Regulations for All Honours Programs
All students registered in honours programs offered by the Faculty of Science are subject to the following regulations:
- An honours program must consist of a minimum of 20.0 credits, including at least 9.0 senior credits in the major or at least 6.0 senior credits in each of two combined majors at the honours level. Individual departments may require more than this minimum. Students may elect to take a joint Honours BSc program (available combinations are described in the Faculty of Science - Departments section) or a combined Honours BA program (available combinations are described in the Faculty of Arts - Departments section, the Faculty of Science - Departments section, the School of Business and Economics - Economics Department section and Martin Luther University College.
Where a combined program states a 100 level credit limit, the program with the lower limit applies to the combined degree. In cases where program descriptions of each of the constituent parts of a combination stipulates a different number of courses required for the combination, the larger total will apply.
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Requirements for the honours BSc program are based on grade point averages (GPA) obtained from all courses taken and are calculated on a cumulative basis.
Progression Requirements
Most honours BA and BSc students may progress from Year 1 to Year 2 in an honours subject if they achieve a minimum GPA of 4.00 (C-) overall, and completion of all mandatory junior foundation courses noted within individual program requirements with a minimum GPA of 5.0 (C).
Progression to Years Three and Four require a minimum GPA of 4.0 overall.
Exceptions to these progression requirements are detailed within pages of individual program requirements. Exceptions include but are not limited to: Honours Environmental Science, Honours Health Sciences, Honours Science, Honours Psychology and Neuroscience, Honours Water Science and Environmental Health as well as BBA Double Degree, “Research Specialist”, and Sussex partnership programs. Refer to the calendar page of individual programs in order to confirm requirements.
Progression requirements for the Honours Bachelor of Kinesiology program from year-to-year are a minimum GPA of 5.00 (C) in Kinesiology and Physical Education courses, and a minimum overall GPA (including KP courses) of 5.00 (C).
Graduation Requirements
Honours students in the following disciplines and departments are able to graduate in an honours major if they achieve a minimum GPA of 5.00 (C) overall and a minimum 5.00 (C) in the honours major(s): Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Data Science, Environmental Science, Honours Science, Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science, Water Science and Environmental Health.
Honours students in the following disciplines and departments are able to graduate in an honours major if they achieve a minimum GPA of 5.00 (C) overall and a minimum 7.00 (B) in the honours major(s): Honours BA and BSc programs in Geography and Environmental Studies, Honours BKin Kinesiology and Physical Eduation, and Honours BA Psychology programs.
Honours students in the following disciplines and departments are able to graduate in an honours major if they achieve a minimum GPA of 6.00 (C+) overall: Health Sciences.
Exceptions to these graduation requirements are detailed within pages of individual program requirements. Exceptions include but are not limited to: Honours BA Mathematics with Accounting Option; BBA Double Degree programs; BSc programs in the Department of Psychology; and Sussex partnership programs. Refer to the calendar page of individual programs in order to confirm requirements.
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In cases where progression and graduation requirements of each of the constituent parts of a combination stipulates a different cumulative overall GPA required for the combination, the larger cumulative overall GPA will apply.
Some programs have additional progression requirements stated in the program description. Refer to Regulation 4 below. Honours students enrolled in no more than two options/minors must satisfy the progression and graduation requirements for those programs.
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Where student demand for entry or progression into Year 2 of an honours program in science or arts exceeds the availability of student spaces, students who meet the minimum criteria for progression from Year 1 to Year 2 will be considered for admission on the basis of their overall GPA from all courses taken at Wilfrid Laurier University. Departments that intend to use other forms of GPA calculation must so advise students by October 1.
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Students enrolled in honours BA or BSc programs who have failed to achieve the minimum overall GPA required for progression to the subsequent year of their program must proceed in the general program on probation or may be required to withdraw if general progression requirements are not met.
- Honours BA and BSc students must hold credit in each of the mandatory junior foundation courses noted within individual program requirements in order to progress to Year Two. Unless other department requirements apply, students who have failed other courses may proceed in the honours program, provided they have the required average. (For calculation of a GPA involving a repeated course, refer to the section,Grades, in the University Undergraduate Regulations chapter). Such a student must repeat a failed course if it is a required course. If it is not a course required for the program, the student may repeat the course, or take an additional course. No course may be attempted more than twice.
- Students are eligible to transfer programs upon completion of 4.0 Laurier credits, at the discretion of the
department, provided that program transfer requirements are met. Program transfers require a minimum GPA of
4.00 (C-) overall, a minimum GPA of 5.00 (C) in all courses in the major discipline, completion of high school
admission requirements (or equivalent), as well as successful completion of the mandatory junior foundation
courses noted within individual program requirements.
Exceptions to these transfer requirements are detailed in the BSc Health Sciences, BKin Kinesiology and Physical Education, BBA Double Degree, BSc Psychology and Neuroscience, “Research Specialist”, “with Thesis”, and Sussex partnership programs. Refer to the calendar page of individual programs in order to confirm requirements. - Students in honours programs and combination or joint honours programs must have their entire program approved by their honours department(s) by the beginning of each academic year.
- Any exceptions to the honours regulations require the written approval of both the department and the dean. Exceptions that would make the number of credits required for graduation fewer than 20.0 are not permitted.
- At the end of Year 4 in a BA, BKin or BSc honours program, students who are registered in an honours program, meet all progression requirements and successfully complete all credits of that program, but who cannot graduate from that honours program because their GPA is insufficient, have the option of receiving a BA, BKin or BSc degree (without General or Honours) which denotes the major of the honours program and a maximum of two eligible options/minors on the transcript. Concentrations and specializations associated with an honours major are not allowed with an alternate degree. For programs in Kinesiology and Psychology, an overall and major GPA of
5.00 must be met. An overall and major GPA of 4.00 is required for a BA or BSc in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics and Science. Health Science majors who do not meet the 6.00 overall GPA, are only eligible for a General BSc without designation.
(Note: honours degrees will not recognize unsuccessful attempts at honours subjects taken in combination: students in a combined honours program who are unsuccessful in meeting the GPA requirements of one of their honours subjects do not have the option of receiving a degree which certifies completion of a single honours subject and a "general-level" area of specialization.) - Combined majors must be unique disciplines; no combination or joint honours programs within the same department are permitted, except where specifically defined in this Calendar.
