Policies

In most math courses at Langara College, the student's final grade is determined from a blend of a term mark, based on assignments and tests, and a final mark, based on a common examination. College policy is that term work accounts for 50% to 80% of the grade, and in most of our courses it counts for 60% with the final exam counting for 40%. Students should be aware, however, that the term mark is not finalized until after the final exam has been written, and that the term marks for all students in any section may be tempered by the results on the final exam. The Department feels that because of the cumulative nature of the subject (and the need to quickly recall and apply material from any part of an earlier course), a grade of C- or better should be awarded only to those students who can "put it all together", and this sort of overall competence is best tested for and demonstrated on the final exam. For this reason, we also require that in order to pass a course it is necessary to pass the final exam, and that in general, though term work can pull a mark up, it can not do so by more than one letter grade level.

Students are advised, therefore, that it is never safe to coast on the term mark and neglect the final.

The Langara grading system includes grades of A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, F, N, or W; as defined in the Calendar. The following excerpt includes also a column of approximate percentage ranges which are intended as a guideline only; students should refer to their course outlines for specifics concerning their course:

The percentage ranges added here are approximate guidelines only - to give you an idea of what letter grade to expect on the basis of mid-term marks. We do try to be consistent and adjust test difficulty and marking styles so the actual cutoffs in any particular course or section may vary slightly from these, and it is your instructor's judgment of your performance relative to the "interpretation" column that provides the real determination and meaning of the grades.

Note:A grade of C- or better is required in order to use a course as a prerequisite for a subsequent course, except where another prerequisite is explicitly stated.

Prerequisites are courses and grade levels or other criteria that must be met in order to register for a course (they are intended to maximize the chances of success for students who enrol in our courses). The prerequisites for each course are included in our course descriptions , and usually include a provision for "departmental permission" in case you have equivalent qualifications that are not spcifically listed. Such permission must be confirmed by the Department Chair or delegate (the Math Student Advisor), who will be available at various times during Registration as specified in the Registration Guide. Department Permission usually will include a requirement to write the Mathematics Diagnostic Test.

There are some pairs of courses that must be taken at the same time and hence are designated as corequisite. In some instances, students are allowed to enroll for a course for which they do not have a prerequisite on condition that they take the prerequisite concurrently. If you are in this position, and decide to withdraw from the prerequisite course, then you must also withdraw from the course for which it is a prerequisite.

Certain courses have considerable overlap of material, and students are not allowed to get credit for both. Specifically, credit will not be given for more than one out of each of the following groups:

• Math 1171 and Math 1173/1183 and Math 1174 and MATH 1175
• Math 1271 and Math 1273/1283 and Math 1274 and MATH 1275
• Math 1118 and Math 1119

If a student finds, during the first six weeks of classes (or first three weeks if the course is a double-speed course), that the course is too difficult, he or she may request a transfer into a course one level below. To do this, the student will require the permission of the instructor whose class is being left, and of the instructor whose class is being entered. A form for such is available from the Department Chair or Department Student Advisor, and must be signed by the Division Chair. Transferring to a course part way through the semester has many challenges, therefore we recommend that any student planning to "drop down" should do so sooner rather than later.

For Mathematics courses, a student is allowed to enrol in a course a maximum of two times, regardless of the grade earned in any previous attempt. This rule is normally waived for career students needing a support course to graduate. Other exceptions are by permission of the Department Student Advisor only - usually on the basis of documented evidence of upgraded prerequisites. Note that students wanting to take a course for the third time or more normally would have to wait two weeks after the registration starts in each term to get permission (if granted) from the department to take the course again after the maximum number of times allowed. There could be more things that students have to do before the permission could be granted.  Please contact the Department Student Advisor for more details on this.