Undergraduate Student Communications

We’d like to remind all students who are planning to graduate in June 2024 to:

• Review your degree requirements and ensure you remain on track to graduate (complete undergraduate degree requirements by April 26, 2024.)
• If you are planning to graduate with a combination of specializations, make sure they are in different disciplines
• Ensure both your legal name and listed specialization are accurate.

Questions? Visit the website for more information.

Contact your Program Advisor for your major or schedule a drop-in appointment with an Academic & career Advisor for a grad check if you have questions. For appointments with Academic Advising, make sure you sign up early in the day (PST) as spaces are limited at this hectic time of year.

To those in your last year here at UBC Okanagan, we hope you have accumulated many friendships and memories from your time with us that you will cherish for a life-time. We wish you luck in pursuing your future endeavours and it has been our pleasure and privilege to support your success while you have been a member of the Okanagan campus community of scholars.

Wishing you every success for the upcoming year,

Dr. Scott Reid
FOS Associate Dean – Students
fos.students.ubco@ubc.ca

TO: All BSC-O and BSUS-O students with 2023W registration eligibility in IKB Faculty of Science (FoS)

FROM: Dr. Scott Reid, Associate Dean – Students

** if you have decided that your educational journey does not include the University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus please ignore this notification and we wish you success wherever your journey leads you.

To all students new to UBC’s Okanagan Campus – welcome!
To all students returning to UBC’s Okanagan Campus – welcome back!

You are receiving this email to assist you in registering for your Winter 2023 courses. We want to share some helpful information as a reminder for all students within the Faculty Science (FoS).

1. Check your email daily, including your SPAM/JUNK folder. Please read any email from UBC carefully, and act on requests immediately. The University will not accept the excuse that the student did not read the email, or misunderstood the information provided. If you are uncertain, please do not hesitate to contact our office (fos.students.ubco@ubc.ca).
2. Whenever you email a member of the UBC community, please include your student number. If you are writing about a specific course, please provide all details (e.g. course name and number, course instructor).
3. Please read the Student Declaration and Responsibility, which you need to consent to when registering for classes at UBC: https://okanagan.calendar.ubc.ca/campus-wide-policies-and-regulations/student-rights-and-responsibilities/student-declaration-and-responsibility. You should also review your rights as a member of the UBC Community: http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/okanagan/index.cfm?tree=3,293,875,0.
4. Make note of your registration date and time, found in the Student Service Centre (SSC). You are strongly encouraged to register on your registration date as seat availability is limited.Registration dates and times are emailed to students about 2 weeks before your registration day.
5. Students entering second year must declare their major before registering for courses. What’s a major? A group of courses or a field of study you specialize in during your degree. What’s a minor? A secondary concentration of courses that often complements your major. Major/minor or major/major must be from different disciplines. It is not possible to graduate with two sub-areas of one discipline. For more information, please visit ourwebsite under “Majors and Minors”.
6. Course scheduling and program option questions. Students who require assistance in building a course schedule, or have questions about our program options (majors and minors), please contact Academic & Career Advising. Upper year students with questions should contact their program advisor. You are strongly encouraged to register for courses in both Winter Term 1 and Winter Term 2 at the same time.For more information on how to register for courses and video tutorials, please visit the Student Services Registrationinformation page.
7. Conflicting Courses: In general, the university and the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science (FoS) does not support registration in courses with overlapping scheduled course activities (conflicting courses), independent of the mode of delivery of the course activities. There are two situations where registration in two courses with conflicting scheduled activity will be permitted or considered. Application for a course conflict waiver does not guarantee approval:a) If the scheduled conflict is the last 30 minutes of a lab that overlaps with the start of another course section, the student may email the department offering the lab for permission to leave lab early to attend the other course. Any conflicts longer than 30 minutes will not be approved.b) If both conflicting courses are specifically required by a student’s declared major and the student is in their graduating year (eligible to convocate in either the November or June of that academic year), then registration in courses with conflicting, scheduled activities, will be considered.  Registration in two FoS courses must be approved by the Associate Dean – Students (Dr. Reid); registration in a FoS course and a course offered by a different Faculty must be approved by both Dr. Reid and the Associate Dean – Students of that Faculty. Students that believe that they are in this unique situation must meet with an Academic Advisor or their Program Advisor to confirm that there are no other options available; the Advisor must emailfos.students.ubco@ubc.ca to confirm that they are eligible for consideration.
8. Third repeat of courses: Students must have the approval of the Faculty to attempt a course for a third time.  Students seeking such approval must request approval from the Associate Dean – Students (Dr. Reid) at fos.students.ubco@ubc.ca in accordance with the established Faculty Guidelines. Please ensure that you also indicate what year and term you would like to retake this course.As is the FoS normal procedure, if your request to attempt a course for a third time is approved your course registrations will be capped for the term in which you attempt to complete this course; a maximum of 9 credits for a winter term or 3 credits during a summer term.If approved to repeat a course a third time, this will be your final attempt at the course at UBC Okanagan.
   ​
9. Prerequisite waivers are processed by the Department offering the course. Please see below for links to application form or how to apply.Biology: https://biology.ok.ubc.ca/undergraduate/student-resources/forms/Chemistry: https://chemistry.ok.ubc.ca/undergraduate/student-resources/forms/Computer Science, Math, Physics, and Statistics (CMPS): https://cmps.ok.ubc.ca/undergraduate/student-resources/forms/Earth, Environmental, and Geographic Sciences (EEGS): Prerequisite and Co-requisite Waiver Request PDF Form
   Please email the form to eegs.okanagan@ubc.ca. Please include your registration date and time if you are requesting the waiver before registration opens. You will be notified of the decision by email.
10. Expectations and advice: Teaching and learning during the 2023/2024 academic year in FoS will predominately be in-person, but could include some online and hybrid modes of delivery (“mixed mode”).  Information on mode of delivery may be found on the Course Schedule as well as if the course requires in-person attendance or not. Consult the Section Comments for further details regarding a course. Please make sure you are familiar with the Add/Drop and Withdrawal deadlines for each term.  Withdrawing after the Add/Drop deadline of each term will result in a “W” on your academic record and you will be responsible for up to 100% of the course tuition.

