Classroom Expectations and Guidelines
Attendance Policy
- Three or more unexcused absences from a semester-based course, or one day or more from an intensive course, will constitute grounds for failing that course. Excused absences include death in the family, hospitalization of yourself or a member of your immediate family or a prolonged illness for which you require treatment by a physician. Excused absences will not be granted for late registration, ministry responsibilities, mission trips, etc.
- Attendance in fully online courses is demonstrated through regular log-ins and up-to-date participation in discussion forums.
- As a matter of basic courtesy, students will commit to arriving to class on time and returning from class breaks on time.
- If a student knows in advance that he/she will miss a class, the student should notify the professor prior to that class.
- To be present in the classroom, students must register for their courses for credit or audit.
Course Evaluations
At the end of each course, students will be given the opportunity to provide feedback and evaluation on the course. The results of these evaluations are compiled and distributed to the respective instructors and the Academic Dean for consideration. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the Course Evaluation as it is an important aspect of course development and planning.
Every effort is made to ensure the anonymity of the students completing course evaluations, as well as to ensure the integrity of the evaluation process. Therefore, course evaluations will not be made available for Directed Reading and Research courses, theses, or Internships as these are most often one-on-one courses. Students wishing to submit comments or concerns regarding these courses may contact the Academic Dean.
Course Syllabi
Each course offered at Canadian Chinese School of Theology includes a course syllabus that the instructor reviews with students on the first day of the course. The syllabus remains posted online for students to refer to throughout the course. The syllabus contains details including a course description, learning outcomes, course requirements and course assignments and grading. The syllabus will also include information pertaining to the instructor’s expectations and guidelines for the submission of work, providing clear instructions of what is expected of a student and the basis for evaluation.
Examinations
In-course examinations – Faculty members will assign the times for midterm examinations, tests and quizzes in the syllabus. Examinations are to be taken when scheduled. Students who are unable to take such an examination due to illness or emergency must notify the instructor in advance. The instructor will determine rescheduling arrangements.
Final examinations – Final examinations will be held during the times stated in the calendar. The Registrar will determine the time and place of these examinations. Final examinations are normally three hours in length.
Examination conflicts – An exam conflict is defined as “two exams at the same time or three exams on the same day.” These are the only criteria for changing a scheduled exam. If there are unusual circumstances, scheduling arrangements within the regular exam period may be considered and approved only by the Registrar.
Students with legitimate examination conflicts must submit an Exam Reschedule Request Form to the Office of the Registrar by the deadline stated on the Exam Reschedule Form. Forms are available at Registrar Office. Students will not be able to set their own reschedule date and time, but must accept a rescheduled time from the Office of the Registrar. Please note that early vacation, work schedule and personal plans do not qualify as legitimate exam conflicts. Students are expected to arrange personal plans around the exam schedule.
Gender-Inclusive Language Policy in Written Assignments
The use of gender-inclusive language is an expectation in all written assignments and course requirements at Canadian Chinese School of Theology. The motivation behind the use of gender-inclusive language is clarity of communication and the avoidance of terms that are or could be perceived as exclusive or pejorative.
Late Papers and Extensions Policy
All papers and course assignments must be submitted by the due dates indicated in the course syllabus. Unless the instructor already has a policy on grading late papers in the course syllabus, grades for papers submitted late without an approved extension will be lowered at the rate of two-thirds of a grade per week or part thereof (e.g., from “A+” to “A-,” from “B” to “C+” ). Please note that some programs, such as cohort-based or intensive courses, may follow a different policy due to the nature of the program.
Faculty may not grant an extension beyond the last day of exams for the semester. Requests for extensions beyond this date must be addressed in writing to the Registrar by filling out the Extension Request Form. The application will be considered only in cases such as a death in the family, medical emergency, hospitalization of oneself or immediate family member or prolonged illness requiring treatment by a physician. Factors such as assignments for other courses, holidays, and technology-related difficulties are insufficient grounds for requesting an extension.
A temporary grade of incomplete (“I”) may be granted by the Registrar. Once an extension is granted, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor and make satisfactory arrangements to complete the outstanding work. A grade of “F” will be recorded for students who do not complete the outstanding work by the deadline.
