2007 University of Waterloo Science Student Help Team [UNDERGRAD TRANSFER GUIDE] This is an unofficial document covering transfers from and to the Science Faculty for any Undergrad programs. It is meant as a guide, students should always contact the appropriate faculty advisors for the most up to date academic policies.
Table of Contents General Transfer Guidelines... 3 Transferring from Another Waterloo Faculty to the Science Faculty... 4 Transferring from Science Faculty to Another Faculty... 5 Applied Health Science Faculty... 5 AHS Undergrad Office Info:... 5 Arts Faculty... 6 Arts Undergrad Office Info:... 7 Engineering Faculty... 8 Engineering Undergrad Office Info:... 8 Environmental Sciences Faculty... 9 ES Undergrad Office Info:... 9 OCAS and the College Admission Process... 10 Seneca College The School of Biological Sciences and Applied Chemistry...11 School of Biological Sciences and Applied Chemistry Contact Information...12 Humber College School of Health Sciences... 13 School of Health Science Contact Information... 13 Compiled for the SSHT on behalf of Robyn Halbot. Suggestions/corrections are welcomed; rhalbot@uwaterloo.ca 2
Transferring Between University of Waterloo Faculties General Transfer Guidelines Transfers within Waterloo require a Plan Modification Form ; http://www.registrar.uwaterloo.ca/forms/planmodification.pdf Transferring between faculties requires the completion of a plan modification form which should be submitted to the Registrar s office. It is imperative that you contact the undergrad office of the faculty that you would like to transfer to. This is the best way to determine the appropriate time to submit a plan modification form as well as any immediate action that can be taken to facilitate the process (i.e. additional letters which should be included, or classes you should have / don t need). It is also good practice to speak with someone at the undergrad office (i.e. 1 st year undergrad advisor) of your current faculty to ensure you have exhausted all options before switching programs. Students transfer out of their current faculty either because they have failed academically, or their interests have changed. If it is because of academic failure, there are additional requirements which must be met before pursing a faculty change (usually one must maintain a higher average in their first term). If you decide to switch faculties, you should be aware that you will most likely not receive a final decision until the following term. Typically you will enter a non-degree term where you shadow your prospective program. Often entrance into the first year of a program is limited because the faculties must give priority to students applying from high school. Speaking with someone in the undergrad office of the faculty you are transferring to will give you an idea of how many spaces are available and how long it will take for the advisory committee to decide on your application. In my personal experience, it is best to meet with someone in person. At the beginning of the term, the undergrad offices are very busy and they see a lot of students within a short period of time. Going to talk to them in person shows that you are determined and motivated. It will also give you a face to face liaison with someone whom you will have to talk to on multiple occasions. If you are accepted into a non-degree term (or to the faculty of your choice) relatively early in the term, you will be registered in appropriate classes. Transferring between programs within the same faculty is a bit more straightforward. Usually acceptance into the program depends on your grades and seat availability (this especially applies in the case of programs with mandatory CO-OP, such as Biotech/Accounting or 3
Aviation/Science). This will still require a plan modification form, but it should be submitted directly to the undergrad office of your faculty rather then the Registrar s office. An effort should be made to speak with appropriate advisors before submission to review any additional approvals which may be necessary. Transferring from Another Waterloo Faculty to the Science Faculty To apply to the Science faculty, one must first enter a non-degree term. This will be done by the undergrad advisor of your current faculty. You should be absolutely certain that you want to change faculties as once you enter a non-degree term you will be ineligible to return to your old faculty as an internal transfer student. Once you have decided to transfer, you should contact a Science undergrad advisor to confirm you can qualify for transfer. With their approval and guidance regarding appropriate course selection, you can then return to your current faculty for enrolment into a non-degree term. A full course load (five courses) with a minimum of two science courses from two disciplines (+ labs) must be carried during the non-degree term. Science undergrad advisor will also review your current transcript and determine any eligible transfer credits. Typically any course with a 60% or higher