• courses

    you are never ever ever getting into that course (like ever)

    January 15, 2013

    Hey aska,

    I’m currently finding myself in a frustrating situation in terms of term two courses. As a first year student, when picking my schedule in August, I
    wasn’t sure whether I’d want to pursue a specialist or a double major, so I ended up choosing courses that I no longer need (since I’m going with a
    double major). As a result, I have two vacancies in my schedule – so I thought that I’d go ahead and satisfy my breadth… that was easier said than done. I literally sifted through the calendar (I know) and of the 40 possibilities (that could actually fit in with the remainder of my schedule), only 3 less-than-satisfactory courses aren’t full :/ I then decided to just look for fun courses that I could select instead (thinking I’ll just deal with breadth in year three or four), but they’re all full too. I just don’t know what to do anymore :/ (aaand keeping the physics and calc courses that I no longer need sounds terrible to me, since I suck at both). I just feel that the longer it takes me to figure this out, the more the wait lists will grow (and so will my panic). So what should I do? Should I pursue breadth or just fill my schedule with etc. courses? *How *do I actually get myself into courses at this point? I also feel uneasy about wait lists (since it seems like I’ll have to join some one way or another): is a number such as 65 waiting for 500 seats a long wait list? What happens if I don’t get in from the wait list – I’ll be short that credit! I know I just tossed a million questions at you, but I’m really anxious about all of this. Thanks so much for reading.

    FirstYearIsWayTooStressful

    ?????????

    Holy way too many questions.

    Okay I’m going to answer these as well as I can and hopefully I don’t miss any.

    When you’re choosing your courses for the S term just before it, yeah, seeing waitlist after waitlist is going to happen. I mean think about it: you were already behind fourth, third, and second year students in your initial enrollment, and then a lot of time has passed since then, meaning non-degree students and UTSC or UTM people get in your way too. It totally sucks but that’s just how it is.

    So remember as a rule of university (and life, I suppose): never ever ever ever ever procrastinate! Granted, you didn’t figure things out until much later…

    Anyhow, right now, since ROSI is essentially in its every-man-for-himself mode and you just keep refreshing course pages in hopes of a vacancy, you’re better off just taking what you can. Even if it isn’t a requirement, you can at least get something to fill in your 20 FCE right? Likewise, maybe you’ll even find something that interests you!

    Don’t feel too stressed out. Unfortuantely, given how last minute it is, your choices are really limited, but I’m sure you’ll find something to fill the void with as long as you’re not too picky. But if you find that you really, really cannot find anything, then there’s always summer school. Or, since we’ve all been graced with those annoying flat fees, you can just take an extra course next year.

    Happy course hunting!

    aska

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  • courses

    but why must there be both

    January 8, 2013
    Hi:
    ?
    I failed a half credit course during 2012 Spring, I think here is a huge effect on my previous poor GPA. My question is if I retake and pass it, is there any change with my GPA or just get the credit but nothing with my GPA? Thx

    ?????????

    Hey hey!

    So when you retake the class, your CGPA will change in that it will still?include the failed grade, but also the new (passing) one!

    ruing retakes,
    aska

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  • courses

    pumped full of problems

    December 19, 2012

    Hey aska,

    I’m a first-year student at U of T St. George right now and I’m studying the humanities. I just finished first semester with decent marks. As time goes on, I realize that I really wanna do computer science instead. I do programming in my spare time and as much as I love the arts, well, I can take them as electives right? I’m starting to realize that studying practical skills will be beneficiary? and might be the only way I’ll survive four years at this school.

    How do I go about transferring over to comp sci? Do I just start next year by taking the courses that are required like math and such? The whole process seems very confusing. Also, I didn’t take calculus in high school. I know most of the stuff as I also study it in my spare time. I’m just not sure if I can even get in at this point. How should I start this process?

    But thanks for reading about my life problems bro, I really appreciate it 🙂

    Love,
    The Puzzled Philospher

    ?????????

    To the Puzzled Philosopher:

    I love that you used a name! Names are great but no one ever uses them.

    Anyhow, Computer Science and whatever you’re in now are both in the Faculty of Arts and Science, so you can actually pursue both programs at the same time as long as you have the necessary prerequisites. However, your main problem seems to be your lack of high school Calculus, which is basically essential for any first-year Math course, which is in turn essential for a major in Computer Science.

