Permitted Calculators

The ONLY calculators allowed during final examinations of the Faculty of Science are:

• Texas Instruments TI-30, TI-34,
• Casio fx-260, fx-300.

Absence from exams

Justification of absence from an examination (mid-term, final or deferred) or from a test, or of late submission of assignments

If you are absent from any mid-term, examination or test, or late submission of assignments due to illness, psychological problems or exceptional personal circumstances, you must complete the Absence Declaration Form. You do not need a supporting document for the first absence in a course, whether for medical reasons or exceptional circumstances. Please contact the professor of your course directly for the next steps.

If you are requesting an absence for a final exam in a Science undergraduate course, the Undergraduate Office will contact you to follow up on your request for a deferral.

Students who write an examination during the period of disability specified on the medical certificate cannot later plead illness to appeal their examination results.

Students are expected to assess their health situation and ability to write an examination before taking the exam. Students who do not write a final examination because of illness or other circumstances beyond their control may apply for a deferred examination.
Please refer to Academic Regulation A-8.6 - Justification of Absence from an Examination or of Late Submission of Assignments for more information on deferring an examination.

Students are expected to complete a final examination once begun. If the student experiences a significant deterioration of health while the examination is in progress and needs to stop writing the exam, they must notify the proctor and arrangements for the evaluation will be made by the faculty offering the course. 

A significant deterioration of health during an examination is a situation whereby the student requires immediate and/or emergency medical attention. In such circumstances, a student will be required to provide appropriate documentation to confirm that the medical situation caused significant, acute symptoms during the examination that prohibited the student from completing the examination. The student must then fill out the deferred examination form within five (5) business days of the examination with appropriate supporting documentation.

Minor illnesses and ongoing chronic illnesses under medical management will normally not be considered valid grounds for granting a deferred final examination.

 All exams are on local Ottawa time (GMT-5).

This information can be modified or updated without warning up to 48 hours before the exam. It is your responsibility to check this web page regularly.

Information for deferring a final exam

The Faculty of Science’s Undergraduate Office approves and manages deferred final exams of students for all undergraduate science courses: BIO, BIM, BCH, BPS, CHM, EVS, GEO, MAT, PHY and SCI.

To defer any evaluations that take place during the term (midterms, tests, quizzes…), students must complete the Absence Declaration Form.

Procedure to defer a final exam in a science course

To defer a final exam in a science course, you must complete the Absence Declaration Form. You do not need a supporting document the first absence in a course, whether for medical reason or exceptional circumstances. The Undergraduate Studies Office will contact you to follow up on your request for a deferral of a final exam.

All deferred final exams for science courses will either take place during the deferred exam period indicated in the university calendar’s Important dates and deadlines or during the next regular exam period in which the course is offered, whichever comes first.

For students who are graduating in June, if you want to defer one of your exams, please note that the deferred exam period will take place in July and you will no longer be eligible to graduate in June and you will be able to have you degree conferred in the Fall.

Reasons for deferring a final exam

In general, we will only accept to defer an exam for the following reasons:

Exam conflicts

• Two final exams on the same date and at the same time
• Three final exams within four consecutive blocks
  • Blocks during final exam periods (9:30 am, 2:00 pm, 7:00 pm)
  • Blocks during deferred exam periods (9:00 am, 1:00 pm, 7:00 pm)
• Take-home exams and final projects are not considered within the exam conflicts listed above.

Please notify your faculty at least seven business days prior to the first exam in conflict. The faculty will look at the situation and will determine which exam can be deferred.

Travel, employment and misreading the examination schedule are not acceptable reasons for deferring an exam.

Absences Requiring Justification

Medical reasons

If you miss a final exam due to illness, please refer to Academic Regulation 8.6which governs medical certificates. The key points are the following:

• If you fall ill on the day of the exam, it is essential that you notify the faculty and submit a medical certificate bearing the date of the absence within five (5) working days of the examination date, except if extenuating circumstances prevent them from doing so; these circumstances must be documented. 
• Medical certificates retroactively covering the date of the final exam or medical certificates presenting an inconclusive diagnosis will not be accepted.
• If you choose to write a final exam despite having a medical certificate, you cannot claim illness to request a deferred exam or a revised mark.

