Academic Regulations

Students are required to comply with the Academic Policies and Regulations of UBC. Students are encouraged to carefully review in particular the following policies: Student Declaration and Responsibility, Academic Honesty and Standards and Academic Freedom.

Contents

Commerce Courses Regulations
Attendance and Participation
Dean's List
Degree Completion
Degree with Honours
Program Approval
Examinations
Deferred Standing
Unsatisfactory Performance

Commerce Courses Regulations 14753-comm

The following regulations apply to Commerce courses: 

1. Students are admitted to the B.Com. program, not to particular fields of specialization (also referred to as ‘options’). Enrolment in required option courses may be limited. Students may declare their primary specialization once they achieve a Year 3 class standing, but must make their choice by the end of Term 1 of Winter Session of the third year in the program. Eligibility for certain specializations (competitive options) is determined by minimum grades achieved in specific first- and second-year courses. Students who do not meet these grade minima are unable to select these competitive options. Students are therefore encouraged to plan for a second and third choice. Students wishing to switch their specialization are required to obtain approval from the Office of Student Academic Services. Approvals to switch specializations are subject to availability of required courses. Requests will not be considered if a student has already completed two courses toward their current specialization.
2. Students may pursue optional designations to supplement their primary specialization and core degree requirements. At most, students are permitted:
   • two specializations (options) and one non-commerce minor, or 
   • two options and one concentration, or 
   • one option and two concentrations, or 
   • one option, one concentration and one non-commerce minor. 
   Additional designations such as a second option, minor, or concentration are not required for degree completion. Students seeking additional designations must complete all requirements within six years of their original admission to the Bachelor of Commerce program.
3. Each option program assumes that there is a normal sequence of courses, as listed by the Faculty. Students are expected to recognize these normal sequences in planning their program. Any exceptions must be approved by the Assistant Dean, Director, or their designate within the Office of Student Academic Services.
4. Students may be required to undertake field work in the business community.
5. Students who successfully complete a Commerce course cannot repeat it for higher standing or credit. This rule applies to course equivalents, including those in the Science Exclusion List. Course rules from the offering Faculty are upheld.
   Students may only repeat a failed course once. Students must appeal to the Director or designate within the Office of Student Academic Services to attempt a required course for a third and final time. If the course is offered by another Faculty, students may also require permission from the offering Faculty. Appeals to attempt courses more than three times are generally not approved.
6. Commerce courses are primarily restricted to students registered in the Bachelor of Commerce program unless otherwise specified. Students in other faculties should consult their program requirements and course descriptions to determine their eligibility to register.
7. Students who have obtained an average of 80% or higher in their third year may elect to register for up to 6 credits of 500-level courses chosen in consultation with the appropriate Division Chair, the instructor, and the Director or designate within the Office of Student Academic Services. 

Attendance and Participation 14753-attend

Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with, and abiding by, course and University policies.  

Attendance

Students are required to attend class and class-related events and activities regularly and punctually.

Instructors in the Faculty may set a threshold for the number of classes that can be missed before receiving an attendance warning. This threshold should align with the Bachelor of Commerce Attendance Policy, and instructors must inform students of the policy in their course syllabi. Per University policy, students who do not attend class can be excluded from sitting the final examination or final assessment. Students who are unavoidably absent due to extenuating circumstances, which qualify for academic concession per University policy, may be eligible for a late withdrawal. 

Participation

To ensure a positive learning experience, students should be prepared for class, having completed any assigned readings or tasks. Engagement in discussion and group work in adherence to university classroom etiquette and guidelines is encouraged and contributes to a positive learning environment. 

Dean's List 14753-dean

The designation "Dean's List" will appear on a student's transcript if they achieved an average of 80% or higher in a Winter Session, provided they completed at least 24 percentage-graded credits in the session. Students in a Co-operative Education Program who are registered in academic courses at UBC for only one term in a Winter Session because of a Co-op Placement must be enrolled in at least 12 credits for the academic term. Grades obtained by students registered in a study abroad or exchange program during the Winter Session will be included in the calculation. To qualify, a student must pass all courses.

