First Generation FAQ’s
Academics
What is the Office of the Registrar?
The Registrar’s Office is responsible for the recruitment, admissions, registration, financial aid and
academic records of all students. It is one of the main administrative offices that students access
while they are at school. The Registrar’s Office is sometimes called the RO and it is located in
Blackburn Hall.
Links:
Registrar’s Office – www.trentu.ca/registrar
What is the difference between a half credit course and a full credit course?
Courses have different credit value based on how long the course is and hour many hours of class
there are for that course. Generally students will choose between either full-credit courses (that
have a “Y” in the course code) or half-credit courses (that have an “H” in the course code). There
are also other types of courses listed below. Students may take a mix of any types (or value) of
courses provided they meet their requirements and do not exceed the course overload restrictions
(5.0 credits over the academic year OR 2.5 credits in each semester). All course values are laid out
in the Academic Timetable which also gives students information on the times of each course and
which semester a course is running during.
A full-credit courses during the academic year would run from September until April with students
continuing to attend the same class (at the same time in their schedule) all year long. This credit
will have a value of 1.0 credits in the student transcript.
A half-credit course during the academic year would run from September to December OR January
to April. It would either take place in the FALL or WINTER semester and would not be attended in
both semesters.
Types of course value
Suffix
Credit Value
Q
0.25 credit (quarter-credit
H
0.5 credit (half-credit)
Y
1.0 credit (full-credit)
C
1.5 credit
D
2.0 credit (double-credit)
Links:
Academic Calendar: Credit Value – www.trentu.ca/calendar (page 15)
Academic Timetable – www.trentu.ca/timetable
Course Overload – www.trentu.ca/advising
What is a full course load at Trent?
A full course load at Trent is 5.0 credits over the academic year. For any student who wishes to take
more than 2.5 credits in each semester or more than 5.0 credits over the academic year, they would
need to apply for permission to complete a “course overload form”.
Students who have 3.5 credits or more are considered full-time at Trent and anyone with 3.0 or
fewer credits would be considered a part-time student. Fees and services can vary depending on
whether you are a full or part time student.
Links:
Registrar’s Office – www.trentu.ca/registrar
Part time studies - http://www.trentu.ca/undergraduate/parttimestudies.php
Academic Advising – www.trentu.ca/advising
Financial Services (Tuition, OSAP & bursaries) – www.trentu.ca/financialservices
Who do you talk to about learning what courses you need to take for your degree?
There are many resources for students to become more informed about the courses they can take.
All courses are listed in the Academic Calendar including the Department Requirements for a degree
(within the program section) and the University Requirements for a degree (page 29). Each
department has a breakdown of which courses must be completed for each different type of degree
(honours/general, single/joint major, minor) which students can find in the Academic Calendar.
Students looking to get help with their courses can contact the department directly for questions
regarding a specific course/ major or they can also contact the Senior Tutor of their college for
academic advice and any other questions.
Links:
Academic Calendar - www.trentu.ca/calendar
Academic Departments - www.trentu.ca/academics
Academic Advising - www.trentu.ca/advising
Senior Tutor contact information:
Lady Eaton – ecseniortutor@trentu.ca
Champlain – ccseniortutor@trentu.ca
Otonabee – ocseniortutor@trentu.ca
Gzowski – gcseniortutor@trentu.ca
Oshawa – oshseniortutor@trentu.ca
What is the Blackboard?
Blackboard is also called LearningSystem (Web CT). This is an online forum that some professors
use for various course components like communicating course updates, posting lecture notes,
facilitating discussion, a method to hand in assignments & exams or for posting grades. Not all
professors will use LearningSystem and you will be informed on your syllabus whether there is an
online aspect of your course. LearningSystem can be accessed through logging onto your MyTrent
and choosing the “LearningSystem” tab.
How do you post online?
To post online through LearningSystem you will need to log onto MyTrent, pick the
“LearningSystem” tab, choose the course that you are posting for and access the various pieces of
information through tabs on the left hand side. More information about how this will be
used/accessed in each course will be outlined in your syllabus.
What is the difference between an honours and a general degree?
An honours degree is at 20.0 credit degree, normally taken through completing 5.0 credits over
the course of 4 years. A general degree is a 15.0 credit degree, normally taken through
completing 5.0 credits over the course of 3 years.
Information about degree types and different options for degrees is available in the Academic
Calendar or can be addressed with a Senior Tutor.