    What I would recommend doing is looking at the PUMP program offered by the Department of Mathematics. They define PUMP as:

    PUMP is a non-credit course designed for students who have not taken the appropriate high school mathematics prerequisites for university calculus and linear algebra. It equips students with the necessary background knowledge required to succeed in first year mathematics courses. PUMP may also be taken by individuals who wish to close any existing gap between high school math and University level math courses or any one who wish to review high school math before attempting University level math or other science courses.

    Basically, it’ll cover your missing high school Calculus credit for you and make you eligible for 100-level Math credits here at UofT. Unfortunately, it is non-credit and there will be a fee, but it will certainly prepare you for whatever first-year Math course you want to take. There’s a PUMP section offered next January, so I recommend getting on that so you can take some Math courses in your second year.

    Cheers!

    aska

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  • courses

    evading essays in university

    December 19, 2012

    Hi aska,

    I can’t seem to find much information about CLA230 Introduction to Greek History and I was wondering if you could share anything you know about it (how it is marked, content etc.). I was also wondering if you could suggest any half-year courses that I could take that only has tests to determine marks (essay-writing isn’t my strong suit)? I’m looking for social sciences courses and I am on the St. George Campus. Oh, and could you possibly tell me anything about courses that U of T offers online? I can’t seem to find much information on that either.

    Thanks a bunch and sorry for the many questions!

    ?????????

    Hey hey!

    Sadly, I don’t have anything to tell you about CLA230. The unfortunate thing is that not all departments release they’re course syllabi before classes begin — very few do, actually. But if they are available somewhere on the world wide web, they’ll most likely be on the department’s page.

    Now I don’t know any specific courses that can work for you, but I suppose straying away from any humanities ones would be a good idea since more often than not, they call for papers. But really, so do the social sciences. And physical sciences — although in these sections they parade under the title of “reports” or “research papers.” Most classes do really, because fun fact: university is about research! And then there’s the even funner part about university in which we must convey said research. Yuck. The only course I had that didn’t call for essays was SOC101 from way back when in my first year, but that course actually kind of sort of led to a lot of nervous breakdowns for me so I don’t think I want to recommend it. But there was also CLA160, which for me, was graded by midterm, exam, and tutorial, but I don’t even remember my professor’s name (sad as that may be) so who knows if he’s still teaching it…

    What you can do is make some wild assumptions about courses based on their calender descriptions as to whether or not they’ll call for papers, as silly as that sounds, and then load up your ROSI account because technically you’re allowed to be enrolled in 6.0 FCE. I really shouldn’t but I personally do that, go to all the first classes, collect the syllabi, and drop the ones that have monotonous profs or that call for group presentations.

    But to determine what courses are available next semester, check out UofT’s brand new Course Finder website! It’s pretty awesome.

    And as for online courses, you’re not finding any info on them because another unfortunate fact is that St. George doesn’t have any… or well, they’re in the works. Basically this is the extent of it, but you’re definitely allowed to take other campuses’ online classes if you’re interested.

    Happy searching!

    aska

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  • courses

    aska’s intro to intro to classics

    December 13, 2012

    Hey Aska,

    After doing poorly in a full year course, I am thinking of dropping it and taking Intro to Classics CLA160H1 as an alternative in the winter/spring.

    What can you tell me about it other than what the website says? From a student perspective that will help me decide what to do.

    Thanks!

    ?????????

    Hey hey!

    So you want to know aboout Intro to Classics do you? Well lucky for you, I actually took that one many many moons ago. Many. Many.

    The first thing I notice when I think back to CLA160 is that I actually do not recall my prof’s name. First strike. Next, mine was a bit of a night class so I did this thing where I would leave at break and head over to H&M just down the street and… Okay, second strike.

    But aside from all of that, I actually loved the content. I’m terrible at staying in lectures (especially at night), so don’t let the above two strikes get to you. The truth is that the course is super fun and extremely interesting. You learn about cultures, history, and super awesome empires. Kudos to you, Alexander the Great! And it really shows you just how much Greek and Roman histories echo in everyday life. Have you ever watched Troy? Ever read 300? Seen Rome? When I was in first-year, admittedly, CLA160 was one of my more content-heavy classes, but it was also one of my favourites!

