College of Pharmacy Regulations

All students are required to observe the University Regulations and Academic Regulations as described in this Calendar. The academic performance of each student in the College is assessed by the Student Promotions Committee.

Academic Requirements

Workload

Students are required to successfully complete all practice experience rotations. These placements may be outside the Halifax/Dartmouth area. Students are responsible for any travel, accommodation and any other costs associated with practice experience rotations.

The curriculum is composed of problem-based learning (PBL) and other courses, which may include tutorials, lectures, labs, practice experience and other components. (See IV. Programs offered).

BSc (Pharm)

To satisfy the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy, a student must achieve a grade of Pass in each prescribed component. PBL courses vary in length from three to seven weeks, and are weighted as either 1.5, 3, or 6 credit hours. Each academic year totals 27, 31.5, or 33 credit hours, with the program total being 123 credit hours.

PharmD

To satisfy the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), a student must achieve a grade of Pass in each prescribed component. Each academic year totals 48, 43, 38 or 32 credit hours, with the program total being161credit hours.

Academic Recognition

Awards

The College of Pharmacy Awards Committee administers a number of awards, each with defined criteria. Selection of award recipients described as the “student who excels” is based on a combination of performance in knowledge assessments and in tutorials. Eligibility for In-course Scholarships is determined on the basis of knowledge assessments alone.

Dean’s List

Students will be assessed for Dean’s List based on their knowledge assessments and class standing in the annual “Progress Exam.” No student who has obtained a failing grade (FM or F) will be eligible for the Dean’s List in the year in question.

Distinction

Students who have been on the Dean’s List for three of the four years of the Pharmacy Program and a cumulative GPA of 3.70 or higher will graduate with Distinction.

 

Assessment

1. Grading is on a Pass/Fail basis, and grades recorded on the official University transcript are “Pass”, "Marginal Fail" or “Fail” (P, FM, F). Students must pass all components of the year in which they are registered to proceed to the next year. The passing grade for knowledge assessments is 60% unless otherwise indicated.
2. Student performance will be assessed during and at the end of each PBL course. Assessment will be of both the learning process and the knowledge/skills achieved. Tutors will provide informal assessment of the student’s learning process throughout a PBL course and a formal assessment (student tutorial performance assessment) at the completion of a course. Knowledge/skills will be assessed as described in the syllabus provided for each course.
3. To pass a PBL course, a student must pass both the student tutorial performance assessment and the course knowledge assessment.
4. A student who fails no more than one academic course will be assigned a grade of marginal failure (FM) in that course. The student must meet with the Associate Director, Student Affairs to discuss remediation and/or support. More than one failure will result in all failed course being assigned the grade of Fail (F).
5. The Student Promotions Committee of the College of Pharmacy is responsible for monitoring the academic progress of students and providing recommendations to faculty regarding promotion and graduation of students. Students who seek redress for the application of the regulations of the College of Pharmacy should refer to the appeals process described in Appeals section below.
6. Attendance at the tutorials, skills laboratory and practice experience program (PEP) is mandatory. Absence must be supported with a valid reason, such as illness with a medical certificate or other reason approved by the Undergraduate Education Committee. Other absences will be reported to the Student Promotions Committee and may be reason for failure.

Reassessment of a Grade

See Academic Regulation 16.7. In all cases of reassessment, the calculations used to arrive at the final grade will be checked. In those courses where the student has had ample time to consider marks obtained for all work done, except for the final examination, reassessment in such courses shall be done on the final examination only. For other courses, a reassessment shall include the results from all work not previously available to the student during the term.

Supplemental Assessment

1. A student who receives a grade of FM is eligible for remedial work and supplemental assessment.
2. A student who fails one PBL student tutorial performance assessment must undertake remedial work during the following course, organized by the Associate Director, Student Affairs. If the failure occurs in the final course of the year, remediation will occur during the summer. The student must successfully complete the remedial work and supplemental assessment to achieve a Pass.
3. A student who fails the knowledge assessment or other requirement outlined in the syllabus of a PBL or non-PBL course will be required to do remedial work and must pass a supplemental assessment, which will be scheduled by the course coordinator in consultation with the Associate Director, Student Affairs and the students involved.
4. If a student fails one PBL or non-PBL course, the grade will be recorded as "FM" on the student's transcript. Failure to pass the remedial work and supplemental assessment will lead to conversion of the grade to "F". If the student successfully completes the remedial work and supplemental assessment, the passing grade will then be added to the transcript and recorded as “P” with a notation that the grade was earned by supplemental assessment.
5. Failure in a second course (either a PBL or non-PBL course) will negate a pass that may have been achieved by supplemental assessment in the first failed course. (See F.1.a below.)

Repeating the Year

1. Subject to eligibility, a student will be required to repeat the year if:

a) the student has failed any two courses (PBL or non-PBL courses) or

b) the student has failed one course and has not successfully completed the prescribed remedial work and supplemental assessment.

2. To be eligible to repeat a year, a student who has failed two courses must satisfactorily complete all other year requirements except the Practice Experience Program. However, a student with two failures will not be eligible to register in the Practice Experience Program.
3. Application to repeat the year must be made in writing to the Associate Director, Student Affairs by a predetermined date.
4. Any student who withdraws voluntarily, due to illness or other personal circumstances, and is allowed to repeat the year, will be considered a student in a repeat year unless the student withdraws before the last day of the first PBL course of the academic year, or the student tutorial performance assessment, if the two do not coincide.
5. No student will be allowed more than one repeat year during the undergraduate program. All students who repeat the year will be assessed on performance in the repeated year.

Leave of Absence

A student who needs to take leave from the pharmacy program must apply to the Director to do so. A leave of absence must be approved in advance by the Director of the College of Pharmacy. Normally, a student who absents himself/herself from the College of Pharmacy without prior permission for an extended period (four weeks or greater) will be presumed to have withdrawn and will have to re-apply for admission to the College of Pharmacy. A leave of absence will be limited to one leave period and will not normally exceed one academic year. A leave of absence will not count towards time in the Pharmacy program.

Dismissal from the Study of Pharmacy

1. Any student who fails more than two courses (PBL or non-PBL courses) of the curriculum in one year will be dismissed from the study of pharmacy.
2. A student in a repeat year who does not meet the criteria for promotion will be dismissed. The normal regulation allowing remedial work and supplemental assessment in one course will apply.
3. Students are also referred to University Regulations: Suspension or Dismissal from a Program on the Grounds of Professional Unsuitability - Faculty of Health Professions.

 

Appeals

Students who wish to raise questions or to register complaints in matters of academic appeal are advised to communicate informally with their instructor within 10 working days of the alleged unfairness or irregularity. If no resolution arises from this (these) meeting(s), the student may initiate a formal appeal.

Students wishing to initiate a formal appeal should follow the appeals procedures as set out by the College of Pharmacy, Undergraduate Student Appeals Committee, Faculty of Health Professions. These procedures are available online, Faculty of Health Professions website, "For current students", Student Policies and Procedures. Application for a formal appeal should be made to the College of Pharmacy Chair, Undergraduate Student Appeals Committee within 20 working days of the matter giving rise to the appeal.