Physical and Occupational Therapy Student Promotions
Academic matters are the jurisdiction of the Occupational Therapy Promotion and Review Committee (OTPRC) or the Physical Therapy Promotion and Review Committee (PTPRC). The OTPRC and the PTPRC review the academic record, professional conduct, and general performance of students throughout the Occupational Therapy (OT) and Physical Therapy (PT) programs. It exercises final authority to determine a student's competence and suitability for the practice of occupational therapy or physical therapy and, hence, makes final decisions on all matters relating to promotion and graduation.
Program information and documents are available from various McGill and School websites. Carefully read all academic regulations; grading and promotions regulations; student academic regulations; curriculum and course details; rules and regulations; code of conduct; required skills and attributes; and other important information.
Topics for which you can find information include:
- Student Grading and Promotion requirements
- OT Mentoring program
- Student Exchanges (if available)
- Student Athletes
- Student Services and Campus Life and Engagement
- Student Accessibility and Achievement Office
- Resource Centre and Assessment Library
For complete rules and regulations regarding student promotions, refer to the following School of Physical and Occupational Therapy program documents:
- Important Information for Students
- Rules and Regulations
- Curriculum
- Code of Conduct
- Required Skills and Attributes
Program documents are updated annually and are available at Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy.
Due to the sequential nature of the programs, the OT and PT programs are full-time programs of study. Further information on the curriculum is available at OT Curriculum or PT Curriculum. Exceptions may be possible provided that students have obtained written permission from the Promotions and Review Committee to register part-time.
No evaluation, examination mark, etc., shall be considered final until passed by the OTPRC or the PTPRC.
Only final grades submitted on Minerva are the official McGill grades. myCourses (McGill’s Learning Management system) is a tool but not the source for final grades.
Students must successfully complete all the requirements of each promotion period before being permitted to enter the next promotion period.
A student may not repeat more than one promotion period during the program.
The required minimum passing grade is C+ for all courses with the designation of OCC1, PHTH, and POTH. Additionally, for any course with the designation of OCC1, PHTH, or POTH—which comprises both individual and group evaluations, or both theoretical and practical evaluations—each student must pass every component in order to receive a passing grade for the course (the minimum passing grade is C+). A minimum grade of C is required for anatomy, physiology, and complementary/elective courses.
Student Athletes
The policy for student athletes who are part of a team and are competing in athletic competitions at an inter-university level or higher, or students participating in the School's Sports Practicum courses, is available in the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy's Important Information for Students document.
Probation, Withdrawal, or Dismissal from the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy
When a student has failed one or more courses, or course components, or has been found to have been engaged in unethical or inappropriate conduct (i.e., unprofessional behaviour), the OTPRC or the PTPRC will automatically review the student's entire academic record and general performance.
Students will be placed on probationary standing if their overall CGPA falls below 3.0, if they fail to successfully complete a required program course or requirement, or for an incident in which they fail to meet program standards of academic integrity and/or professional behaviour. Students on probationary standing are automatically monitored by their program’s Promotion and Review Committee and may be required to engage in remedial work or meet specific performance standards to maintain their position in the program.
Students are considered to be in unsatisfactory standing if their overall CGPA falls below the required standards for their program level (2.30 for the BSc Rehab Sci programs, 2.7 for the MSc.A. programs including the Qualifying Year), if they fail to successfully complete two or more program courses, including a repeated program course, or for a second incident in which they fail to meet program standards of academic integrity and/or professional behaviour. Students in unsatisfactory standing will be required to withdraw from their program.
Academic offences—such as plagiarism and cheating on examinations and unethical or inappropriate conduct—are considered serious offences which could lead to dismissal from the program. A student who engages in criminal activity and/or who is found guilty of having violated the criminal code will have their dossier referred to the OTPRC or the PTPRC; this may be considered evidence of unsuitability for the practice of occupational therapy or physical therapy and grounds for dismissal from the program.
The School has the right to dismiss, at any time, any student who is considered incompetent and/or unsuitable for the practice of occupational therapy or physical therapy.
In the event that a student is required to withdraw from their program, the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy will proceed with the withdrawal procedure. Students who are required to withdraw from either the OT or PT program will not be readmitted to either program. If a student chooses to voluntarily withdraw from the program, they will not be permitted to remain registered in any program-specific courses (OCC1, PHTH, or POTH).
Please also refer to the OT or PT program Rules and Regulations document for further information.