Colleges and Academic Units > Pharmacy and Nutrition

College of Pharmacy and Nutrition
Nutrition Academic Information & Policies
The following addresses college-level policies and information. For university-wide policies, please visit the U of S Policies and Regulations.
Undergraduate Degree Program
The B.Sc.(Nutrition) program involves a unique structure and a partnership with the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region, Saskatoon Health Region and other health regions and Tribal Councils in the province. Previously, University of Saskatchewan students interested in becoming dietitians completed the four-year degree in Nutrition and then competed in a national competition to obtain a one-year dietetic internship. Students now take a pre-Nutrition year and then apply to the four-year program. All of the required professional experiences are included within the nutrition degree, and all graduates, on successful completion of a national exam, qualify for professional dietetics registration. The program is accredited by Dietitians of Canada (DC), the national association for dietitians and nutritionists, and meets DC education guidelines.
The professional experiences are provided primarily through the Professional Practice courses (NUTR 230.3, NUTR 330.3, NUTR 430.3 and NUTR 531.30. NUTR 531.30 (fourth year of the program) is a 36-week* practice-based experience (Internship) and students have their home base with the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region or Saskatoon Health Region.
*This 36 week period includes a two-week break half-way through the practice-based experience.
Requirements for the Dietetics Profession
Qualification for registration as a professional dietitian includes the following components: a Bachelor's degree in Nutrition or related area and specific undergraduate courses, professional experiences and a national examination. For students at the University of Saskatchewan the professional experiences are included within the degree.
On successful completion of the national examination, graduates are eligible for professional registration through their provincial dietetics regulatory body, for membership in the national association (Dietitians of Canada) and for positions as professional dietitians.
Second Degrees
Students in the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition who wish to complete their studies toward the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science in addition to the Bachelor of Science in Nutrition are advised to consult the Arts & Science Undergraduate Office to determine the precise requirements.
Saskatchewan Community Nutrition Residency
The Division, together with Saskatoon Health Region, Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region, Sun Country Health Region, Five Hills Health Region, Cypress Health Region, Sunrise Health Region, Heartland Health Region, Kelsey Trail Health Region, Prince Albert Parkland Health Region, Prairie North Health Region and Mamawetan Churchill River Health Region, sponsor the Saskatchewan Community Nutrition Residency. This program provides advanced training in community nutrition to dietitians or individuals seeking professional dietetics qualifications through the graduate degree route.
Food Safe Certificates
Students are required to complete FoodSafe Level I and II during their program. FoodSafe Level I is an eight hour, nationally recognized training program for food handlers, and is taken in the first year. FoodSafe Level II is an eleven hour program, designed for food service managers, and is taken in conjunction with NUTR 365. Students who already hold FoodSafe Level I or equivalent (e.g., National Sanitation Training Program Certificate) and Level II certificates are not required to repeat the programs, provided that they have been taken within the last three years, but must present the certificates for consideration and entry into the student record.
Public Speaking Certificate
Students are required to complete an extramural course in public speaking during their program. A "Speechcraft" course (arranged through the Saskatoon Toastmasters Clubs) will be made available to students during their second year of the Nutrition program. A student who holds a valid certificate indicating training in public speaking may present the certificate and appropriate course information for consideration in lieu of Speechcraft, and entry into the student record.
Dean's Honour Roll
To be included on the Dean's Honour Roll, students must have a Sessional Weighted Average of 80% or greater and must have completed a minimum of 30 credit units in the Regular Session.
Degrees with Distinction
Students whose Cumulative Weighted Averages are 1.25 or more standard deviations above the mean of the average of their class and who also obtain minimum Cumulative Weighted Averages of 80.00% or greater will receive the degree with Great Distinction. Students whose Cumulative Weighted Averages are between .50 and 1.25 standard deviations above the mean of the average for their class and who also obtain minimum Cumulative Weighted Averages of 75.00% or greater will receive the degree with Distinction. Students' averages are calculated from the grades obtained on all courses taken to complete degree requirements, including failures.
