Academic Regulations Course outlines The outline for each course is distributed at the first class. It is expected to describe the course content, format, sequence of topics/projects, and learning objectives. For assignments, it is expected to indicate the format, topic and requirements; the due dates; the evaluation criteria and their relative importance; and who grades the assignments. If any of these items is missing, please ask the instructor to distribute an amended outline to the class. If applicable, the course outline is also expected to mention any resources that are required (textbooks, readings, materials, equipment, etc.), the proportional weighting of multiple assignments, and how a final exam/review will be conducted (if applicable). A substantial change to a course outline requires the approval of two-thirds of the students registered in the course. Time expectation To maintain an appropriate balance among the various courses in a term, you may use the following guideline: for a three-credit-hour course the average weekly time expectation is nine hours, including class time and assignments. For a course with a different credit weight, the expectation is proportional. Actual time requirements may vary from student to student and from week to week, depending on a student's current ability in a subject and depending on the rhythms of courses during a term. If a course is requiring most students to spend more time than it should, notify the instructor. Disabilities A student with a physical disability or a learning disability who wishes to request academic accommodation should register promptly at Student Accessibility Services. Phone 494-2836, e-mail access@dal.ca or visit the office in the Mark A. Hill Accessibility Centre at 6227 University Avenue, outside the Killam Library. Deadlines during a term Unless a different policy is stated in a course outline, the penalty for submitting an assignment after a scheduled deadline during the term is a third of a letter grade (e.g., from A to A-) per weekday. Failure to attend a test at the scheduled time results in a grade of F or zero unless the instructor indicates that a student cannot benefit from writing the test later than other students in the course. No penalty is assessed if a student qualifies for an extension due to a documented illness or equivalent. Deadlines at the end of term In a course that includes a scheduled review after the last day of weekly classes, no assignments are accepted after the review; a late submission receives a grade of F or zero. In all other courses, no assignments are accepted after the last day of weekly classes; a submission after this date receives a grade of F or zero. An instructor cannot extend the deadline beyond these dates - even with the approval of the students in the course - and must assign a student's grade based on the work that has been submitted by the deadline. No penalty is assessed if a student qualifies for an extension due to a documented illness or equivalent. Extensions To request an extended deadline for an assignment due to illness, you must show a doctor's note to the instructor and submit it to the Architecture office. The extension will be equal to the number of days you were unable to work. A non-medical extension requires a similar note verifying the reason for the request. If your absence has interfered with assignments in two or more courses, see the undergraduate or graduate coordinator rather than your individual instructors. Course evaluations Near the end of each term, the School of Architecture asks students to evaluate every course and instructor. Course evaluations provide detailed feedback to instructors on the course and their teaching, to indicate what worked well and what didn't. The School's director also reviews the architecture evaluations to monitor the curriculum and help plan future courses and staffing. Course evaluations take 10-15 minutes and are an important source of information that is taken seriously. Course evaluation summaries and copies of comment sheets are returned to the instructor after the grades have been submitted at the end of the term. To maintain students' anonymity, signatures do not appear on the copies that are forwarded to the instructor. If you sign your comment sheet it will become part of the university's records, where it will be considered in decisions on faculty tenure and promotion. If you do not sign your comment sheet it will not be retained by the university. Design portfolio Your design portfolio (which includes your original drawings plus photographs of your models) is an important record of your design work. It enables you to be considered for promotion at the end of Year 3, for a BEDS degree at the end of Year 4, and for MArch admission. Work from your portfolio also may be used to make smaller reproductions for work term brochures and student publications. Make sure that your work is sealed safely in a rigid portfolio that can be stored near your desk or at home. Models should be photographed soon after they are finished, as they tend to self-destruct when stored for any length of time. Retrieving course work After instructors have evaluated student work, it is normally left in the faculty area. Please retrieve your work promptly. Leftover work is assumed to be abandoned and will be discarded.