Program and Course Regulations
PROGRAM REGULATIONS
Students may withdraw from the program by submitting their request in writing to the program director. Students who withdraw may be re-enrolled in the program by following the application procedures. Students requesting re-admission to the program will be competing against all other applicants and will not receive special consideration.
Students will receive a refund of the full course tuition fee minus the course withdrawal processing fee (refer to Fees) if they withdraw from the course within the first month of the course start date. Students wishing to withdraw from a course(s) before the first day of class will receive a partial refund (full tuition fee minus the withdrawal processing fee).
All courses will be graded using the following alphabetic scale effective September 1, 2004. Students registered in courses with start dates before September 1, 2004 will be graded according to the applicable former Alpha or percentage grade scale.
For courses starting on or after September 1, 2004, the following scale is now effective. Please review the Graduate Grading Policy and Academic Records FAQ for more information.
| Alpha Grade | Percentage | Grade Point |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 95 - 100 | 4.0 |
| A | 90 - 94 | 4.0 |
| A- | 85 - 89 | 3.7 |
| B+ | 80 - 84 | 3.3 |
| B | 75 - 79 | 3.0 |
| B- | 70 - 74 | 2.7 |
| C+ | 66 - 69 | 2.3 |
| C | 63 - 65 | 2.0 |
| C- | 60 - 62 | 1.7 |
| F | 59 - 0 | 0.0 |
INC Incomplete status
W Withdrawn in good standing
WF Withdrawal Fail
To meet the residency requirement, students must complete all five courses through Athabasca University.
Students may interrupt their studies by submitted a written request and receiving approval from the Program Director. There are no fees associated with this request.
Students can complete the degree in 18 to 30 months or less. Some learners may need as little as one year to complete the diploma. Time extensions per course are available. Students may study in the program on a full- or part-time basis.
The Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Legislative Drafting program will accept a limited number of non-program students. Non program students will be permitted to register in courses on a first-come, first-served basis, space permitting. Those courses taken as a non program student may be directly applied toward the program diploma requirements, if and when the student chooses to enrol in the program. Athabasca University is, however, under no obligation to admit non program students into the PBDLD program.
Appeals
Students may appeal any mark given to essays, examinations, assignments, or exercises that contribute to their final grade. Appeals of both failing and passing marks will be considered. Students determine the grounds for appeal and must follow the procedures outlined in Athabasca University’s Student Code of Conduct and Right to Appeal Regulations.
COURSE REGULATIONS
All PBDLD courses are delivered by individualized study; a self-directed learning environment. Students will communicate with their course instructor via internal Moodle mail (Athabasca University’s learning management system) and send assignments over the Internet. Computer conferencing may be used as part of the learning environment. Learners will require access to a computer with configurations and software as outlined in the computer requirements. As instructional support is provided through an online environment, it is important that students have regular and reliable internet access.
Courses may be taken year-round, and will begin on the first day of every month. Students will have six months to complete a three-credit course. Course extensions are available.
Registration requests must be received by the PBDLD office at least one month before the requested start date.
Students opting for the individualized-study course have the flexibility to determine their own timelines for completing it within their six-month contract period. Should students experience time problems, they may extend the course contract by submitting a completed Centre for Integrated Studies Extension Request Form, along with the appropriate fees, to the PBDLD Office. Individualized-study courses may be extended three times for a period of two months each. Contact the PBDLD office for more information on extensions.
In exceptional circumstances, and where the course instructor concurs, students may be assigned a grade of Incomplete (INC). This allows students to take an additional two months to complete and submit the course work. Two months after the original course completion date, a grade will be assigned to the course.
If the required course work has not been submitted, a failing grade of F will be assigned.
Students may re-register in a course only if they have received a final grade of 59 per cent or lower, or have withdrawn from the course in good standing. In re-registering, students must complete all course requirements and pay the full course fee. Students are permitted only one re-registration in each course. Both the initial registration and the re-registration will appear on the student’s transcript.
COURSE
Students may withdraw from a course up until one month before the end of the semester by completing and submitting a Withdrawal Request Form. The date of withdrawal will be the postmark on the request, or, if the notice is hand-delivered or faxed, the University date stamp. Students may also request a withdrawal from a course by email provided the request is confirmed in writing.
If a student withdraws from a course within the first month of the course start date, the record of registration will be deleted from his or her official transcript (refer to Refunds below and Academic Schedule). If a student withdraws from a course after the first month of the course start date and before the last month of the course, the official record and transcript will show that the student withdrew without credit and without prejudice or academic penalty and no refund will be issued.
Information effective Sept. 1, 2011 to Aug. 31, 2012.
Updated October 20, 2011
