Academic Questions Database

All students register for courses through UWinsite Student.

You can add or drop courses through UWinsite Student up until the 10th day of classes for Fall and Winter terms and up until the 5th day of classes for Intersession and Summer Session. You do not require, except in some circumstances, instructors’ approval to add or drop a course.

If you are unable to register for a course through UWinsite Student, this may mean that you have not met certain necessary requirements. Some courses have prerequisites that must be completed, some courses are restricted to certain students, and some courses may require that you have reached a certain status or standing. These requirements must be completed before you are able to register for the course. In certain circumstances, however, you may be able to register for the course with the permission of the instructor. In such a case, you should contact the instructor to request permission to enroll. During the registration (add/drop) period, instructors must give students permission to enroll using the Class Permission feature in UWinsite Student. Please keep in mind that instructors are not required to grant permission to students to add a course that is full or where the student requesting to be added has not met the necessary requirements.

Circumstances that involve time conflicts, course overload, or auditing courses require the completion of the Course Add Form: Special Circumstances Request.

For information on how to register for courses through UWinsite Student: How do I register for classes?

How do I download my class schedule?

If you do not register for courses during the registration (add/drop) period, you may request to register late using the Course Add Form: Special Circumstances Request, checking the ’Late Adds’ box. All late add requests require the approval of the Associate Dean, Academic and Student Success who will consider the following:

• Your current academic standing; if you are on Academic Probation, the request for late add may not be approved as the Associate Dean may feel that adding courses late into the term will hinder overall success.
• The timing of the late add request; requests that are submitted just after the registration period has ended are far more likely to be approved than requests that come later into the term.

There are four primary ‘holds’ (reflected in the Service Indicator feature on UWinsite Student) on students’ accounts that may affect the ability to register for courses in a term:

• Financial Ineligibility indicates that there is an outstanding balance on your account and you will not be able to register until the account has been settled.
• Required to Withdraw indicates that you have been required to withdraw from the university for a 12-month period and you will not be able to register during this time.
• Admission Conditions Not Met indicates that one or more conditions that were part of your admission to the university have not been satisfied and you will not be able to register until these conditions have been met. A common example of this would be that the university has not received a transcript from another institution.
• Declare New Major indicates that you have been required to withdraw from a particular program and will not be able to register until a new program has been selected. Students who are Undeclared and have completed their first year of study are required to declare a major before they are able to register for courses.

Please note that a service indicator for Academic Probation is informational only and does not affect a student’s ability to register for courses.

Enrolling in more than the usual prescribed number of courses during a term (5 in the Fall and Winter terms, for example) constitutes course overload.

Students who have major and cumulative averages of 85% or higher may take one course on overload per term.  Students with averages below this must submit a request for course overload using the Course Add Form: Special Circumstances Request for approval by Associate Dean, Academic and Student Success. 

Approval for course overload will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.

Things to keep in mind:

• Students on Academic Probation will not be approved for course overload, regardless of the circumstances.
• The need to take one extra course to satisfy requirements for graduation is not considered ‘exceptional circumstances’ (see below).
• Students should make every effort to follow the recommended sequence of courses for their program of study.  If a student drops (or does not pass) a course during the regular Fall and Winter terms, they should be aware and/or be encouraged to take a course during Inter/Summer Session to stay on track for their degree to avoid the need for enrolling in six courses in the last term to be eligible to graduate at the end of that last term.

Enrolling in two courses that overlap in time constitutes a Time Conflict.  In such a case, you would complete the Course Add Form: Special Circumstances Request and check the ‘Time Conflicts’ box.  Students must obtain the signature approval of the instructor of both courses that overlap in time before sending the form to the Associate Dean, Academic and Student Success for approval.

To upgrade the major or cumulative average in any program, a student may repeat a course a maximum of two times.

To take a course for a fourth time (repeating for a third time), you will need to obtain the permission of the Associate Dean, Academic and Student Success.  Generally, before approving a fourth attempt, students will be asked to provide a rationale for previous poor performance and to present a plan for success for the course.  It is strongly recommended that you discuss this rationale and plan with an academic advisor in your home department before requesting permission to take a course for a fourth time.

