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Appealing an Academic Regulation

You might experience a circumstance that could warrant a waiver of an academic regulation. Some examples of common appeals include: 

1. Back-date a drop of a course – Requesting a course be dropped retroactively, after the last day to add/drop courses for the term has passed. (In some instances, this may subject to a $50 processing fee).
2. Change from Audit to Credit – Requesting the course be retroactively changed from auditing the course to taking the course for credit or vice versa.
3. Defer an academic dismissal – Requesting that your academic dismissal be deferred and allow for you to continue your studies on academic probation.
   Note: if you have been away for more than two consecutive terms, you will need to submit a new application for admission, rather than an academic waiver. 
4. Grade change – Requesting that your final grade be changed to ILL, Credit (CR) or No Credit (NCR) for compassionate reasons or extenuating circumstances.
   
5. Retroactive registration – Requesting to be registered in a course(s) after the add/drop deadline.
6. Waive a faculty degree requirement – Requesting that a degree requirement for your degree (for example six hours of social sciences courses) be waived.
7. Waive language requirement – Requesting the language requirement for your degree be waived.
8. Waive writing requirement – Requesting the writing requirement for your degree be waived.
9. Waiver of 10-year rule (ºÚÁϳԹÏÍøCourses) – Requesting that courses taken over the maximum allowable year requirement (years vary by faculty) be counted towards your degree.
10. Waiver of 10-year rule (Transfer Credits) - Requesting that transfer credit courses taken over the maximum allowable year requirement (years vary by faculty) be counted towards your degree.
11. Concurrent Degree – requesting permission to take two ºÚÁϳԹÏÍødegrees simultaneously, e.g. a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Engineering. 
    

If you have questions about a grade or if you are conisdering an appeal, meet with an academic advisor for assistance.

How to appeal a regulation

You can use the Apply for Academic Waiver link in ‘Web for Students’ in to submit a request to waive an academic regulation, or to apply for an ILL grade for compassionate reasons.

In some cases, you will need to apply using the form, rather than submitting through DalOnline. Waivers will be accepted on this form if they meet one of the conditions below:

• You are a student on a graduate program
• You no longer have access to your DalOnline
• You are applying for permission to register on a concurrent degree program (after gaining Admission to both degrees)
• You are a Journalism student (Contact the King’s Registrar’s Office)

All other requests must be submitted through DalOnline.

When completing your application, make sure that your arguments and expectations are clearly stated in the comments box. Once submitted through DalOnline, your application will be sent directly to your home faculty for review and approval.

You can check on the status of your application at any time through DalOnline, by clicking into the Apply for Academic Waiver link to see your pending or completed applications.

Departmental waivers

To request a waiver of a Departmental Requirement, e.g. accepting/substituting/waiving a course in a Major/Minor/Certificate, consult with the Advisor/Coordinator in the Department, who will notify the Registrar's Office of the approved changes via degreeaudit@dal.ca to have your updated.

How to appeal a final grade

If you have questions or concerns about a final grade, you are encouraged to discuss them with your instructor. If the matter cannot be resolved informally, you can begin a formal reassessment process by filling out a . Make sure that you clearly identify the specific component you wish to have reassessed and the grounds for your request. Your completed request form can be submitted to the Registrar's Office, and the grade reassessment fee ($50) can be made . This fee is refundable if the grade is changed.

The Registrar will forward your request to the Dean of the faculty or Director of the college/school offering the course. The reassessment will then be carried out according to the procedures developed for this purpose by the faculty/school/college. These procedures should reflect the academic disciplines and assessment involved, and should provide for a review of the assessment by a qualified person not responsible for the original evaluation.

Once the reassessment is complete, you will be notified by the Registrar's Office of the outcome. If the reassessment results in the assignment of a new grade (higher or lower), the new grade will replace the original one and the $50 fee will be refunded.

For more information about the grade reassessment process, you should contact the faculty/school/college that is offering the course in question.