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Quick Reference Guide for Instruction

Students sitting at a table

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Download the PDF Version of the Quick Reference Guide for Instruction.

Check your course outlines

Remind students to always consult the course outline and course website for their course(s), as the first place for course-specific information and polices. The outline, readings, components, deadlines, and policies vary from course to course, and often vary between sections of the same course.  Students bear the responsibility for keeping up with the outline, policies and materials covered in the section in which they are registered.

Important Dates

  • Drop Deadline: For appropriate term (last day to drop without course on transcript)
  • Course Withdrawal Deadline: For appropriate term (course still appears on transcript with ‘W”)

NOTE for instructors: for drop deadlines and additional important dates such as holidays, refer to the “Important Dates” section of the Registrar’s Website.

University Policies

In accordance with the York University Undergraduate Calendar Regulations, the letter grades assigned in this course will have the following percentage equivalents:

Letter Grade Percent Range GPA
A+ 90-1009.00
A80-898.00
B+75-797.00
B70-746.00
C+65-695.00
C60-644.00
D+55-593.00
D50-542.00
E40-491.00
F0-390.00

Please note, at a future date, in accordance with the York University Undergraduate Calendar Regulations, the letter grades assigned in this course will have the following percentage equivalents:

Letter Grade Percent Range GPA
A+ 90-100 4.00
A85-893.90
A-80-84 3.70
B+77-793.30
B73-76 3.00
B-70-722.70
C+67-692.30
C63-662.00
C-60-621.70
D+57-591.30
D53-561.00
D-50-520.70
F0-490.00

Academic Accommodations, Regulations, Plagiarism, Etc.

Academic misconduct undermines the values of honesty, trust, respect, fairness, and responsibility that we expect in this class. York University provides supports such as academic integrity workshops to ensure, as far as possible, that all students understand the norms and standards of academic integrity that we expect you to uphold.

York students are required to maintain the highest standards of academic honesty and they are subject to the Senate Policy on Academic Honesty. The Policy affirms the responsibility of faculty members to foster acceptable standards of academic conduct and of the student to abide by such standards.

There is also an academic integrity website with comprehensive information about academic honesty and how to find resources at York to help improve students’ research and writing skills, and cope with University life. Students are expected to review the materials on the Academic Integrity website.

Examples of actions that do not adhere to York’s Academic Integrity Policy include:

  • Plagiarism
  • Accessing unauthorized sites for assignments or tests
  • Unauthorized collaboration on assignment and exams
  • Uploading work to third party repository sites (e.g. Course Hero, One Class, etc)
  • Scanning, sharing, uploading, or publishing exams, tests, or scholarly work

Important: Numerous students in Faculty of Science courses have been charged with academic misconduct when materials they uploaded to third party repository sites (e.g. Course Hero, One Class, etc.) were taken and used by unknown students in later offerings of the course.

Additional details about this process can be found on the Student Academic Integrity website. Students are expected to familiarize themselves with and follow the York University Student Academic Integrity Policy. The Policy is strictly enforced and is binding on all students. The Faculty of Science asks you to familiarize yourself with York’s Senate Policy on Academic Honesty.

If you have questions regarding Academic Integrity, or a potential case, please contact your Undergraduate Program Director for guidance.

Plagiarism is the passing off of someone else's work as your own and is a serious academic offence. For the details of what constitutes plagiarism, refer to the York Academic Integrity website. To further understand Academic Integrity, consider reviewing the following Learning and Support Academic Integrity Supports.

Students are expected to familiarize themselves with and follow the York University Student Academic Integrity Policy. The Policy is strictly enforced and is binding on all students.

York University is committed to principles of respect, inclusion and equality of all persons with disabilities across campus. The University provides services for students with disabilities (including physical, medical, learning and psychiatric disabilities) needing accommodation related to teaching and evaluation methods/materials. These services are made available to students in all Faculties and programs at York University.

