epilepsy who has a seizure). You would need, in these circumstances, to make a retroactive accommodation request due to a physical or mental health issue. It will be examined by taking into account your needs and the particular circumstances duly documented by a medical certificate. The request must be submitted within ten (10) business days following the date of the missed examination or assignment deadline.

In exceptional life circumstances (a serious accident, a death or serious accident involving a spouse or immediate family member, fire, etc.) that would prevent you from writing your exam or handing in your work on time, you must report your absence using the Declaration of Absence from an Evaluationform.

You must submit the form within three (3) working days of the examination date or the assignment deadline, except if extenuating circumstances prevent you from doing so; these circumstances must be documented.

Reminder: you can request a maximum of one (1) deferred evaluation per course, and this evaluation must take place as soon as possible, within six (6) months of the end of the term for undergraduate students. Evaluation for graduate students must occur as soon as possible, within three (3) months of the end of the term.

Once you have submitted your Declaration of Absence form, the confirmation message will provide you with the relevant information for completing your deferred evaluation (this may vary depending on the Faculty or course in question). It is recommended that you contact your professor after submitting your form, to start making arrangements for your deferred evaluation.

In the case of a first absence from an evaluation in a course, you only need to submit the Declaration of Absence from an Evaluation online form. In the case of a second absence from an evaluation in the same course, if the reason is exceptional personal circumstances, you must attach a justification when submitting your online form. The academic unit and the faculty concerned reserve the right to accept or reject the reasons presented. Reasons such as travel, work and misreading of examination schedules are not accepted.

Only some Faculties offer supplemental examinations, and this possibility does not exist for graduate studies. The time limit to complete the requirements for the course may not exceed 12 months after the end of the term.

Here is how it works for each faculty which offers supplemental examinations:

Faculty of Medicine:

• If you are enrolled in a 1000-level ANP course and receive an “E” grade, you can write a supplemental examination.
• If you have failed a final exam during your undergraduate medical studies, you can write a supplemental examination.
• If you are enrolled in the undergraduate Doctor of Pharmacy program and fail a course, you are entitled to a retake exam or remediation activity.

Faculty of Education: If you fail a course, you have the right to one supplemental examination, for which you must receive a grade of 60% or “S.”

The supplemental examination may consist of a written examination or additional assignments.

Faculty of Law, Common Law Section: If you have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher in courses taken in the last academic year, you can write a supplemental examination for each course failed that year. You must either write a supplemental examination or submit an additional assignment. If your grade point average in courses taken in the last academic year is below 3.5, you fail the year and are not eligible to write any supplemental exams.

The supplemental examination may consist of a written examination or additional assignments.

Faculty of Engineering: You may write a supplemental examination if you meet the following conditions:

1. You are in your final year of studies.
2. You have only failed one course during your final year of studies.
3. The course you have failed is offered by the Faculty of Engineering.

You should contact your Faculty’s Undergraduate Studies Office for information on supplemental examination procedures, formats and schedules. In all cases, you will have to pay supplemental examination fees.

You can check if your supplemental exam can be written online. If this option is possible, you can write it online while being in Canada or elsewhere in the world. However, the supplemental exam, regardless of being online or not, must be taken at the same time by all students involved, regardless of time zone.

If the exam is taking place in person, it must take place in Canada. It is possible to write your exam at another Canadian higher education institution, if the institution offers such a service. Please note that you will have to pay additional administrative fees.

Normally, only the grade obtained after the supplemental examination appears on your transcript and is used in the calculation of averages. Your transcript will however indicate that this grade was obtained as a result of a supplemental exam.

However this might differ depending on your faculty; it is recommended that you verify with them.