Common Course Policy

The Common Course Policy comes into effect when a Neuroscience student completes two modules and some of the same courses appear in both modules.  A maximum of 1.0 "common course" can be double-counted toward two modules. When two modules contain more than 1.0 common course, students need to replace each additional common course with a "substitute course" which has been approved by the department offering the module. 

Step 1: determine if two modules contain "common courses"

  • look at the courses listed under each Module in the Academic Calendar
  • courses that are mandatory in both modules are "common courses" (see Exception*)
    • e.g. if Biochemistry 2280A must be taken in both modules (no choice exists), it is a common course
  • a course that is mandatory in one module but appears in the other module as part of a list from which one or more courses must be selected, is only considered a common course if every course in the list is taken.  See the following three examples:
    • e.g. if Biology 2382B is mandatory in module A and either Biology 2382B or 2581B is required in module B, Biology 2382B is not a common course.  It can only be used to satisfy the requirements of module A and Biology 2581B must be taken for Module B
    • e.g. if Physiology 3120 is mandatory in module A and appears in list of courses from which 1.0 must be chosen in module B, Physiology 3120 is not a common course.  Physiology 3120 can only be used to satisfy the requirements of module A and 1.0 other course must be taken from the list to satisfy the requirements for module B
    • e.g. if 1.0 course from Biology 2290F/G, 2328B and 2581B is required in module A and 1.0 course from Biology 2290F/G, 2382B and 2581B is also required in module B, all three of these half courses must be completed.  The half course with the highest mark is the common course, and one of the other two half courses is used toward module A and the remaining half course is used toward module B
Exception*: If there are fewer than 1.0 common course(s) between two modules, as defined above, then students are permitted to count up to 1.0 common course(s) from picklists without exhausting the choice within the picklist. Students must consult with a Coordinator in the BMSUE Office (Jen Chambers) to ensure that they satisfy the exception.

Step 2:  determine how many common courses exist

  • note which courses are common to both modules using Step 1
  • add up the total number of common courses, counting full courses as 1.0 course and half courses as 0.5 course

If only 0.5 or 1.0 common course exists, it is counted toward both modules (i.e. the 0.5 or 1.0 course is "double-counted" and satisfies the requirement of 0.5 or 1.0 course in both modules) and no more steps are required. If more than 1.0 common course exists in the two modules, continue with Steps 3 - 6.

Step 3: determine which 1.0 common course is double-counted

  • the 1.0 common course with the highest mark is double-counted toward both modules, i.e. one full course or two half courses that are common can be used to satisfy the requirements of both modules
    • if the common courses contain both full and half courses, the full course is double-counted if it has a higher mark than the average of two half courses

Step 4: assign the additional common courses to the two modules

  • ignore the 1.0 common course that is being double-counted and determine the number of additional common courses
    • e.g. if 2.0 common courses exist, the 1.0 common course with the highest mark is double-counted, and there is 1.0 additional common course
  • each of the additional common courses can appear in only one of the modules
  • assign the additional common course(s) to the two modules as equally as possible, as in the following scenarios:
    • if one additional common half remains, assign it to one of the two modules (it can be used toward either module but see Step 6 for tips on making this decision)
    • if two additional common half courses remain, assign one half course to each of the modules (it doesn't matter which course is assigned to each of the two modules)
    • if three additional common half courses remain, assign 1.0 course to one module and 0.5 course to the other module (1.0 course can be assigned to either module and 0.5 course assigned to the other module but see Step 6 for tips on making this decision)

Step 5: determine the "substitute course" that is required

  • an additional common course is assigned to one of the modules, leaving a course missing from the other module
  • a "substitute course" must be taken to replace this missing course, as in the following example:
    • Biochemistry 2280A is determined to be the only additional common course remaining after 1.0 other common course is double-counted toward both modules
    • Biochemistry 2280A is assigned to module A, leaving a half course missing from module B
    • a half "substitute course" must be taken to replace the missing half course in module B
  • substitute courses must be approved by the department offering the module into which the course is being substituted, as in the continuation of the example above:
    • Biochemistry 2280A is assigned to the Major in Biochemistry, leaving a half course missing from the Major in Microbiology and Immunology
    • the Department of Microbiology and Immunology must approve a half course to be used as the substitute half course for Biochemistry 2280A

Step 6: pick the "substitute course"

  • many of the basic medical science departments have a pre-approved list of Substitute Courses.
  • Tip for assigning an additional common course to a particular module:
    • decide which course you would prefer to take from the list of substitute courses approved for each module
    • include this course in one module and assign the remaining additional common half course to the other module