Undergraduate Student Communications

Important emails sent to Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Students

Winter TERM 2

Regardless of whether or not you plan to attend the June 2025 graduation ceremonies, you must apply to graduate before February 28th in order to receive your degree. You will not receive your degree if you do not apply to graduate.

Applying for graduation is a multi-step process, and both the Program Completion Application in Workday and the Graduation Application need to be completed or you will not receive your degree. You can find more information about the application process through this link: https://students.ok.ubc.ca/courses-money-enrolment/graduation/

If you have questions about your degree requirements or would like to do a grad check, meet with an Academic & Career Advisor.

A post on Student Services provided by: https://students.ok.ubc.ca

Dear Students,

Welcome and welcome back!

We hope you had a nice break over the holidays. To keep you on track academically for the coming semester, we want to share some helpful information as a reminder for all students taking courses in our Faculties.

  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 offices:fass.students.ubco@ubc.caor FCCSstudents.ok@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. Before making travel plans during the exam period (April 11-26) or letting others make travel plans on your behalf, wait until the exam schedule is released in early February. We cannot schedule out-of-time exams based on travel plans or for time zone reasons.
  4. Please review the policy on Academic Misconduct.
    Review carefully all instructions provided by your instructors about assignments and exams; if you are uncertain about anything, check with your instructor. For more examples visit our new Academic Integrity website.
  5. Please be aware of Course Withdrawal deadlines
    For Term 2 Courses:
  • Friday, January 17, 2025 @ 11:59pm PST: Last day to self withdraw without a W on your record (full tuition refund)
  • Friday, March 21, 2025 @ 11:59pm PST: Last day to self withdraw with a W on your record (no tuition refund) If you wish to withdraw from a Term 2 class after March 21, 2025 you must request a Late Withdrawal from the Dean’s Office. Note that the fact that a student is failing a course is not an adequate reason for a Late Withdrawal. All requests must be accompanied by acceptable supporting documentation.

All forms should be submitted to your home faculty. For more information and links to the forms, please see:

Faculty of Creative & Critical Studies: https://fccs.ok.ubc.ca/student-resources/forms/
ENGL, FREN, SPAN, ARTH, CCS, CHIN, CORH, CRWR, CULT, DIHU, FILM, GERM, JPST, KORN, LATN, MDST, THTR, VISA, WRLD

Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences: https://fass.ok.ubc.ca/student-resources/undergrad/student-forms/
ANTH, ECON, GEOG, GWST, HIST, INDG, PHIL, POLI, PSYO, SOCI
If you are taking a course in a faculty other than the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences or the Faculty of Creative & Critical Studies, please submit your form to our offices and we will contact the other faculty for you.
Academic support at the Student Learning Hub
Practice good learning skills in the first weeks of classes to see whether you are able to manage the learning environment. Contact the Student Learning Hub for advice.
Need some assistance with registration or declaring a major? Contact an Academic Advisor or view the Program Plansa quick reference guide for students to learn about the opportunities available in each Major to enhance their university experience.
Graduation Application Deadlines
With the application process for graduation now open, students are encouraged to apply for graduation in May  2025 by the February 28, 2025 deadline. Students who do not apply by the deadline may need to apply for graduation in November 2025. Late applications will only be accepted in extremely extenuating circumstances. Please ensure you have met all graduation requirements and if possible see an Academic Advisor prior to the January 17, 2025 add/drop date.

We want you to succeed! Please use the many resources available to you on our campus.

Best wishes for a successful semester,

Dr. Donna Senese – Associate Dean Undergraduate Students, IKB Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Dr. Diana Carter – Associate Dean, Faculty of Creative & Critical Studies

Winter TERM 1

Academic Scheduling has now released the 2024W T1 Final Exam schedule.

Final Examination Schedule:

All times are Pacific Standard Time (local Kelowna time).

ACADEMIC CONCESSIONS FOR FINAL EXAMINATIONS: Out-of-Time Final Exams and Standing Deferred Requests

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

Requests for Out-of-Time Final Exams must be made as soon as possible, and before the end of the final exams. Out of time exams must be written during the Final Exam period (on or before December 20, 2024) if approved. The request form is submitted to the Dean’s Office that is offering the course (see the list below).

Requests for Standing Deferred must be made as soon as possible to the time that class attendance is adversely affected. The request for a Standing Deferred, no matter the course subject, is submitted to your home Faculty’s Dean’s Office who will process the request and if approved, set the completion date which can be after the Final Examination period.

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.
  • FCCS and FASS 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 (FASS 250-807-8001) (FCCS 250-807-8543). Please see list of Course Codes below to identify which Faculty your course is in. The fax must include a cover page from the practitioner’s office, the student name in full (e.g. see the contact information required on the individual concession request forms), and the document must be dated.