    Though for another opinion, maybe hit up the ASSU Anti-Calender.

    Cheers!

    aska

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  • courses,  subject POST

    i’ll have a double major in contextualizing and questions

    December 5, 2012

    Dear Aska,

    I am currently a second year student enrolled in the Archaeology Specialist program. It was not my program of choice when I first enrolled in UofT, but as my first year ended, only then did I find out that what I originally wanted to study was no longer offered. What I’m enrolled in now was simply out of panic, and what I’ve been calling a “placeholder Subject POSt.” I picked it just so I would be enrolled in something and would be allowed to choose courses as I search for another subject to pursue.

    As of right now, I’ve decided that I would change the Specialist into a Major so that the courses I had taken in my first year would not go to waste. Given that the Specialist program requisites are higher and I have already been accepted into that, I should be able to switch to a Major without any problems, right? And on that note, is changing my Subject POSt as easy as changing my courses? Do I simply change/delete my current one on ROSI and request another?

    If that plan goes through, I’ll only have one Major and have to pick up another. To do so, I’m planning on picking up a second Major, which I’ve decided to be Psychology. I’m currently sitting comfortably at a 92% in PSY100, and feel quite confident that I will be accepted into the program. However, on the 2012-2013 Calendar, there’s a question I have with regards to the required courses. Requirement number 9 states that I need “1.5 FCEs from Groups 1 and/or 2 at any level.” Does this overlap with the courses I take to satisfy requirements 3 and 4, or will I need to take another 1.5 FCEs outside of that?

    And now, a more general question to wrap things up… Am I allowed to take a course and it’s prerequisite at the same time? I’m currently taking ANT203Y1 which is a prereq for ANT334 and ANT335. However, I’d like to get a head start on 334 and 335 if I can, instead of waiting for next year. I currently have a grade somewhere in the ballpark of 88 or 89% and don’t feel like there’s anyways for my to mess it up and drop below 50%. This is a rather specific example, but I’d probably have to use this knowledge elsewhere somewhere down the road.

    This was an extremely long email filled with a ton of questions and you have my sincerest of thank you’s for reading it all and putting up with my lack of knowledge. You and your site have been of great help to me countless times, unlike that of certain offices. I have gone searching for answers elsewhere before I came here, but all I was met with was “toobadsosad” when my desired program was removed and “come in and make an appointment” when I asked anyone else (which is what I was trying to avoid altogether. Being a commuter, my schedule is hectic enough as it is.) Now I know better. This will now always be my first stop when I need questions answered. Once again, thank you so much. I owe you a coffee or something.

    Yours truly,
    M

    ?????????

    Dearest M,

    Funny story: I literally copied your message into a word doc and highlighted your questions to figure out what I?m writing. Lots of background info here! I’m not sure if I love that or not… Anyhow, let’s get down to the nitty gritty.

    Question 1: “I have already been accepted into [the Archaeology Specialist program so] I should be able to switch to a Major without any problems, right? And on that note, is changing my Subject POSt as easy as changing my courses? Do I simply change/delete my current one on ROSI and request another?”

    Looking at the program website, I’d say that yes, switching over to the Major program should be perfectly fine. As long as you’ve completed ANT200Y with a 70, which both the Specialist and Major programs seem to call for, everything should be fine! And yup, changing your POSt will be nice and easy. Basically you’ll go on ROSI on April 1st at the earliest, when Subject POSt enrolement begins! You’ll have to first drop the Archaeology Specialist and then request the Archaeology Major. You won’t necessarily be “switching” over so much as you’ll be dropping and reapplying, meaning you’ll be accepted into the Major program as long as you have the requirements (which you do) by around mid-June at the latest.

    Question 2: “Does [requirement 9] overlap with the courses I take to satisfy requirements 3 and 4 [of my Psychology Major], or will I need to take another 1.5 FCEs outside of that?”

    Nope, no extra courses! They can definitely overlap. I mean, they should. I’d hate to be wrong, but I’m like 99% sure. I mean, I’ve fulfilled a “Literature since the 18th century” requirement and a 400-level ENG requirement in one go by taking a seminar in that field, so I don’t see why that rule wouldn’t spread among departments. So assuming I am correct (just doublecheck with the Psychology undergraduate advisor), you can take PSY260H to fulfill requirements 4 and 9 at the same time.

