C-29, r. 4 - College Education Regulations

Updated to 1 July 2024

This document has official status.

chapter C-29, r. 4

College Education Regulations

General and Vocational Colleges Act

(chapter C-29, s. 18).

DIVISION I DEFINITIONS

1. In this Regulation, unless otherwise indicated by the context,

“course” means a set of learning activities for which credits are attributed and comprising at least 45 periods of instruction or, in the cases determined by the Minister, the number of periods of instruction set by the Minister;(cours)

“credit” means a unit equivalent to 45 hours of learning activities; (unité)

“objective” means the competency, skills or knowledge, to be acquired or mastered; (objectif)

“program” means an integrated set of learning activities leading to the achievement of educational objectives based on set standards; (programme)

“standard” means the level of performance at which an objective is considered to be achieved. (standard)

O.C. 1006-93, s. 1; O.C. 627-2010, s. 1.

DIVISION II ADMISSION

O.C. 1006-93, Div. II; O.C. 724-2008, s. 1.

§ 1 . — Programs of studies leading to a Diploma of College Studies

O.C. 724-2008, s. 2.

2. A holder of a Secondary School Diploma who satisfies the special conditions, if any, established by the Minister for admission may be admitted to a program of studies leading to a Diploma of College Studies.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 2; O.C. 962-98, s. 1; O.C. 1102-2001, s. 1; O.C. 604-2007, s. 1; O.C. 724-2008, s. 3; O.C. 1153-2017, s. 1.

2.1. A holder of a Secondary School Vocational Diploma who satisfies the special conditions, if any, established by the Minister for admission or has obtained the number of credits allotted by the Basic school regulation for preschool, elementary and secondary education (chapter I-13.3, r. 8) or by the Basic adult general education regulation (chapter I-13.3, r. 9) for the following subjects may be admitted to a program of studies leading to a Diploma of College Studies:

(1)  Secondary V Language of Instruction;

(2)  Secondary V Second Language; and

(3)  Secondary IV Mathematics.

A holder of a Secondary School Vocational Diploma who satisfies the conditions of admission established by the Minister may also be admitted to a program of technical studies leading to the Diploma of College Studies. The conditions of admission are established for each program of studies to ensure continuity of training and are based on the vocational training received at the secondary level.

O.C. 604-2007, s. 1; O.C. 1153-2017, s. 2.

2.2. Despite sections 2 and 2.1, a college may admit a person to a program of studies leading to a Diploma of College Studies if the person has received instruction the college considers equivalent.

A college may also admit to such a program of studies a person who has instruction and experience the college considers sufficient and who has interrupted full-time studies for a cumulative period of at least 24 months.

O.C. 604-2007, s. 1; O.C. 724-2008, s. 4; O.C. 627-2010, s. 2; O.C. 1153-2017, s. 3.

2.3. A college may conditionally admit to a program of studies leading to a Diploma of College Studies a person who, not having obtained all the credits required by the Basic school regulation for preschool, elementary and secondary education (chapter I-13.3, r. 8) or by the Basic adult general education regulation (chapter I-13.3, r. 9) to obtain a Secondary School Diploma, commits to obtaining the missing credits in the first term.

The foregoing also applies to a holder of a Secondary School Vocational Diploma who has not obtained all the credits for the subjects mentioned in subparagraphs 1 to 3 of the first paragraph of section 2.1.

Despite the foregoing, a person who must obtain more than 6 missing credits or who has previously failed to fulfil his or her commitments after being conditionally admitted may not be conditionally admitted.

O.C. 724-2008, s. 5.

3. A college may not make eligibility under paragraph e of section 19 of the General and Vocational Colleges Act (chapter C-29) for admission to a program of studies leading to a Diploma of College Studies contingent on the successful completion of specific secondary school courses other than the courses required to obtain a Secondary School Diploma or a Secondary School Vocational Diploma, on the courses relating to the subjects referred to, as the case may be, in subparagraphs 1 to 3 of the first paragraph of section 2.1, or on the courses required under special conditions established by the Minister for admission to a program of studies.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 3; O.C. 604-2007, s. 2; O.C. 1153-2017, s. 4.

