Glossary

A university staff member who provides guidance on course selection, degree requirements, and academic planning.

An academic calendar lists the courses and programs offered at Dal, subject by subject, and includes information on admissions requirements, university regulations and degree requirements. 

Academic Calendars form the official contract with you as a student. You’ll follow the regulations contained in the academic calendar published the year you begin your degree at Dalhousie. In some cases, it’s possible to be switched to a later calendar year — contact an academic advisor to find out more about this option. 

Dalhousie has three academic calendars: Undergraduate, Graduate, Dentistry-Law-Medicine. They are all released annually on March 1.

This is a warning to students that their academic performance is unsatisfactory and that they will be dismissed from their program unless their performance improves by the end of the next term. Please refer to the Section 19, Academic Regulations of the Academic Calendar to find about more about the rules and regulations surrounding this.

A distinct group of courses and requirements which make up a degree or other university-awarded credential. 

Advanced-Level or A Level Predicted Results are required from all students following a British pattern curriculum. We require an official copy of this document which must be emailed to admissions.documents@dal.ca from the issuing institution.

Applicants completing their examinations through Cambridge can submit final results unofficially at any time, as Dalhousie can verify final results through the Cambridge digital portal. 

AS Level Final Results are required from all students following a British pattern curriculum.

We require an official copy of this document which must be emailed to admissions.documents@dal.ca from the issuing institution.

Applicants completing their examinations through Cambridge can submit final results unofficially at any time, as Dalhousie can verify final results through the Cambridge digital portal

The area in which university grounds and buildings, including classrooms, offices, services, and residences, are located. E.g. Studley Campus. 

The term candidate applies to a doctoral student who has fulfilled all the requirements for their chosen PhD except for the submission and defence of the thesis. As a candidate, you will have successfully completed the residency requirement, all course work, qualifying and comprehensive examinations (as applicable), and thesis proposal defence (if applicable) for your PhD. This status is equivalent to the common terms "all but the thesis" or "all but dissertation" used at some institutions. The term candidate does not apply to a Master’s degree student.

CASPer or Casper is an online, open-response situational judgment test (SJT) designed to assess your reactions to challenging scenarios and, crucially, the reasoning behind your actions. This evaluation helps to identify the behavioral tendencies of applicants aiming for people-oriented professions. All nursing, veterinary technology, physiotherapy, and medical education programs at Dalhousie require a CASPer Test.

Challenge for credit is one way the university may assess and attach specific value to a student’s prior experiential learning outside of the university environment.

See internship.

A combined degree allows students to work towards two credentials, typically at the graduate level, in a reduced amount of time. For example, Dalhousie was the first university in Canada to offer a combined Juris Doctor (JD) and Master of Information (MI), which allows students to receive both degrees in four years, rather than five, if taken separately.

A competitive program is an academic or professional program that receives a high number of applications but has limited spots, making the selection process selective.

A list of grade 12 courses is a list of the courses you have already taken at the grade 12 level, or that you are registered for in your grade 12 year. This is most often requested when a transcript does not include current year registration. If we have requested this from you, it can be uploaded through the Application Portal from October 15th - January 31st.

A concurrent degree involves pursuing two undergraduate degrees simultaneously. While some credits may overlap and count toward both degrees, you should expect a longer study duration, typically requiring at least two additional years to complete both programs.

The tuition fees charged to graduate students who have fulfilled their program fee requirements but have yet to complete all their degree requirements. See Faculty of Graduate Studies Regulations.

Convocation refers to the ceremony that recognizes the culmination of your academic journey, a celebratory event where graduates are recognized by their professors, peers and the wider Dalhousie community. Throughout this celebratory period, you will be welcomed into the Dalhousie alumni family. 

A program where your academic study is combined with career related work experience. 

Requirement which can be fulfilled concurrently with the course being considered.

A unit of study in a subject area. Courses are identified by a course/subject label, number, credit value, and title e.g. ENGL 1100.03: Writing for University.

A Master’s program of study based on course work which may also include a research project. This includes many of the professional graduate programs. Some of these programs also offer a thesis option.

A unit by which university course work is measured. One course is normally worth one-half credit. 

A unit by which university course work is measured. One course is normally equal to three credit hours. Typically, either 90 or 120 credit hours are required to complete a program.

Each course has a course reference number (CRN) attached to it. This unique number is specific and is used when registering for courses. e.g. The CRN for the first section of ENGL 1100.03: Writing for University is 21083.

These courses contain content that deals with more than one subject area in a substantive way. The cross-listing recognizes the interdisciplinary nature of the course. Cross-listed courses can be found under more than one faculty in the Academic Calendar, as they are offered by multiple faculties or departments. E.g. MATH1060: Introductory Statistics for Science and Health Sciences is cross listed with statistics as STAT1060. It is the same course offered two ways.

A course you choose to take outside of the requirements to complete your program, allowing for exploration of other subjects. These requirements are explained in the Academic Calendar.

A structured program which prepares individuals for the full scope of practice in a particular profession. Admission to these programs is competitive and often requires completion of course work or a full degree at the undergraduate level. Examples of entry to practice programs include Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy and Social Work.

An exclusion is a course with similar content a student cannot take both courses and receive credit. They are slightly different, in that a minority of content is specific to the program offering the class, but the majority of the content is the same. STAT 1060 is a example of cross-listing and exclusions.

Similar to an internship, an externship is a short-term professional learning experience. But instead of completing job tasks, externs shadow professionals to learn more about the field.