Division of Nutrition & Dietetics
The Division of Nutrition and Dietetics was established in 1987. Prior to this, programs in nutrition and dietetics were offered through the College of Home Economics. A direct entry B.Sc.(Nutrition) program was offered from 1987-1998. For information on the program during this period, please see the respective Calendar issue. A revised B.Sc.(Nutrition) program was implemented in September, 1998.
Academic Standards
Standards of Academic Performance
Candidates for the degree are required to obtain an Annual Weighted Average of 60%, and CR (Completed Requirements) for the professional practice courses, and have no more than two failures in the Fall and Winter terms, or the student will be Required to Discontinue the program in Nutrition. Students who do not meet the requirements in their graduating year will be considered on an individual basis. The Annual Weighted Average is based on courses taken during the Fall and Winter Terms (September-April) and the Spring and Summer Terms immediately prior to this. Credit units indicate the relative academic weight of each course and are used to calculate the weighted average. Records of part-time students will be evaluated at 18 credit-unit intervals. Application from students who have been Required to Discontinue more than once will not be approved except in extreme circumstances. Students may be Required to Withdraw from the program for reasons other than academic.
Students Required to Discontinue
are permitted to apply for admission to another program or to Open
Studies at this university or at any other accredited post-secondary
institution for study during the year that the faculty action is in
place (called the period of rustication), except when the faculty
action is a matter of academic or non-academic discipline. Such
applications are considered on a case by case basis by the program to
which the student is applying.
Students who are Required to Discontinue
and have served the period of rustication without taking any credit
courses from this or any other accredited post-secondary institution
will be readmitted to the program, on application, provided that there
is space in the year to which they are applying to return. Students who
are Required to Discontinue, but who have taken classes here or
elsewhere during the period of rustication, will be readmitted, on
application, provided that their average in the classes taken meets the
promotion standard for the college and provided that there is space in
the year to which they are applying to return. Students who take
courses during the period of rustication and are readmitted will be
given credit, according to college policies, for these courses toward
their program.
A more complete description of academic
requirements including promotion and failures is available in the
Office of the Dean of Pharmacy & Nutrition.
Additional Regulations
Students wishing to graduate must complete the courses for the
degree within a seven year period after first registration in the
program. In exceptional circumstances permission may be granted to
continue study beyond the seven year limit. Students must meet the
degree requirements in place when the extension is granted.
The
college will try to accommodate student requests for part-time
studies/leaves from the program, however, this will depend on space
being available in the professional practice courses.
Pharmacy Academic Information & Policies
The following addresses college-level policies and information. For university-wide policies, please visit the U of S Policies and Regulations.
Degree Program
The university offers a four-year program leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy (B.S.P.). Students must have completed a minimum of one year (30 credit units) of university courses to be considered for admission. This program prepares students to enter community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, industrial pharmacy, or postgraduate study.
To receive a degree in Pharmacy from the University of Saskatchewan, a student must have completed at least 39 credit units of Pharmacy courses (carrying PHARM label) at this institution. In the case of students wishing to receive credit for courses taken at another College/Faculty of Pharmacy, courses will be reviewed individually to determine if credit will be granted. Students will be responsible for providing adequate information to allow proper review of course content.
Second Degrees
Students in the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition who wish to complete their studies toward the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science in addition to the Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy are advised to consult the Arts & Science Undergraduate Office to determine the precise requirements.
Internship
Students registered in the Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy program must register as interns with the Saskatchewan College of Pharmacists in order to participate in the required structured practical experience courses.
License
Qualification for registration as a licensed pharmacist for most provinces in Canada includes the following: a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree from an accredited program, certification with the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada and completion of structured practical training. For students at the University of Saskatchewan, the required structured practice experiences are included within the degree program. On successful completion of the degree and the qualifying examination for certification with the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada, Pharmacy graduates from the University of Saskatchewan are eligible for licensure with the Saskatchewan College of Pharmacists. Requirements for licensure in other provinces are similar, but may also include additional practical experience and/or successful completion of a jurisprudence examination.