§ 2 . — Programs of studies leading to a Specialization Diploma in Technical Studies

O.C. 724-2008, s. 6.

3.1. A holder of a Diploma of College Studies may be admitted to a program of studies leading to a Specialization Diploma in Technical Studies if the person has completed the program of studies designated by the Minister as a prerequisite and meets the special conditions of admission, if any, established by the Minister.

O.C. 724-2008, s. 6.

3.2. Despite section 3.1, a college may admit a person to a program of studies leading to a Specialization Diploma in Technical Studies if the person has received instruction the college considers equivalent.

O.C. 627-2010, s. 3.

3.3. A college may conditionally admit to a program of studies leading to a Specialization Diploma in Technical Studies a person who, not having attained the set of objectives and standards of a program of studies referred to in section 3.1 or passed the imposed examinations, commits to meeting the conditions to obtain the Diploma of College Studies during the first half of the period normally required to complete such a specialization.

Despite the foregoing, a person who must complete training components for a number of credits greater than 5 or who has previously failed to fulfil his or her commitments after being conditionally admitted may not be conditionally admitted.

O.C. 627-2010, s. 3.

§ 3 . — Programs of studies leading to an Attestation of College Studies

O.C. 724-2008, s. 6.

4. A person who has received instruction considered sufficient by the college and meets any of the following conditions may be admitted to a program of studies leading to an Attestation of College Studies:

(1)  the person has interrupted his or her full-time studies or pursued full-time postsecondary studies for at least 2 consecutive terms or 1 school year;

(2)  the person is covered by an agreement entered into between the college and an employer or by a government program of studies;

(3)  the person has interrupted his or her full-time studies for one term and pursued full-time postsecondary studies for one term; or

(4)  the person holds a Secondary School Vocational Diploma.

A person who has a Secondary School Diploma and meets either of the following conditions may be admitted to a program of studies leading to an Attestation of College Studies:

(1)  the program of studies enables the person to pursue technical studies in a field for which there is no program of studies leading to a Diploma of College Studies; or

(2)  the program of studies is covered by an agreement on training entered into between the Minister and a department or body of the Gouvernement du Québec.

O.C. 724-2008, s. 7; S.Q. 2013, c. 28, s. 193; O.C. 1153-2017, s. 5.

§ 4 . — Remedial activities and activities favouring success

O.C. 1153-2017, s. 6.

4.1. A college may, in all cases, render compulsory remedial activities determined by the Minister, with a view to meeting the conditions of admission to a program of studies leading to a Diploma of College Studies or an Attestation of College Studies.

A college may also render compulsory activities, training paths and paths of studies, determined by the Minister, with a view to favouring the success of a person in one of those programs.

The Minister determines objectives and standards for each of those activities. The Minister may determine all or part of the learning activities aimed at the attainment of those objectives and standards.

Those activities give entitlement to the credits determined by the Minister but may not count towards the Diploma of College Studies or an Attestation of College Studies.

O.C. 1153-2017, s. 6.

DIVISION III PROGRAMS LEADING TO A DIPLOMA OF COLLEGE STUDIES

5. The Minister shall draw up the programs leading to a Diploma of College Studies.

The programs are of 2 types:

(1)  programs of pre-university studies whose main purpose is to prepare students for university studies;

(2)  programs of technical studies whose main purpose is to prepare students for the labour market.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 5.

6. Every program of pre-university studies or technical studies shall consist of:

(1)  a component of general education that is common to all programs;

(2)  a component of general education that is specific to each program;

(3)  a component of general education that is complementary to the other components of a program;

(4)  a specific program component.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 6.

