Students should refer to the Academic Policies document located on the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition website, in addition to this page.

The B.Sc.(Nutrition) program involves a unique structure and a partnership with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (Saskatoon site or Regina site) and other health regions and Tribal Councils in the province. Previously, University of Saskatchewan students interested in becoming dietitians completed the four-year degree in Nutrition and then competed in a national competition to obtain a one-year dietetic internship. Students now take a pre-Nutrition year and then apply to the four-year program. All of the required professional experiences are included within the nutrition degree, and all graduates, on successful completion of a national exam, qualify for professional dietetics registration. The program is accredited under the Partnership for Dietetic Education and Practice (PDEP) and prepares students for eligibility for registration with a provincial dietetics regulatory body.

The professional experiences are provided primarily through the Professional Practice courses (NUTR 230.3, NUTR 330.3, NUTR 430.3 and NUTR 531.30. NUTR 531.30 (fourth year of the program) is a 36-week* practice-based experience (practicum) and students have their home base with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (Saskatoon site or Regina site).

*This 36 week period includes a two-week break half-way through the practice-based experience.

Qualification for registration as a professional dietitian includes the following components: a Bachelor's degree in Nutrition or related area and specific undergraduate courses, professional experiences and a national examination. For students at the University of Saskatchewan the professional experiences are included within the degree.

In order to use the title "Registered Dietitian" (RD), individuals must obtain a practice license through registration with a provincial regulatory body (in Saskatchewan, the regulatory body is the Saskatchewan Dietitians Association). To qualify for registration, individuals require academic and practical training from an accredited university program and successful completion of the Canadian Dietetic Registration Exam. This exam is available to be written twice per year and ensures competence of entry-level dietitians.

Students in the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition who wish to complete their studies toward the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science in addition to the Bachelor of Science in Nutrition are advised to consult the Arts & Science Undergraduate Office to determine the precise requirements.

The Division, together with Saskatchewan Health Authority, sponsor the Saskatchewan Community Nutrition Residency. This program provides advanced training in community nutrition to dietitians or individuals seeking professional dietetics qualifications through the graduate degree route.

Students are required to complete Basic food safety training and Advanced food safety training instruction during their program. Basic food safety training is an eight hour, nationally recognized training program for food handlers, and is taken in the first year. Advanced food safety training is an eleven hour program, designed for food service managers, and is taken in Year 3. Students who already hold FoodSafe Level I or equivalent (e.g., National Sanitation Training Program Certificate) and Level II certificates are not required to repeat the programs, provided that they have been taken within the last three years, but must present the certificates for consideration and entry into the student record.

Students are required to complete an extramural course in public speaking during their program. A "Speechcraft" course (arranged through the Saskatoon Toastmasters Clubs) will be made available to students during their second year of the Nutrition program. A student who holds a valid certificate indicating training in public speaking may present the certificate and appropriate course information for consideration in lieu of Speechcraft, and entry into the student record.

To be included on the Dean's Honour Roll, students must have a Sessional Weighted Average of 80% or greater and must have completed a minimum of 30 credit units in the Regular Session.

The Division of Nutrition and Dietetics was established in 1987. Prior to this, programs in nutrition and dietetics were offered through the College of Home Economics. A direct entry B.Sc.(Nutrition) program was offered from 1987-1998. For information on the program during this period, please see the respective Calendar issue. A revised B.Sc.(Nutrition) program was implemented in September, 1998.

Standards of Academic Performance

Candidates for the degree are required to obtain an Annual Weighted Average of 60%, and CR (Completed Requirements) for the professional practice courses, and have no more than two failures in the Fall and Winter Terms, or the student will be Required to Discontinue the program in Nutrition. Students who do not meet the requirements in their graduating year will be dealt with on an individual basis. The Annual Weighted Average is based on courses taken during the Fall and Winter Terms (September-April) and Spring and Summer Terms immediately prior to this and CR (completed requirements) in the Practicum courses. Credit units indicate the relative academic weight of each course and are used to calculate the weighted average.

All admission deficiencies must be removed before a student will be allowed to register in second year.

