FOR OISE ON-CAMPUS, ON-LINE, AND DISTANCE EDUCATION COURSES 

The Course Schedule has now been posted on this website for viewing.  Course enrolment will begin on ROSI at 6:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 28, 2013. (Note the opening date for course enrolment has changed to March 28.)  

This document provides course enrolment information for the 2013 Summer (May-August), 2013 Fall (September-December) and 2014 Winter (January-April) Sessions, and applies to OISE courses offered on-campus, on-line and by distance education.  Please be sure to read this information before enrolling in your courses because it is designed to assist you with your course selection.  Students may also find detailed information on specific courses in the OISE Bulletin.

The SWS (www.rosi.utoronto.ca) will be available beginning Thursday, March 28, 2013 at 6:00 a.m. for course enrolment.  (Note the opening date for course enrolment has changed to March 28.)  The Course Add/Drop Form must be used in cases where courses cannot be added via the SWS.  See below for more information.

Course scheduling changes will be posted on the Course Schedule at this website as they become available.  Course room numbers will also be available on the Course Schedule at this website at a later date, and will be posted outside the Registrar’s Office, Graduate Studies Unit, 4th floor on the first day of classes.

QUICK LINKS:       

Important Dates

Course Numbering

Research Methodology Courses

Maximum Courseloads

Selecting your Courses

Using the Student Web Service (SWS)

Where SWS Cannot Be Used

Using the Course Add/Drop Form

Requesting Graduation

Where To Go For Help

On-Line and Distance Education Course Information

Computer Technology and Library Services

OISE Bulletin

COURSE NUMBERING:  Course numbers (Activity Codes) are listed as a string of 9 characters (e.g., LHA1100H S)

• the first three letters indicate the programs offering the course

• four numerals  

• the first letter following the four numerals indicates the weight of the course 
      (H = half-course;      Y = full-course);
  

• the last letter (the Section Code) indicates when the course is offered

- Summer Session:
  F = May-June; 
  S = July - August;
  Y = May-August

 - Fall/Winter Sessions:
   F = September-December;   
   S = January-April;
   Y = September-April
 

 

Examples of Summer course numbers:              

Note:  Courses identified as Extended Courses may continue into the session beyond the one in which the course is officially listed, and will then require that students register for that extended session.    

[RM] RESEARCH METHODOLOGY COURSES:

OISE has a great deal of expertise in the area of qualitative, quantitative and mixed research methodology.  A wide variety of research methodology courses are offered through our various programs that range from introductory to advanced levels.  We also offer courses that are specific to a particular topic or discipline.  Many programs require completion of one or more methodology courses.  It is the student’s responsibility to understand their program requirements.  In some cases, it may be possible to take a research methodology course in another program or department to fulfill program requirements but students should consult with their supervisor or faculty advisor before enrolling in any research methodology course outside of their program.  Research methodology courses are indicated with an [RM] at the end of the course title in the course schedule.

MAXIMUM COURSE LOAD:

SUMMER SESSION – Full-time students may take a maximum of the equivalent of two half-courses in each term of the Summer Session.  Part-time students may take a maximum of one half-course in each term of the Summer Session, depending on the number of courses taken in the previous Fall and/or Winter.  Restrictions apply to the maximum number of courses students may take annually. 

FALL/WINTER SESSIONS - Full-time students may take a maximum of the equivalent of seven half-courses over the Fall and Winter Sessions (i.e., a maximum of four half-courses in one session, three in the other session).  Part-time students may take a maximum of the equivalent of one half-course in each of the Fall and Winter Sessions.   

Students wishing to change their status must submit a written request to the Registrar’s Office, Graduate Studies Unit as soon as possible.  Restrictions may apply.

COURSE CANCELLATION:  There is always a possibility of cancellation of scheduled courses due to unanticipated low enrolment or staffing problems.  The Department concerned will contact you as soon as possible if it is necessary to cancel any course that you have chosen. Cancellations will also be posted on the Course Schedule at this website. 

