Glossary

Glossary

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Academic Advising

Educational Counsellors in VIU’s Advising Centre help prospective and current VIU students to explore, make program and course choices that align with their personal and professional goals, and to problem solve and enhance their educational experience. Contact the Advising Centre for information and support as you navigate the world of post-secondary education. Registered students from first year on may consult Degree Advisors regarding Majors/Minors, program completion and additional opportunities.

Academic Code of Conduct

VIU's Student Academic Code of Conduct outlines expectations for every VIU student regarding standards of academic integrity and responsibility and the consequences of violations.
Academic Penalty-Free Course Drop Date Each semester has two drop course deadlines. There is a deadline for dropping a course before tuition is calculated for the semester. The second deadline, the academic penalty-free deadline is the last day to drop a course and not receive a mark for it. Check these and other deadlines on the Schedule of Dates. You can drop courses by either deadline via your online student record.

Academic Penalty-Free Course Drop Date

Each semester has two drop course deadlines. There is a deadline for dropping a course before tuition is calculated for the semester. The second deadline, the academic penalty-free deadline is the last day to drop a course and not receive a mark for it. Check these and other deadlines on the Schedule of Dates. You can drop courses by either deadline via your online student record.

Academic Year

The Academic Year at VIU consists of the Fall (September - December) and Spring (January - April) semesters. Summer session, from May - August, is optional and offers 14 week and compressed 7 week courses. Some programs do not follow the typical academic year.

ACCUPLACER

ACCUPLACER (LINK UPDATED - PLEASE CONFIRM) is a self-study exam that VIU will accept as equivalent to English 12.

Admission

Before you can register for courses you must be admitted into a program. In order to be considered for admission, you must submit an application to VIU, pay the application fee, submit the required academic documents, and submit any other items that may be required for admission to a specific program (questionnaire, portfolio, resume, etc.). Here is how to apply.

Alumni

People who have graduated or attended a particular university or school. VIU's Alumni Association is focused on establishing a strong, vibrant network of VIU graduates.

Assigned Texts

The books chosen by the professor for your class. Make sure you have the full information before buying books as your professor may require a certain edition from a certain publisher (ex. Not just Shakespeare's Plays but the 16th edition of the Collected Plays by W.W. Norton And Company). The VIU Bookstore provides lists of your required textbooks ahead of each semester.

Audit Option

To take a course for no academic credit. Audit students attend class, complete reading assignments but do not receive a mark, and do not need to write examinations.

B

Bachelor's Degree

Generally, this is a first degree in an undergraduate program. At VIU, it normally takes 4 years to complete if you are studying as a full time student (4 years of classes from September - December and January - April). This typically means that you are registered in 5 courses per term, as you will need a minimum of 120 credits to graduate with a VIU bachelor's degree. See VIU Degree Programs.

Ready, Set, Go - Launchpad to Success at VIU!

Help with registration, planning for your first semester, and what to expect as your first semester starts.