Current/Returning Students FAQ
Table of Contents
Registration
When do I register for my courses?
Returning students register for their fall semester courses in June, and for their winter semester courses in December or January, depending on their program. You will register for your courses at your designated appointment time during the prescribed registration period. You can find your personal registration appointment time on the MyDawson portal using your student number and password. About a week before registration begins, Go to MyDawson -> My Omnivox Services -> Course Registration to see your registration access time.
How do I register for my courses?
You register for your courses online. Login to the MyDawson portal using your student number and password. Click on “My Intranet” and then on “Registration.”
In the registration module, read all instructions, then follow the directions given to register for courses proposed to you for the current semester. For a video that walks you through the registration process, go to New Student Orientation
I will be away at registration time. What do I do?
Students can register from anywhere as long as they have internet access. If you will not have access to the internet, you can give a trusted friend or family member the necessary information, including student number and password, to register online for you. In-person registration, which takes place once online registration is over, is a last resort. Your choices will be limited if you wait for in-person registration, and there is no guarantee that you will get a full course load. Remember, registering for your courses is your responsibility.
Can I change my registration appointment time?
Appointment times are organized by program and semester of study. It is not possible to change your appointment time. Remember though, that your appointment time signals the start of your personal registration period, and you normally have several days to complete your registration.
Do I choose all of my courses myself?
The online registration system will prompt you to register for courses listed as “To do” on your progression chart for the upcoming semester. Generally, all students choose their own general education courses (English, French, Humanities, and Physical Education) and complementary courses. Students in most programs are assigned all or some of their specific education courses. (These are also called concentration courses.) The exceptions are General Social Science and Liberal Arts students, who select their own specific education courses.
The course I want is full. How do I get into it?
During the online registration period, you can check available course seats online. Within the registration module, on the right-hand side of the course request form, there is a box in which you can enter a course number to “check for available seats.” Unfortunately, if a course is full it is not available to you. You can keep checking course seats as outlined above, right up until you finalize your registration online. You can make a change should a seat open up or if a new section of the course is added. If all sections of a course that is essential for your upcoming semester are full, you might wish to call the Registration Help Line (514-931-5701) to speak to an academic advisor about possible consequences and/or taking this course in a later semester.
Do I need to write an English Placement Test in order to register for an English course?
Unless you have already passed a cegep-level English course, you must write an English Placement Test and have a placement result in order to register for an English course.
Do I need to write a French Placement Test in order to register for a French course?
Not necessarily. If you graduated from Secondary V in Quebec, you will be given a French placement based on your final grade in Secondary V French or français. If you have a French placement, you may register for a French course (space permitting). If you have not graduated from a high school in Quebec or have not passed a cegep level French course, you will be required to write the French placement test in order to know what level of French to take.
I want to register for a course but the system won’t let me. How come?
There are several possible reasons. Either:
- The course is full.
- The course is not proposed to you.
- The course is reserved for another profile/program.
- You do not have the prerequisite for the course.
- You need special permission to take the course.
- The course is not offered in the current semester.
You can check available course seats within the registration system, and whether the course is reserved for another profile/program in the Timetable and Registration Guide. You may call the Registration Help Line at 514-931-5701 to seek clarification as to why you’re unable to take the course or to request that it be proposed.
How do I register for extra courses?
Students sometimes wish to take additional university prerequisites that are not part of their program, or to take more than their normal course load. Call the Registration Help Line at 514-931-5701 and ask to speak with an advisor. If the advisor agrees to the extra course, s/he will propose it, and add the necessary registration permission so that you can register for the extra course and finalize on your own.
Who can help me with registration?
Videos are available online to help you with the registration process. You will find links to several videos relating to the registration process in our New Student Orientation section.
Where can I find out what the deadline to register is?
The deadline for online registration is listed in the Internet Registration Timetable & Registration Guide, which is available on the College’s website and on your student portal – Go to MyDawson -> My College Services. These deadlines are also publicized on MyDawson and on TV screens in the College.
Can I come into school to register in person?
In-person registration, which takes place once online registration is over, is a last resort. Your choices will be limited if you wait for in-person registration, and there is no guarantee that you will get a full course load.
Can someone else register for me?
Yes. You can give a trusted friend or family member the necessary information, including student number and password, to register online for you.
Proxy registration is permitted for in-person registration. If you cannot attend registration, please pick up and complete a Proxy Registration Form at the Registrar’s Office (2D.6) to have someone else register for you. This form is also available online.
Can I change a course after I’ve finalized?
You can change a course during the designated course change period, at the start of the semester, if there is space in the course you want, if it is open to you in your particular program, and if it doesn’t conflict with other courses in your schedule. There is a fee for changing courses.
Course Change
When is course change?
