Curriculum Information

Ryerson offers via RAMSS (my.ryerson.ca (opens in new window) ) an Academic Advisement Report tool for Undergraduate degree students which provides a progress-to-date audit for meeting degree graduation requirements.

For instructions, see "How to View My Advisement Report".

Students are advised to regularly generate an Academic Advisement Report from their RAMSS Student Centre, 'My Academics' link to:

• Check the accuracy of their record, including approved transfer and challenge credits and course substitutions or directives granted
  
• Assist with the Course Intention process to determine remaining program requirements
  
• Ensure course selections fulfill program requirements

The Academic Advisement Report should be generated each semester when grades are finalized and each time students make a change to their academic record i.e., add, drop or swap courses.

The RAMSS self-service Academic Advisement Report shows:

• all graded courses
  
• all enrolled courses
  
• all transfer and challenge credit courses granted
  
• program course (curriculum) requirements
  
• how completed, current, transfer and challenge credit courses fulfill degree requirements; and
  
• extra courses that have been completed but are not being applied toward meeting degree requirements.

The Academic Advisement Report, in conjunction with the appropriate undergraduate calendar, should be used as a guide when selecting courses for enrolment. This report does not represent an irrevocable contract between the student and the University.

Upon submission of an Application to Graduate, the official eligibility to meet degree requirements will be assessed in a students' final year by the Curriculum Advising Office as soon as an application to graduate is received.

It is the responsibility of the student to understand and to meet the requirements for graduation. If inaccuracies are found, students should identify the problem(s) and contact their program department immediately.

For more information see: Graduation and Convocation (opens in new window) 

Note: The Academic Advisement Report is not available to part-time undergraduate students admitted before Fall 2009. Part-time undergraduate students who do not have an online Academic Advisement Report can request a manual audit using the Manual Advisement Report Request form. All requests must be received by the applicable deadline dates reflected on the form.

A Course Substitution/Course Directive allows an undergraduate student to substitute one Ryerson course for another within their program curriculum. All degree level courses successfully completed at Ryerson during the undergraduate student's program of study and/or before their admission to an undergraduate program are eligible for substitution (subject to assessment for program relevancy).

In some cases, the required course is not being offered in the term requested by the student, or it may be because changes to a program’s curriculum or a transfer credit. The substitute course must be of equal value (course weight) and same level of difficulty and can only be used once toward graduation requirements. Course Substitution/Course Directive application forms are available online through Office of the Registrar's Forms for Students page (opens in new window) .

Approval, by way of signatures from both the teaching and program departments is required before students can submit the form to the Curriculum Advising Office c/o Office of the Registrar (opens in new window)  Client Services located in the ServiceHub (opens in new window)  (POD 150). Curriculum Advising will assess the suitability of the substitution only and authorizations will be recorded. Approved Course Substitutions/Course Directives will be reflected on Academic Advisement Reports available on RAMSS. In the case of part-time students and certificate students, a notation will be placed on the unofficial transcript. Students will be notified by Ryerson e-mail if requests have been denied.

PLEASE NOTE: Forms should be filled in, signatures obtained, and approvals received BEFORE the substituting course is taken.

Policies contained in the official calendars supersede any information received to the contrary. Information received from service or program departments or faculties must be approved in advance, in writing, from the Office of the Registrar (opens in new window) .

Policies published in this course calendar supersede any previously provided Transfer Credit information.

The Transfer Credit Unit (opens in new window) , Office of the Registrar, has authority to apply and enforce the Transfer Credit policies, and supersede decisions issued by service or academic departments.

The Transfer Credit Unit reserves the right to amend policies, rules, procedures and revise equivalencies, as needed, without notice.

Transfer Credit Eligibility

Transfer Credit refers to course equivalencies granted toward a Ryerson course based on assessment of acceptable course work completed at an accredited post-secondary institution before being admitted to Ryerson. Transfer Credit is granted when course content, weight and level is deemed equivalent to a Ryerson course.

Ryerson will confirm Transfer Credit once a student has accepted their Offer of Admission to a degree program or has registered in a certificate program.

External courses or programs that are listed as restricted on the Offer of Admission are not eligible for Transfer Credit assessment.

Should an Offer of Admission be cancelled or revoked, Ryerson will automatically void all Transfer Credits.

Course content is subject to change with time. To meet current curriculum, accreditation and learning outcomes, some courses completed ten or more years ago may not be recognized for transfer credit (for example, Computer Science, Nursing, Media studies, etc.)

Only official academic transcripts, issued by the host institution, are accepted as confirmation of incoming course information. Statutory declarations, or affidavits, are not accepted in place of transcripts.

Detailed course outlines issued by the institution attended are required for faculty evaluation of applications. The Transfer Credit Unit and faculty evaluators reserve the right to refuse inadequate outlines, as well as ask for more course details to determine course equivalency.

Course outlines must be in English. If the original material is not in English, a certified translation of the course outline is required as well as the original course outline. Exception: uncertified translations of French course outlines will be accepted.

An application for courses previously completed at Ryerson is not required. Previously completed Ryerson courses will remain on a student's record even if a student transfers programs. Courses completed at Ryerson may fulfill the requirements of any Ryerson program (if applicable).

Grades and Grade Point Average

Courses from accredited universities will be considered for transfer credit when successfully completed with a minimum grade of 60 percent or C-.

Courses from accredited post-secondary colleges and institutions of technology will be considered for transfer credit when successfully completed with a minimum grade of 70 percent or B-. Some college courses will not be considered for transfer credit regardless of the grade achieved.

Performance indicators other than alpha or percentage grades are not acceptable for Transfer Credit, for example PSD (passed), CRT (credit), EXP (exempt), EXM (exam), and the like.

