Course and Program Catalogue 2013-2014

At the College of Agriculture and Bioresources, certificate, diploma, undergraduate & postgraduate degree training are available in a wide range of specializations. The student experience is enhanced when teaching and scholarship are offered in a research-rich environment.

Diplomas

Consisting of degree-level courses, diplomas ladder directly into specific degree programs in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources. Students completing a Diploma can choose to complete an additional two years of university-level study to obtain a B.S.A. (Agronomy Major) or B.Sc.(Agribusiness) degree. Diploma graduates are eligible for professional designation as Agricultural Technologists (AT) with the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists.

Degrees

Four separate four-year applied science degree programs are available. Choose from the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, the Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness, Bachelor of Science in Animal Bioscience, or the Bachelor of Science in Renewable Resource Management.

Pre-Veterinary Medicine

Students who wish to apply to the U of S Western College of Veterinary Medicine may complete the required courses for this program through the College of Agriculture and Bioresources.

Certificates

One year certificates are available in specific areas.

Second Degrees

Students pursuing two undergraduate degrees must consult with the Dean's office in each college to determine program requirements and to select courses which could be credited towards each degree.

For information on study abroad opportunities at the University of Saskatchewan, please visit the Go Abroad website.

Students achieving high levels of academic performance will be awarded their B.S.A. degree as follows:

Cumulative Weighted Average:

70.00-74.99%
Major: No Academic Award
Honours: Honours (option)

75.00-79.99%
Major: Distinction
Honours: Honours (option) with Distinction

80.00% or better
Major: Great Distinction
Honours: Honours (option) with Great Distinction

Note: Honours students must pass an Honours Oral Examination.

Number of Junior Credits Allowed:

The number of junior credits that can be credited in any given subject will be determined by the College with academic authority for the subject area. In most cases a maximum of six credits of junior or 100-level credit can be applied.

Humanities

• Classics
• English
• French
• German
• Greek
• Hebrew
• History
• Latin
• Philosophy
• Religious Studies
• Russian
• Sanskrit
• Spanish
• Ukrainian

Fine Arts

• Art
• Drama
• Music

Social Sciences

• Anthropology
• Archaeology
• Economics*
• Geography**
• Linguistics
• Native Studies
• Political Studies
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Women's and Gender Studies

Natural Sciences

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Geography(Physical)
• Geology

*Students majoring in Agricultural Economics cannot take economics courses to meet this requirement.
**The following Geography courses are not acceptable to meet this requirement: GEOG 101, 102, 111, 112, 120, 125, 210, 222, 225, 233, 235.

The Agrologists Act, 1994, requires that persons practicing agrology in the Province of Saskatchewan be registered members of the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists.

University of Saskatchewan graduates who intend to practice agrology within the meaning of the Act, must apply to be registered as articling agrologists immediately upon graduation. Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Bachelor of Science (Agribusiness) students are eligible to join as student members. Further details on the Agrologists Act, the definition of practicing agrology, and the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists may be obtained from the Executive Director, Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists, 29-1501 8th St E, Saskatoon SK S7H 5J6; Website: www.sia.sk.ca.

All Bachelor of Science in Agriculture specializations offered by the College of Agriculture and Bioresources were granted full accreditation by the Agricultural Institute of Canada in 1999 and again in 2007. Graduates are thus eligible for admission to the professional practice of Agrology in Canada.

The Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness degree was granted full accreditation in 2007.

In 1998 the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists established a category of membership for Diploma graduates - Agricultural Technologist. For information on membership in the Institute contact the Executive Director, Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists, 29-1501 8th St E, Saskatoon SK S7H 5J6, Tel: 306-242-2606, Website: www.sia.sk.ca.

1. Admission Deficiency Removal: All deficiencies in admission subjects must be removed before a student will be allowed to register for the second year.

2. Course Scheduling: Degree students must have completed all first-year courses prior to entering third year.

3. Promotion Average Calculations: A student's weighted average for a year's work is based on all courses attempted during the Fall and Winter Terms. Spring and Summer Term marks are not included. Attempted courses are defined as those continued beyond the last day for dropping courses without academic penalty. Fall Term 1 marks in failed courses will be replaced by Winter Term 2 marks for average calculation purposes, if the failed courses are repeated and passed in Winter Term 2. Grades of ABF (Absent Failure), INF (Incomplete Failure), WF (Withdrawal Failure) and actual marks of less than 30%, awarded prior to May 2005 will be assigned a mark of 30% for average calculation purposes. In accordance with revisions to the University’s Examination and Grading Regulations, effective May 2012, the grade of WF will no longer accompany the computed grade. A student who abandons a course after the withdraw deadline will receive a failing grade and Incomplete Failure (INF) grade comment after they do not complete course requirements or miss the final examination.

Where Academic Dishonesty has been proven, the actual grades assigned by the College Discipline Committee will be used in the calculation of promotion averages.

4. Minimum Regular Session Average Required for Promotion: These provisions apply to all students who at any time during the September to April period are registered in 18 or more credit units. Students not meeting the following averages will be Required to Discontinue.

a. Non-Probationary Students

*Defined as those who have not previously met the minimum average required for promotion or who have previously been advised or Required to Discontinue. (See Academic Regulations [7]).

Required to Discontinue (RTD1): Sessional Weighted Average less than the minimum annual promotion requirement with no previous faculty action at the university or any other post-secondary institution.