Links:
Academic Calendar – www.trentu.ca/calendar
Senior Tutor – www.trentu.ca/advising
What are transfer credits? Who do you speak to about them?
Transfer credits recognize post-secondary level academic work successfully completed at an
accredited college or university that may be counted as a course credit for a student’s university
degree. The Registrar’s Office is responsible for assessing and awarding transfer credits.
Links:
Transfer students – www.trentu.ca/transfer
What are the employment rates of graduates from Trent?
Information about our employment rates can be found on the website of the Office of
Institutional Planning and Analysis.
Links:
Employment rates: http://www.trentu.ca/oirsp/cds_K2.php
When are the Reading weeks?
All university dates and deadlines are posted in the Academic Calendar under the heading
“University Diary”. The academic year is broken into 6-week blocks that are separated by fall
reading back, holiday break and winter reading break.
Links:
Academic Calendar – www.trentu.ca/calendar
Where can I buy used textbooks?
Textbooks, both new and used, are sold through our Trent University bookstore. They can also
be found through the Trent Central Student Associations (TCSA) consignment books that can be
purchased through their office in Champlain College. Students are able to sell their books back
to the bookstore at certain times during the year or through the TCSA’s service.
Links:
Bookstore – www.trentu.ca/bookstore
Trent Central Student Association – www.trentcentral.ca
Student Life & Residence
Is the freshman 15 a myth or a fact?
The freshman 15 speaks to an idea that when some students come to university/college they gain
15 pounds and their marks drop 15%. This can both be a myth and a fact depending on the student
in question. For some students, the amount of freedom that is gained at university can be
overwhelming and may adversely affect the student’s attendance at their classes. When students
aren’t in attendance, there are missing valuable information from the course which in turn causes
their mark to drop. If a student chooses not to attend classes, they should expect their marks to
drop fairly significantly. In the same manner, if a student is choosing to eat foods that are less
healthy (pizza, burgers) every night for dinner and doesn’t utilize some of the healthier options in
the cafeteria, it is very likely they will gain some weight during the school year. There are healthy
options in all of the cafeterias so that students can eat a variety of foods throughout the year.
There are academic supports for students at Trent including the Academic Skills Centre, the Peer
Mentoring program, Senior Tutors and Academic Departments. If students have questions about
the meal plans or the cafeterias they can contact our Food Service Provider – Aramark.
Links:
Academic Advising - www.trentu.ca/advising
Senior Tutor contact information - http://trentu.ca/advising/advisor.php
Lady Eaton – ecseniortutor@trentu.ca
Champlain – ccseniortutor@trentu.ca
Otonabee – ocseniortutor@trentu.ca
Gzowski – gcseniortutor@trentu.ca
Oshawa – oshseniortutor@trentu.ca
Aramark – http://www.trentu.ca/housing/services/aramark.php
What are dons? What do they do?
Dons are upper year students who live in residence and take a leadership role within each of the
residence sections. They are responsible for running programming, assisting students with
creating friendships within the college, helping students navigate the transition to university,
providing students with resources on campus as well as maintaining safety and security within
each of the residence building.
Links:
Dons – donning@trentu.ca
Housing – www.trentu.ca/housing
What about 2nd year residence?
There are spaces in residence available to upper year students. Any student wishing to live in
residence in any of their upper years can find the information on the Housing website.
Links:
Housing - www.trentu.ca/housing.
Are meal plans for the whole year or just one semester?
The meal plan amount is allocated for the full year. Depending on the type of meal plan (board or
flex plan), students may need to budget their spending so that they can ensure that the plan lasts
for the entire year. For questions about meal plans, the cafeterias styles, or how to add money to
your account, students can contact the Residence & Housing Office or our food service provider,
Aramark.
Link:
Housing – www.trentu.ca/housing
Aramark – http://www.trentu.ca/housing/services/aramark.php
How do I apply for jobs on campus?
All campus jobs for students are posted on MyJobBoard which can be accessed through your
MyTrent portal. This site also has external job postings from employers in the Peterborough
community as well. The Career Centre also has tools to assist students in various areas including
resume writing, interview prep and job searching.
Links:
Career Centre – www.trentu.ca/careers
MyJobBoard – log onto MyTrent, click on the MyJobBoard link on the right hand side.
General Trent Questions
What is Shinerama?
Shinerama is an event that is run during our Introductory Seminar Week (ISW) at Trent University
and many other universities in Canada. It works to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis research and
the United Way.