Transfer Credit is recorded on the Ryerson student academic record as CRT (credit) and is not used in the calculation of the Ryerson Cumulative Grade Point Average.

Transfer Credit cannot be used to replace course(s) taken at Ryerson for Grade Point Average adjustment.

Ryerson Program Requirements

Students are responsible for confirming Transfer Credit Application results on their Transfer Credit Report on the RAMSS tab of my.ryerson.ca.
Not all granted Transfer Credits may be applicable toward a program's graduation requirements.

If the Transfer Credit granted affects course enrolment or course intentions, students are required to adjust their course enrolments or intentions within deadlines specified in Significant Dates of the current calendar.

No more than 50 percent of the program's graduation requirements may consist of advanced standing and/or course credits, such as Transfer Credits, Letter of Permission credits, and Challenge Credits.

Requirements for Minors

Transfer Credits are applicable toward the requirements of a Minor.

Direct Entry Program students are not required to apply for Transfer Credit for courses that are part of the Direct Entry Program exemptions in order to have the courses count toward the requirements of a Minor. These courses are automatically counted toward fulfilling the requirements of a Minor.

Transferring Between Ryerson Programs

Ryerson awards Transfer Credit based on the program’s course requirements; students transferring from one Ryerson program to another may need to have their Transfer Credit reassessed.

The Transfer Credit Unit can confirm if previously granted Transfer Credits may be applicable toward the new program of study. Note: PRE GEN (Generic Professionally Related) credits will not be applicable toward the new program requirements.

Engineering Programs

Engineering program applicants should not expect to receive Transfer Credit for engineering related discipline courses from programs not accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB).

Transfer Credit Reassessment

Transfer Credit results may be re-evaluated with the submission of a Transfer Credit Reassessment. A Reassessment must be received within one calendar year of the original results being issued. Reassessments are evaluated based on new evidence and cannot be considered for decisions based on the external institution accreditation status or due to failure to meet the minimum grade requirement. Reassessments are also not considered if the incoming course is deemed to have not met the currency of content, level, minimum weight, and/or course hour requirements.

Transfer Credit Reassessment decisions are final. Additional reassessments for the same course will not be accepted.

Ryerson’s Challenge Credit policy enables students to earn academic credit for a Ryerson course in recognition of skills and knowledge gained outside the traditional post-secondary school environment e.g. through work experience. The experience gained replicates the subject matter of the material.

The non-refundable fee per challenge is $175 (subject to change). The Challenge Credit Application is available online at Office of the Registrar's Forms for Students page (opens in new window)  or from the Office of the Registrar (opens in new window)  Client Services located in the ServiceHub (opens in new window)  (POD 150). A successful Challenge Credit is recorded on the student's academic record as a CHG, and is not included in the student’s Grade Point Average. A failed Challenge Credit is not recorded on a student's academic record and again is not included in the student’s Grade Point Average.

Not all courses are available for challenge. Students should consult the appropriate teaching department.

The Ted Rogers School of Business Management does not allow Challenge Credit for courses taught by the School. The Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science, and the Faculty of Science does not allow Challenge Credit for courses taught by the Faculty.

A maximum of five single-term Challenge Credits may be acquired in a degree program. A maximum of two single-term Challenge Credits may be obtained in a certificate program.

A student may not challenge a course in which he or she is or has previously enrolled at Ryerson or any other institution, or which he or she has already challenged and has previously failed.

No more than 50 percent of a program’s requirements may consist of credits/advanced standing (Transfer Credits, Challenge Credits or credits granted on a Letter of Permission).

Challenge Credit policies contained in this official calendar supersede any information received to the contrary. Information received from service or program departments or faculties must be approved in advance, in writing, from the Office of the Registrar (opens in new window) .

NOTE: 'Special Students' and students who have a SUSPENDED or REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW Academic Standing are not eligible to apply for Challenge Credits.

Students must have received and accepted an Undergraduate Offer of Admission or have registered in a G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education Certificate program before they are eligible to apply for a Challenge Credit.

A Letter of Permission (LOP) grants Ryerson students permission to enrol in a course at another accredited post-secondary institution and confirms credit will be applied toward their Ryerson program. Credits will not be granted for courses taken at another institution if an approved Letter of Permission has not been issued before course enrolment. Students must meet eligibility and satisfy all other requirements.

The Letter of Permission application form is available on-line through the Office of the Registrar's Forms for Students page.

Students are responsible for making formal application to the institution where they intend to study.

To request a letter of permission, students must:

• be active in a program of study at Ryerson University
  
• be in good academic (clear) standing in the session before enrolment at the host institution
  
• request courses that are applicable to their Ryerson program curriculum requirements

No more than a total of 50 percent of a program’s requirements may consist of credits/advanced standing, (transfer credits, challenge credits or credits granted on a Letter of Permission).

Courses from accredited universities will be considered for transfer credit when successfully completed with a minimum grade of 60 percent or C-. Courses from accredited post-secondary colleges and institutions of technology will be considered for transfer credit when successfully completed with a minimum grade of 70 percent of B-. Some college courses will not be considered for transfer credit regardless of the grade achieved.

Performance indicators other than alpha or percentage grades are not acceptable for Transfer Credit. Courses taken on a Letter of Permission will not count in the term or the cumulative GPA (grade point average).

Students have three months from the time of completion of the course to have the LOP credit posted to their Ryerson student record. An official transcript issued in a sealed envelope by the host institution must be submitted to the Ryerson Transfer Credit Unit (opens in new window) .

Policies contained in this official calendar supersede any information received to the contrary. Information received from service or program departments or faculties must be approved in advance, in writing, from the Office of the Registrar (opens in new window) .