Courses and programs offered in Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science (FoS): https://science.ok.ubc.ca/programs/

Indigenous Programs and Services (IPS):  https://students.ok.ubc.ca/indigenous-students/

Global Engagement Office (GEO): https://students.ok.ubc.ca/about/contact/global-engagement-office/ 

We want you to succeed! Please use the many resources available to you on our campus.
If you have any questions, you can send us an email anytime.

Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science

Location: ASC 413
Email: fos.students.ubco@ubc.ca
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fos_ubco
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fos.ubco
Website: https://science.ok.ubc.ca/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fos.ubco

Our very best wishes to you for a successful academic year!

Dr. Scott D. Reid, PhD
Associate Dean – Students
Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science

and

Ms. Jennifer Janok
Student Support Assistant to the Associate Dean – Students
Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science
fos.students.ubco@ubc.ca

Sent to all students taking courses in the IKB Faculty of Science in 2023S Term 1

• Original document required (no photocopies, scans, or photos taken by your cell phone).
• Signature of the medical professional must be in ink; digital signatures are not accepted unless stamped in ink by the clinic.
• The Faculty of Science will accept medical notes and supporting documents if they are faxed directly from the practitioner’s office to the secure fax machine in the Dean’s office (250-807-8001). The fax must include a cover page from the practitioner’s office, the student’s name in full (e.g. see the contact information required on the individual concession request forms), and the document must be dated.

Irving K Barber Faculty of Science (FoS) Forms page: https://science.ok.ubc.ca/student-resources/undergrad/student-forms/

• Courses: ASTR, BIOC, BIOL, CHEM, COSC, DATA, EESC, GEOG*, GISC, MATH, PHYS, STAT, SUST**some Course Codes and Programs are shared between Departments and Faculties. For shared course codes, the responsible Faculty is dependent on the course instructors home Department and the Faculty to which the Department belongs.

Please read our page on academic concession and complete the request for an Out of Time examination.

Email the completed form with supporting documentation to fos.students.ubco@ubc.ca, or indicate that the documentation will be faxed to 250-807-8001

Courses offered by other Faculties may have different Academic concession procedures regarding missed final exams. Please consult their Faculty pages for more information.

Good luck with your exams. Study, rest, and if you have any questions about your exams ask your instructors.

Dr. Scott D. Reid
Associate Dean, Students
Faculty of Science

Jennifer Janok
Faculty of Science – Student Support
fos.students.ubco@ubc.ca

Sent to BSC, and BSUS students from the IKB Faculty of Science

ACADEMIC CONCESSIONS for Summer Term 1 courses

The Dean’s office will not normally accept untimely submissions of academic concession requests regarding final examinations and courses. Initiating a request for an academic concession does not ensure that the concession will be approved.

