Progression Requirements

Progression and Graduation Requirements: Degree Programs

Students in a general BA/BSc degree program without designation may progress and graduate if they achieve an overall grade point average (GPA) of 4.00. A student whose cumulative GPA is less than 4.00 but not less than 2.00 (D) will be allowed to proceed on academic probation for 4.0 further credit attempts. Refer to the Academic Probation: General BA/BSc Degree Programs section which follows.

A student whose cumulative GPA is less than 2.00 must withdraw from the university.

Academic decisions are made at the completion of each full year of study in May or upon completion of a minimum of 4.0 credit attempts (passed or failed attempts).

Students who fail more than 5.0 credits (or equivalent, including repeated courses) will be required to withdraw from the university.
(All failed grades on the transcript are counted, including repeated courses and XF, DR.)

 
Academic Probation: General BA/BSc Degree Programs

An undergraduate student (registered in an honours or general degree program) is placed on academic probation in the general degree program without designation when they have completed a minimum of 4.0 credits at Laurier, and achieve a grade point average (GPA) between 2.00 (D) and 3.99.

In order to clear probation, students must raise the cumulative GPA to at least 4.00 (C-) by the end of the probationary period, which will extend to the end of the term (May, June, August, December) in which they complete a fourth 1.0-credit attempt (or equivalent) after being placed on probation. The cumulative GPA calculated to determine whether or not the student has cleared probation will include all (be there 4.0 or more) credits completed by the end of the probationary period. A student who fails to clear probation after completing 4.0 credits will be required to withdraw from the university. Exceptions to this rule are described below.

A student who has been placed on probation and who at the end of the probationary period obtains a GPA of at least 5.00 (C) on a minimum of 4.0 credits taken after being placed on probation, but whose cumulative GPA is less than 4.00 will have until the end of an additional probationary period to raise the cumulative GPA to 4.00.

If a student's cumulative GPA falls below 4.00 (C-) after probation has been cleared, the student will be required to withdraw from the university.

While on probation in general degree programs, students in the Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Human & Social Sciences, Faculty of Liberal Arts, and Faculty of Science, (excluding students registered in a non-BA/BSc degree program) will be allowed to register in a maximum of 2.0 full-credits (four 0.5-credit courses) per term. The restriction will be lifted and students will be able to proceed with a regular course load once they have cleared probation. During this period, students are required to contact an academic advisor for guidance.

Students on academic probation in the General BA and BSc (except adult probation) may not cross-register in courses at the University of Waterloo, nor attend another university on a Letter of Permission.

Students who fail more than 5.0 credits (or equivalent, including repeated courses) will be required to withdraw from the university.
(All failed grades on the transcript are counted, including repeated courses and XF, DR.)

 
Progression and Graduation Requirements: Honours Degree Programs

Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science - Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, Faculty of Liberal Arts, Faculty of Science and Martin Luther University College

Bachelor of Arts, Economics - Lazaridis School of Business and Economics

Effective for honours degree programs offered by the Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Liberal Arts, Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, Faculty of Science and the Economics program in the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, these are the grade point average (GPA) requirements:

BA students progress from year to year in an honours subject, if they achieve a GPA of 5.00 (C) overall and 5.00 in that honours major. Students in an honours BA degree are able to graduate in an honours major if they achieve a grade point average of 5.00 overall and 7.00 (B-) in that honours major.

BSc students progress and graduate in an honours major, if they achieve a grade point average of 5.00 (C) overall and 5.00 in that honours major.

Students who fail more than 5.0 credits (or equivalent, including repeated courses) will be required to withdraw from the university.
(All failed grades on the transcript are counted, including repeated courses and XF, DR.)

Notwithstanding the preceding, in those departments offering both BA and BSc degree programs in an honours major (Departments of Biology, Geography & Environmental Studies, Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science, and Psychology), the departments will choose for each program to have students either:

(A) progress and graduate in the honours major if they achieve a grade point average of 5.00 (C) overall and 5.00 in their honours major: The Departments of Biology, Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science, and Science, have applied Option A to the BA and BSc honours programs.

