FAQ: Double-Counting Rule

“Double-counting” refers to the way in which a credit is applied to your degree.

As you complete courses and earn credits towards your degree, they will appear either in your major or outside the major, depending on whether the credits can satisfy a degree requirement.  Most Undergraduate students have a major area of study, and students may have the option to declare a minor, concentration, or specialization.  All of these are referred to as “program elements.”

In certain cases, you may find the potential for overlap between program elements.  A credit is considered to “double-count” when it is used to satisfy a requirement in more than one program element.

For example, a student may complete a course that can count in their major, and also count towards their minor.  This scenario does not occur in every program, but it can occur when there is overlap between closely-related program elements.

Under the previous academic regulation, students could “double-count” credits between program elements, but the maximum number of credits that could “double-count” between program elements was 2.0 credits.  The maximum number of credits that can “double-count” has been eliminated so students may count credits between program elements without restriction.

The elimination of the “double-counting” rule will not reduce the total number of credits required for your degree.  However, it may facilitate the completion of additional program elements, such as a minor.

The elimination of the “double-counting” rule may help students meet requirements for additional program element(s), such as a minor.  A “minor” is a recognition that students have taken courses in a secondary area of study, and it is reflected on students’ diplomas.  Typically, students can be strategic and use their elective courses outside the major towards the completion of their minor within the scope of their degree.  However, in certain cases, it may not be possible to complete a minor without having to take additional courses beyond the requirements for the degree.  For example, some programs have less flexibility in choosing electives, and consequently students may not be able to fit a minor within the scope of their degree.  Upper-year students may have completed most of their elective courses, and consequently do not have room to complete a minor without taking extra courses.  Even if students have enough room in electives to complete a minor, they may want to take a broad range of elective courses.  The elimination of the “double-counting” rule may allow more flexibility for students where overlap between their program elements is possible.  Students may be able to add an additional program element despite having less room for electives, or they may have more choice when choosing elective courses if they are able to count more than 2.0 credits between their major and minor.

Not every program has overlap, and the elimination of the “double-counting” rule will not reduce the total number of credits required for your degree.  Regardless of whether students can count credits between their major and minor, they will still need to meet the total number of credits required within/outside of their major.  Additionally, it is important to note that the maximum number of program elements will remain the same.  As per section 3.1.12 of the Undergraduate Calendar, students cannot exceed a maximum of two program elements in addition to their major (https://calendar.carleton.ca/undergrad/regulations/).

Prior to the start of the new fall term, the elimination of the “double-counting” rule was automatically applied to students’ audits.  It was retroactive in that it was applied to current students’ audits without regard for the date in which they added a program element.  Students do not need to request that it be applied to their audit.

It is recommended that students run their audit on Carleton Central.  The “audit” is a document that is specific to your program, and shows important information about your progression through your degree (including courses you have completed as well as outstanding requirements to be eligible to graduate).  For instructions on how to run your audit, you can check out this website: https://carleton.ca/registrar/progress/academic-audit/

Students may notice change(s) to their audits.  In particular, students may notice that they are further ahead in the completion of a program element, such as a minor.  While the audit was previously programmed to count up to a maximum of 2.0 credits between program elements, the audit may now pull more credits into a program element (depending on requirements listed in the Undergraduate Calendar).  It is expected that the elimination of the “double-counting” rule will benefit students, but it is recommended that students run their audit on Carleton Central and to contact their departmental advisor or the Academic Advising Centre with any questions/concerns pertaining to their audit.

The elimination of the “double-counting” rule will facilitate students being able to follow their audit as they select courses that will help them progress through their degree because students will not need to worry about how many courses can count between program element(s).  To learn to read your audit, please contact your departmental advisor.  To view a list of departmental advisors, please check out this website: https://carleton.ca/academicadvising/departmental-advisors-a-z/

Students should check with their departmental advisors each semester to ensure they are properly registered in courses.  In particular, students may have been previously advised they needed additional courses to meet requirements for a program element, such as a minor.  With the elimination of the “double-counting” rule, students may have more flexibility in their course selection and may want to make change(s) to their registration.

It is strongly recommended that all students run their audit on Carleton Central to ensure courses are counting where they should be, and nothing is “set aside” as excess/forfeited that should be counting in their audit.  It is a best practice to run your audit each semester (both before and after registering in courses), and it is a good idea to run your audit following the elimination of the “double-counting” rule.  If a course is “set aside” that was previously counting towards a degree requirement, please contact the Academic Advising Centre at academicadvising@carleton.ca.

For students who are applying to graduate in fall 2021, please be sure to run your audit and ensure the statement at the top of your audit reads that all requirements will be completed with in-progress courses, or that all requirements have been met.

If you believe that you are close to completing an additional program element and may benefit from counting additional credits between two program elements (such as your major and minor), please contact an Academic Advisor at academicadvising@carleton.ca to review a hypothetical audit, and determine any outstanding requirements.

To determine whether there is the potential for overlap between program elements, please contact your departmental advisor.  The Academic Advising Centre is a centralized office, while each department has their own advisor who has specific knowledge about a particular program.  Departmental advisors can advise on strategic course selection to maximize the courses that can count towards program elements (where possible).  To view a list of departmental advisors, you can check out this website:  https://carleton.ca/academicadvising/departmental-advisors-a-z/