All concession requests require appropriate supporting documentation, unless the accommodation request is for a religious observance or for the cultural observances of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Students. Normally, when medical documentation is provided to support an academic concession request, it must meet the following requirements:

• Original document required (no photocopies, scans, or photos taken by your cell phone).
• Signature of the medical professional must be in ink; digital signatures are not accepted unless stamped in ink by the clinic.
• The Faculty of Science will accept medical notes and supporting documents if they are faxed directly from the practitioner’s office to the secure fax machine in the Dean’s office (250-807-8001). The fax must include a cover page from the practitioner’s office, the student’s name in full (e.g. see the contact information required on the individual concession request forms), and the document must be dated.

The following Academic concessions are processed by your Home Faculty, the IKB Faculty of Science; forms can be found HERE.

Standing Deferred

Requests for Standing Deferred in any course you are currently registered in, no matter the course code, must be made as soon as possible to the time that class attendance is adversely affected. A request for Standing Deferred is usually made when events occur where the course or the final examination cannot be completed on or before June 30, 2023. If the request is approved the Dean’s Office will set a completion date.

Late Withdrawal

Friday June 16, 2023, before 11:59pm, is the last day a student can self-withdraw from a course.  A “W” will appear on the academic record and with no tuition readjustment or refund.

Withdrawal after June 16, 2023:

The Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science (FoS) does not normally approve withdrawal from courses after the Withdrawal deadline unless there are exceptional circumstances.  UBCO FoS students who need to withdraw from ANY of their Term 1 courses after the self-withdrawal date are required to submit a completed Late Withdrawal form to the Dean’s Office. All requests must be accompanied by supporting documentation. Requests must be submitted as close to the date when class attendance was adversely affected. A student will not normally be granted late withdrawal if the final examination has been sat or final assignment completed.

The Late Withdrawal concession is not a mechanism for students to avoid a failing grade in a course or courses that they attempted to complete.

For more information on Academic Concession please refer to the new campus-wide policy
https://www.calendar.ubc.ca/okanagan/index.cfm?tree=3,48,1127,0

Note:

1) Do not make travel plans or let others make travel plans on your behalf until you have consulted the schedule and identified when your exams are.  We will NOT consider Academic Concession requests based on travel plans.

2) Students are expected to write their final exams at the time scheduled to avoid hardships and clashes. In-person exams must be written in-person and on campus as online alternatives will not be provided. If an alternative time and date for a final exam has been requested and approved, the delayed or deferred exam will be delivered in the same format or mode as the originally scheduled final examination.

4) The final examination period can be a busy and stressful time for students, especially for those experiencing university final examinations for the first time.  Preparation in advance of your exams and time management during your exams can have a positive impact on your academic performance.  The Student Learning Hub can assist you in preparing for your exams and for improving your overall study habits.  If you require support for your overall well-being prior to and during the final examination period, contact Student Wellness.

5) If you feel you need some extra personal support, you can explore resources provided by Student Wellness. You can make an appointment to talk with a counsellor by emailing: healthwellness.okanagan@ubc.ca

6) Finally, if you submit a request or contact the “wrong” Dean’s office or Associate Dean, we, the Associate Deans of FoS, FASS and FCCS and others, will make sure that your request is directed to the most appropriate person/office and that we will all support you to the best of our ability and in compliance with the Academic Calendar for the Okanagan campus.

Good luck with your exams. Study, rest, and if you have any questions about your exams ask your instructors.

Dr. Scott D. Reid
Associate Dean, Students
Faculty of Science

Jennifer Janok
Faculty of Science – Student Support
fos.students.ubco@ubc.ca

Sent to all students taking courses in the IKB Faculty of Science in 2023S Term 1

• Original document required (no photocopies, scans, or photos taken by your cell phone).
• Signature of the medical professional must be in ink; digital signatures are not accepted unless stamped in ink by the clinic.
• The Faculty of Science will accept medical notes and supporting documents if they are faxed directly from the practitioner’s office to the secure fax machine in the Dean’s office (250-807-8001). The fax must include a cover page from the practitioner’s office, the student’s name in full (e.g. see the contact information required on the individual concession request forms), and the document must be dated.

Irving K Barber Faculty of Science (FoS) Forms page: https://science.ok.ubc.ca/student-resources/undergrad/student-forms/

• Courses: ASTR, BIOC, BIOL, CHEM, COSC, DATA, EESC, GEOG*, GISC, MATH, PHYS, STAT, SUST**some Course Codes and Programs are shared between Departments and Faculties. For shared course codes, the responsible Faculty is dependent on the course instructors home Department and the Faculty to which the Department belongs.

