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Academic Planning

On This Page

  • Overview and Program Plans
  • Changing Your Plan
  • Dropping a Course
  • Exchange and Study Abroad
  • Graduation
Academic Advising - Home
Academic Policies
Student Support Resources
Contact Your Academic Advisor

Overview and Program Plans

To confirm your degree or diploma program, please refer to your My Progress page on WebAdvisor.

  • For degree/diploma-specific information, be sure to review your Academic Calendar for course requirements of your degree or diploma program listed by semester.
    • If you are an upper-year student, please ensure to review the correct calendar year for when you started your program for information. Follow the Calendar year requirements that are indicated on the My Progress page in WebAdvisor unless otherwise discussed with your Academic Advisor.
    • Please connect with your Academic Advisor if you have questions about understanding your program requirements.
    • For course prerequisite and course code changes, be sure to compare the current Academic Calendar with the Academic Calendar of your Calendar Year. Use the calendar archive to find older versions of calendars.
    • For program-specific information related to a change to your Schedule of Studies, please review your degree/diploma program's website or contact your Academic Advisor if you have any questions.
  • Student Planning is an online tool for course selection and degree planning that is accessed through WebAdvisor. Be sure to review the Student Planning Video Tutorials, Help Guides and Frequently Asked Questions to assist you in course planning and tracking your degree progression. The Student Planning tool also has features to assist you with course selection and waitlists as well as managing both your timetable and exam schedule across your undergraduate studies.

Do you have specific questions about your degree/diploma requirements?

Contact the Academic Advisor for your degree or diploma program.

Changing Your Plan

Your academic plan relates to your degree program (e.g., B.Sc., BA, B.Comm.), along with the areas of study that you incorporate into it (e.g., majors, minors, areas of emphasis and areas of concentration). Read these helpful definitions of specialization types.

Your academic plan and associated degree requirments are outlined in the Degree Programs section (Chapter 10) of the Undergraduate Calendar. Go to the calendar for the year you started your program, which could be the current calendar or in the list of archived calendars. If you're not sure of your calendar year, go to the My Progress page in the Student Planning section of WebAdvisor. Your calendar year is indicated in the “At a Glance” section.

For instructions on how to declare a specialization or request a change to your specialization (i.e., major, minor, area of emphasis or area of concentration), please visit the Degree & Specialization Change webpage.

If you wish to transfer to a different degree program, you will need to apply using the Application for Internal Transfer and Readmission. More information about admission requirements and deadlines are available on the Admission Services website.

Please note the following:

  • Admission to another degree program is not guaranteed. If you choose to shadow another program, you may delay progress in your current program if you later decide not to transfer or are not admitted.
  • You may encounter course restrictions in your current program until you are officially admitted to the other program.

If you have questions about applying for an internal transfer, please contact Admission Services at admission@uoguelph.ca.

The University offers degree-credit certificates and diploma programs for those who want to develop or upgrade skills in one of these areas without necessarily proceeding towards a three- or four-year degree program.

See the Degree-Credit Certificates and Diplomas section of the current Undergraduate Calendar.

For more information on double-counting regulations, undergraduate students should consult with the Academic Advisor for their degree program.

Dropping a Course

If you are considering dropping a course, please visit the Dropping a Course webpage for important information, including an overview of factors to keep in mind.

Exchange and Study Abroad

Study Abroad opportunities offer students a unique opportunity to expand their academic experience beyond the classroom by immersing themselves in a new culture. By studying in a different country, students can gain new global perspectives, develop independence and build valuable cross-cultural communication skills.

For more information about these opportunities, contact the Global Learning Opportunities (GLO) Office.

Students can work with their Academic Advisors to identify course opportunities that can apply to their current degree.

Students can apply to participate in an exchange program, research abroad or a shorter field school (one to two weeks). Students must attend a Study Abroad Information Session hosted by the GLO office before applying to study abroad.

Once you have been approved for an exchange program, book an appointment with your Academic Advisor to discuss the academic aspects of your exchange experience, including what to look for in terms of courses to take and the approval process. You will be required to complete a pre-departure form before leaving on exchange.

To prepare for your Academic Advising meeting, research your host institution to determine which of their courses might be relevant to your University of Guelph program. You will need to identify the equivalent of 2.50 credits at the host institution well before the deadline for course selection. Transfer credit weight is determined based on the equivalent of full-time studies at the host institution.

Before leaving on exchange, make sure that you have completed any prerequisite courses required for the courses you will be taking in the semester following exchange.

As you complete your exchange experience, make sure that you collect and keep all course outlines and graded coursework to help with the transfer credit evaluation. Stay in touch with your Academic Advisor via email regarding course changes, and substitution approvals.

While you are on exchange, your pre-departure form triggers your registration in "FREE*2000" which in turn triggers your University of Guelph tuition amount owing.

If you are planning to pursue post-graduate programs after completing your program, you will be required to provide official transcripts from your exchange host institution. It may be useful to obtain these transcripts while you are on exchange in order to prevent confusion and delays in the future.

While you are away, keep in mind that you will need to register for your University of Guelph courses for the semester(s) after exchange.

A post exchange form must be filled out with your Academic Advisor and submitted to GLO. This will include your course equivalencies for your transcript as well as your grades. Courses taken on exchange will appear on your transcript after your post exchange form has been processed by GLO and the Office of Registrarial Services. Courses will appear in the format: UNIV*9301. The "UNIV" will represent the subject area of the course. The "9" notes that you did not take the course at U of G. The "3" indicates the course level; in this case a 3000-level course (or third-year course). The "01" is for format; it makes the course code four digits and allows multiple courses with the same subject and level (for example, UNIV*9301 and UNIV*9302).

Once your exchange courses appear on your academic record, contact your Academic Advisor if further adjustments are required.

Graduation

For information about graduation and convocation, including how to apply to graduate, please see the Graduation & Convocation webpage.