7. The component of general education that is common to all programs shall comprise the following subject areas for the number of credits indicated:

(1)  Language of Instruction and Literature, 71/3 credits;

(2)  Second Language, 2 credits;

(3)  Philosophy or Humanities, 41/3 credits;

(4)  Physical Education, 3 credits.

The Minister shall determine the objectives and standards for each subject area and may determine all or part of the learning activities required to attain those objectives and standards.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 7; O.C. 551-95, s. 1; O.C. 962-98, s. 3.

8. The component of general education that is specific to each program shall comprise the following subject areas for the number of credits indicated:

(1)  Language of Instruction and Literature, 2 credits;

(2)  Second Language, 2 credits;

(3)  Philosophy or Humanities, 2 credits.

The Minister shall determine the objectives and standards for each subject area, and the college shall determine the learning activities.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 8.

9. The component of general education that is complementary to the other components of a program shall comprise any of the following subject areas:

(1)  Social Sciences;

(2)  Science and Technology;

(3)  Modern Language;

(4)  Mathematics Literacy and Computer Science;

(5)  Art and Aesthetics;

(6)  Contemporary Issues.

The Minister shall determine the objectives and standards for each subject area.

The college shall determine the learning activites required to attain the objectives and standards determined by the Minister. To balance and complement the specific program component, the college shall offer students such learning activites, for a total of 4 credits.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 9; O.C. 551-95, s. 2; O.C. 962-98, s. 4; O.C. 724-2008, s. 8.

10. The specific program component of pre-university studies shall comprise a number of credits ranging from 28 to 32, to be determined by the Minister.

The Minister shall determine the objectives and standards for each subject area. The Minister may determine, for each program the Minister draws up or recognizes, all or part of the learning activities required to attain those objectives and standards.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 10; O.C. 962-98, s. 5.

11. The specific program component of technical studies shall comprise a number of credits ranging from 45 to 65, to be determined by the Minister.

The Minister shall determine the objectives and standards for the specific program component, and the college shall determine the learning activities.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 11.

12. The Minister may recognize a training module within a program of technical studies.

A module may be drawn up to meet such needs as:

(1)  taking into account the studies completed at the secondary school level;

(2)  drawing up a set of objectives and standards that are common to several programs of technical studies;

(3)  preparing for a specific occupation.

To be recognized by the Minister, a training module shall include components of general education and specific program components for a number of credits to be determined by the Minister.

The college shall certify the successful completion of a module, where applicable. A document attesting to the successful completion of the module indicating the student’s name, the name of the college, the title of the module, the title of the program of technical studies and the number of credits in the module must be given to the student.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 12; O.C. 724-2008, s. 9.

13. The Minister may authorize experimentation, in 1 or more colleges and for a maximum period of 5 years, with programs leading to a Diploma of College Studies which do not include all the subject areas referred to in sections 7 to 11.

The Minister shall evaluate such experimentation before renewing the authorization.

The Minister may, at the end of the experimentation and after evaluation, recognize a program referred to in the first paragraph as a program leading to a Diploma of College Studies.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 13; O.C. 962-98, s. 6.

14. The Minister may recognize as a program leading to a Diploma of College Studies a program that was not drawn up by the Minister but that the Minister considers to be equivalent to a program drawn up by the Minister.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 14.

15. (Revoked).

O.C. 1006-93, s. 15; O.C. 724-2008, s. 10.

DIVISION III.1 PROGRAMS LEADING TO A SPECIALIZATION DIPLOMA IN TECHNICAL STUDIES

O.C. 724-2008, s. 11.

15.1. The Minister shall establish the programs of studies leading to a Specialization Diploma in Technical Studies. The main purpose of the programs is to prepare students for the labour market in any area of technical training requiring a higher level of specialization. They include technical training components for a number of credits ranging from 10 to 30, to be determined by the Minister.

The Minister shall determine the objectives and standards of the programs. The college shall determine the learning activities required to attain the objectives and standards.

O.C. 724-2008, s. 11.