Degree Completion 14753-degcom

Students must complete their degree requirements within six years of their original admission into the Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration. Extensions to the deadline may be appealed to the Director or designate within the Office of Student Academic Services, but additional courses may be required for graduation if an extension is granted.

Degree with Honours 14753-deghon

The designation "with Honours" will be placed on the transcript of record and the degree certificate of a student graduating with the Bachelor of Commerce where the average is 80% or better in all upper-level Commerce courses. Grades obtained by students registered in a study abroad and exchange program will be included in the calculation. Upper-level Computer Science courses are also included in the average for students in the Combined Major in Business and Computer Science. To be eligible, the student must have been enrolled in a 24 percentage-graded credit course load in Winter Session with a class standing of Year 3 or Year 4.

Program Approval 14753-program

Students are responsible for the completeness and accuracy of registration as it relates to the regulations of the program in which they are enrolled. Typically, students will register for a maximum of 15 or 16 credits per term during the Winter Session and, if taking courses in the Summer Session, the maximum credit load is usually 6 credits per term. As some Computer Science courses are 4 credits each, students in the Combined Major in Business and Computer Science generally register for 32 to 34 credits during the Winter Session. 

Variation from a full course load should be discussed with an Academic Advisor in the Office of Student Academic Services. 

Examinations 14753-examinations

In-term tests, quizzes, and other assessments may be scheduled throughout the term, during or outside of class time. Formal examinations are normally held during the University’s formal examination periods. Students are expected to make travel plans and schedule interviews, extra-curricular commitments, and appointments in such a way that they do not conflict with scheduled examinations or other assessments.

Students are responsible for attending their scheduled examinations and are subject to the University’s regulations regarding Student Conduct during Examinations during these assessments. All submitted work may be subject to review by the University per the Review for Authenticity policy.

The minimum passing grade for most Commerce courses is 50%. COMM 196 and COMM 396 require a minimum grade of 60% to satisfy BCom degree requirements. Some courses require a passing mark for the final exam or other core element to successfully complete the course with a passing grade, regardless of performance in other course components. Additionally, successful completion of the final exam or other core course component alone may not be sufficient to pass the course.

Supplemental and retake exams are not offered. 

Deferred Standing 14753-deferred

Students granted Deferred Standing (SD) are responsible for making necessary arrangements for completion of any outstanding course requirements during the University’s deferred exam periods or at alternate sittings as arranged by the course department or instructor. Some departments may require students to write a deferred examination with the next regularly scheduled final exam for the course or an alternate exam date set by the department or instructor.

Failure to complete required coursework by the deadline will result in replacement of the SD standing with a grade or standing that reflects the requirements that were completed in the course up to the time that the deferred standing was granted. Approved academic concessions for SDs will be processed as a late withdrawal from the course (noted as a W standing). 

Academic Performance Evaluation Sessional evaluations for each student are conducted at the end of each Winter Session to determine students’ eligibility to continue or graduate. 

Unsatisfactory Performance 14753-unsat

Students whose performance in the Faculty is unsatisfactory will be required to discontinue study in the Faculty for at least one year. Students who have failed to meet the continuation requirements of the University will be considered to have failed the year and will be required to withdraw from the University for at least one year. Continuation requirements are listed in Academic Advancement and are subject to the following:

1. Student performance is considered unsatisfactory when the average taken in any year, including failed courses, is below 60%.
2. Students who fail the year or are required to withdraw from study in the Faculty may apply for readmission 12 months after being required to withdraw.
3. Students at any level of university study who are required to withdraw from studies in the Faculty for a second time, whether in repeating a year or in a later year, will be permanently withdrawn from the program and the University. Appeals for readmission in such cases are normally not approved by the Faculty. See Academic Advancement.
4. A student who fails a required course for the Bachelor of Commerce program for a second time must appeal to request permission to retake the course. Students failing a course required for the Bachelor of Commerce program for a third time will be permanently withdrawn from the program. Appeals for further attempts are generally not approved. Students who fail to meet the requirements of their degree, specialization, or other designation for a third time will be withdrawn from the designation.