Students who meet the required cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.00 are in good academic standing, except for students in the Bachelor of Science (Nursing) admitted 2016 or later where a cumulative GPA of 2.30 is required.

Standing is assessed at the end of the academic term. For the fall term, standing is assessed the first week of January, winter term standing is assessed the first week of May, and for the summer term, standing is assessed the last week of August. If you don’t meet the requirements to be in good standing, you will be placed on academic probation or academically dismissed from your program. 

Your GPA is the weighted sum of your grade points earned, divided by the number of credit hours enrolled. Dalhousie calculates two GPAs:

• Term GPA: Specific to the courses taken in a single term. 
• Cumulative GPA: All courses taken while registered in a level of study.

Graduate Student Information System. The electronic database used to approve graduate student program requirements and progress.

A student with a Bachelor’s degree, usually with Honours or equivalent, enrolled in a Master’s, Doctoral, or a graduate diploma program. 

When you are absent from your program for more than two consecutive terms, we require a statement outlining what activities and/or studies were undertaken during that time. This information must be submitted by completing a form in the application for admission. 

A letter of intent is a document that describes your academic and personal history, your interest in a program or field that you are pursuing, and your future goals. It is an admissions committee’s opportunity to learn about you, your experiences, and what is motivating you to apply to their program. It should also provide information that will assure the admissions committee you will succeed and contribute positively to the campus community during your time there. Undergraduate programs under the Faculty of Health require a letter of intent. 

A Letter of Permission authorizes a Dalhousie student to take a course/courses at another institution for credit towards a Dalhousie qualification. You must apply for, obtain your Letter of Permission and upload it to your Application Portal in advance of taking the course(s).

Programs at Dalhousie University are broken into three primary levels of study: 

• Undergraduate – The first level of university studies you apply to from high school
  • Example: Bachelor 
• Graduate & Professional – Programs that require a minimum amount of study or experience prior to entry, such as a Bachelor’s degree or one-two years of preparatory courses.
  • Example: Master, PhD
• Non-degree – Courses or programs that are completed on a course-by-course basis without working towards the completion of a degree such as required courses for future programs (i.e. medicine, nursing, etc.) or courses for interest/professional development.
  • Example: Certificate

Your NetID is the unique username you will use to log in to Dalhousie systems.

A part-time graduate student paying program fees is a student who has been approved by the department and the Faculty of Graduate Studies as working part-time on their graduate degree. A part-time graduate student is taking less than nine credit hours per term.

Some degrees and programs at Dal charge fees according to the number of courses taken in any given term instead of more encompassing term fees. 

In addition to the application documents normally required, students who are seeking readmission to Dalhousie following an academic dismissal or who are applying to transfer to Dalhousie after a period of poor performance at another institution are required to submit a letter with a personal statement. This letter is an appeal to the admissions committee and should be treated with the seriousness that entails. This information must be submitted by completing a form in the application for admission.

PhD stands for Doctor of Philosphy, the highest level of degree awarded by a university.

AS Level Predicted Results are required from all students following a British pattern curriculum. In our Self-Reporting Period, from October 15th - January 31st, an applicant can upload this result through the Application Portal.

After January 31st, we require an official copy of this document which must be emailed to admissions.documents@dal.ca from the issuing institution.

Applicants completing their examinations through Cambridge can submit final results unofficially at any time, as Dalhousie can verify final results through the Cambridge digital portal.

A requirement that must be fulfilled prior to registering for a specific course. 

The status of probation signifies that you have been warned that your academic performance is unsatisfactory and that you will be dismissed from your program if your performance does not improve by the end of the next term.

The program fee is based on total tuition for a specified number of years, varying according to academic program. If you do not complete your program within the specified number of years, you must pay a continuing fee. 

English Language Proof is required when you are  applying from a country where English is not the primary language of instruction in schools. There are several ways an applicant can satisfy the Proof of Language Proficiency requirement, which are detailed on our website here. If you have not yet completed an appropriate English as a Second Language (ESL) test, your application will still be reviewed and an offer of admission may still be made with the condition that you provide proof of English proficiency by a set date.

An official in a university who is responsible for keeping student records.

The office is responsible for maintaining student records, including course registrations, grades, and transcripts.

In many programs, students can repeat a course to improve their GPA. When a course is repeated, the higher grade is kept, and the lower grade is excluded from your GPA. There are faculty and program-specific regulations about what can be repeated, and how many times. Check the academic calendar or speak to an academic advisor to find out more.

The period of time that graduate students are expected to be on campus for fulfillment of their formal program requirements. In some programs, part of the residency period may, with permission, include some time off campus (e.g. for fieldwork or research). 

A rolling deadline is an application process where submissions are reviewed as they are received, rather than after a set deadline. Decisions are made continuously until all spots are filled, providing flexibility for applicants to apply at any time.

 A Master’s or Doctoral program of study involving a major research component in the form of a written thesis.  

A transcript is the complete history of your academic record. Dalhousie does not issue partial transcripts, e.g. a portion of a student’s record pertaining to registration in a particular degree, faculty, or level of study. 

A student who has previously completed course work at the university, college, or CEGEP level that may be considered as completed requirements in their Dalhousie studies.

The cost of attending courses, typically charged per credit hour or per academic term.

A person permitted to take courses at Dalhousie for transfer of credit to another university.

a. A person permitted to take courses at Dalhousie for transfer of credit to another university (Letter of Permission required). 

b. A person permitted to work with a Dalhousie researcher for thesis work at another university (Research).