DIVISION IV PROGRAMS LEADING TO AN ATTESTATION OF COLLEGE STUDIES

16. A college may, if it is authorized to implement a program leading to a Diploma of College Studies, draw up and implement an institutional program leading to an Attestation of College Studies in any area of training specific to a program of technical studies leading to a Diploma of College Studies.

In addition, the college may, with the authorization of and on the conditions determined by the Minister, draw up and implement an institutional program leading to an Attestation of College Studies in any other area of technical studies.

The institutional program may include training elements aimed at the development of the language of instruction and the second language in connection with the area of technical studies.

The college determines the objectives and standards of each of the training elements and the learning activities aimed at the attainment of those objectives.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 16; O.C. 962-98, s. 7; O.C. 1153-2017, s. 7.

DIVISION V ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAMS

17. A college shall adopt and make public, in whatever form it considers appropriate, a description of the objectives, standards and learning activities for each program it offers.

The program description shall be distributed to students upon their admission to the program.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 17.

18. During the period beginning on 1 July of a year and ending on 30 June of the following year, a college must organize at least 2 terms, each having a minimum of 82 days allotted to teaching and evaluation.

A college may organize a term having less than 82 days allotted to teaching and evaluation for a program of studies requiring special teaching conditions, insofar as all the program conditions prescribed by the Minister are met.

A college may also, on an exceptional basis and with the approval of the Minister, organize a term ending after 30 June or having less than 82 days allotted to teaching and evaluation, insofar as the term has a minimum of 60 days allotted to teaching and evaluation and the course objectives are otherwise met.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 18; O.C. 724-2008, s. 12; O.C. 1379-2020, s. 1.

19. Registration shall take place before the beginning of each term on dates set by the college.

A college may authorize students to register after the beginning of a term, where the students show that they were unable to register on the set date.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 19.

20. A college is responsible for having each teacher draw up, in compliance with the program, an outline for each course.

The course outline shall contain the course objectives and content, the methodology, a bibliography, class participation requirements and evaluation procedures.

The outline shall be distributed to students registered in the course at the beginning of each term.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 20.

21. A college may grant an exemption from a course if the college considers that the student will not be able to attain the objectives of the course or to avoid causing serious detriment to the student. The exemption does not entitle a student to the credits attached to the course, which does not have to be replaced by another course.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 21; O.C. 724-2008, s. 13.

22. A college may grant an equivalence where a student shows that the objectives of the course for which an equivalence is requested have been attained through previous studies, out-of-school training or otherwise. The equivalence entitles the student to the credits attached to the course, which does not have to be replaced by another course.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 22; O.C. 724-2008, s. 14.

23. A college may authorize the substitution of other courses for courses in the program of studies to which the student is admitted.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 23; O.C. 724-2008, s. 15.

23.1. A college may grant an incomplete where a student demonstrates that he or she was unable to complete a course for a serious reason beyond the student’s control and that the deadline determined by the Minister pursuant to section 29 is reached. The incomplete does not give entitlement to the credits related to that course.

O.C. 1153-2017, s. 8.

24. A college shall, after consulting the academic council, adopt an institutional policy on program evaluation and shall ensure its implementation.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 24.

DIVISION VI EVALUATION OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

25. A college shall, after consulting the academic council, adopt an institutional policy on the evaluation of student achievement and shall ensure its implementation.

The institutional policy on the evaluation of achievement shall set forth, in particular, the terms and conditions for applying sections 21 to 23.1, and shall provide for a process of certification and the imposition of a comprehensive examination for each program leading to a Diploma of College Studies that is offered by the college to assess the students’ achievement of the set of objectives and standards determined for that program.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 25; O.C. 1153-2017, s. 9.

26. The Minister may, for all subject areas included in the component of general education provided for in section 7, impose a uniform examination and may require that the passing of such examination be a condition for awarding the Diploma of College Studies.

The college shall ensure the administration of any examination referred to in the first paragraph.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 26.