The following regulations should also be noted for the Nutrition program:

• A student in the first year of the program may not take second-year compulsory courses.
• A student must meet all Term 1 prerequisite courses in order to take Term 2 courses. Failure to do so will require the student to drop Term 2 courses.
• A student must have completed all required courses of any given year before entry to the next year of the program.
• A grade of <50% will be counted as "one failure" regardless of the unit value of the course.
• Final grades are always reported on a percentage system, computed according to the weight of assignments and examinations listed in the course syllabus.
• Students cannot progress to the next year of the program without completing all the necessary requirements for that academic year unless special approval is granted by the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Committee.
• A student, who chooses to split the first, second or third year of the program, must consult with the Office of the Dean to determine a suitable split of courses. Students cannot split the fourth year of the program.
• Students who wish to take an equivalent course through another institution for credit towards the Nutrition program must submit their request through the Associate Dean Academic or designate. The course(s) must be completed by April 30 in the year of the student's program (i.e., a required course offered in year 2 must be completed by April 30). 

Required to Discontinue

• A student may be Required to Discontinue from the program in Nutrition due to lack of professionalism.
• Students Required to Discontinue are permitted to apply for admission to another program at this university or at any other accredited post-secondary institution for study during the year that the faculty action is in place (called the period of rustication), except when the faculty action is a matter of academic or non-academic discipline. Such applications are considered on a case by case basis by the program, subject to the requirements and policies in place for that college or institution, to which the student is applying. Students who are Required to Discontinue and have served the period of rustication without taking any credit courses from this or any other accredited post-secondary institution will be readmitted to the program, on application, provided that there is space in the year to which they are applying to return. Students who are Required to Discontinue, but who have taken classes here or elsewhere during the period of rustication, will be readmitted, on application, provided that their average in the classes taken meets the promotion standard for the college and provided that there is space in the year to which they are applying to return. Students who take courses during the period of rustication and are readmitted will be given credit, according to college policies, for these courses toward their program.
• A student who has been “Required to Discontinue” may apply to re-enter the program after the year by providing a statement to the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Committee indicating they wish to be re-admitted to the program. The statement must include a reflection describing why they were unable to be successful in the program and any activities they have undertaken during the year in order to be successful if re-admitted. Appropriate documentation (for example, from a health care provider) should be included with the statement as appropriate. Readmission is subject to availability of a position in the specific year of the program to which the student will be readmitted. An application from a prospective student who has been ”Required to Discontinue” twice will not be approved except in extreme circumstances.
• A student who re-enters the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition after being “Required to Discontinue” will not retain credit for any course taken during the year in which the student was required to discontinue unless a grade of at least 60% has been obtained in that course.

Appeals of evaluation, grading, and academic standing are governed by university-wide council regulations.

Incomplete Coursework

Any coursework deemed mandatory by the instructor in the class syllabus must be completed in order to pass the course. In the case where the student has a passing percentage grade but the instructor has indicated in the class syllabus that failure to complete the required class work will result in failure in the class, a final grade of 49% will be submitted along with a grade comment of INF (Incomplete Failure).

Supplemental & Deferred Examinations

Supplemental and deferred examination procedures and policies are subject to the university-wide regulations on supplemental and deferred examinations outlined in the Academic Courses Policy. For the regular supplemental and deferred examination schedule, students should refer to the Academic Calendar.

Additional Regulations

Students wishing to graduate must complete the courses for the degree within a seven year period after first registration in the program. In exceptional circumstances permission may be granted to continue study beyond the seven year limit. Students must meet the degree requirements in place when the extension is granted.

The college will try to accommodate student requests for part-time studies/leaves from the program, however, this will depend on space being available in the professional practice courses.

Students should refer to the Academic Policies document located on the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition website, in addition to this page.

The Division of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy and Nutrition grading system differs from the university-wide grading system, as outlined below: 

The College of Pharmacy and Nutrition considers 60% to be the official passing grade in PHAR courses which assign a numeric mark.

In the event that the course is failed, but the computed final grade results in a passing mark (between 50% and the passing grade), an N (no credit) grade will be added to the computed percentile grade. Students must successfully repeat the course in order to progress through the program.