You should reach out to the instructor of the course by email, phone, or visit their office.  Explain to the course instructor that you do not have the pre-requisite needed for the course and ask whether they would permit you to enrol without this pre-requisite.  Do not assume that because you asked that you will be given permission to enrol.  Course instructors may feel that it is not in your best interest to enrol in a course without the necessary preparation that a pre-requisite would provide.

If the course instructor agrees to allow you to enrol, kindly remind them that they will need to grant you Class Permission through UWinsite Student. Once this has been done, you should be able to logon to UWinsite Student and enrol in the course.

Yes. Students wishing to take one or more courses at another university toward their degree at the University of Windsor must obtain a Letter of Permission. This way, you will be assured in advance that if the course is completed with a grade of at least 60 (C-), the course will count toward your degree at the University of Windsor.

Application for a Letter of Permission is made through the Office of the Registrar.  Following approval of the application, the Registrar will issue a ‘Letter of Permission’ to the student and the university concerned.

Students seeking a ‘Letter of Permission’ must be in good academic standing.  The grades received from courses taken elsewhere are not included in a student’s major or cumulative averages.

For more information on how to apply for a Letter of Permission, follow the instructions on How do I take a course at another university for a transfer credit?

You must withdraw from a course that you do not want to remain enrolled in before the Voluntary Withdrawal deadline. The deadline is usually the second week of November in the Fall term and the second week of March for the Winter term.

So long as you withdraw from a course by this deadline, you will receive a ‘VW’ notation for the course on your transcript/academic record. If you do not withdraw before the deadline, you will remain registered in the class and will be assigned a final grade accordingly by your instructor.

Program requirements for each degree program can be found in the online Undergraduate Calendar. Here you will also find courses and course descriptions, as well as University regulations.

Senior level courses are courses at the 2000-level and above. For example, POLS-2110 is a senior-level course.

Students in a three-year BA program are required to take 16 courses at the 2000-level or above.

Students in a four-year BA program are required to take 26 courses at the 2000-level or above.

Please Note: No more than fourteen (14) 1000-level courses will count toward a student’s degree program.

Residence requirements refers to the number of courses that must be taken at the University of Windsor, on campus or through distance education.

Students in a three-year BA program are required to take a minimum of 10 courses at the 2000-level or above at the University of Windsor, including at least 6 courses in the major field.

Students in a four-year BA program are required to take a minimum of 10 courses at the 2000-level or above at the University of Windsor, including at least 10 courses in the major field.

Double (or Combined) majors are required to take a minimum of 5 courses at the 2000-level or above from the major course requirements in each of the majors at the University of Windsor.

Students pursuing a Certificate are required to successfully complete a minimum of 5 courses at the University of Windsor.

To qualify for a Minor, a minimum of 3 courses counting toward the Minor must be successfully completed at the University of Windsor.

All students in study programs within FAHSS, other than English majors, are required to complete GART-1500 (Effective Writing I) and GART-1510 (Effective Writing II), ideally in their first year. These courses are intended to build the foundations for writing academically in arts, humanities, and social science disciplines.

Students majoring in English are not required to take GART-1510 (Effective Writing II).  Students in the Interdisciplinary Arts and Science program are exempt from these Academic Writing requirements.

If you are transferring into a FAHSS program from another faculty at the University of Windsor and have already completed 20 courses, you may be exempt from these effective writing courses.  You should speak to an academic advisor about this and, if warranted, the advisor will make an exception request to the Associate Dean on your behalf.

Students in most FAHSS programs are required to complete the general faculty introductory statistics course SOSC-2500 (Basic Quantitative Methods and Statistics).

In some cases, KINE-2690, GENG-2220, or STAT-2910 may be taken instead of SOSC-2500, but it should be noted that credit will not be given for more than one introductory statistics course regardless from which faculty the courses are taken.

Note: A student who takes SWRK-2000 after taking SOSC-2500 will only receive credit for SOSC-2500.  A student who takes SOSC-2500 after SWRK-2000, however, will receive credit for both courses.

For some programs, there may be additional advanced statistics courses required.  Students in Sociology and Criminology, for example, are required to take SACR-3080 (Intermediate Statistics) and Psychology students in the thesis stream are required to take PSYC-3130 (Advanced Statistics).