    Question 3: “Am I allowed to take a course and it’s prerequisite at the same time?”

    No. Prerequisites have to go beforehand, hence the “pre.” The ones that you can take at the same time are corequisties.

    Anyhow, I’m glad askastudent has been helpful for you! And I know what you mean. Sometimes it’s easier to get a fellow student to verify what you’re like 99% sure of from what you read in the Calender than to go to some mean secratary or counsellor who seems to really dislike her job and the students that come to her… because UofT kind of has a lot of those.

    all out of answers,

    aska

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  • courses

    itchin for some switchin

    October 22, 2012

    Hi there,

    So I’m a first-year student in the St. George campus and I’m taking a course that I find really boring: DRM100. I’m only taking it because all the other courses I wanted (psychology, sociology, astronomy) were full during course enrolment time. Anyway, I want to drop this course and switch to HIS107Y1. It’s six weeks into this year, so I’d only be missing five lectures so far for HIS107. Would it be possible (and do good for my sanity) if I enrol now?

    Thanks so much!

    – BB

    ?????????

    Hey BB,

    If you?re really set on it, you can definitely drop DRM100. Just make sure to do it before November 4, 2012 to make sure there?s nothing on your transcript.

    However, there?s no more enrolling into F or Y courses. Unfortunately, enrollment in F and Y courses hasn?t been available since September 23. So if you really want to take HIS107, you?ll have to either hope it?s offered in the summer session or simply take it next year.

    Sorry about that!

    aska

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  • courses

    wait, what year is this?

    October 22, 2012

    Hi im a student at uoft
    i was placed on probation and then suspended for 1 year and I have 3.5 credits completed from the previous year, what do i need to be considered to be in my 2nd year of university? is 4.0 credits okay? because i have 2 0.5 credits this semester so that would mean if i passed with good grades those two courses would make my credit count 4.5 would i be considered 2nd year at school or no?

    ———————————————

    Yo yo,

    According to my handy dandy Calendar, you need at least 4.0 FCE to be considered a second-year. So with my superpower of deductive reasoning, I arrive at the conclusion that when you get to 4.5, you will indeed be a second-year.

    Cheers!

    aska

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  • courses

    tl;dr

    October 15, 2012

    Hi aska,

    I’m an incoming freshman from the states and I had a few questions…In the U.S., you’re not required to take calculus in high school. I took precalc in 11th grade and then took AP Stats in 12th grade. Apparently, in Canada, you’re required to take calculus in high school in order to graduate. Is this a significant set-back? Will it be much much harder for me in my math class? (I’m taking MAT135 by the way, at UTM)

    Also, I have taken both AP bio and AP psych exam and gotten a 4 and a 5, respectively. I wanted to receive credit for PSY100 instead of bio due to the fact that I’m a med school hopeful (I know, I know…but I still want to try!) and I felt that I did not learn enough in my AP biology class. The thing is though, I want psychology to be one of my majors and due to the fact that I want to pursue a double major in Psychology and Economics, my schedule is going to be tight and I want to move on to the 2nd year courses in hopes that it will save some time (and yes, I have already talked to the department of psychology about this and they said it’s fine to register for 2nd year classes). However, I’m not entirely sure if it’s a good idea because I’m afraid it’d be too much for me to handle. So far, I signed up for PSY201H5F, PSY220, and PSY270. I would take just one each semester, but in order for me to declare psychology as a major, I need to take PSY201 and two psych classes.

    So…I guess my question all boils down to this: is going into 2nd year classes too much for a freshman to handle? Are they significantly harder than 1st year courses? Just as a reference in case you need it, my other classes are ECO100, MAT135, and PHY135/136 (so…yes, 4.5 credits in total). Oh and also…are there any tips you would give to an incoming freshman?

    Sorry for the really long question…and thank you so so much!

    Kate

    ?????????