Death of a member of immediate family

• Justified by a death certificate or an obituary notice

Students who write an examination

Students who write an examination may not appeal their final grades due to one of the reasons mentioned above. Students who write an examination during the period of disability specified on the medical certificate cannot later plead illness to appeal their examination results and/or request a deferred exam.

Although the MAT courses are offered online this Summer, final exams must be written in person.  You have the option of writing the final exam on the uOttawa campus, at an approved exam center in Canada, or deferring it (to the deferred exam period in October 2024).

There are many test centers across Canada. To help you in your search, we have compiled a list of some of these centers in each of Canada's provinces and territories. This list represents a sample of approved Canadian test centers but is not limited to this one.  However, the test center must be accredited and approved.

This list is constantly evolving and may change at any time without notice.

To request to write an exam in an approved exam center, you must complete the form Request to write an exam in an approved exam center a minimum of three weeks before your exam date with all the relevant information.  

List of courses offered – intensive session – July 15 to August 23, 2024

• BIO1109 – Principles of Biology

The course will be offered (online) during the Summer 2024 term. It is also possible to complete the equivalent course BIO4U (Ontario High School) at the Independent Learning Center.

• MAT1318 – Functions

This course will not be offered during the Summer 2024 term. It is possible to complete the equivalent course MHF4U (Ontario High School) at the Independent Learning Center.

• MAT 1339 – Introduction to Calculus and Vectors

The course will be offered (web version) during the Summer 2024 term. It is also possible to complete the equivalent course MCV4U (Ontario High School) at the Independent Learning Center.

Complete descriptions and course timetable are available on the Office of the Registrar website.

Registration procedure

Regular students: registration for summer courses starts on March 21, 2024 for students currently registered in a program of study (online registration).

New students: students newly admitted to the University of Ottawa for the Fall 2024 term will be able to register as non-degree student starting April 10, 2024. Please refer to the non-degree students enrolment page. For registration, send the registration form to [email protected].

Tuition fees

To avoid late payment fees, tuition fees must be paid by July 24, 2024. For further information, please visit the Financial Resources web site.

The following is intended for Secondary V Quebec students only (or Cegep) admitted with the condition to complete bridging courses in mathematics (MAT1318 and MAT1339).

In order to complete the admission requirements, please consider the following options: Summary of the possible options.

MAT1318

Option 1: Self-Evaluation Test

• Test to be completed online (25 questions). If a successful grade is obtained (17/25), you are exempted from completing the course MAT1318 and you may register in MAT1339 or its equivalent.
• Information and registration for the Self-Evaluation Test are available on virtual campus (Brightspace). Select the course MAT1318- Self-Evaluation Test (You will need your uoAccess ID and password).
• NOTE: Access to the course will be activated starting June 1st.  You must accept your Offer of Admission before it can be activated (delay of 24 to 48 hours).
• To access the test site (Möbius), you are required to buy a license for the cost of $25 + tx ($28.25). The license will be valid for one year and this software is used in most of your first-year mathematics courses.
• It is highly recommended to take the test once your High School mathematics course is completed.

Option 2: Complete the courses or its equivalent (refer to the Bridging Courses in Science section)

MAT1339

NB: MAT1318 must be completed before starting MAT1339

Option 1: Challenge exam

• Exam written in-person (at uOttawa or in an Exam Centre in Canada) on August 26, 2024, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. – see more details below. 
  • If you wish to write the challenge exam at uOttawa, you must inform your faculty of your intention to write the challenge exam no later than August 15, 2024. 
  • If you wish to write the challenge exam at an approved exam centre in Canada, you must inform your faculty of your intention no later than July 29, 2024. You must also fill out the Request to Write an Exam in an approved exam center form at least 3 weeks before the exam date. Note that writing an exam in an approved exam center is only available for individuals who reside at least 160 km from the University of Ottawa Campus.
• You will need to prepare for the exam on your own during the summer. You can revise the material from your High School mathematics, by consulting the MAT1339: Calculus Material and MAT1339: Vectors Material available online. You can also test your knowledge of pre-calculus material with the Calculus Readiness Self-Study Module and lots of tips (available as a Custom Course in Brightspace).
• The passing grade is "65%". Should you obtain a mark lower than 65%, you will be required to complete the course during the Fall term.