If, for whatever reason, you are not able to take a course that is required for your program of study, you should make an appointment with an academic advisor in your home department.  The Academic Advisor will review your Academic Advisement Report and, if warranted, may submit an exception request to the Associate Dean, Academic and Student Success.  This exception request may entail substituting an alternative course for the required course or allowing a course to satisfy a requirement.

Please note that exception requests may not be approved by the Associate Dean or by the Registrar.  Students should make every attempt to follow the requirements of their program.  Exception requests will only be considered and approved if they meet the guidelines prescribed by University Senate regulations.

To review program requirements, you should make an appointment to speak to an Academic Advisor in the department of your program of study.  Academic Advisors can assist you in understanding the requirements of your degree program, help make sense of your Academic Advisement Report, and can also guide you in choosing the right courses to fulfill these requirements. 

Advisors at the Central Academic Advising Centre can also assist with developing your degree and education plans by helping you to review your academic progress and to understand your program requirements.  To book an academic advising appointment with an advisor in Central Advising, follow these guidelines: How do I book an academic advising appointment with an Academic Advisor?

Program requirements are also outlined in UWinsite Student through the Academic Progress tile on your homepage. It is recommended that you regularly review your Academic Progress as well as your transcript to keep track of your academic progress.

Students in FAHSS programs may be required to take elective Arts courses as part of their degree program. Arts courses include:

• General Arts (GART-)
• Cultural Studies (INCS-, ARAB-, ASIA-, JWST-)
• Dramatic Art (DRAM-)
• English and Creative Writing (ENGL-)
• Film (FILM-)
• Greek and Roman Studies/History (GRHS-, GRST)
• Languages (FREN-, GRMN-, ITLN-, SPAN-)
• Media Studies (MACS-)
• Music (MUSC-, MUSP-)
• Philosophy (PHIL-)
• Visual Arts (VSAR-)
• Some Women’s and Gender Studies (WGST-) courses may be taken as an Arts course

Students in FAHSS programs may be required to take elective Social Science courses as part of their degree program.  Social Science courses include:

• General Social Science (SOSC-)
• Communication, Media and Film (CMAF-)
• Disability Studies (DISB-)
• History (HIST-)
• Political Science (POLS-)
• Psychology (PSYC-)
• Social Justice (SJST-)
• Social Work (SWRK-)
• Sociology and Criminology (SACR-)
• Women’s and Gender Studies (WGST-)
• Work and Employment Issues (WORK-)

Students in FAHSS programs may be required to take at least two elective courses in Languages or Science as part of their degree program.  This can be two Language courses or two Science courses, or one Language course and one Science course.

Introductory courses in Language include:

• FREN-1120 (Intensive French for Beginners)
• GRMN-1020 (Intensive German for Beginners)
• ITLN-1020 (Intensive Italian for Beginners)
• SPAN-1020 (Intensive Spanish for Beginners)

Suggested Science courses (for social science and arts majors):

• BIOL-1013 (Organisms and the Environment)
• COMP-1047 (Computer Concepts for End-Users)
• COMP-2057 (Introduction to the Internet)
• COMP-2097 (Social Media Marketing for End-Users)
• ESCI-1000 (Natural Hazards and Disasters)
• ESCI-1010 (Our Changing Earth)
• ESCI-1020 (Introduction to Planetary Science)
• ESCI-1130 (Atmosphere and Climate)
• ESCI-2020 (Discovering Dinosaurs)
• ESTU-1100 (Humans and the Environment)
• ESTU-2100 (Canadian Regional Environments)
• FRSC-1107 (Introductory Crime Scene Investigation)
• FRSC-2007 (Introduction to Forensic Science)
• NURS-3510 (The Human Meaning of Death)
• PHYS-1000 (Introduction to Astronomy I)
• PHYS-1010 (Introduction to Astronomy II)
• PHYS-2050 (Physics and Society – The Past)
• PHYS-2060 (Physics and Society – The Present)

A major is the primary area of study chosen. A double or combined major entails two major areas of study; for example, Psychology and Criminology. Those pursing a double or combined major will need to follow the program requirements for both major areas of study and should consult with academic advisors in both areas of study for guidance.