which can apply to you science degree, will be transferred over. At least half of the program must be completed while enrolled as a Science student (advisors would be able to elaborate further on residency requirements specific to the desired program). Once enrolled in a non-degree term, a minimum term average of 60% and a minimum of 60% in each Science course (with no failures) is required. If these terms are met, a second plan modification must be submitted at least one month prior to the start of the following term. This form should be given to the Science Undergraduate Office along with a brief explanation of why the transfer is being requested. The best course of action is to go to the Science Undergrad office in person and speak with one of the representatives about the correct steps to take in order to facilitate the process. be referred to the appropriate advisor for your desired program. Science Undergraduate Office (519) 888-4567, extension 35244 current@science.uwaterloo.ca For a complete outline of Science Faculty Transfer Policies, please refer to this URL: http://www.science.uwaterloo.ca/current/academic/withdraw.html The You may For a list of the Science Faculty s Academic Advisors, please refer to this URL; http://www.science.uwaterloo.ca/about/people_ugadvisors.html 4
Transferring from Science Faculty to Another Faculty Applied Health Science Faculty Students transferring from other faculties must complete a minimum of 50% of the course work while registered in the new Health Sciences program. Once transferred, the applicant has two options for the assessment of their transfer credits; Option 1 all courses (passed and failed) taken at Waterloo are transferred and incorporated into the cumulative overall and major grade point averages. Option 2 courses in which a grade of 60% or higher will be transferred, but none of these courses will be used in the cumulative overall and major grade point averages. Advisors at the AHS Faculty which should be contacted: AHS Undergrad Office Info: Linda Louise (Linda) Jessup Academic Advisor, Health Studies & Gerontology Mail: ljessup@healthy.uwaterloo.ca Phone: +1 519-888-4567 x35642 Office: BMH 2306 Mardon (Mardy) Frazer Academic Advisor, Kinesiology Mail: frazer@healthy.uwaterloo.ca Phone: +1 519-888-4567 x32581 Office: BMH 3024 Adrienne Gilbert Academic Advisor, Recreation and Leisure Studies Mail: agilbert@healthy.uwaterloo.ca Phone: +1 519-888-4567 x33015 Office: BMH 2201 5
Arts Faculty All transfer credits assessed from other faculties within Waterloo will be assessed by the Arts Admissions Committee based on the student s previous academic record. The maximum number of transfer credits that can be granted by this faculty; 10 credits to be applied towards a 4-year degree 7.5 credits to be applied towards a 3-year degree Option 1 all courses (passed and failed) taken at Waterloo are transferred and incorporated into the cumulative overall and major grade point averages. Option 2 all Arts Faculty courses with a grade of 50% or higher and all applicable transfer courses from other faculties with a 60% or higher taken at Waterloo will be transferred up to the appropriate maximum however these courses will not be used in the student s average The Arts Admissions Committee will want to see at least 4 ARTS courses with a minimum cumulative average of 65%. This average will also include any ARTS courses that were taken during the science degree. These courses MUST include at least; ONE (1) course from a group Group A (i) subjects (English, History or Philosophy); ONE (1) course from ANY of the three Group A categories ; One (1) course from the Group B category. Group A comprises courses in the humanities, and Group B comprises courses in the social sciences. Faculty of Arts Group Requirements Group A(i) Group A (ii) English, History, Philosophy Chinese, Croatian, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian Classical Studies, Drama, Fine Arts, Music, Religious Studies, Speech Group A (iii) Communication Group B Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology Excerpted from URL: http://www.science.uwaterloo.ca/current/academic/withdraw.html 6
The above requirements will change for 2008/2009. If you plan to transfer at that time, please contact an Arts Advisor regarding when the new requirements will be published. A selection from Group A (ii) is highly recommended but if you have reservations taking a language course it is something that can be worked around with an advisor. The plan modification form should be submitted at least 2 months before the term to which you are applying. It is expected for the student to include a one half to one page essay outlining why the student is struggling in their current program and/or why they will succeed in an Arts program. Arts Undergrad Office Info: Betsy W (Betsy) Zanna Dean of Arts Office Mail: bzanna@watarts.uwaterloo.ca Phone: +1 519-888-4567 x35801 Office: ML 254C Eric A (Eric) Breugst (will be taking leave from July 27, 2007 August 1, 2008) Academic Advisor, Arts and Business Regular (Dean of Arts Office ) Mail: ebreugst@watarts.uwaterloo.ca Phone: +1 519-888-4567 x32769 Office: ML 254C Sarah E (Sarah) Mask (substitute for Eric Breugst) Mail: semask@admmail.uwaterloo.ca Phone: +1 519-888-4567 x35308 Office: NH 2028 7