Student's in need of these services are asked to register with disability services as early as possible to ensure that appropriate academic accommodation can be provided with advance notice. You are encouraged to schedule a time early in the term to meet with each professor to discuss your accommodation needs. Please note that registering with disabilities services and discussing your needs with your professors is necessary to avoid any impediment to receiving the necessary academic accommodations to meet your needs. Students are asked to provide their Letter of Accommodations to the course directors (professor/instructor) at the start of the term, or as soon as it becomes available.

Additional information is available at the following websites:

York University is committed to respecting the religious beliefs and practices of all members of the community, and making accommodations for observances of special significance to adherents. Should any of the dates specified in this syllabus for an in-class test or examination pose such a conflict for you, contact the Course Director within the first three weeks of class. Similarly, should an assignment to be completed in a lab, practicum placement, workshop, etc., scheduled later in the term pose such a conflict, contact the Course director immediately. Please note that to arrange an alternative date or time for an examination scheduled in the formal examination periods (December and April/May), students must complete and submit an accommodation request form at least 3 weeks before the exam period begins.

Under normal circumstances, graded feedback worth at least 15% of the final grade for Fall, Winter or Summer Term, and 30% for ‘full year’ courses offered in the Fall/Winter Term shall be received by students in all courses prior to the final withdrawal date from a course without receiving a grade, with some exceptions.

Learn More about York’s Grading Scheme and Feedback Policy.

For all undergraduate courses, except those which regularly meet on Friday evening or on a weekend, tests or exams worth more than 20% will not be held in the two weeks prior to the beginning of the official examination period.

For further information, review York's policy on the 20% Rule.

In most cases, grades are generally due for submission to GAM ten business days after the last of classes for courses with no formal exam. If there is a formal exam, grades are due five business days after the exam.

Please always enter all grades when completing the GAM upload for your course. If a student misses a final exam, you would still calculate their final grade and submit to GAM. This includes the circumstance where you have signed a DSA for a Deferred exam. The reason for this, and why you should always have the student submit a Deferred Standing Agreement (DSA), is that the DEF grade qualifier will replace the assigned grade on their transcript. If you do not submit a final grade, the grade will automatically be assigned an F for that course by the Registrar. This can negatively impact their degree progression decision, as well as potentially violating the Senate policy that passing a final exam cannot be a condition for passing the course.

After course grades have been released, students may, with sufficient academic grounds, request that a final grade in a course be reappraised (which may mean the review of specific pieces of tangible work). Non-academic grounds are not relevant for grade reappraisals; in such cases, students are advised to petition to their home Faculty. Tangible work may include written, graphic, digitized, modeled, video recording or audio recording formats, but not oral work. Students need to be aware that a request for a grade reappraisal may result in the original grade being raised, lowered or confirmed.

In the absence of course-specific policies, students are normally expected to first contact the course director to discuss the grade received and to request that their tangible work be reviewed. Formal reappraisals of final course grades (including final exams viewing) should be sent through XX.

For further information, review York’s Grade Reappraisal Principles.

Students and instructors are expected to maintain a professional relationship characterized by courtesy and mutual respect. Moreover, it is the responsibility of the instructor to maintain an appropriate academic atmosphere in the classroom and other academic settings, and the responsibility of the student to cooperate in that endeavour. Further, the instructor is the best person to decide, in the first instance, whether such an atmosphere is present in the class. Review the policy and procedures governing disruptive and/or harassing behaviour by students in academic situations. York University is committed to providing access to the educational experience in order to promote academic accessibility for all individuals.

Academic accommodation refers to educational practices, systems and support mechanisms designed to accommodate diversity and difference. The purpose of accommodation is to enable students to perform the essential requirements of their academic programs. At no time does academic accommodation undermine or compromise the learning objectives that are established by the academic authorities of the University.

University rules regarding registration, withdrawal, appealing marks, and most anything else you might need to know can be found on the university’s website.

Deferred Standing information can be found here.

Please always request that a student who misses your final exam or who has assignments outstanding past the last day of class use the Deferred Standing Agreement. If you decide to accept the Deferred Standing Agreement, the Department will forward to the Registrar's office and a DEF will be entered to replace their grade. Note that there are time limits for when the deferred exam or assignments must be completed: August 1 for W exams, October 30 for SU exams, and April 1 for F exams.