27. Student achievement shall be evaluated for each course and for the entire program in which a student is registered.

The pass mark is 60%. The college is not required to register a mark for credits granted in accordance with section 22.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 27.

28. Students who, in accordance with section 27, show that they have attained the course objectives shall be granted the credit(s) attached to the course.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 28.

29. In relation to the duration of the term, the Minister shall determine the deadline before which students must have notified the dropping of a course without a failing mark being entered on their record.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 29; O.C. 724-2008, s. 16; I.N. 2016-01-01 (NCCP).

30. A college shall determine the form in which the evaluation results are presented, and the date on which they are issued.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 30.

31. At the end of each term, a college shall issue, to each student registered in a course in a program of studies to which the student is admitted, a record giving the evaluation results, the form of which shall be prescribed by the Minister.

In the case of a final term, the record must mention achievement by the student of the objectives and standards of the program of studies to which the student is admitted.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 31; O.C. 724-2008, s. 17.

DIVISION VII CERTIFICATION OF STUDIES

32. The Minister shall award a Diploma of College Studies to a student who, according to the recommendation of the college attended by the student,

(1)  has attained the set of objectives and standards of the program of studies to which the student is admitted, has passed the comprehensive examination for that program, and has passed the uniform examinations, if any, imposed by the Minister; or

(2)  has attained the set of objectives and standards of the subject areas in the components of general education set out in sections 7 to 9, has obtained at least 28 credits in the specific program components referred to in sections 10 and 11, and has passed the uniform examinations, if any, imposed by the Minister.

Despite the foregoing, in the case referred to in subparagraph 2 of the first paragraph, a Diploma of College Studies may not be awarded to a student who already holds a Diploma of College Studies or is registered in a program of studies leading to the Diploma of College Studies.

The diploma must state the name of the student, the name of the college and, if the diploma is awarded pursuant to subparagraph 1 of the first paragraph, the title of the program of studies.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 32; O.C. 724-2008, s. 18; O.C. 1153-2017, s. 10.

32.1. The Minister shall award a Specialization Diploma in Technical Studies to a student who, according to the recommendation of the college attended by the student, has attained the set of objectives and standards of the program of studies to which the student is admitted.

The diploma must state the name of the student, the name of the college and the title of the program of studies.

O.C. 724-2008, s. 19.

32.2. The Minister may delegate to a college, on the conditions determined by the Minister and on the recommendation of the Commission d’évaluation de l’enseignement collégial, all or part of the Minister’s responsibilities under sections 32 and 32.1 regarding the certification of studies.

O.C. 724-2008, s. 19.

33. A college shall award, on the conditions it determines, an Attestation of College Studies to a student who has attained the objectives of an institutional program to which the student is admitted.

The attestation shall state the name of the student, the name of the college, the number of credits received and the title of the program.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 33.

DIVISION VIII FINAL

34. The Minister may establish, pursuant to section 18 of the Act, the conditions of application of the College Education Regulations. Such conditions may provide for any measure allowing for the progressive application of the College Education Regulations.

O.C. 1006-93, s. 34.

35. (Omitted).

O.C. 1006-93, s. 35.

36. (Omitted).

O.C. 1006-93, s. 36.

37. (Omitted).

O.C. 1006-93, s. 37.

REFERENCES

O.C. 1006-93, 1993 G.O. 2, 3995

O.C. 551-95, 1995 G.O. 2, 1351

O.C. 962-98, 1998 G.O. 2, 3594

O.C. 1102-2001, 2001 G.O. 2, 5567

O.C. 604-2007, 2007 G.O. 2, 2351

O.C. 724-2008, 2008 G.O. 2, 2935

O.C. 627-2010, 2010 G.O. 2, 2244

S.Q. 2013, c. 28, s. 193

O.C. 1153-2017, 2017 G.O. 2, 3727

O.C. 1379-2020, 2021 G.O. 2, 90