Course Codes:

Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS): https://fass.ok.ubc.ca/student-resources/undergrad/student-forms/

  • Courses: ANTH, ECON, GEOG*, GWST, HIST, INDG, PHIL, POLI, PSYO, SOCI, SUST*,
  • Programs: BA*, BNLF

Faculty of Creative & Critical Studies (FCCS): https://fccs.ok.ubc.ca/student-resources/forms/

  • Courses: ARTH, CCS, CHIN, CORH, CRWR, CULT, DIHU, ENGL, FILM, FREN, GERM, JPST, KORN, MDST, SPAN, THTR, VISA, WRLD
  • Programs: BA*, BFA, BMS

*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.

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

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 out-of-time exam or Standing Deferred 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.

3) If you have been informed that you have an examination hardship or clash, or believe that you are in such a situation, contact the appropriate Associate Dean in your Home Faculty.

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) Finally, if you submit a request or contact the “wrong” Dean’s office or Associate Dean, we, the Associate Deans of FASS, 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.
6) Exam Jam: bigger and better than ever! December 5, 2024

Exam Jam is back to help with your finals focus! This essential exam prep event can help you de-stress, manage your time, develop productive study habits, review course content, and learn about academic integrity. Exam Jam is an event to help you get a head start on studying for exams or wrapping up final projects.

On December 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., attend one, two, three, or as many activities as you can. You can also just stop by and see us in LIB 237 for a hot drink and a snack!

Collect 3 stamps by participating in activities or for each hour of study in the Student Learning Hub and enter to win an amazing prize!

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

Can’t make it? Check out the Student Learning Hub website for more resources and book an appointment!

WITHDRAWAL DEADLINES:

Please be aware of Course Withdrawal deadlines: http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/okanagan/index.cfm?go=deadlines.

Friday, November 8, 2024, before 11:59pm, was the last day a student can withdraw from a course.  A “W” will appear on the academic record and with no tuition readjustment or refund.

– If you are taking a 2-semester course, please consult this calendar link for withdrawal dates.

Good Luck with your term!

Dr. Donna Senese
Associate Dean, Students
Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Dr. Diana Carter
Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies
Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies

Rohanna Wheatley
Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences – Student Support
fass.students.ubco@ubc.ca

Wendy White
Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies – Student Support
FCCSstudents.ok@ubc.ca

To all new and returning students – welcome to UBC Okanagan!

You are receiving this email because you are a registered student in the Bachelor of Arts program offered by the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, or the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts &Social Sciences.
To keep you on track with your academic studies, we want to share some helpful information.

Academic Concessions: (Requests for Late Withdrawal, Out-of-Time-Exam, Standing Deferred, etc.). Note that requests must be submitted as close as possible to the date of the incident, and normally within the term that the course was taken:

  • Courses in FCCS: fccs.ok.ubc.ca/student-resources/forms
  • Courses in IKBSAS: fass.ok.ubc.ca/student-resources/undergrad/student-forms

Course Withdrawal deadlines for Term 1: okanagan.calendar.ubc.ca/dates-and-deadlines

  • Monday, September 16, 2024 @ 11:59pm: Last day to withdraw without a W on your record (full tuition refund)
  • Friday, November 8, 2024 @ 11:59pm: Last day to withdraw with a W on your record (no tuition refund)

After November 8, 2024 you must request a Late Withdrawal from the Dean’s Office. Note that the fact that a student is failing a course is not an adequate reason for a Late Withdrawal, and all requests must be accompanied by acceptable supporting documentation.

Final Exams: Do not book flights home until after the exam schedule is posted in early October. It’s expensive to change your flight! Do not sign contracts or accept jobs that start before the end of the exam period; we will not approve an Out-of-Time exam for any of these reasons.
Standing Deferred: If you are unable to complete a course, usually due to serious injury or illness, you may request a Standing Deferred, which allows you to complete the course in the following term. Note that you must have completed 60% of the course evaluation and have a minimum grade of 60% in the course work completed to date before the request will be considered for approval.
You may wish to review the Policy on Academic Misconduct: okanagan.calendar.ubc.ca/campus-wide-policies-and-regulations/student-conduct-and-discipline
Ask for help! 
Visit our Orientation web pages for some helpful links to resources at UBCO and a FAQ from our Associate Deans.

  • FCCS: fccs.ok.ubc.ca/student-resources/orientation
  • FASS: fass.ok.ubc.ca/student-resources/orientation

Need some assistance with registration or help declaring your major? Need help with program requirements?