The university offers a four-year program leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy degree (Pharm.D.). This program prepares students to enter community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, industrial pharmacy, or postgraduate study.

To receive a degree in Pharmacy from the University of Saskatchewan, a student must have completed at least 50% of the total credit units required for the Pharm.D. degree at this institution. In the case of students wishing to receive credit for courses taken at another College/Faculty of Pharmacy, courses will be reviewed individually to determine if credit will be granted. Students will be responsible for providing adequate information to allow proper review of course content.

Students in the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition who wish to complete their studies toward the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science in addition to the Pharm.D. are advised to consult the Arts & Science Undergraduate Office to determine the precise requirements.

Students registered in the Pharm.D. program must register as interns with the Saskatchewan College of Pharmacy Professionals in order to participate in the required experiential learning courses.

Qualification for registration as a licensed pharmacist for most provinces in Canada includes the following: a Pharm.D. degree from an accredited program, certification with the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) and completion of practice experience or experiential learning. For students at the University of Saskatchewan who are completing the Pharm.D. Program, the required experiential learning is included within the degree program. On successful completion of the degree and the qualifying examination for certification with the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada, and after successfully completing the jurisprudence examination of the Saskatchewan College of Pharmacy Professionals (SCPP), Pharmacy graduates from the University of Saskatchewan are eligible for registration with the Saskatchewan College of Pharmacy Professionals. Requirements for licensure in other provinces are similar, but may also include additional practical experience and/or successful completion of a jurisprudence examination.

Graduates of this university having the degree of Pharm.D. may apply to write the Qualifying Examinations of the PEBC. Passing of the examinations set by the Pharmacy Examining Board will satisfy the academic requirement of the other provincial pharmacy licensing bodies which participate in the PEBC.

Students must complete a course in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation during the Pharmacy program. At the time of graduation, each student must hold a valid Class A First Aid Certificate, and must have been certified for CPR (Level C with AED) by the Heart Foundation within the 12 months prior to graduation. Courses in First Aid and CPR will be made available to students during the pharmacy program. Students may take these courses in the summer if certified courses are available to them. A student who already holds a valid certificate for either of these programs must present the certificate so a copy can be placed in their student record.

Students must complete a course in public speaking during their Pharmacy program. A "Speechcraft" course (arranged through the Saskatoon Toastmasters' Clubs) will be made available to students during the Pharmacy program. A student who holds a valid certificate indicating training in public speaking must present the certificate and appropriate course information for consideration and entry into the student record.

To be included on the Dean's Honour Roll, a student must have a Sessional Weighted Average of 80% or greater and must have completed a minimum of 30 credit units in the Regular Session.

Candidates for a degree are required to obtain an Annual Weighted Average of 60%, and have no more than two failures in the Fall and Winter Terms of each year or the student will be Required to Discontinue the program in Pharmacy. Students who do not meet the requirements in their graduating year will be dealt with on an individual basis. The Annual Weighted Average is based on courses taken during the Fall and Winter Terms (September-April) and Spring and Summer Terms immediately prior to this and CR (completed requirements) in the Experiential Learning and Pharmacy Skills courses. Credit units indicate the relative academic weight of each course and are used to calculate the weighted average.

The following regulations should also be noted for the Pharm.D. program:

• A student in the first year of the program may not take second-year compulsory courses.
• A student must meet all Term 1 prerequisite courses in order to take Term 2 courses. Failure to do so will require the student to drop Term 2 courses.
• A student must have completed all required courses of any given year before entry to the next year of the program.
• A grade of <60% will be counted as "one failure" regardless of the unit value of the course.
• Final grades are always reported on a percentage system, computed according to the weight of assignments and examinations listed in the course syllabus.
• Students cannot progress to the next year of the program without completing all the necessary requirements for that academic year unless special approval is granted by the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Committee.
• A student, who chooses to split the first, second or third year of the program, must consult with the Office of the Dean to determine a suitable split of courses. Students cannot split the fourth year of the program.
• Students who wish to take an equivalent course through another institution for credit towards the Pharmacy or Nutrition program must submit their request through the Associate Dean Academic or designate. The course(s) must be completed by April 30 in the year of the student's program (i.e., a required course offered in year 2 must be completed by April 30).
• A student wishing to graduate must complete the courses for the degree within a seven year period after first registration in the program. In exceptional circumstances permission may be granted to continue study beyond the seven year limit. The student must meet the degree requirements in place when the extension is granted. 