Option 2: Complete the course or its equivalent

If you have any further questions about courses in mathematics at the University of Ottawa, please do not hesitate to contact your Faculty. We wish you success in your studies at the University of Ottawa!

Frequently asked questions

I intend to write the Self-Evaluation Test for MAT1318 this summer. What happens if I do not obtain a passing grade?

The student who does not obtain at least 17/25 on the test will have to complete the course or its equivalent.

The result obtained in the Self-Evaluation Test (MAT1318) is used only to exempt (or not) from taking the make-up course MAT1318. It does not appear on the transcript and it is not included in the average.

I intend to write the challenge exam for MAT1339 this summer. What happens if I do not obtain a passing grade?

The student who does not obtain at least 65% on the challenge exam will have to complete the course or its equivalent.

The satisfactory (S) grade obtained for the challenge exam (MAT1339) is used to fulfill the admission condition. Consequently, it will appear on the official transcript but will not count in the average. If the challenge exam is not successful, no grade will be entered until you complete the course. The final mark received (satisfactory (S) or not satisfactory (NS)) for the course is considered official and will appear on the transcript. In both cases, it does not count in the average.

I intend to take the course MAT1318 and/or MAT1339. Will my final mark(s) count in my average?

No. As these are admission requirements, while the marks (satisfactory (S) or not satisfactory (NS)) will show on the official transcript, they will not be used in the calculation of the average. 

If I decide to write the challenge exam in MAT1339 in August, but later change my mind and wish to register for the course in the Fall instead, can I do it?

Yes. Simply let us know by email as soon as possible before the exam date and we will make the required changes in your file.

I intend to write the challenge exam for MAT1339 in August. Why do I need to register for the course for the Fall term?

Registration is required to follow up on the admission condition. If however, we were to register you for the summer term, this would entail summer tuition fees even though you would not be attending it. Since the fees as a full-time student (minimum 12 units) are the same whether you have four or more courses registered, by adding this course to your Fall term, your tuition fees remain unchanged.

MAT1339 shows up on my official fall schedule even though I successfully completed the challenge exam. Does this mean I have to attend that course?

No. Even if it appears in your schedule, you do not need to attend. A successful challenge exam in MAT1339 means the course is completed. A grade of S (satisfactory) will appear in your file.

Can I use the MAT1318 and MAT1339 courses toward the requirements of my program of studies ?

No, since these courses are upgrading courses, they cannot count toward any program requirements.

Students having completed at least 17 admissible courses from Cegep can receive up to 30 units in advanced standing at admission in program offered by the Faculty of Science. Students having completed less than 12 admissible courses cannot receive advanced standing.

The following equivalent courses (PDF, 37 KB) are usually granted for students having completed the Cegep Science Program according to the requirements of their program of studies.

Mathematics Courses

The following is intended for CEGEP students entering a program in Science or Engineering who have completed a CEGEP course in Linear Algebra (201-NYC, 201-704 or equivalent course code)

The CEGEP courses in Algebra are unfortunately not equivalent to MAT1341 (Introduction to Linear Algebra), which is a required course in many programs in Science and Engineering. MAT1341 is also a prerequisite to several second year courses you may need to take.