Examining Board
Graduates of this university having the degree of Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy may apply to write the Qualifying Examinations of the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada. Passing of the examinations set by the Pharmacy Examining Board will satisfy the academic requirement of the other provincial pharmacy licensing bodies which participate in the P.E.B.C.
First Aid & CPR Certificates
Students must complete a course in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation during the Pharmacy program. At the time of graduation, each student must hold a valid Class A First Aid Certificate, and must have been certified for CPR (Level C) by the Heart Foundation within the 12 months prior to graduation. Courses in First Aid and CPR will be made available to students during the fourth year of their pharmacy program. Students may take these courses in the summer if certified courses are available to them. A student who already holds a valid certificate for either of these programs must present the certificate so a copy can be placed in their student record.
Public Speaking Certificate
Students must complete a course in public speaking during their Pharmacy program. A "Speechcraft" course (arranged through the Saskatoon Toastmasters' Clubs) will be made available to students during their second year of the Pharmacy program. A student who holds a valid certificate indicating training in public speaking must present the certificate and appropriate course information for consideration and entry into the student record.
Dean's Honour Roll
To be included on the Dean's Honour Roll, a student must have a Sessional Weighted Average of 80% or greater and must have completed a minimum of 30 credit units in the Regular Session.
Degree with Distinction
Students whose Cumulative Weighted Averages are higher than 1.25 standard deviations above the mean of the average of their class and who also obtain minimum Cumulative Weighted Averages of 80.00% will receive the degree with Great Distinction. Students whose Cumulative Weighted Averages are between .50 and 1.25 standard deviations above the mean of the average for their class and who also obtain minimum Cumulative Weighted Averages of 75.00% will receive the degree with Distinction. Students' averages are calculated from the grades obtained on all courses taken to complete degree requirements, including failures.
Academic Standards
Candidates for a degree are required to obtain an Annual Weighted Average of 60%, and have no more than two failures in the Regular Session in each year or the student will be Required to Discontinue the program in Pharmacy. Students who do not meet the requirements in their graduating year will be dealt with on an individual basis. The Annual Weighted Average is based on courses taken during the Fall and Winter Terms (September-April) and Spring and Summer Terms immediately prior to this and CR (completed requirements) in the Structured Experience and Pharmacy Skills courses. Credit units indicate the relative academic weight of each course and are used to calculate the weighted average.
The following regulations should also be noted for the B.S.P. program:
- All admission deficiencies must be removed before a student will be allowed to register in the second year.
- A student in the first year of the program may not take second-year compulsory courses.
- A student, who chooses to split the first, second or third year of the program, must consult with the Office of the Dean to determine a suitable split of courses. Students cannot split the fourth year of the program.
- A student must have completed all required courses of any given year before entry to the next year of the program.
- A student wishing to graduate must complete the courses for the degree within a seven year period after first registration in the program. In exceptional circumstances permission may be granted to continue study beyond the seven year limit. The student must meet the degree requirements in place when the extension is granted.
- A student may be Required to Withdraw from the program in Pharmacy for reasons other than academic ones.
- Any application from a prospective student who has been Required to Discontinue more than once will not be approved except in extreme circumstances.
- Students Required to Discontinue are permitted to apply for admission to another program or to Open Studies at this university or at any other accredited post-secondary institution for study during the year that the faculty action is in place (called the period of rustication), except when the faculty action is a matter of academic or non-academic discipline. Such applications are considered on a case by case basis by the program to which the student is applying. Students who are Required to Discontinue and have served the period of rustication without taking any credit courses from this or any other accredited post-secondary institution will be readmitted to the program, on application, provided that there is space in the year to which they are applying to return. Students who are Required to Discontinue, but who have taken classes here or elsewhere during the period of rustication, will be readmitted, on application, provided that their average in the classes taken meets the promotion standard for the college and provided that there is space in the year to which they are applying to return. Students who take courses during the period of rustication and are readmitted will be given credit, according to college policies, for these courses toward their program.
- A more complete description of academic requirements, including promotion and failures, is available in the Office of the Dean of Pharmacy and Nutrition.