Students in FAHSS without a declared major are part of the Discovery Program which requires that they take the Effective Writing courses in the Fall and Winter terms as well as the GART-1200 (Understanding the Contemporary World) course in the Fall term.

Understanding the Contemporary World explores the connections between social and political contexts and various cultural forms such as fine art, literature, music, and popular culture with the aim of exploring various disciplines and subject areas while helping students develop their academic skills. Additional First Year support is provided in small tutorials to foster study skills and goal setting and to provide information about campus resources.

Students with undeclared majors are expected to have regular contact with our First Year Access Coordinator, Dr. Natalie Atkin (natkin@uwindsor.ca) and must declare a major before their second year of study.

You will need to complete a Change of Program Application in UWinsite Student to declare a major.

If you are considering changing your major/program of study, you should first speak with an Academic Advisor in the department of your current program of study.

If you are an incoming student and have confirmed your offer, you should submit a service request through ask.UWindsor.  The appropriate Admissions Officer will check to ensure you are admissible to the program you want to change into and that the program is not closed.  If you are admissible, the Admissions Officer will admit you and follow up your request.

Current students who want to change their program will need to complete the Change of Program Application in UWinsite Student:  How to Change Your Program through UWinsite Student

A minor requires the completion of 6 courses that are specified by individual programs.  The minimum grade average required is 60% in the courses counting toward the minor.  Courses that are part of the major requirements or counting elsewhere as part of the major degree requirements may not count toward the minor.

Students who wish to add a minor to their program of study should follow the instructions outlined in How do I add or change an option in UWinsite Student?

Students should also be aware that while Minors are listed on their transcript, Minors are not recorded on their University degree.

Your cumulative average is comprised of grades obtained in all courses taken, whether counting toward your degree or not.

Your major average is comprised of grades obtained in all courses in the major area, whether counting toward your program requirements or not. This includes any courses with failing grades as well as NR (No Record) grades.

You can find both your cumulative and major averages in UWinsite Student by accessing the Academic Progress tab on your homepage.

A grade of NR stands for ‘No Record’ and is given when there is no record of a student having attended a course or having submitted any work for the course.

A grade of NR is calculated as 0 in a student’s averages.

A grade of IN stands for ‘Incomplete’ and is given by the instructor of a course when there is an expectation that a student will be completing and submitting work for a course within a specified period of time.

A grade of IN may also be given in cases where an allegation of academic misconduct is pending final decision.

A grade of IN will automatically convert to a grade of 0 six weeks after the last date of the examination period.

Students who withdraw from a course after the initial registration (add/drop) period but before the withdrawal deadline will receive a VW (Voluntary Withdrawal) for the course.

VW means there is no grade assigned and has no value to be calculated in a student’s averages.

If you wish to receive consideration on matters affecting your academic performance based on medical, compassionate, or extenuating circumstances, you should communicate with your course instructor(s) as soon as possible.  In such cases, an instructor may choose to handle the matter informally.

If an instructor does not choose to handle the matter informally, you may make a formal request for consideration based on medical, compassionate, or extenuating circumstances.  This request is made through UWinsite Student (Grade Appeal – Medical/Compassionate) and should be accompanied by a letter of rationale, along with supporting documents (such as a note from a health care provider).

In the case of an informal or formal request, the instructor may grant an ‘Aegrotat’ (AEG) grade on the basis of term work completed or may assign an ‘Incomplete’ (IN) grade indicating what further work is required and the deadline by which such work must be completed.  In general, an instructor will not consider ‘Aegrotat’ unless the student has completed at least 60% of the requirements in the course.  If you have not completed 60% of the course requirements, it is recommended that you speak with the individual course instructor and discuss alternative options for completing the course.

In cases where a formal request for Aegrotat Standing is approved, the AEG notation will be recorded on your transcript without a corresponding percentage grade.

If you are not satisfied with a grade you receive in any course, you should first discuss it with the individual course instructor who assigned the grade.  You should make every effort to resolve the issue with the instructor by outlining the reasons for your dissatisfaction and attempt to come to a mutually agreeable resolution.

