UofC

Five days are set aside at the start of Fall and Winter Terms for Block Week to offer credit courses in an intensive structure. Dates for Block Weeks are provided in the Academic Schedule.

The following regulations apply to courses offered during Block Week:

1. Undergraduate and graduate courses may be scheduled in a Block Week format.
2. Block Week courses must meet the approved GFC hours for a course and shall not exceed eight hours per day.
3. 200-level courses should not normally be offered during Fall Term Block Week.
4. All course components for Block Week courses (lectures, labs, tutorials, etc.) must be held within the days designated in the academic schedule as Block Week. Attendance at lectures, tutorials, laboratories, etc. cannot be required beyond the duration of the Block Week(s). Course outlines must provide deadline dates for all assessments.
5. A course may be scheduled over both the Fall and Winter Block Weeks (two weeks).
6. Block Week courses should not be scheduled to meet prerequisite requirements for courses offered in the term in which the Block Week course if offered. Courses with a remedial focus may be scheduled, however, add/drop dates for regular term courses will be adhered to should a prerequisite not be met.
7. Pre-term study is only permitted in Block Week courses when the deadline to register in the course is one month in advance of the start of lectures. The course registration date and details about pre-term study must be included in the “Class Notes” section of the registration system. It is the responsibility of the course instructor to ensure students have access to pre-term study materials.
8. The last day to drop a Block Week course shall be 11:59pm on the first day of classes.
9. The last day to withdraw from a Block Week course shall be the last day of Block Week.
10. The day before the withdrawal deadline, instructors must inform students of their progress in the course. Normally, at least 30 per cent of the grade should be provided to students by the withdrawal deadline. Students may have assignments during the remainder of the term. The course outline must clearly indicate all required assignments, deadline dates and the weighting of the assignments.
11. Normally, there are two options for scheduling final examinations for Block Week courses: (1) final examinations may be scheduled on the Saturday before the drop deadline for the regular term in which the block week is scheduled; or (2) final examinations may be scheduled on the fifth Saturday of the term in which the block week is scheduled. The date of the final examination must be provided on the course outline. The faculty offering the course will schedule the final examination. Alternatively, a take-home final examination may be distributed on the last day of classes. Exceptions require approval from the Provost and Vice-President (Academic).
12. Tests held on the last day of classes cannot exceed 10 per cent of the final course grade. Exceptions require the approval of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic).
13. Final grades for Block Week courses will follow the grade submission timelines for the term in which the course is scheduled.
14. Block Week courses count toward a student’s course load (total units) for the term in which the course is scheduled.
15. All courses scheduled during Block Week are subject to the GFC approved policy on Universal Student Ratings of Instruction.