Contact an Academic Advisor:

  • UBCO Advising office: students.ok.ubc.ca/academic-success/advising-options/academic-advising

Contact a Program Advisor:

Academic & Career Development Advising Drop In Schedule

  • Sam Larsen: Drop-in Academic & Career Advising on Wednesdays from 12:30-6:30 starting Sept 4th, in Residence
  • Rachel Hussey: Drop-in Career Advising on Tuesdays from 1-4pm starting Sept 10th.Weekly workshops on Wednesdays from 5-6pm starting Sept 11th until October 30th
  • Paul Zheng: PSYO Drop-in advising on Wednesdays from 1-4pm, starting Sept. 18th, online and in person
  • Jennifer Janock: Drop-in advising from the Advising office on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and remotely on Tuesday and Thursday
  • Jessica Beck: Drop-in advising in the CCS Lobby on Wednesdays from 1-4pm, starting Sept. 18th, running until April 23rd

Finally, we encourage you to read the Student Declaration and Responsibility, which you agreed to when you registered for classes at UBC: okanagan.calendar.ubc.ca/campus-wide-policies-and-regulations/student-rights-and-responsibilities
If you have any questions, you can send us an email or contact us anytime!
Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies: Location: CCS 323

Email:             FCCSstudents.ok@ubc.ca
Twitter:          twitter.com/ubcfccs
Facebook:      facebook.com/UBCFCCS
Website:         fccs.ok.ubc.ca
Instagram:     instagram.com/fccs.ubco

Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences: Location: ASC 413

Email:             FASS.students.ubco@ubc.ca
Twitter:          twitter.com/fass_ubco
Facebook:      facebook.com/fass.ubco
Website:         fass.ok.ubc.ca
Instagram:     instagram.com/fass.ubco

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

Diana Carter, PhD
Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies
Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
FCCSstudents.ok@ubc.ca

Donna Senese, PhD
Associate Dean, Undergraduate Students
Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts
fass.students.ubco@ubc.ca

2024/25 SPRING SESSION

Summer Term 1 Final Exams will begin June 24th 2024.

Final Examination Schedule:

All exam times are Pacific Standard Time (local Kelowna time).

ACADEMIC CONCESSIONS FOR FINAL EXAMINATIONS: Out-of-Time Final Exams and Standing Deferred Requests

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

Requests for Out-of-Time Final Exams must be made as soon as possible, and before the end of the final exams. Out of time exams must be written during the Final Exam period (on or before June 28, 2024) if approved. The request form is submitted to the Dean’s Office that is offering the course (see the list below).

Requests for Standing Deferred must be made as close as possible to the time that class attendance is adversely affected. The request for a Standing Deferred, no matter the course subject, is submitted to your home Faculty’s Dean’s Office who will process the request and if approved, and set the completion date which can be after the Final Examination period.

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.
  • FCCS and FASS 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 (FASS 250-807-8001) (FCCS 250-807-8543). Please see list of Course Codes below to identify which Faculty your course is in. The fax must include a cover page from the practitioner’s office, the student name in full (e.g. see the contact information required on the individual concession request forms), and the document must be dated.

Course Codes:

Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS): https://fass.ok.ubc.ca/student-resources/undergrad/student-forms/

  • Courses: ANTH, ECON, GEOG*, GWST, HIST, INDG, PHIL, POLI, PSYO, SOCI, SUST*,
  • Programs: BA*, BNLF

Faculty of Creative & Critical Studies (FCCS): https://fccs.ok.ubc.ca/student-resources/forms/

  • Courses: ARTH, CCS, CHIN, CORH, CRWR, CULT, DIHU, ENGL, FILM, FREN, GERM, JPST, KORN, MDST, SPAN, THTR, VISA, WRLD
  • Programs: BA*, BFA, BMS

*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.

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

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 out-of-time exam or Standing Deferred 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.

3) If you have been informed that you have an examination hardship or clash, or believe that you are in such a situation, contact the appropriate Associate Dean in your Home Faculty.

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) Finally, if you submit a request or contact the “wrong” Dean’s office or Associate Dean, we, the Associate Deans of FASS, 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 term!

Dr. Donna Senese
Associate Dean, Undergraduate Students
Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

fass.students.ubco@ubc.ca

Dr. Diana Carter

Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies
Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
FCCSstudents.ok@ubc.ca

On Tuesday, May 21, UBC switched to a new student system called Workday for courses starting in September 2024.  With the transition to a new student system, UBC’s Degree Navigator (DN) will be replaced by Academic Progress Reports (APR) in Workday Student. DN will still be available through the end of August however, it is important to note that Workday will be the course planning tool available to students starting September. Students should be aware:

  • Your courses, credits, and grades have been moved to Workday Student
  • Some discrepancies in these records have been identified and are being fixed. Impacted students will be notified of any discrepancies directly.
  • Degree Navigator (DN) will be replaced by Academic Progress Reports (APR) in Workday Student. A tutorial on how to view your APR is available here.
  • Registration for the 2024 Winter session will occur in Workday Student. Your 2024W courses will not appear on your DN report, and 2024W versions of programs are also not available in DN.
  • If you are changing programs or adding specializations, use APR for up-to-date requirements.
  • Use Degree Navigator until August 2024 if instructed to do so by your Faculty academic advisors, but after that, you will not have access. Save or print your Degree Navigator report if needed.
  • Use APR in Workday Student for planning and tracking your academic progress from September 2024 onwards.
  • Any exceptions to requirements granted by your Faculty remain valid and will be transferred to APR by August 2024.

 

Learn more, log in to Workday, and access tutorials and support at students.ok.ubc.ca/workday