If you are unable to resolve the problem with your instructor, you may consider formally appealing your grade based on ‘Incorrect Evaluation’ or ‘Procedural Irregularity.’

A grade appeal based on Incorrect Evaluation generally refers to instances where a student questions the grade received on an assessment in comparison to the grading rubric.  It may also refer to potential miscalculations or mathematical errors on an assessment or in relation to the final grade. In cases of Incorrect Evaluation, a copy of the assessment(s) in question should be attached when submitting the appeal, along with the grading rubric, if provided.

A grade appeal based on Procedural Irregularity generally refers to instances where a student  feels there were issues or errors in the administration of an assessment or feels there was violation of a class or academic policy.

Students who wish to appeal a grade in a course must submit a Grade Appeal through UWinsite Student no later than three (3) weeks after the final grades are deemed official by the Registrar’s Office. A letter of rationale and supporting documentation must accompany the appeal along with an administrative fee of $20 (this fee will be refunded if your appeal is successful). 

A major average of 0.00 indicates that you have not taken any courses in your major area of study for which a percentage grade has been assigned.

Students should be aware that a glitch in UWinsite Student may treat a major average = 0.00 as not meeting the minimum requirements of the program of study and a service indicator of Academic Probation may appear.  These cases are generally brought to the attention of the Academic Standing Committee at review and will be corrected at that time.

Through UWinsite Student, students are able to generate an unofficial transcript or to order an official transcript.

Unofficial transcripts are free of charge and bear the notation Issued to Student. These transcripts can be used for your personal records.

Official transcripts are generated and printed by the Office of the Registrar with a fee charged and will be issued to you in a sealed envelope.  These transcripts may be used for applications to graduate or professional schools.

For guidance on generating an unofficial transcript or ordering an official transcript:

How do I get a copy of my Academic Transcript?

A student is in Good Standing if their cumulative and major averages meet the minimum requirements for their program of study.

Minimum requirements for programs of study in FAHSS can be found in the Policy on Standing Required for Continuation in Programs and For Graduation.

If one or both of your averages (cumulative and/or major) is below the minimum required for continuation in a program, you will be placed on Academic Probation. If your averages do not improve to the minimum required by the end of the Winter Term, your record will be referred to the Academic Standing Committee for review. The Committee will then make a decision as to whether you will be allowed to continue in your program of study.

If you are placed on Academic Probation, you should talk to an Academic Advisor in the department of your program of study. You may also make an appointment with the Office of the Associate Dean, Academic and Student Success, Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.

Students placed on Academic Probation may be encouraged to do the following:

• Seek help from your professor
• Repeat courses for which you received a final grade below 60%
• Drop course by the Voluntary Withdrawal date if you failed or barely passed the midterm
• See if you qualify for the Fresh Start program

There may be several reasons why UWinsite Student shows you are on Academic Probation.

• The Academic Probation service indicator may be a holdover from the last review and will reset once the next review occurs and your cumulative and major averages meet the minimum requirements.
• You may not have failed any courses but if your grades for courses are generally below 60, it is likely that you are not meeting the minimum requirements for your program of study and have been placed on Academic Probation because of this. Always keep in mind that simply passing courses is not enough to remain in good standing.
• If you haven’t taken any courses in your major for which a grade has been assigned, your major average is likely to be 0. It is a glitch in the system that interprets a major average of 0 as indicating Academic Probation. This is generally caught upon review by the Academic Standing Committee. You should not worry about this, but it would not hurt to bring to the attention of the academic advisor in your program of study.

Students who are not making progress in their studies by meeting the minimum average requirements for their program of study may be asked to withdraw from the University.

Students who are RTW (Required to Withdraw) for the first time will be required to withdraw for a period of 12 months.

Students in FAHSS who are in their first year of study and who are Required to Withdraw may be eligible for Fresh Start.  The Fresh Start program is an alternative to withdrawing that provides ongoing academic advising and support and workshops to develop stronger study skills and strategies.

Fresh Start is a student success initiative aimed at providing the skills needed for successful university study through ongoing academic advising, enrolment in a required course, and skill-building exercises.