    Hey there,

    I?m not sure who told you that little Calculus tidbit, but be sure to give them a piece of your mind ASAP. In Canada?or at least in Ontario?we don?t need to take Calculus to graduate either. Technically, you don?t need to take any Math classes at all in grade 12 to graduate. Believe me. I wouldn?t have made it if we did. But while MAT135 does recommend having taken Calculus in grade 12, it is still just a recommendation. How have you been doing thus far? You?re the judge, really. But if you do feel like you?re having trouble, the UTM Mathematics Department apparently offers workshops for first-year Calculus courses on Fridays from 3PM to 5PM at William Davis 3093.

    Now as for your Psychology problems: no, second year courses aren?t too much to handle for a first year. Of course, this all really depends on your work ethic and how well you handle your studies. If you do take them though, it might be wiser to put them into the second semester so that you can spend the first one getting a vibe for what university is like. Just make sure you take the introductory courses at least so you have some groundwork.

    And tips for an incoming freshmans?

    • Go to your all of lectures. Seriously. Seriously.
    • Stay on top of your readings and/or assignments. It’s never fun having to reread the same sentence over and over again because it won’t set in the first time around because you’re that tired.
    • Join clubs/student societies/etc. Meet lots of people! You’ll have a much better experience that way.
    • Go to office hours. No, it doesn’t make you a brown-noser. But it can definitely be beneficial when some time down the road you need an academic reference or something. Likewise, it won’t hurt your participation marks to have your Professor actually know your name.
    • Take a writing course at some point. There are many, many people that make it into university who cannot write and it is absolutely mind-boggling. University is about research and critical thinking and being able to express what you find in an understandable way is just as important.

    Good luck!

    aska

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  • courses,  subject POST

    a double dose of confusion

    October 10, 2012

    Hey,

    I’ll be a first year student in September 2012 at UTM and I’m really confused as to how credits work. How many credits is a course worth? I was accepted into the Communications, Culture, and Information Technology program at UTM and I want to double major with Commerce as my second major. I’m told I can only take 6.0 level 100 credits that would count towards my degree requirements. Does this mean that a course that will only take a semester (F/S courses) to complete is worth 0.5 credits and a course that takes both semesters (Y courses) to complete is worth 1 full credit?

    I’m also confused with how double majors actually work. Each degree requires 20.0 credits. Does this mean I take a total of 40.0 credits or just 20.0 credits and that all my courses I take within my four years at UTM apply to both my degrees?

    Also, how do I enrol for a double major? The degree requirements state that for my Bachelor of Arts I require to take either 1 Specialist, or 2 Majors, or 1 Major plus 2 Minors. I’ve decided that I’ll be doing 2 majors, but then for Commerce it requires me to do a Specialist in Commerce & Finance. For my Bachelor of Arts degree do I take Commerce and disregard the Specialist in Commerce & Finance or do I have to do both the double major and the specialist program for Commerce?

    I’m super confused, I don’t know what I’m doing with my life, and I need your help!

    Please and thank you!! 🙂

    ?????????

    Hey there,

    One course is worth 0.5 credits if it lasts for only one semester and a full 1.0 if it?s year-long. So basically in one year, most people will take an average of 5.0 FCEs, which can be a combination of say two year-long courses and six half-credit courses.

    Now double majors are a great way to train students to be proficient in multiple fields. Majors usually require anywhere between 6.0 and 8.0 credits depending on the specific program. Assuming you plan your schedule out strategically, you should be able to finish the requirements for both majors within your four years at UTM.

    As for your programs of interest, to be completely honest, I?m a little confused about what you?re trying to say. You want to double major in Communications, Culture, and Information Technology, along with Commerce, right? But you think you can?t just do a major in Commerce, it has to be a specialist? If that?s the case, I don?t see why you can?t do the double major you?re aiming for since according to UTM?s Department of Management, a major in Commerce to go with your B.A. is available. Once you figure out what the Subject POSts you want to pursue are, you declare them on ROSI. You’re still in first year though, so you won’t have to deal with that until around April.

    But don?t stress! And if you?re still confused and lost and in need of help, give your registrar a call and make an appointment to get some guidance.

    also a little confused,

    aska

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  • courses,  subject POST

    i want to take everything

    October 9, 2012

    Hello Aska,

    I am a second year student currently enrolled as a political science and urban studies major with a minor in human geography. I’ve been doing a lot of questioning over what to study and have decided to flip my urban studies to a minor and human geography to a major. no big deal.