Links:
Wikipedia “Shinerama” – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinerama
Are there bursaries for First Gen students?
There are bursaries available for many different designations of students at Trent including First
Generation students. Every student has the opportunity to fill out the bursary form and once
it’s processed by our Financial Aid office, funding is awarded based on financial need and
designation. We use one form at Trent for all bursary applications and students have the
opportunity to identify as members of a particular group or designation on the form.
Links:
Financial Services – www.trentu.ca/financialservices
Financial Aid – www.trentu.ca/financialaid
What is TUEFRT?
TUEFRT is the Trent University Emergency First Response Team. They are a volunteer team
which runs 24/7 during the academic year to provide first response to medical issues on Symons
Campus.
Links:
TUEFRT – www.trentu.ca/TUEFRT
What is ISW?
ISW is the short form for Introductory Seminar Week. Many students may refer to this as a
‘frosh’ week, however at Trent, the focus of our ISW is creating connections with the
colleges/university, immersing students to the Trent experience and introducing students to the
academic structure here. It begins on Labour Day weekend with the new residence students
moving in and continues throughout the first week at university. At Trent, this week is a mix of
college events, university wide events, academic seminars, workshops on different supports and
services at Trent as well as the beginning of our academic year. The week is meant to provide
students with opportunities to meet other students on campus as well as acquaint themselves
with the services available at Trent.
Links:
ISW – www.trentu.ca/isw
How do I buy a parking pass?
Parking passes are available to buy for 3 different types of parking lots at Trent. The campus is
separated in red, blue and green lots where you can use passing, as well as pay-and-display lots.
Each type of lot has specific locations and differing prices associated with it. Passes can be
bought on a monthly, semestered or yearly basis. Anyone looking to buy a parking pass needs to
register their permit online prior to picking it up from the Parking office in Blackburn Hall.
Links:
Parking – www.trentu.ca/parking
Are there bus passes?
All full time students get a 12-month bus pass with their student fees. This works for all Trent
Express and Peterborough Transit buses. The Trent Express bus schedule is organized by the
Trent Central Student Association (TCSA). There is also a GO bus stop on campus located outside
of Gzowski college and a Greyhound terminal downtown. The GO and Greyhound buses are not
covered under the student bus pass.
Links:
Trent Central Student Association - http://trentcentral.ca/transit.php
Peterborough Transit http://www.peterborough.ca/Living/City_Services/Transportation/Transit.htm
Is there bike storage?
There is no major storage on campus for students so any who have bikes will need to either keep
them in their rooms (if they are in residence) or leave them at one of the various bike racks that are
located on campus.
What is the Atrium?
The atrium is an area in Gzowski College on the first floor. This floor is also called the First Peoples
House of Learning (FHPL) and is comprised of classrooms, the First Peoples gathering space, the First
Peoples performance space and a café area with tables for students to meet or study at.
Are there athletic trainers available at the Trent gym?
Members of the Athletic Centre have the opportunity to sign up for a personal training
consultation as part of their membership fees (which is included in the students’ tuition). Fees
for personal training packages are listed on the Athletics website.
Links:
Athletics Centre – www.trentu.ca/athletics
Personal Training - http://www.trentu.ca/athletics/fitness/personal.php
What medical services are available on campus?
There are many different medical services on campus including our Health Services office (a clinic
staffed with nurses and doctors), Counselling Services, and Disability Services Office (DSO). If a
student is in need of support for any issues, they can contact these offices to make an
appointment. These three offices fall under the banner of our Wellness Services on campus.
Links:
Health Services – www.terntu.ca/healthservices
Counselling – www.trentu.ca/counselling
Disability Services Office – www.trentu.ca/disabilityservices
How do I join a varsity team?
There are 23 varsity teams and clubs at Trent that students are able to join. Each varsity team
has different processes and deadlines for their try-out. Information about try-outs, schedules,
coaches contact information, and eligibility can be found on the team websites.
Links:
Varsity Sports – www.trentvarsity.ca
Athletics – www.trentu.ca/athletics
What is the Annual Fund?
The Annual Fund provides an opportunity for students to receive financial support from the
university. This fund also support building projects on campus and further development of a
variety of education ventures for the university. It is collected and maintained through support
form alumni, parents, friends, faculty, staff and community members.
Links:
Annual Fund – http://www.trentu.ca/givingtotrent/annualfund.php
Giving to Trent – www.trentu.ca/givingtotrent