Course change generally takes place over a 4-day period at the start of the semester. For specific dates, log onto MyDawson, check the Internet Registration Timetable & Registration Guide (– Go to MyDawson -> My College Services), or ask at the Info Desk (2nd Floor, atrium) or Registrar’s Office (2D.6).
I’m having second thoughts about a course I registered for. Can I change it?
Maybe. It depends on whether the course you would like to take instead…
- has room in it.
- is proposed to you.
- Is not reserved for another profile/program.
- is offered in the current semester.
- doesn’t conflict with other courses in your schedule.
How do I change a course?
There are both online and in-person processes for course change. In the online process, you can change:
- one section of a course for a different section of the same course
- one course for another course that sits in the same box of your progression chart (e.g., a complementary)
- or make several of the above changes at once, to arrive at a whole new schedule.
You must come to in-person course change to add a course or to change into a course that is not proposed to you. Please go to your student portal for details about these course change processes. There is a $20 fee for successful course changes carried out in.
To simply drop a course, please go to drop-in at Academic Advising (room 2D.4).
How do I add a course?
To do a straightforward course addition, you must complete a Course Add form, available from the 2nd Floor Info Desk or from Academic Advising (room 2D.4) during drop-in hours. Please verify that the course you are requesting does not conflict with other courses in your schedule. You must indicate, in the comments/rationale box on the form, the reason you are requesting this course addition. Please submit the completed form to Academic Advising (2D.4).
Your request should be addressed within 24 hours. If the course addition is possible, the course will be added to your schedule. If it is not possible, you will be contacted by MIO/email.
If you wish to both drop and add a course(s), please go to in-person course change on the prescribed date (see College website for details).
How do I drop a course?
Official forms must be completed and signed in order to drop a course. During the official course change period, at the beginning of the semester, you can come to a posted drop-in period at Academic Advising (room 2D.4) to drop a course. No teacher’s signature is required, and the course is dropped on the spot.
Once the official course change period is over, course drop forms are available from the Registrar’s Office (2D.6). A teacher’s signature is required, and first-semester students must see an advisor at drop-in to review the possible consequences of the course drop. The course drop deadlines are normally September 19th for the fall semester and February 14th for the winter semester. There is no fee to drop a course.
What is the deadline to change a course?
Course change normally begins on the third day of classes and continues for 4 days. See the College website for the specific course change deadline each semester.
What is the deadline to drop a course?
The course drop deadlines are normally September 19th for the fall semester and February 14th for the winter semester.
Who can help me with course change?
If you have questions about course change, see an advisor at a posted drop-in time (room 2D.4) or check out the video posted on the College website.
Mid-term Assessment/Grades/Transcripts
What is a mid-term assessment?
At mid-term, you will receive notification from each of your teachers as to whether you are passing, failing or at risk of failing in their course. If you are failing or at risk of failing any of your courses, you should speak to your teacher to find out what you need to do to improve your grade, and seek out help from student support services if needed (e.g., go to Academic Skills Centre (4E.3) for help building stronger study skills or essay writing skills, or to line up a tutor for a particular course).
How do I find out my mid-term assessments?
Mid-term assessments are available to you by logging onto your MyDawson portal and looking under the heading “Results – Mid-term Report.”
Are mid-term assessments on my official transcript?
Mid-term assessments are not official grades and do not appear on your transcript.
What if I’m not doing well in course(s)? Where do I get help?
Start by speaking to your teacher to find out what you need to do to improve your grade. Seek help from student support services if needed:
- Academic Skills Centre (4E.3) for assistance with study skills, essay writing, to line up a tutor
- CLEO (4E.10) for help with French reading comprehension and oral or written expression
- Counselling and Career Development (2D.2) regarding personal issues or career exploration
- The Library (5C.) for assistance in carrying out research
- Student AccessAbility Centre (2E.8A) for specialized services or accommodations relating to a learning challenge or medical condition
- Academic Advising (2D.4) for advice on academic matters, educational planning and transferring programs
What is a transcript?
A transcript is a permanent academic record, listing all courses taken and final grades in those courses.
Do courses that I dropped appear on my transcript?
If courses have been dropped officially, using the appropriate form and by the stated deadline, and bearing all necessary signatures, they do not appear on your transcript.
Where do I find my grades?
You can find grades for course you have completed on your MyDawson portal under the heading “Results – Final Grades.”
Will my grades be mailed to me?
No, grades are not mailed to you each semester; they are made available on your MyDawson portal.
I have repeated a failed course. Do both grades appear on my transcript?
Yes, your transcript is an official record of all of the course that you have taken and your grades in those courses. If you repeat a course due to a failure in it the first time, both grades appear on your transcript.