(B) progress from year to year if they achieve a grade point average of 5.00 (C) overall and 5.00 in the honours major, and graduate if they achieve a grade point average of 5.00 overall and 7.00 (B-) in the honours major. The Departments of Geography and Environmental Studies, and Psychology have applied Option B to the BA and BSc honours programs.**

**Exceptions to these GPA requirements are detailed in the Honours BA Communication Studies, Honours BSc Health Sciences, Honours BA/BSc Psychology Research Specialist and BSc Psychology and Neuroscience, Honours BA/BSc Psychology, and the joint Honours BSc Biology and Psychology programs.

Bachelor of Business Administration

Progression to Year 2:
Requires completion of all 5.0 required and elective credits of Year 1 with a minimum cumulative GPA of 7.00 (B-) in all Business courses and a minimum cumulative GPA of 5.00 (C) in all non-business courses. Course and GPA requirements for Business and non-Business courses must be achieved by August 31. Total course repeats may not exceed a maximum of 1.0 credit exclusively during Year 1. All credits taken during Year 1 will be included in the GPA requirements for progression into Year 2.

Progression to Year 3:
Requires completion of all 5.0 required and elective credits of Year 2 with a minimum cumulative GPA of 7.00 in all Business and a minimum cumulative GPA of 5.00 in all non-business. These course and GPA requirements must be achieved by August 31. Course repeats may not exceed a maximum of 2.0 credits for the duration of the program, including repeats from Year 1.

Progression to Year 4:
Requires completion of all 5.0 required and elective credits of Year 3 with a minimum cumulative GPA of 7.00 in all Business and a minimum cumulative GPA of 5.00 in all non-business. Regular stream students and sequence 2 Co-op stream students must achieve the course and GPA requirements by August 31 and sequence 1 Co-op stream students by December 31. Course repeats may not exceed a maximum of 2.0 credits for the duration of the program, including repeats from Year 1.

Graduation:
Requires completion of all 5.0 required and elective courses of Year 4 with a minimum cumulative GPA of 7.00 in all Business and a minimum cumulative GPA of 5.00 in all non-business. Students who have not met the course and GPA requirements to graduate must meet the requirements within one calendar year. If they do not do so, they must re-apply to enter the Honours Business Administration program. Course repeats may not exceed a maximum of 2.0 credits for the duration of the program, including repeats from Year 1. A student who has passed all the courses of the BBA program but who has not obtained the necessary GPA may elect to receive a Bachelor of Arts General degree without major notation.


Bachelor of Business Technology Management


Refer to Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, BBTM Program


Bachelor of Arts - Honours Economics and Accounting, Honours Economics and Financial Management Programs

Progression requirements for the Honours BA Economics and Accounting, Honours BA Economics and Administration, and Honours BA Economics and Financial Management programs are stated in the LazaridisSchool of Business and Economics chapter, Economics section. 
The Honours BA Economics requirements are stated at the beginning of this subsection.

Bachelor of Fine and Applied Arts

Game Design and Development - refer to Faculty of Human and Social Sciences chapter.


Bachelor of Kinesiology

Progression requirements for the Honours Bachelor of Kinesiology program are based on grade point averages obtained from all courses taken and are calculated on a cumulative basis. For progression from year-to-year, the requirements are a minimum GPA of 5.00 (C) in Kinesiology & Physical Education courses, and a minimum overall GPA (including KP courses) of 5.00 (C). For graduation with the Honours degree, the requirements are a minimum cumulative GPA of 7.00 (B-) in Kinesiology & Physical Education courses, and a minimum overall GPA (including KP courses) of 5.00 (C).


Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Therapy

Progression requirements for these honours programs will be based on grade point averages obtained from all courses taken and will be calculated on a cumulative basis. For progression from Year 1 to Year 2 the requirement will be a minimum GPA of 6.00 (C+) in each of the honours major(s) and a minimum GPA of 4.00 (C-) overall. The requirement for progression to Year 3 and Year 4, and for graduation, will be a minimum GPA of 7.00 (B-) in each of the honours major(s) and a minimum GPA of 6.00 overall.

For progression in the Bachelor of Music Therapy program to Year 4 and for graduation, a minimum cumulative GPA of 7.00 in all Music courses, a minimum cumulative GPA of 5.00 is required in all Psychology courses, and a minimum overall GPA of 6.00 is required.  

 
Academic Probation: Honours Degree Programs

Students enrolled in honours BBA, BBTM, BFAA, BKin, BMus, BMusTh, BSW programs (Year 1 BBA students are excluded), who fail to achieve the standing required for admission to the subsequent year of their program, may upon the recommendation of the chair and the appropriate dean, proceed on academic probation. The terms of the probation will be determined by the chair and the dean. The approval for academic probation will be communicated to the student on LORIS by the Office of Enrolment Services. An honours student in the above degrees may proceed on probation only once.

NOTE: Students enrolled in Honours BA or BSc programs, or students completing Year 1 in the Honours BBA program are excluded from progressing in honours on probation.

Students in honours BA and BSc programs who do not meet the major GPA progression requirement for their current program, must revise their major, or progress in the General degree program without designation. If the overall GPA is deficient for the honours program, the student must revise their degree to the  three-year general program without designation. Students with an overall  GPA between 2.00 (D) and 3.99 will be placed in the General degree program on academic probation. Those with an overall GPA below 2.00 on a minimum of 4.0 attempted credits are required to withdraw from the university.

Students who fail more than 5.0 credits (or equivalent, including repeated courses) will be required to withdraw from the university.
(All failed grades on the transcript are counted, including repeated courses and XF, DR.)

 
Concentration or Specialization in a Major

A concentration (or specialization), is a structured plan of study (to a maximum of 2*) within an honours major requiring a minimum of 1.5 credits (typically included within the credits for the major). Refer to program major sections for course and GPA requirements.

*Only one concentration is allowed for students in the Bachelor of Business Administration program.

The concentration/specialization appears on the official transcript for honours students only.

 
Minor/Option Requirements

Regulations pertaining to all Minors/Options include:

  1. Minors: Minimum of 3.0 credits, with 2.0+ senior credits required.
  2. Options: Minimum of 4.0 credits, with 2.0+ senior credits required.
  3. No fewer than 2.0 credits shall be obtained at Wilfrid Laurier University.
  4. Must be adjunct to the major; no student may declare a major and a minor in the same discipline.
  5. Maximum of two minors/options allowed.
  6. All common and program requirements for the secondary program must be fulfilled.
  7. Minimum cumulative GPA of 4.5 is required for a minor. If an option or minor requires a higher GPA, that GPA applies.
  8. Not available to those in undesignated General BA and General BSc programs.
  9. Majors, specializations, concentrations and minors (including options) are all printed on an official transcript. Only majors are printed on the degree parchment.

 
Admission to Limited Enrolment Honours Programs: Arts & Science

There may be instances where student demand for entry or progression into Year 2 of an honours program in the Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, Faculty of Liberal Arts and the Faculty of Science 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.

A student's overall GPA calculated from all courses taken at Wilfrid Laurier University will be used to determine admission to these limited enrolment honours degree programs. Departments which intend to use other methods of determining GP(A) criteria for entry to honours programs will so advise students no later than October 1 in the fall term of the student's first year.

 
Unclassified Studies

The regulations for General BA/BSc degree programs will apply to students registered in unclassified studies, except where additional requirements are specified.

Students who fail more than 5.0 credits (or equivalent, including repeated courses) will be required to withdraw from the university.
(All failed grades on the transcript are counted, including repeated courses and XF, DR.)