Course-Related Procedures

Core Courses

The core curriculum is a combination of five, three-credit courses that cover the field of computing and information systems. These courses review current knowledge, theory, and practice in computing and information systems. The core provides students with the minimum skills and knowledge that will facilitate their understanding and ability to analyze, synthesize, evaluate, create, and implement information systems. Generally students should complete all IS foundations courses before proceeding to the IS core courses. See individual course descriptions for specific prerequisites.

Foundation Courses

The IS foundations reflect a minimum level of prerequisite IS knowledge, and are required to prepare students for the IS core.

Elective Courses

Elective courses are designed to complement the core curriculum and expand basic knowledge, theory, and practice into areas and issues of individual interest or concern. They allow students to specialize in a particular topic or learn a new set of skills necessary for research and/or practice in information systems. Some elective courses may not be available every year and a growing list of electives will emerge as student and faculty interests change and develop.

Elective courses may be selected from the following areas: IS Technology, IS Management, Information Systems Development, Intelligent Information Systems, e-Services, and Theory of Computing and Information Systems.

Students with specific interests not covered by current course offerings may also work with individual faculty members as a way to fulfill elective requirements. To facilitate this involvement with faculty, students may register in independent study courses. No more than three credits may be earned through independent study.

External Electives

With program approval, additional courses may be taken from other Athabasca University graduate programs, space permitting.

Delivery Modes

MScIS courses are delivered via online grouped study using distance education instructional design principles and enabling web-based technologies:

• Some course materials—textbook(s), CD-ROM, etc.—are sent through the mail.
• Other course materials—study guides, assignments, links to online resources, etc.—are made available through the SCIS servers.
• Courses may have required online components.
• Students work their way through the learning materials and complete assignments at their own pace, and communicate with the instructor, the university, or with other students through the internet.
• Students have access to an instructor, who may be contacted by email. The instructor gives subject matter assistance and discusses scholarly issues, marks assignments, provides feedback, and helps prepare for examinations.
• Concluding examinations (where applicable) can be taken at many post-secondary institutions across Canada and overseas.
• Students are expected to use computer-mediated communications for the following purposes:
  • Instructor and student-to-student interactions in computer conferences,
  • Electronic mail, both within and outside of the course structure,
  • File transfer or file attachment of assignments and feedback between instructor and students and between students on joint projects, and
  • Accessing web-based resources such as electronic databases (the Athabasca University library maintains subscriptions to ACM and IEEE digital libraries).

Online Grouped Study

A mode of learning involving online study as part of a group, with specific start and end dates. Synchronous communication requirements are generally more central to the learning process than in individualized study courses. In the MScIS program this delivery mode will be used primarily for courses which have elements of professional practice requiring that students work in various group configurations to complete assignments.

Online grouped study courses in the MScIS program will be offered during three sessions each year. Refer to Academics Schedule for each session start date. All course work should be completed during the semester periods. Extensions to these timelines may be granted if circumstances warrant.

Online grouped study delivery has the following characteristics:

• Students work with fellow students and instructors on a 13-week timetable.
• Sessions start three times each year: September, January, or April/May.
• Exams, where applicable, are written in the last scheduled week of classes.

Course Withdrawal and Refunds

Early Withdrawal

Students may withdraw within 30 days from their course start date for a refund of the full course fee less the withdrawal processing fee. The registration will not appear on the transcript and will be deleted from the official record. Please refer to the refund policy below for further details. Learning resources should not be returned to Athabasca University.

Withdrawal

(After 30 Days of Course Start Date)

Students may withdraw from a course 30 days before the course end date without academic penalty. A "W" (Withdrawal) will appear on the transcript, which means the student has withdrawn without credit and without penalty. There is no refund, and learning resources should not be returned to Athabasca University

Late Course Withdrawal

(Less Than 30 Days Before the Course End Date)

If a student formally withdraws less than 30 days before the course end date, the official record will reflect a "WF" (Withdrawal Failure), and will be without academic penalty.

If a student does not formally withdraw by the course end date, and does not complete the course, the official record will reflect an "F" (Failure). A grade will be assigned and calculated into the cumulative average. There is no refund, and learning resources should not be returned to Athabasca University.

The course end date is the scheduled end of an independent paced session.

Program Withdrawal

Students who have been admitted to the program and have not registered in any graduate courses within one academic year will be automatically withdrawn from the program. Students may withdraw from the program by submitting their requests in writing to the program director.

Program Re-enrolment

Students wishing to re-enrol in the program must apply for re-admission and have their program reassessed in terms of the regulations in effect at the time of re-application. Students requesting re-admission to the program will be competing with all other applicants and will not receive special consideration. The student will be required to pay all application and admission fees in effect at the time of application submission. Please refer to the application procedure.

Refunds

Students will receive a refund of the full course fees minus the course withdrawal processing fee (refer to MSc IS Fees) if they withdraw from the course within the first month. Students should not return their learning resources. Students wishing to withdraw from a course(s) before the first day of class will receive a full refund providing all materials are returned completely unmarked and able to be reissued to another student.

Minimum Course Load

To maintain program status, students who are completing the course requirement of the MScIS program must complete a minimum of six credits of course and/or project work during each academic year. Students who fail to maintain a minimum course load will be placed on academic probation.

Continuing Fees/Registration

Continuation fees are the same as course fees. Continuation fees are normally assessed when program students do not register in the required six credits per academic year of course, essay, or project work or when students have completed all required course work but not yet completed their essay or project oral exam.

Minimum Academic Performance

Students who do not maintain minimum academic standards will be withdrawn from the program. Minimal acceptable academic performance is defined as

• No more than one B- (70 to 73 per cent) in a foundations/core course.
• No more than one C+ (67 to 69 per cent) in an elective course.
• A 75 per cent overall average.

Grading System

With the exception of the thesis or project, which will be graded on a pass/fail basis, all courses will be graded using the following Alpha/4.0 grading 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.

W Withdrawn in good standing

Projects, breadth essays, courses taken on Letters of Permission, courses for which credit was awarded through Prior Learning Assessment, and courses for which advanced standing was awarded, will be graded on a pass/fail basis.

Program Registration Procedures

Registration in courses is subject to prerequisite requirements or professor permission. Elective courses may be taken on completion of the core courses or concurrently with the core courses offered in any term.

Course Extensions

Students who cannot complete their course on or before their contract date may apply for an extension by submitting an Extension Request Form and the extension fee.

Students may apply for one extension only per course. Requests to extend the contract must be submitted no later than the original contract date. The extension starts on the first day following the original contract date. An extension provides students an additional two months with full instructor support.

The following MSc IS courses are not eligible for extension:

• COMP 505
• COMP 506
• COMP 601
• COMP 603
• COMP 604
• COMP 605
• COMP 607
• COMP 610
• COMP 635
• COMP 636
• COMP 637
• COMP 638
• COMP 660
• COMP 667
• COMP 688
• COMP 689
• COMP 695

Re-registration

Students are allowed only one re-registration in each course. Both the initial registration and the re-registration will appear on the student’s academic record.

Students may re-register in a course only if they have received more than one final grade of B- or lower in a foundations/core course or more than one final grade of C+ or lower in an elective course, or have withdrawn from the course in good standing. In re-registering, students must complete all course requirements and pay the full course fee.