SELECTING YOUR COURSES

Students are enrolled in courses on a first come, first served basis.  Enrolment means that a place has been made for you in a specific course; it does not mean that you are officially registered in a Session.  Mailing of registration material will begin in April for Summer Session, and in July for Fall and Winter Sessions. 

Students must attend the first meeting of the course in which they have been placed, or make arrangements with the instructor for not doing so.  Instructors are not obliged to keep places in a course for students who do not appear at the first class.  Not attending the first class does not result in official withdrawal.  To officially withdraw from a course you must either use the Student Web Service (SWS) (www.rosi.utoronto.ca) or submit a Course Add/Drop Form (available at this website under ‘Student Forms’) to the OISE Registrar’s Office, Graduate Studies Unit by the published deadlines for dropping courses (see ‘Important Dates’ at this website).  If the deadline is not met, the course will remain permanently on your record and will be assigned either a ‘WDR’ or the earned grade (which may result in a failure).  If you are dropping your last course and withdrawing from the session, you should immediately advise the OISE Registrar’s Office in writing.  Fee refunds are calculated from the date of receipt of written notice of withdrawal from the session.  See the Refund Schedule for information about refunds.  

Course selection must be made on the University of Toronto’s Student Record System (ROSI) by using the Student Web Service (SWS).  Exception:  A Course Add/Drop Form must be used in the following cases:  course is ‘extra’ to your degree program; course requires permission of the instructor; you are adding more than one Special Topics Course with the same number in the same Session.  Special/Occasional Students must use the Course Selection Form.  An Individual Reading and Research Course Form must be used to add a Reading Course.

DECLARATION

Enrolling in courses means that you agree to abide by the academic, non-academic, administrative, library, disciplinary, and other rules and regulations of the University and of the Department in which you are registered, and will assume the obligation to pay academic and incidental fees according to the policies and requirements of the University.

USING THE STUDENT WEB SERVICE (SWS)

Course enrolment is scheduled to begin on Thursday, March 28 at 6:00 a.m.    

Note:  The following course selection procedures apply only to students in OISE Graduate Degree Programs.  Students taking courses as Special/Occasional Students must use the Course Selection Form. 

SWS Address:  www.rosi.utoronto.ca

SWS Hours:  http://www.rosi.utoronto.ca/rosi_hours.php

Note that occasionally the service must shut down for technical reasons. 

Users of the Student Web Service are expected to be responsible when using the service and should not attempt to flood the system with requests, or to automate the process of course enrolment. Such activity may clog the system so that other students may be denied access or may experience degraded performance of the system. Any student(s) attempting such activity may be denied access to the SWS until after the relevant registration period.

1.      Have Your Student Number and PIN Ready

You identify yourself to ROSI by your student number and PIN.  DO NOT give these numbers to anyone. You will have three chances to enter your student number and your PIN correctly. After three incorrect attempts, ROSI will not allow you to try again until you have re-activated your PIN directly through SWS (see PIN Reactivation at (www.rosi.utoronto.ca).

NOTE:  If this is the first time you are accessing ROSI, your initial PIN will consist of your 6-digit birth date (YYMMDD).  After entering your PIN, you will be asked to select a new 6-digit PIN.  If you have any questions or problems, contact your Liaison Officer in the OISE Registrar’s Office, Graduate Studies Unit (see ‘Where To Go For Help’ on following pages of this document).

2.      Teaching Method

All graduate courses have a teaching method of LEC (lecture) which must be entered when adding or deleting courses.  

3.      Section Code

The Section Code is the last character of the course number and indicates the session in which the course is offered (e.g., TPS1405H S). 

Exception: The Section Code for Special Topics, distance education, on-line, and extended courses is represented by the last two characters of the course number (e.g., CTL1009H FV). Both characters must be entered when adding or deleting courses.

4.      Meeting Section Numbers 

The Meeting Section numbers for each course (e.g., 0101) appear below the course numbers in the Course Schedule and must be entered when adding or deleting courses.