Students who are at the end of their first year of study in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences who are Required to Withdraw (and have GPAs falling within a certain range) are eligible to participate in Fresh Start in lieu of having to withdraw for a period of 12 months.

Students in Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), Bachelor of Music (BMus), Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Honours Bachelor of Arts Law and Politics, Interdisciplinary Bachelor of Arts and Science (BIAS), and Concurrent Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Education (BA/B.Ed) programs who do not meet the minimum requirements for continuation in the program may be required to withdraw from that specific program but not from the university as a whole.

In such a case, you will be notified that you are required to withdraw from a specific program but are eligible to continue in another program of study.  A service indicator directing you to Declare New Major may be placed on your account in UWinsite Student and you will not be able to register for courses until you have done so.

Full-time students pursuing a major in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (FAHSS) who have obtained an annual cumulative average of at least 80%, as well as Fall and Winter term averages of at least 80%, by the end of the Winter term, are generally eligible for the Dean’s Honour Roll.  Students who have met the criteria for the Dean’s Honour Roll will have a notation on their transcript to this effect.

The number of exams/tests depends on each individual course instructor. This information should be specified, along with the worth value of the exam/test, in the course syllabus you receive in each course at the beginning of each term.

Only final exams are scheduled by the Registrar’s Office. The final exam schedule and location of final exams will be indicated in your class schedule on UWinsite Student a few weeks prior to the final examination period. Be sure to check your class schedule for date and location and review this information with course instructors.

How do I find my final exam schedule?

A student who is scheduled to write three invigilated final examinations in one calendar day may apply to have one examination rescheduled on an alternate examination day.

Dates of midterm exams and other tests are scheduled by individual course instructors and usually take place in the classroom where the class normally meets. Make note of these dates and be prepared! You may have more than one exam on the same day or in the same week across different courses.
 

The Exam Policy of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences states that: No make-ups are allowed for scheduled midterms or final exams without acceptable and verifiable medical (or equivalent compassionate) reason. Acceptable reasons might include hospital stays, serious illness, family emergencies, or similar circumstances. Normally, written documentation stating specific reasons and dates is required. Arrangements for make-up exams, if allowed by the instructor, must be made as soon as possible. The instructor establishes the date and format for make-up exams, which will usually differ from the original exam.

If you miss an exam, you should:

• Notify the course instructor immediately – email, leave a phone message, or see in person.
• Provide the reason for missing the exam. You may need to provide supporting documentation such as a physician’s note, police report, or death certificate.
• Ask to have the opportunity to write a make-up exam. Remember that it is up to your instructor’s discretion whether to grant you this opportunity.
• If granted, your instructor may have you write a make-up exam that is scheduled by the Department. This is to accommodate students who have missed exams and to better coordinate missed exams across various courses. Your instructor should provide you with the date, time and location of this make-up exam. Don’t push your luck by telling your instructor that the make-up time isn’t good for you because you have other commitments. Make sure you can attend.
• Thank instructors for their time and understanding.
   

As per policy and procedure, course instructors who suspect academic misconduct (such as plagiarism or cheating) should first invite you to discuss the matter with them. During this discussion, the instructor may choose to dismiss the matter and offer a teachable moment (guidance on how to improve the work in question through educational instruction) or they may choose to complete a report of academic misconduct that will be forwarded to the head of the department/director of the school.

In cases where an instructor chooses to dismiss the matter and offer a teachable moment, there should be no further action taken – for example, the instructor should not assign a grade of 0 (zero) as penalty for the suspected misconduct.

In cases where the instructor chooses to complete a report of academic misconduct, this will be forwarded to the Head of the Department/Director of the School who will likely invite you to meet to discuss the matter. If the Head forwards the report to the Associate Dean, you will be invited to meet with Associate Dean who is the final adjudicator in cases of academic misconduct and the only person who has the authority to assign a penalty or sanction, if it is determined that an act of academic misconduct has occurred.

At all meetings, you have the option to bring a support person with you.

If the case of academic misconduct has not been resolved by the time final grades are to be submitted, the course instructor will assign a final grade of IN (Incomplete); a change of grade will be submitted once the case has been resolved.
 

The best way to provide feedback about your courses and course instruction is by completing the Student Perceptions of Teaching (SPT) available to students through UWinsite Student in the last two weeks of classes.