Engineering Faculty Since all students within this faculty are enrolled into a CO-OP stream, no student will be admitted above year three, term A. If accepted into 3A, the student must enrol into the January term and complete four academic terms in addition to 3 work terms including work reports. The Engineering Faculty has a dynamic admission process which changes depending on the availability at the time of application etc. One should be carrying a full course load with strong marks and really should consult the transfer credit website. http://www.eng.uwaterloo.ca/admissions/admissions/transfercredit.htm http://www.eng.uwaterloo.ca/admissions/admissions/advancedadmission.htm If after reviewing the requirements above the student would like to submit a plan modification for, one should contact the Admissions Director concerning the correct time to submit plan modification forms and any additional documents/forms which should accompany the application to ensure a timely decision. It is recommended that a student contacts the Admissions Coordinator directly for advice on transferring into an engineering program of their choice. Engineering Undergrad Office Info: Kimberley A (Kim) Boucher Engineering Undergrad Office, Associate Director of Admissions Mail: kabouche@engmail.uwaterloo.ca Phone: +1 519-888-4894 or x84894 Office: CPH 1325D First Year Engineering Undergraduate Office Mail: admissions@engmail.uwaterloo.ca Phone:+1519-888-4761 x84761 Office: CPH1320 8
Environmental Sciences Faculty Students transferring from other faculties must complete a minimum of 50% of the course work while registered in the new Environmental Sciences program. Once transferred, the applicant has two options for the assessment of their transfer credits; Option 1 all courses (passed and failed) taken at Waterloo are transferred and incorporated into the cumulative overall and major grade point averages. Option 2 courses in which a grade of 60% or higher will be transferred, but non of these courses will be used in the cumulative overall and major grade point averages. ES Undergrad Office Info: Patricia M (Patricia) Bester Environment & Resource Studies Mail: pmbester@fes.uwaterloo.ca Phone: +1 519-888-4567 x36576 Office: ES2 299C Karen Robertson Environmental Studies Faculty Mail: kroberts@fes.uwaterloo.ca Phone: +1 519-888-4567 x32796 Office: ES1 229 Susan M (Susan) Phillips Geography Department Mail: sphillip@fes.uwaterloo.ca Phone: +1 519-888-4567 x32403 Linda Youngblut School of Planning Mail: lyoungbl@fes.uwaterloo.ca Phone: +1 519-888-4567 x35940 Office: ES1 313 9
Continuing Education at College OCAS and the College Admission Process The College admission process is automated through the OCAS website: http://www.ontariocolleges.ca/pls/portal/url/page/toplevelpages/ocas_home The current cost is 85$ to submit an application which covers 5 choices (you are allowed a maximum of 3 programs at one college). To submit transcripts/grades, there is an additional 50$ electronic transfer fee (add another 10$ if you want the info returned to you). You can always submit grades by mail, however you will have to consult deadlines to ensure your additional documents are sent off in a timely manner. For the most part colleges recommend the cut-off for application submission as February 1 st (for September program start). Although many will continue to accept applications after this time, they will only accept on a first come first serve basis. Before February 1 st, all applications will be given equal consideration. This site is a useful quicklink source which connects you to all of the main colleges in Ontario. For further information about all Ontario colleges, please consult the following OCAS list; http://www.ontariocolleges.ca/pls/portal/url/page/toplevelpages/ocas_adm_req_college There are many reasons why a college education is preferred over a university education although it always comes down to the field or industry one pursues. Previously colleges were reserved for more hands-in, trade-orientated fields however many colleges have expanded into Polytechnic Institutions offering more technical/skilled/science programs. Although the education is still application based, some employers do prefer applied skills versus theory depending on the particular industry. Combined with the lowered tuition (anywhere from 25 50% typical university tuition), a diploma can be very appealing for those who wish to enter the work world. Graduate certificates are ideal for those who would like to pursue a certain facet of their field, but do not feel adequately prepared by the hands-on experience at university (either coming from a large campus, or allowing their partner to do all the work etc). The process is straightforward, no interviews or extensive testing will be necessary and rarely will you be asked to include additional information forms. Colleges offer acceptance purely based on marks and the typical cut-off for a person coming from university is 60%. With that said, some colleges may be more discriminating about transfer credits if they offer especially hands-on programs All college science programs emphasize experience in the lab and you most likely will be encouraged to take all labs even if you have high marks. 10
