Common Courses

Are you registered in two modules and some courses appear in both? The Common Course Policy has been revised and is effective for all students beginning their studies at Western in September 2009.

Common Course Policy for students registered in the Faculty of Science/BMSc

Students may double-count a maximum of 1.0 common course toward two modules (a common course is a course that is mandatory in both modules). When two modules contain more than 1.0 common course, the additional common course(s) must be distributed between the two modules as evenly as possible and a substitute course(s) approved by the department offering the module must be taken to maintain the number of courses required in the module.

Notes:

the mark in a double-counted course is used in calculating the average for each module;
the 1.0 common course with the highest mark will be double-counted toward both modules if more than 1.0 common course exists;
approved substitute courses must meet the minimum mark requirement for the module/degree and are included in the average calculation for the module;
when choice exists in a module, courses are not considered common unless and until all choice is exhausted. If one course must be selected from a list of courses, every course in the list must be taken before the course is considered to be common to both modules.

Intrepreting and Using the Common Course Policy

Steps:

1. Identify the common courses in the two modules.

2. Determine which common courses will be used (double-counted) toward both modules.

3. Determine if substitute courses are required.

4. Determine which substitute courses can be taken.

Common Course Scenarios

Scenario A: 0.5 or 1.0 common course (no substitute course required)

This 0.5 or 1.0 common course will be used (double-counted) toward both modules and the mark(s) in this common course will be used in the average calculation for both modules.

Scenario B: 1.5 common courses (0.5 substitute course is required)

1.0 common course with the highest mark(s) will be double-counted. The additional common half course will be counted toward one module and a half course must be substituted into the other module. Most departments have provided a list of approved substitute courses. Compare the substitute courses approved for each of your modules and choose a half substitute course to count toward one of your modules.

Scenario C: 2.0 common courses (1.0 substitute courses are required)

1.0 common course with the highest mark(s) will be double-counted. One of the additional common half courses will be counted toward one module and the other additional common half course will be counted toward the other module. A half course must be substituted into each module. Most departments have provided a list of approved substitute courses. Choose a half course from each list.

Scenario D: 2.5 common courses (1.5 substitute courses are required)

1.0 common course with the highest mark(s) will be double-counted. The remaining 1.5 common courses must be divided between the two modules, with 1.0 course counting toward one module and 0.5 course counting toward the other module. Respectively, 0.5 course and 1.0 course must be substituted into the modules. Most departments have provided a list of approved substitute courses. Compare the lists of substitute courses approved for each of your modules and choose a half course from one list and 1.0 from the other list.

Example - Using the Common Course Policy

Major in Physiology	Major in Pharmacology
Biochemistry 2280A	Biochemistry 2280A
Chemistry 2213A	Chemistry 2213A
1.0 from: Biology 2290F/G, 2382B, 2581B	Biology 2382B
0.5 from Biology 2244A/B or Statistical Sciences 2122A/B	Pharmacology 3560A, 3550B, 3580Y
Physiology 3120, 3140A, 3130Y	Physiology 3120
1.5 4000-level Physiology	1.5 from Pharm 2060B and 4000-level Pharm courses
	0.5 from Path 3240A, 3245B, 4400B, Physiology 3140A

Step 1: Identify the common courses:
Biochemistry 2280A, Chemistry 2213A and Physiology 3120 are mandatory in both modules and are therefore common courses. Biology 2382B must be counted toward the Major in Pharmacology. Both Biology 2290F/G and 2581B must be taken toward the Major in Physiology, exhausting that list and resulting in no Biology courses being considered common. Physiology 3140A must be counted toward the Major in Physiology. In the Major in Pharmacology, Physiology 3140A is part of a list of courses that has not been exhausted so it cannot be considered common. There are 2.0 common courses.

Step 2. Determine which common courses will be used (double-counted) toward both modules.
The highest marks in the 1.0 common course (Biochemistry 2280A + Chemistry 2213A OR Physiology 3120) determines which 1.0 will be double-counted.

Step 3. Determine if substitute courses are required.
After double-counting 1.0 common course, 1.0 additional common course is remaining. A half substitute course must be chosen from the approved lists for each module.

Step 4. Determine which substitute courses can be taken.
The list of approved substitute courses for Physiology modules includes any biology, chemistry or basic medical science course (with the exception of Physiology 2130) at the 2000-level or above. The list of approved substitute courses for the Pharmacology module is the same so a student must take two half courses from biology, chemistry or the basic medical sciences, one of which will count toward each module.