5.      If the Course You Wish to Take is Full

You may request that the SWS ‘list’ courses in which space is available. If the course you wish to add is full, you may place your name on a waitlist if the course section is ‘waitlistable’.  If space becomes available, you will automatically be placed in the course.  See Information about Waitlisting for Courses at this website for deadlines and other important information.  If you are unable to get into the course by the beginning of the session, attend the first class to determine whether there will be a place made available for you.  If you are accepted into the course, submit a Course Add/Drop Form with the course and section numbers, the session in which the course is offered, and instructor’s signature included on the form.  The Course Add/Drop Form is available from this website (under ‘Student Forms’).  The form must be returned to the OISE Registrar’s Office, Graduate Studies Unit by the published deadline for adding courses. 

6.  Will I be notified if I am enrolled from the waitlist?

Yes, ROSI will notify you by email of your enrolment.   You should also check ROSI periodically to determine your status in a course.  Refer to Information about Waitlisting for Courses at this website for dates of availability and other important information  

7.  Changes are Immediate

When using SWS, changes are recorded immediately.  When you drop a course, the space immediately becomes available to another user.  Courses may be full at one time and then have spaces available a day or even a few minutes later. 

You should note that if you drop a course and then learn that one you wish to add is full, you may not be able to obtain another space in the course previously dropped. 

8.  List Your Courses and Sections to Confirm Changes

Always ‘list’ your courses and sections after you make changes.  This is your way of ensuring that the changes you requested were successful.  (Note:  It is sometimes necessary for the Registrar’s Office to add information to student records.  In these cases, you may see one of the following course numbers – RST9999, EDT2000, EDT2001).

9  (a)  Cases Where SWS Cannot Be Used

In the following cases where SWS cannot be used, students must use a Course Add/Drop Form which must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office, Graduate Studies Unit by the published deadline for adding and dropping courses.  See (b) below for information about using this form.

(i) ‘Extra courses’:  SWS will record all courses on your transcript as a degree requirement.  It cannot be used to add courses you may wish to specify as ‘extra’ to the minimum number of courses required in your degree program.

(ii) Individual Reading and Research (IR&R) Courses:   An Individual Reading and Research Course Form must be used if you wish to add an IR&R. 

(iii) Special Topics Courses: SWS cannot be used if you wish to add more than one Special Topics Course with the same number in the same Session.

(iv) Courses which require approval of the instructor can be dropped but should not be added via SWS.  The instructor’s written approval must be received in the Registrar’s Office or the course will be dropped from your record.  

(v)  You are not permitted to use SWS to enrol in courses offered by any other Faculty or Graduate Department outside of OISE.  You must add these courses at the OISE Registrar’s Office, Graduate Studies Unit using an SGS Program Change Form.

 (vi)  You cannot use SWS to enrol in courses if you are a Special/Occasional Student.   

(b)  Completing the Course Add/Drop Form

Be sure to indicate the full Course Number, including the Meeting Section Number, if applicable (e.g., LHA1100H F  0102), and the session in which the course is offered, and sign and date the form. Do not list courses in which you have already enrolled using SWS.

Courses requiring permission of the instructor must have the signed authorization on the form before approved enrolment in the specific course can take place.

Before enrolment can take place in courses offered by University of Toronto Graduate Departments other than those at OISE, permission from the relevant non-OISE department is required.  Information about procedures is available from the OISE Registrar’s Office, Graduate Studies Unit.

Return the completed Course Add/Drop Form to the OISE Registrar’s Office, Graduate Studies Unit.

10.  Graduation Request

Master’s students must indicate their intent to graduate by submitting an Application to Graduate Form to the OISE Registrar’s Office by the deadlines listed below.  These forms are available at this website under Student Forms.  

            July 15           if completing in the Summer Session

            October 15     if completing in the Fall Session

            March 15        if completing in the Winter Session

WHERE TO GO FOR HELP

Communication with your faculty advisor should be made through your academic department.  Communication with the OISE Registrar’s Office, Graduate Studies Unit should be directed to your respective Liaison Officer below:

Registrar's Office Hours of Operation

September (after Labour Day) to June   
   Monday - Friday          9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
   

July, August and September (before Labour Day)
   Monday - Friday          9:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.                          