Please read our page on academic concession and complete the request for an Out of Time examination.

Email the completed form with supporting documentation to fos.students.ubco@ubc.ca, or indicate that the documentation will be faxed to 250-807-8001

Courses offered by other Faculties may have different Academic concession procedures regarding missed final exams. Please consult their Faculty pages for more information.

Good luck with your exams. Study, rest, and if you have any questions about your exams ask your instructors.

Dr. Scott D. Reid
Associate Dean, Students
Faculty of Science

Jennifer Janok
Faculty of Science – Student Support
fos.students.ubco@ubc.ca

Sent to BSC, and BSUS students from the IKB Faculty of Science

ACADEMIC CONCESSIONS for Summer Term 1 courses

The Dean’s office will not normally accept untimely submissions of academic concession requests regarding final examinations and courses. Initiating a request for an academic concession does not ensure that the concession will be approved.

All concession requests require appropriate supporting documentation, unless the accommodation request is for a religious observance or for the cultural observances of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Students. Normally, when medical documentation is provided to support an academic concession request, it must meet the following requirements:

• Original document required (no photocopies, scans, or photos taken by your cell phone).
• Signature of the medical professional must be in ink; digital signatures are not accepted unless stamped in ink by the clinic.
• The Faculty of Science will accept medical notes and supporting documents if they are faxed directly from the practitioner’s office to the secure fax machine in the Dean’s office (250-807-8001). The fax must include a cover page from the practitioner’s office, the student’s name in full (e.g. see the contact information required on the individual concession request forms), and the document must be dated.

The following Academic concessions are processed by your Home Faculty, the IKB Faculty of Science; forms can be found HERE.

Standing Deferred

Requests for Standing Deferred in any course you are currently registered in, no matter the course code, must be made as soon as possible to the time that class attendance is adversely affected. A request for Standing Deferred is usually made when events occur where the course or the final examination cannot be completed on or before June 30, 2023. If the request is approved the Dean’s Office will set a completion date.

Late Withdrawal

Friday June 16, 2023, before 11:59pm, is the last day a student can self-withdraw from a course.  A “W” will appear on the academic record and with no tuition readjustment or refund.

Withdrawal after June 16, 2023:

The Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science (FoS) does not normally approve withdrawal from courses after the Withdrawal deadline unless there are exceptional circumstances.  UBCO FoS students who need to withdraw from ANY of their Term 1 courses after the self-withdrawal date are required to submit a completed Late Withdrawal form to the Dean’s Office. All requests must be accompanied by supporting documentation. Requests must be submitted as close to the date when class attendance was adversely affected. A student will not normally be granted late withdrawal if the final examination has been sat or final assignment completed.

The Late Withdrawal concession is not a mechanism for students to avoid a failing grade in a course or courses that they attempted to complete.

For more information on Academic Concession please refer to the new campus-wide policy
https://www.calendar.ubc.ca/okanagan/index.cfm?tree=3,48,1127,0

Note:

1) Do not make travel plans or let others make travel plans on your behalf until you have consulted the schedule and identified when your exams are.  We will NOT consider Academic Concession requests based on travel plans.

2) Students are expected to write their final exams at the time scheduled to avoid hardships and clashes. In-person exams must be written in-person and on campus as online alternatives will not be provided. If an alternative time and date for a final exam has been requested and approved, the delayed or deferred exam will be delivered in the same format or mode as the originally scheduled final examination.

4) The final examination period can be a busy and stressful time for students, especially for those experiencing university final examinations for the first time.  Preparation in advance of your exams and time management during your exams can have a positive impact on your academic performance.  The Student Learning Hub can assist you in preparing for your exams and for improving your overall study habits.  If you require support for your overall well-being prior to and during the final examination period, contact Student Wellness.

5) If you feel you need some extra personal support, you can explore resources provided by Student Wellness. You can make an appointment to talk with a counsellor by emailing: healthwellness.okanagan@ubc.ca

6) Finally, if you submit a request or contact the “wrong” Dean’s office or Associate Dean, we, the Associate Deans of FoS, FASS and FCCS and others, will make sure that your request is directed to the most appropriate person/office and that we will all support you to the best of our ability and in compliance with the Academic Calendar for the Okanagan campus.

Good luck with your exams. Study, rest, and if you have any questions about your exams ask your instructors.

Dr. Scott D. Reid
Associate Dean, Students
Faculty of Science

Jennifer Janok
Faculty of Science – Student Support
fos.students.ubco@ubc.ca