So as not to unduly delay your studies, and taking into account the significant content of the CEGEP Algebra courses, please consider the following options open to you:

1. The course MAT1341 is offered at the University of Ottawa in the spring-summer term. Completing the course over the summer could allow you a seamless transition to your second-year studies. Please consult the schedule of the course.
2. If your CEGEP Algebra course covered additional material (in particular, eigenvalues, eigenvectors and diagonalization), you may be able to request a challenge exam for credit on July 26, 2024. Contact the Department of Mathematics and Statistics for details.
3. Provided that you successfully completed a CEGEP Algebra course you can take MAT1341 in the fall term and you will be permitted to register in the fall as well for any of the following courses which are required for your program:

• MAT2122 : Multivariable Calculus
• MAT2322 : Calculus III for Engineers
• MAT2362 : Foundations of Mathematics.

On the other hand, you must complete MAT1341 before you may take any of the following courses:

• MAT2141 : Linear Algebra I
• MAT2324 : Ordinary Differential Equations and the Laplace Transform
• MAT2342 : Introduction to Applied Linear Algebra
• MAT2384 :Ordinary Differential Equations and Numerical Methods.

If you have any further questions about courses in mathematics at the University of Ottawa, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We wish you excellent success in your studies at the University of Ottawa!

Alistair Savage
Chair, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Email

Mathematics Make-up Courses

This section is intended only for International applicants who must complete the mathematics make-up course MAT1339 or an Intensive Make-up course (admission condition).  Make up courses in mathematics are primarily designed to upgrade the concepts of mathematics prerequisites to the program of study.

All the Intensive make-up courses in mathematics combine concepts of the prerequisite calculus course MAT1339 (Introduction to Calculus and Vectors) and the first year university calculus course required in the program of studies in one unique course to be taken during the first study term. (No delay in the course sequence)

The mandatory make-up course listed on the Offer of Admission will automatically be added to your first term schedule.

Mathematics Make-up Course

• MAT1339 (Introduction to Calculus and Vectors) – admission prerequisite and first-year calculus prerequisite.

Note: The course make up course MAT1339 must be completed before taking your first-year calculus course.

Mathematics Intensive Make-up Courses

• MAT1321 (Intensive Calculus I) replaces MAT1320 (Calculus I) – Engineering programs, Mathematics and Physics)
• MAT1327 (Intensive Calculus for the Life Sciences I) replaces MAT1330 (Calculus for the Life Sciences I) – Science programs (excluding Mathematics and Physics) and Human Kinetics (B.Sc.).
• MAT1329 (Intensive Mathematical Methods I) replaces MAT1300 (Mathematical Methods I) – Programs in Management and Social Sciences.

Note: Combined make-up courses in mathematics have a weekly additional lecture (for a total of 4.5 hrs / week). In addition, the course MAT1321 includes a mandatory discussion group (DGD) of 1.5 h/week. MAT1327 and MAT1329 have an optional discussion group (DGD) of 1.5 h /week.

Frequently asked questions

I have completed the equivalent of the prerequisite calculus course in High School, can I be exempted?

If one of the mathematics make-up courses is part of your condition of admission, you cannot be exempted even if you believe you have completed all components of MAT1339. No exception. By accepting the Offer of Admission, the student agrees to complete the indicated make-up course.

What happens if I do not obtain the passing grade? Will my offer of admission be cancelled?

Students who do not pass the make-up course with a minimal grade of 50% will be permitted to repeat the course once in the following study term. A failure in the second attempt may result in a Faculty withdrawal.

Is it possible to write a challenge exam to be exempted from the prerequisite calculus course component (MAT1339)?

No. The challenge exam for the MAT1339 is not offered to International Students. The new intensive make-up courses in mathematics were designed specifically for International Students who lack certain mathematical concepts.

Will the grade of the intensive make-up course count in the average?

Yes. The grade will be calculated in the average like all other courses in the program of studies. The course is evaluated on the same grading scale as a regular course.

Will the grade of the MAT1339 make-up course count in the average?

No. The grade (Satisfactory (S) or Non-satisfactory (NS) will not be calculated in the average and will not count for credits in the program of studies (additional course). The course and the grade will appear on the transcript.

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