ON-LINE AND DISTANCE EDUCATION COURSE INFORMATION

If you are planning to take an OISE course offered on-line, here are some things you should know (more detailed instructions are available from www.oise.utoronto.ca/online/students/index.html):

EQUIPMENT:  You should have access to a computer which is equipped with Internet access, and ideally a printer.

SKILLS:  You should have the basic computer skills necessary to create files on your word processor and know how to upload and download them to a remote computer.

INTERNET ACCESS:  If you live outside the Toronto area, you should investigate the use of internet connectivity through a local internet service provider or the Educational Network of Ontario (ENO). 

PROCEDURES:  There are three important phases involved in participating in on-line courses:

1)      Make sure that you enrol in the course either through the SWS or by submitting a Course Add/Drop Form to the OISE Registrar’s Office.  If you are doing this from a distance, make sure you leave enough time for all possible delays which can result from waiting for mailed responses or difficulties making phone contact.  On-line courses tend to fill up quickly, so act early to avoid missing a place in the course.  One guideline is to give yourself a month to complete this process.

2)      Make sure your name and contact information is in the hands of your instructor so that the URL and orienting information can reach you before the course starts.  Once you are enrolled (see the preceding paragraph) you should make sure that you have contacted the instructor and sent him or her accurate contact information (name, email address, mailing address, etc) including your University of Toronto email address.  This should be done at least a month prior to the beginning of the course.

3)  You must be a registered student at OISE.   

LOGIN INFORMATION:

Your username and password at UofT is called a UTORid.  Your UTORid account provides you login credentials to centrally supported services like the campus wireless network, free antivirus software and the Blackboard Portal.  Find out more about signing up for a UTORid account on the OISE Education Commons UTORid page.  You will activate your UTORid when you get your TCard (UofT Student ID card) from the Robarts Library. 

Students studying at a distance can obtain their UTORid without first getting a TCard. Students are entitled to this service if they are 80 km or more from OISE and do not visit the campus. If you did not receive your UTORid information as part your program registration or course enrolment and require assistance, please contact Pat Serafini by email or telephone at (416) 978-1903.

WEB TECHNOLOGY:  Students taking on-line courses access them through Blackboard.

Blackboard - To access your courses on U of T's Blackboard Portal (http://portal.utoronto.ca), you will use your UTORid account.  The Education Commons provides guidance on steps required to access the Blackboard portal.  You do not need to request your courses in Blackboard, they are automatically added 48 hours after you register. 

THE EDUCATION COMMONS: COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY AND LIBRARY SERVICES:  Students in distance education courses have access to the resources and services provided by the Education Commons (www.oise.utoronto.ca/online/Online_Library/index.html).   

The OISE library houses a large collection of items specializing in education, with strengths in related social sciences and humanities. The collection includes all the major education journals, both in paper and electronic format as well as books, DVDs, curriculum materials, etc. You can search for these materials, using the on-line catalogue found on the OISE library page: (http://www.library.utoronto.ca/oise/). The OISE library website also provides access to a large range of on-line materials: databases (including the major databases for education), electronic books, and a selection of over 33,000 electronic journals. These on-line resources are available from home to members of the University of Toronto community. For information about electronic access, go to http://discover.library.utoronto.ca/services/my-access.  

The OISE Library has staff members who are more than happy to help you.  If you have a question, feel free to drop by the reference desk on the ground floor of the Library, call 416-978-1860, or email askeloise@oise.utoronto.ca.  You can also check their FAQs: http://guides.library.utoronto.ca/oisefaq.  If you need in-depth support with research skills, they offer one on one research consultations: http://oise.library.utoronto.ca/content/book-research-consultation.  They offer a series of workshops.  To see their schedule, visit:   http://oise.library.utoronto.ca/research-workshops.  They also offer a seven module, graduate level workshop.  The Virtual Library: Information Retrieval in the Library and Beyond, is offered to help students learn how to conduct research on-line. 

There are specific library services that are available for distance students.  These include the provision of books and journal articles that are not available electronically.  These can be requested by emailing Pat Serafini, the Distance Education Librarian (pat.serafini@utoronto.ca), or by telephone (416-978-1903).  Additional information is available on the OISE Library website at http://oise.library.utoronto.ca/services-distance-education.