Required to Discontinue

• A student may be Required to Discontinue from the program in Pharmacy due to lack of professionalism.
• Students Required to Discontinue are permitted to apply for admission to another program at this university or at any other accredited post-secondary institution for study during the year that the faculty action is in place (called the period of rustication), except when the faculty action is a matter of academic or non-academic discipline. Such applications are considered on a case by case basis by the program, subject to the requirements and policies in place for that college or institution, to which the student is applying. Students who are Required to Discontinue and have served the period of rustication without taking any credit courses from this or any other accredited post-secondary institution will be readmitted to the program, on application, provided that there is space in the year to which they are applying to return. Students who are Required to Discontinue, but who have taken classes here or elsewhere during the period of rustication, will be readmitted, on application, provided that their average in the classes taken meets the promotion standard for the college and provided that there is space in the year to which they are applying to return. Students who take courses during the period of rustication and are readmitted will be given credit, according to college policies, for these courses toward their program.
• A student who has been “Required to Discontinue” may apply to re-enter the program after the year by providing a statement to the Undergraduate Academic Affairs Committee indicating they wish to be re-admitted to the program. The statement must include a reflection describing why they were unable to be successful in the program and any activities they have undertaken during the year in order to be successful if re-admitted. Appropriate documentation (for example, from a health care provider) should be included with the statement as appropriate. Readmission is subject to availability of a position in the specific year of the program to which the student will be readmitted. An application from a prospective student who has been ”Required to Discontinue” twice will not be approved except in extreme circumstances.
• A student who re-enters the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition after being “Required to Discontinue” will not retain credit for any course taken during the year in which the student was required to discontinue unless a grade of at least 60% has been obtained in that course.

Essential Components

Some courses have essential components that must be passed in order to pass the course. Essential components will be identified in course syllabi. A student who has failed or has not completed an essential component of a course, will not receive credit for the course. In these situations, the student must successfully repeat the course in order to progress through the program. When a student has failed or not completed an essential component of a course, the following grading conventions will be followed:

• In the event that the essential component is failed, but the computed final grade results in a passing mark, an N (no credit) grade will be added to the computed percentile grade.
• In the event that the essential component is not completed, the final grade will be computed with a zero for the grade component(s) not completed. If the computed final grade results in a passing mark, a final grade of 49% will be submitted along with a grade comment of INF (Incomplete Failure).
• For more information, please contact the Office of the Dean of Pharmacy & Nutrition.

Policies for Failure in Pharmacy Experiential Learning Courses

Experiential learning (EL) placements and courses are academic courses. Failure in a placement is considered failure of an academic course and is subject to the academic policies of the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, including all Faculty Actions. Students must successfully complete all courses (including EL courses) before moving on to the next year in the program.

For specific information on Experiential Learning policies, students should refer to the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition Academic Policies

Incomplete Coursework

Any coursework deemed mandatory by the instructor in the class syllabus must be completed in order to pass the course. In the case where the student has a passing percentage grade but the instructor has indicated in the class syllabus that failure to complete the required class work will result in failure in the class, a final grade of 49% will be submitted along with a grade comment of INF (Incomplete Failure).

Supplemental & Deferred Examinations

Supplemental and deferred examination procedures and policies are subject to the university-wide regulations on supplemental and deferred examinations outlined in the Academic Courses Policy. For the regular supplemental and deferred examination schedule, students should refer to the Academic Calendar.

Additional Regulations

Students wishing to graduate must complete the courses for the degree within a seven year period after first registration in the program. In exceptional circumstances permission may be granted to continue study beyond the seven year limit. Students must meet the degree requirements in place when the extension is granted.

The college will try to accommodate student requests for part-time studies/leaves from the program, however, this will depend on space being available in the experiential learning placements and courses.