Course instructors should set aside 15 minutes at the beginning of a class during this time period for students to complete the SPT online using an electronic device (such as a laptop or mobile phone). Students who do not have access to an electronic device at this time should be encouraged to complete the SPT at a later date within this two-week time period.

How do I access and complete the online Student Perceptions of Teaching (SPT)?

Student Perceptions of Teaching (SPT) are an essential part in giving students a voice in expressing what they think about a course, its content, its assessments, and its delivery by the course instructor. It is highly encouraged that you provide some comments that add context to your responses as this can be helpful in improving course content, evaluation, and instruction.

The first step would be to schedule a meeting with the instructor of the course to discuss these concerns. If this discussion does not prove fruitful, the next step would be to schedule a meeting with the Department Head or School Director to discuss these concerns.

Average/GPA requirements to be eligible to graduate depend on the program you are in. Most BA (Bachelor of Arts) programs require at least a 60% cumulative and major average to graduate. Those in Honours BA programs with major averages above 60% but below the required 70% are not eligible to receive the Honours designation but will be awarded a four-year Major degree.

Those in BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts), BMus (Bachelor of Music), and BSW (Bachelor of Social Work) programs require a cumulative average of at least 60% and a major average of at least 70% to be eligible to graduate.

See Policy on Standing Required for Continuation in Programs and For Graduation for minimum requirements to graduate by program of study.

Yes. Students completing an Honours BA program with a cumulative average of at least 60% and a major average of at least 60% (but less than the 70% required) will be awarded the four-year Major degree.

Yes. Students completing the Honours BA Law and Politics program with a cumulative average of at least 70% and a major average of at least 70% (but less than the 75% required) will be awarded the four-year Major degree.

No. Students completing a Concurrent BA/B.Ed program whose major average is less than 70% are not eligible to graduate with the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) but would be eligible to graduate with the General BA in the area of study, so long as the minimum requirements for that program are met.

Students who graduate with a cumulative average from 80% to 89.9% will receive their degree ‘With Distinction.’

Students who graduate with a cumulative average of 90% and above will receive their degree ‘With Great Distinction.’

This special notation will show on your degree, certificate, the convocation program, and will also be noted on your transcript.

You must apply to graduate through UWinsite Student whether or not you plan to attend a Convocation ceremony.  If you do not apply to graduate, you will not receive your diploma or degree notation on your final transcript.

The application to graduate in UWinsite Student will generally open in early December for Spring Convocation and in mid-July for Fall Convocation.

More information:

How to Apply to Graduate in UWinsite Student.

Graduation and Convocation.  

Students who have applied to graduate and meet the degree requirements but have not yet convocated can request a Graduation Eligibility Letter.

Students should submit a request at ask.uwindsor.ca using the topic Graduation Eligibility Letter and include:

• Name
• Student ID
• Expected date of graduation

The current cost for obtaining a Graduation Eligibility Letter is $15.00.

A list of academic advisors for programs in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences can be found on the FAHSS website.

Academic advisors specific to your program of study are in the best position to offer guidance about program requirements, course offerings and sequencing, and to assist you in achieving academic success.

The first step in discovering if you qualify for accommodations is to reach out to Student Accessibility Services by phone at 519-253-3000 x 6172 or by email at sas@uwindsor.ca

You may also complete the Intake Form and an Accessibility Advisor will contact you to set up an in-person or online meeting.

Students who had an Independent Education Plan (IEP) in high school are able to get similar supports through Student Accessibility Services while studying at UWindsor.

The Black Student Support Coordinator (Kaitlyn Ellsworth) provides Black students with support, advocacy, and referrals to resources on campus and within the greater community.  To set up an appointment with the Black Student Support Coordinator, you may send an email to blackstudentsupport@uwindsor.ca or complete the booking form.

The Aboriginal Education Centre – Turtle Island provides support to Indigenous students within a culturally supportive atmosphere.  The Turtle Island space can be found in Room 179 in the CAW Student Centre. 

The International Student Centre further provides support services to new and returning international students.  The International Student Centre can be contacted at 519-253-3000 x 3938 or isc@uwindsor.ca