Seneca College The School of Biological Sciences and Applied Chemistry URL: http://biochem.senecac.on.ca/main.html This Faculty is located at the Seneca@York campus. Officially opened in 1999, the campus is open concept and state of the art, equipped with brand new chemistry and biology labs. The programs are hands on, with no more then 20 students enrolled in each lab. This allows for intimate, one-on-one skills training, ensuring each student is comfortable with hands-on applications and technique. Programs offered in the science faculty which may be of interest; Chemical Laboratory Technician Diploma Program (CLT) Chemical Laboratory Technology-Pharmaceutical Advanced Diploma Program (CLP) Chemical Engineering Technology Advanced Diploma Program (CHY) Biotechnology Technologist-Research Advanced Diploma Program (BTR) Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs and Quality Operations Ontario College Graduate Certificate Program (RAQ) Bioinformatics Ontario College Graduate Certificate Program (BIF) Diplomas require 2 years of credits, advanced diplomas require 3 years. University graduates/transfer students are welcome to submit advanced standing transfer forms which will normally exempt them from their first year of studies or more depending on the type of courses they have. The graduate certificates are geared towards university/college graduates and/or mature students, typically taking 1 year to complete. Admission requirements may vary for programs not listed here, please consult the Program Guide for further information. Seneca will consider transfer credits for any post-secondary courses where the student has received a 60% or higher grade (65% for applied degree programs). Once accepted into a program, students are recommended to speak with their program co-ordinator or advisor about transfer credit assessment. Full-time Calendar: https://yourfuture.senecacollege.ca/services/frame.jsp?url=http://www.senecac.on.ca/fulltime Your Future@Seneca Home Guide for Prospective Students: https://yourfuture.senecacollege.ca/services/index.jsp Office of the Registrar: https://yourfuture.senecacollege.ca/services/frame.jsp?url=http://www.senecac.on.ca/fulltime 11
School of Biological Sciences and Applied Chemistry Contact Information Admissions General (for all campuses) 416.491.5050 ext. 2800 The Program Advisor/Coordinator will be different depending on which program you are interested in. To speak with the appropriate advisor, please navigate to the web page for the program and refer to the contact information located at the bottom of the page. Full-Time Program Calendar; http://www.senecac.on.ca/cms/program/index.jsp 12
Humber College School of Health Sciences URL: http://healthsciences.humber.ca This faculty is located at the Humber North Campus, recently renovated in 2000. Clinical Research Ontario Graduate Certificate Program (3 Semesters) Regulatory Affairs Ontario Graduate Certificate Program (3 Semesters) Practical Nursing Diploma (4 Semesters) Pharmacy Technician (4 Semesters) Bachelor of Nursing, BN (8 Semesters & 2 intersessions) Humber will consider transfer credits for any post-secondary courses where the student has received a 60% or higher grade. Upon acceptance into a program, one should submit a transfer credit form - http://www.humber.ca/myfuture/exemptions.pdf. This form should be received by the campus you plan to attend at least 4 weeks prior to the semester start. There is a charge for transfer credit assessment, anywhere from 25$ - 75$. Bachelor of Nursing Degree has specific requirements as follows; minimum GPA of 3.0 or 70% must present minimum of 60 per cent in Grade 12 Chemistry SCH4U, Biology SBI4U and Grade 11 Mathematics MCF3M or MCR3U this is a joint program with the University of New Brunswick (the education is at Humber but upon graduation one is presented with a degree from the University of New Brunswick) if you plan to pursue a second undergraduate degree you are required to consult the UNB undergrad calendar for details regarding transfer credits (www.unb.ca) Police Record Check, immunization records etc also required, please consult list: http://postsecondary.humber.ca/07061.htm School of Health Science Contact Information General phone line (for all Campuses): 416.675.6622 Useful extensions at this School; 377 Bachelor of Nursing 4282 Practical Nursing 13
4637 or 4078 CE Nursing 4339 ECE Full-Time or 5058 CE 4452 Allied Health Please contact the appropriate faculty for further information regarding transfer status; http://www.humber.ca/phones.htm 14