Organizing your studies

It is very important to focus on your studies early in the semester. The course plan will be given to you in the first class. In addition to explaining the course objectives and evaluation procedures, this plan usually provides the dates of exams and assignments as well as the required reading.

Attendance is essential at all courses in order for you to improve your knowledge and do well in the various assessments. It is also common for professors to require teamwork; by participating actively in class, you will be able to connect more easily with the other students.

Finally, the relationship between teachers and students is based on a friendly, informal approach. Do not be surprised to hear teachers and students using the informal "tu" form of address... while still being mutually respectful.

Academic calendar

The UQAM academic calendar is divided into 3 semesters: 2 regular semesters in fall and winter as well as an optional summer semester for undergraduates. Graduate students in research programs must maintain full-time status by enrolling in an activity during the summer.

Regulations

Members of the faculty as well as students are subject to certain regulations covering a number of issues, such as evaluation procedures, academic integrity (cheating, plagiarism), review of marks and grade point average.

Learning assessment enables the teacher to assess the knowledge acquired by the student during the course. To that end, the teacher can use different means, including tests, individual work, teamwork, oral presentations and class participation. In the Quebec university system, learning assessment is usually done continuously during the semester, and there is no makeup exam (no makeup semester or second try). For students experiencing difficulties, many support services are available, either through the home faculty, or through Student Services. 

Regular class schedule and workload

The regular class length is 3 hours, offered weekly for 15 weeks. There are regular slots from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 2 to 5 p.m., and 6 to 9 p.m.