    But I’m a) a bit confused on when I can change my posts, b) unsure of how I will be able to fit in all the necessary courses, and c) how this will change the courses I can take from the urban studies department in my upper years. But most importantly I have no idea which academic service to go to with all these questions?

    The registrar? or would they just direct me to the urban studies and geography department?

    Thank you,

    Ali

    ?????????

    Hello there Ambitious Ali,

    Subject POSts are chosen during two periods for Types 2, 2L, and 3 (Type 1s last from early April to late September in just one session). These three types have a first round where students may request entry to a program between early April and mid-May. Invitations then usually come around late June/early July and must be accepted by early August. The second period follows the same pattern but takes place a little later. Thus, you won?t be able to change your POSts until April 2013.

    Now after you change POSts, remember that to graduate with an Honours Bachelor of Arts you need to complete either a) one specialist, b) two majors, or c) one major and two minors. So if you can only fit in the courses necessary for your Political Science major and Human Geography major, you?ll be fine.

    But you may be able to complete all the requirements for the three programs if you choose courses strategically. For example, you can try taking Human Geography courses that also work for your Urban Studies minor. The courses you can take for that minor in your upper years, however, is completely up to you and what you decide to take. But for the most part, as long as you take INI235Y1 (which you should since it?s a requirement), most courses are available to you.

    If you have any further questions, head first to your registrar. 🙂

    Cheers!

    aska

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  • courses,  graduation,  prereqs,  ROSI

    je suis confus

    September 20, 2012

    Hey Aska,

    Two years ago I took FSL121Y1 and then last year I continued with french and took FSL221Y1. Now When I look at degree navigator, it for some reason does not count FSL221Y1 as part of my 20 courses because it says that it is an exclusion to FSL121. If the course does not count I won’t be able to graduate this year since I will be short one course. It however, makes no sense because you need to take FSL121 in order to be able to enrol in FSL221.

    Thanks for your help,

    Sooo confused.

    ———————————————

    Hey confused!

    That’s super wack! And rightfully unnerving. But don’t worry, it ain’t you, it ain’t me, it’s the degree navigator. FSL121Y1 is only an exclusion if you’ve taken FSL221Y1 first, but not the other way around (logically). Unfortunately, one of the degree navigator’s most prominent glitches is that it can’t always recognize chronology, and so it’s giving you a false alarm because it doesn’t know the order in which you took those courses.

    When time comes to request graduation, you should be fine. But if you’re worried, shoot an email to the French Department just to confirm.

    Bonne chance!

    aska

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  • courses,  first year,  humanities

    wtf is dts? omg!!

    September 19, 2012

    While flipping through the course calendar, freaking out as I choose my first year courses, I stumbled across Diaspora and Transnational Studies. It looks PERFECT for a very undecided social science student who wants to take a bunch of everything (anthro, his, geo, etc) and the into class fits perfectly in my schedule (something thats been plaguing me lately). However upon asking around to friends who are second/third years, no one can tell me anything about it….SO ASKA, school me! 🙂 have you heard good things? do you think taking DTS200 would be too much for a measly first year? oh and….is there any possible chance I’d get in through a wait list?

    many thanks
    ps. DTS sounds like a syndrome. Is it strange this makes me like it more?

     

    ———————————————

    Heyo!

     

    I’m a bit late with this answer, but I hope you did sign up for DTS200, and that you got in, waitlist or no! I always encourage first years to take a few second year courses for kicks.

    Although I initially assumed DTS stood for ‘Down to Salsa ,’ Diaspora and Transnational Studies is indeed one freakin’ cool program, and everyone I know who has taken it really digs it. It?s relevant, it?s political, and it?s challenging!

    It’s also important that students like you show sustained interest in interdisciplinary humanities/social science programs like this, which are constantly under threat by a university administration that prefers moneymaking departments like Commerce and Biotech. Recently, DTS was one of a few programs which faced radical amalgamation and downsizing , and only sustained student activism and the resulting public outcry stopped that from going down. Just so you knows!

    Let me know if you went for it!

    Huggles,

    aska

    p.s?the prereqs for some of the courses can be a little biotch when the courses are 200 and 300 series

    p.p.s DTS 200 and one of the 4th year Advanced Topics is taught by Prof Kevin O’Neill … who is super chill and not too shabby on the eyes (just sayin)

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