In the summer, I repeated a course I passed to get a better grade. Do both grades appear on my transcript?
Yes, your transcript is an official record of all of the course that you have taken and your grades in those courses. If you are granted permission to repeat a course that you have passed, and are successful in getting a spot in that course in summer, both grades appear on your transcript.
On my transcript, I see the letters “SU” beside a course. What does this mean?
“SU” stands for substitution. If you have taken courses in a previous program that can count in your new program, we may need to issue a substitution for this to happen. A substitution involves changing a course number so it can be recognized within your new graduation profile.
What is an authorized absence?
Due to exceptional circumstances, a student may have reason to ask to drop a course after the drop deadline has passed. An Authorized Absence may be requested only for serious medical reasons which prevented the student from attending school for more than three weeks in a given semester. Supporting documentation from an independent medical professional is required. Other requests will be considered in exceptional cases for grave and serious reasons. Students must submit their requests before the end of the semester concerned.
How do I apply for an authorized absence?
A request for an authorized absence must be completed (available at the Registrar’s Office, room 2D.6), and supporting documentation from an independent medical professional is needed. The form (and, ideally, the supporting documentation) must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office before the end of the semester concerned.
What is a grade review?
A student can ask to have a committee review and, if necessary, re-evaluate his/her grade in a particular course. This is a grade review. The committee will be composed of 3 teachers including the teacher who assigned the disputed grade. Your grade may go up, may go down, or may remain unchanged.
How do I request a grade review?
You must complete the Request for Grade Review (which can be found online at the College website) and submit it to the relevant Dean along with supporting documentation. The Dean will review the request and determine if a grade review committee should be struck.
Changing Programs
How do I transfer into another program?
You must fill out a Program Transfer Application, which is available online at the College’s website or at the 2D.6 counter, and submit it by the stated deadline (to room 2D.6). An admissions committee will determine if you can be offered admission to your requested program. It is important that you find out if a portfolio, interview, or anything else is required when requesting a transfer.
Can I request a transfer into a different program in any semester (i.e. fall or winter or summer)?
Provided you meet the admissions criteria, you may request a transfer into any program for the fall semester.
You may request a transfer into most Social Science or Creative Arts/Arts, Literature and Communication or Science profiles for the winter semester. Transfers into three-year career programs are not possible for the winter semester.
Generally, you cannot request a program transfer for the summer semester.
Is there a chance my program transfer request won’t be approved?
Admissions are competitive and it is possible that your program transfer request will not be approved.
What happens if my program transfer request isn’t approved?
If your program transfer request is not approved, you stay in your current program, academic standing permitting.
Does it cost money to request a program transfer?
There is no fee for a program transfer request.
When is a full application to a program required rather than just a program transfer request?
If you are not a current student in a day or evening program, you must complete a full College application.
What is the deadline to request a program transfer?
The deadlines to request a program transfer are as follows:
- November 1st (to be in a different program in winter)
- March 1st (to be in a different program in fall)
Final Exams
Do all courses have final exams?
No, not all courses have final exams. Generally, all math and science courses do. Consult your course outline to be sure.
What do I need to know about writing exams?
Click Here for regulations governing final exams, in particular the rules that will result in disqualification from writing a final exam.
What am I allowed to bring into a final exam?
Only I.D. cards, pens, pencils, erasers, rulers and any other allowed course specific materials can be on your desk.
Can I change my exam schedule?
Students must be available for any examination scheduled during the examination period. No special arrangements will be made in the event of personal time conflicts.
For special circumstances, the examination coordinator may allow a final examination to be scheduled outside the final examination period (e.g. students who are on a stage or internship during the final examination period).
What if I miss an exam?
Students must be available for any examination scheduled during the examination period. If you miss an exam, you may fail the course. In the event of a personal emergency preventing you from writing an exam, please contact your teacher and/or Dean immediately. Supporting documentation will be required.
Miscellaneous
How do I get a proof of enrollment letter?
Please go to the Records Office (2D.6) to request proof of enrollment.
Can my parents access my personal student information?
If you are aged 18 or over, your parents may only access your personal student information with your consent.
What if I need to see my teacher but I’m not free during his office hours?
Contact your teacher using the email address and/or phone number listed in your course outline to attempt to line up an alternate meeting time, or send him a MIO (an email message system available when you log onto your student portal, under “My Services”).
What this the CRC or R Score?
This score is used by Quebec universities to compare and rank students for university admission purposes. Students receive individual scores for each of their courses as well as an overall R Score. This score is calculated by the Ministry of Education and accessed by the College, which in turn makes it available to students. R Scores are updated in February, June and September. For detailed information on the R Score, go to http://www.crepuq.qc.ca/IMG/pdf/R-Score-FAQ-march2013.pdf