Frequently Asked Questions | School of Administrative Studies

Course Enrolment

Course sections often fill up. We do not maintain waitlists, as we cannot hold a spot when it becomes available. The solution: If you really want that section, keep logging into the Registrar's website and trying as a spot may become available if another student has dropped the course.

If you are enrolled in one of our programs, contact our office by email at apsas@yorku.ca to inquire.

If you are enrolled in a course and have an academic reason for not having the required prerequisite course (i.e. completed a Course Credit Exclusion, visiting student, etc.) please contact apsas@yorku.ca to inquire about a prerequisite waiver. Otherwise, if you do not have the necessary prerequisites, you are required to drop the course.

Students who are not in the BCom or BDEM programs are permitted to enroll in a maximum 5 courses from the School. These can be taken in a single term, or over several terms as space is available. Permission to enroll in these courses will be available one month prior to the start of class, and no permission will be given after the last day to enroll without the permission of the instructor. Note that AP/ADMS 1000 is not available to non-majors at this time. Repeating courses previously taken is permitted, space permitting. For permission access to these courses, please email your Name, Student Number, Course Name and Number and Section (eg. AP/ADMS 2200 Intro to Marketing Sect. C) to apsas@yorku.ca no earlier than one month prior to the start of class.

If you drop a course by the drop deadline (usually after midterm exams) the course will be dropped from your record completely. After the drop deadline, students can still withdraw from a course until the last day of classes. When you withdraw from a course, it will show on your record you attempted the course, but rather than a grade, the course will show a “W” notation (meaning withdrawn). Withdrawing from a course does not count as an attempt.

It is important to keep in mind that dropping or withdrawing from a course are different from the refund deadlines and the financial impact should be considered when dropping a course. Students who rely on financial assistance (e.g. OSAP) should also consider how it will impact their course load and funding in the future. Students are welcome to discuss their options with an academic advisor.

More questions about course enrolment? Visit the Registrar’s Office frequently asked questions.

Deferred Standing & Academic Petitions

If you are unable to write a final exam at the scheduled time - due to illness, a personal or family emergency, or religious commitment - you can ask to write the final exam at a later date. ALL deferred standing requests for ADMS and DEMS courses must be submitted directly to the School of Administrative Studies within 7 days of your missed final exam (do not submit through your professor).

Academic Petitions are completed through your home faculty, visit the LA&PS Petitions webpage to learn more.

Important note: If your petition requires a Course Performance Summary (CSP form), please do not approach your Course Director (professor) to complete the form. Please email the form to the main office of the School at apsas@yorku.ca.

Complete your details on the first page of the CPS form and email the completed form to the main office at apsas@yorku.ca. The office will arrange for the second page of the form to be completed and signed, and return the form to you. Please do not contact your Course Director (professor) directly to complete the form.

Program Information

Students are welcome to change their stream at any time through the Program Change website.

While you are welcome to change your stream, it is important to consider how far along you are in your degree progression as some streams have more space than others in accommodating courses you already completed. If you are considering switching your stream, it is always a good idea to speak with an academic advisor to see how this will impact your course selection and allocation of courses.

You are eligible to switch to Commerce if you have completed one 4U mathematics MHF4U (Advanced Functions), or the equivalent and have a York GPA of at least 5.0 (C+).

If you meet the above requirements, you can submit a program change form online between January 1 and June 30.

Unfortunately, students cannot add a double major or minor with the Commerce degree, as there is simply not enough room in the program, but students have the option to add a certificate instead.

You can follow the Ordinary 90-credit program or one of the streams in 120-credit Specialized Honours program. You will be able to have a general BCom degree or take additional 30 credits to focus on one of the different areas of business specialization – Accounting, Business Research, Business Technology Management, Finance, Human Resources Management, Management, Supply Chain Management, Marketing and Information Technology.

An Outside Major course is any course that is not required for the Major Requirements, including any course that is offered by the School of Administrative Studies (ADMS, DEMS), cross-listed courses (Many HRM courses), or any courses that are a Course Credit Exclusion with an Administrative Studies course. Note that any additional General Education credits can be used as outside the major if required.

All students in BCom and DEMS must complete 21 credits in General Education area:

6.00 credit course in natural science (NATS)
9.00 credit course in either the humanities or social science categories from the approved list of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies general education courses
6.00 credit course on the other side of the humanities and social science category divide from the approved list of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies general education courses

To find a full list of LA&PS Approved General Education courses:

Steps:

Visit the courses website
Select General Education Courses from the “Search Current Courses By...” section

Select the Session (term), Select LA&PS as the Faculty and then select your Degree.

If you entered the BCom in FW19/20 and onward, you are required to take AP/ADMS 3351. If you entered BCOM prior to FW19/20, you are required ADMS 3330. However, you may take AP/ADMS 3351 in lieu of AP/ADMS 3330 with permission. Please consult with one of the School of Administrative Studies academic advisors.

Yes, you may graduate in BCom 90-credit and continue or come back later to complete the Specialized Honours. To continue in Specialized Honours, you must earn a 5.0 CGPA and 5.0 MGPA at the 90th credit. If you meet the requirement, you can reactivate to complete the Specialized Honours.

Apply to graduate on the convocation website. Usually, you can apply during the start of the term in which you are taking your final courses.

If you are also graduating with a Professional Certificate offered by the School of Administrative Studies, you are required complete this form as well.

Academic Standing

Academic Advising Services: The academic advisors in the School of Administrative Studies are here for you with the information, guidance and support to help you achieve your academic goals. You can schedule an appointment with an academic advisor by emailing apsas@yorku.ca.
The Writing Centre: Here you’ll find support to help you produce effective academic and professional writing.
PASS Program: Our free Peer-Assisted Study Sessions, or PASS, are a proven effective strategy for helping you succeed in challenging courses.
Learning Skills Services: The Learning Skills Services provides the guidance you need to achieve your academic goals through workshops and services that address learning skills such as time management, writing effectively, ways to study and preparing for exams.

Overall GPA = 5.0 (At all times - otherwise on program warning)
Major GPA = 5.0 @ 90th credit earned
Major GPA = 5.5 @ 120th credit earned

Overall GPA refers to all courses taken at the university (includes Gen Eds and electives).
Major GPA refers to all ADMS, HRM, and DEMS courses (ITEC courses for those in ITEC streams).

Students who have completed less than 90 passed credits, whose cumulative grade point average is below 5.00, will be placed on program warning and may continue in the 90-credit Bachelor degree only provided they meet the program warning conditions outlined below.

Students on program warning, within the next 24 credits taken, must raise the cumulative grade point average to at least 5.00. At no time may the cumulative grade point average fall below 2.50 upon completion of at least 24 York credits.

Students who fail to meet program warning conditions will be ineligible to continue; they will be exited from the program and are eligible to transfer to another degree program provided they meet the program standing requirements of the program they are transferring into.

If you were switched from specialized honours (120-credit) to bachelors (90-credit) it is usually due to your GPA. If your overall GPA drops below 5.0 at any point before reaching the 90th credit earned, you are placed on program warning (see above) and automatically moved to the bachelor’s (90-credit) degree.

Once you improve your academic standing and your overall GPA returns to 5.0 or above, you may request to switch back into honours (it is not automatically done for you). Before you reach 90 credits earned, you are only required to have the overall GPA at 5.0 or above to switch into Honours. Once you reach or pass the 90th credit earned, both the overall and major GPA are now required at 5.0. You can submit your request to return to honours through the Program Change website.