Academic Advising

During your time in the UBC Sciences Po Dual Degree program, you’ll be faced with opportunities to grow, learn, and challenge yourself in many different ways. Your degree will help you grasp the multiplicity of discourse, develop intercultural understanding, and gain strong communication and research skills. Together, these achievements will allow you to foster intellectual integrity and a lifelong passion for learning. Understanding your requirements and putting together a study path are integral to a rewarding education. Both Sciences Po and UBC provide academic support to students throughout their studies.

Grade Conversion

How do my grades transfer from Sciences Po to UBC?

The grade conversion table is used to convert Sciences Po grades to UBC grades, during the transition from Year 2 to 3. This table is used for eligibility consideration for continuing scholarships and when you apply for certain specializations or majors.

Sciences Po GradeUBC Letter GradeUBC Percentage Grade
20A+100
19.5A+99
19A+98
18.5A+97
18A+96
17.5A+95
17A+94
16.5A+92-93
16A+90-91
15.5A88-89
15A85-87
14.5A-83-84
14A-80-82
13.5B+78-79
13B+76-77
12.5B72-75
12B-68-71
11.5C+64-67
11C-/C55-63
10.5D53-54
10D50-52
9 or lowerF0-49

Advising Resources

Each Sciences Po regional campus has academic advisors who work closely with students in supporting their academic goals, understanding degree requirements, and to help with course planning. Students will be contacted by academic advisors from their campus prior to the start of their studies at Sciences Po.

Arts Academic Advising is here to guide you throughout your degree. They can assist you by clarifying your degree requirements, by connecting you to the appropriate resources, and by approving your application for graduation. If you are experiencing a difficult time academically or personally, Arts Academic Advising can help by offering support and connecting you to the many resources available. Students in the UBC Sciences Po Dual Degree program work with dedicated advisors to help bridge the transition to UBC, and throughout their studies in Arts.

In March of each academic year, your academic advisor will visit your regional Sciences Po campus. You’ll learn more about the UBC BA, resources available on campus, extracurriculars, UBC campus life, and much more. During this time, you will also meet individually with your advisor to help put together your study plan so you feel prepared as you come to UBC.

Registering for Courses at UBC

Registration can be a stressful process, but it doesn’t have to be. You can plan ahead of time to ensure you have met all your requirements and are choosing the right courses for your specialization. Be sure to follow the study plan that you’ve created with your academic advisor, and make use of UBC’s Worklists feature which allows you to build multiple schedules before your actual registration date.

To prevent delays, pay your deposit before your registration date. It may take a day or two for your payment to be processed, depending on how you paid. You cannot register until you have paid your registration deposit.

Registration Tips

  • Courses fill up quickly, so register as early as you can.
  • Have multiple worklists ready in case courses are full.
  • If you’re still having trouble you can always watch UBC’s step-by-step guide on how to register.

Course Registration FAQ

You must register for the entire Winter Session (both Term 1 and Term 2) in June. Winter Session runs from September to April and is divided into two terms.

  • Term 1 is from September to December.
  • Term 2 is from January to April.

Most courses are 3 credits (over one term). Courses that run over both terms are normally 6 credits.

Students in Arts can take a maximum of 15 credits per winter term, or 30 credits per winter session (32 for first-year students) — that’s 5 courses per term. Many students take fewer than 5 courses per term, allowing for time to work, play, or study. It’s up to you on how many credits you take. Always be aware of drop dates — you might want to lighten the load if things seem too much.

Keep in mind that there is a minimum number of credits you need to be registered in to qualify for on campus housing, student loans, and scholarships.

You will receive an email 2 weeks before your registration opens to let you know your date and time are available on the Student Service Centre (SSC). Registration is determined based on your year level. See here for detailed registration dates - look for information on when third-year students can register for dates that apply to you.

Please note that registration times are listed in the Pacific Time Zone. If you're registering from outside this time zone, make sure you know when registration opens in your location.

You'll be able to register any time between your registration open date and the add/drop (course change) deadline. However, all students are encouraged to register as soon as their registration is open, because many classes are high in demand and fill up very quickly. You may find that some courses will fill up before you even register. Registration takes place in 15-minute blocks.

If you've found the course you want but it’s full, don't worry. This happens often, especially with required courses. While it may take a bit of time, with flexibility and persistence you can make your schedule work.

  • Check the Course Schedule regularly. People change courses all through the summer. If someone drops a course and a space opens up, you can register and take their place in the course.
  • Get on the waitlist. If a course has an online waitlist it will be listed on the Course Schedule with the other course sections. Waitlisted students will automatically be moved into classes as spaces become available. If you get moved from a waitlist into a course, you won't be notified by email so check the SSC regularly.
  • Register in another section of the same course. You may need to rearrange your schedule, but if it’s a required course it might be your best option.
  • Have a Plan B. If you still can’t get into the course you want, you may need to wait to take the course in another term or year. As long as you don’t need the course to advance year levels, it’s fine to take it later. Chances are you’ll be able to register for it in future sessions, or similar courses will be offered.