Penalty: Required to Discontinue from the college for the upcoming academic year (July 1 to April 30). Students will lose credit for courses in which a grade of less than 60% was obtained during the session the action was based upon.

Required to Discontinue (RTD2): Sessional Weighted Average less than the minimum annual promotion requirement when the discontinued student has had a previous faculty action by the university or any other post-secondary institution; or are on Probation.

Penalty: Required to Discontinue from the college. Students will lose credit for courses in which a grade of less than 60% was obtained during the session the action was based upon. RTD2 students require special permission of the Dean of Agriculture and Bioresources to obtain readmission to the college. Should they reapply for admission (through Admissions, Student and Enrolment Services) they must submit a letter explaining the reasons for their previous poor performance and indicating why they may do better if readmitted.

5. Evaluation of Students with a Partial Load: The records of partial students pursuing a diploma or degree will be evaluated for promotion purposes when a cumulative total of 18 credit units of course work has been attempted since the student started taking courses, or since the student's record was last evaluated, whichever is the later date. Failure to meet the applicable minimum annual promotion requirement will result in the student being Required to Discontinue. At the discretion of the College, the previously unevaluated record of a student who has attempted less than 18 credit units of course work, may be omitted for purposes of calculating a Cumulative Weighted Average if the student subsequently returns to the college and obtains a weighted average of 60.0% or higher on the next 18 credit units or more of course work attempted in a regular session.

6. Probationary Students: A student is on Probation in the first year of registration after failing to meet the minimum promotion average or after being advised or Required to Discontinue by the university or any other post-secondary institution. At the discretion of the Dean of Agriculture and Bioresources a student on Probation may be Required to Discontinue attendance at the end of the first academic term if the student obtains a weighted average of less than 60.0% or has two or more failures in first term final examinations. While on Probation, the maximum course load is 30 credit units during the Regular Session. Students on Probation are not eligible for supplemental examinations.

7. Promotion Regulations (Returning Students): A student returning to the College of Agriculture and Bioresources after an absence of one year or more will be placed under the most recent promotion regulations in effect.

8. Curriculum Provisions (Returning Students): A student returning to the College of Agriculture and Bioresources after an absence of five years or more will be placed under the curriculum requirements in effect, as of the date that the student is readmitted to the college.

9. Transfer Students and Advanced Standing: (regardless of advance standing granted).

Diploma transfer students may be allowed up to a maximum 30 credit units advanced standing toward the Diploma in Agribusiness or Diploma in Agronomy programs.

Students transferring to a degree in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources must complete at least 30 credit units of approved senior course offerings while registered in the College.

10. Final Examinations: Except where courses have been granted exemption from a final exam, students are required to write the final examination to pass the class. This requirement must also be stipulated in the course syllabus.

11. Supplemental Examinations for Potential Graduates: Diploma students failing to achieve a Cumulative Weighted Average of 60% on 60 credit units in the Diploma in Agribusiness or Diploma in Agronomy in the graduating year will be permitted to write a supplemental examination in a failed course provided they have achieved a Cumulative Weighted Average of 59%. Supplemental examinations may be granted to degree students in their final undergraduate year (those with potential to graduate in May or October of that year) if the minimal promotion requirements have been met in that year, the mark in the failed course is 40.0% or better, and there is a final examination in the failed course(s). Supplemental examination results replace the previously failed grade(s) for average calculations. When a supplemental examination is granted the only part of the course being rewritten is the final examination. Other determinants (labs, mid-term tests, term papers, etc.) retain their original weight in computing the final grade for the course. Students on Probation are not eligible to write supplemental exams.

12. Supplementals for Non-Graduates: Supplemental examinations may be granted to students who are not in their final undergraduate year, in courses taught in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources and for which there is a final examination. To be eligible for consideration, the student must meet the minimum promotion requirements, the final mark in the failed course or courses must be 40.0% or better, and it must be shown that lack of a supplemental examination will cause extreme academic difficulty. For courses taught by other colleges, the supplemental examination regulations of those colleges will prevail, except that the College of Agriculture and Bioresources eligibility requirements must also be met. Students on Probation are not eligible to write supplemental exams.

13. Maximum Course Loads: A student will not be permitted to take more than a normal course load unless a Sessional Weighted Average of 70.0% was obtained in the previous year. Program-normal course load is defined as 30 credit units for first-year students and 36 credit units for upper-year students.

14. Make-up Courses to Meet Diploma or Degree Requirements: A student who has completed 60 credit units for a diploma or 120 credit units for a degree but has a Cumulative Weighted Average of less than 60.0% may take up to 18 additional credit units (18 credit weights) in order to remove this deficiency. The course(s) taken must be approved by the college in advance and for degree students only 6 credit units may be courses numbered 110 - 199. The other 12 credit units must be numbered 200.0 or greater.

15. No Repeat of Credited Courses: A student who has credit for a course is not permitted to repeat that course to obtain a higher grade.

16. Limitation on Kinesiology Activity Courses: A student may take a maximum of three credit units with the approval of the program advisors.

17. Appeal Procedures: Students wishing to appeal decisions of the College must do so in writing to the Dean of Agriculture and Bioresources prior to June 30 of each year. Students can appeal based on the following: Appeals of Standing in Program (includes overall standing, progression in the program, probationary status, and graduation on compassionate, medical or other grounds).  Decisions on appeals of program standing will be made by the College Undergraduate Programs Committee.  Appeals of graduation status will be dealt with by the Dean of Agriculture and Bioresources.