1

UG Exchange Registration
Guide 2015-2016

International Student
Services/MacAbroad
1280 Main Street West
Gilmour Hall, Rm 110
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, L8S 4L8

Phone: (905).525.9140 Ext. 26105

Email: macincoming@mcmaster.ca
Website: iss.mcmaster.ca
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Contents
Welcome to McMaster University!
Arrival & Getting to Hamilton
Welcome Week & Orientation
Mentorship Program for Incoming Exchange Students
Academics
Course Restrictions (review)
Course Selection (review)
General Course Information (Review)
Getting Registered at McMaster for 2015-2016
STEP 1: Activate your MacID on Mosaic
STEP 2: Check your Course Enrollment Date on MOSAIC
STEP 3: Preparing for Course Enrollment
STEP 4: My Academics – Select Courses
STEP 5: Verify Courses in your Shopping Cart for Eligibility and Conflicts
STEP 6: Enroll in your Courses
STEP 7: View your Official Course Timetable
STEP 8: Enable your McMaster Email
STEP 9: Upload a Student Card Photo
STEP 10: Account Inquiry & Payment of Fees
STEP 11: Update your Canadian Contact Details on Mosaic
Student ID Card
Important Dates & Deadlines
Student Accounts & Cashiers
Housing Services
Student Accessibility Services
Student Success Centre
International Student Services
University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP)
Student Clubs of Interest
Helpful Online Resources
Hamilton Transit
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Welcome to McMaster University!

About McMaster

McMaster University is located in Hamilton,

Ontario, Canada at the western end of Lake
Ontario. With over 20,000 full-time
undergraduate students and 2,500 full-time
graduate students, McMaster is one of Canada's
most innovative academic and research
intensive institutions. McMaster's friendly, open
environment engages students in and out of the
classroom with a welcoming atmosphere and
more than 200 student clubs and organizations.
The campus has grown immensely since the
University officially moved to Hamilton in 1930.
The original six buildings, all still in use, were
added to over the years, and now there are 56
buildings on McMaster's campus.

McMaster University is ideally located close to

many natural areas and gardens, including
Cootes Paradise, the Bruce Trail, the Niagara
Escarpment, and the Royal Botanical Gardens.
McMaster is located within close proximity of
the Westdale community which provides many services and accommodations for students.

Exchange at McMaster

McMaster has over 74 active exchange agreements with partner institutions around the world. Each
academic year, the Office of International Student Services/MacAbroad welcomes over 150 exchange
students to our campus for study across the Faculties of Humanities, Science, Social Science,
Engineering and Business. We look forward to welcoming you, the incoming exchange student, to our
beautiful campus in 2015/2016!
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Arrival & Getting to Hamilton

Travel Documents

You will need a passport to fly into Canada. You are responsible for getting your own immigration
documents. Contact the closest Canadian Consulate or Embassy to obtain proper information on what
type of visa documentation is required. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) http://cic.gc.ca is the
government body which provides immigration advice and application procedures for visitors to
Canada.

Your passport is a valuable document for which you are responsible. The loss of your passport could
cause you considerable delay and expense. If your passport is lost or stolen notify International
Student Services and be in contact with your local embassy for a replacement.

Arriving by Plane

Toronto’s Pearson International Airport is located about 45 minutes away from McMaster University
and the cab fare will cost you approximately CAD $100.00. You will find more flight options available by
choosing to fly into Toronto.
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If you do not wish to hire a cab for your arrival to McMaster, there are other options available.
Students can book an airport taxi, or take the Union Pearson Express from the Pearson airport to
Toronto, and connect with GO train service to Hamilton.

You can find more information on the following websites:

Airways Transit (Shuttle) http://www.airwaystransit.com/

Public Transit http://www.ttc.ca/Riding_the_TTC/Airport_service.jsp
GO Transit http://www.gotransit.com/publicroot/en/schedules/lstser.aspx?station=AIRP&new
Union Pearson Express: https://www.upexpress.com/

Hamilton International Airport is located in Hamilton. The cab fare will cost you approximately CAD
$50.00 to McMaster. There will be more limited flight options flying into Hamilton as it is a smaller
airport. There are currently no bus routes from the Hamilton airport to McMaster University.
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Welcome Week & Orientation

International Student Services organizes a special Welcome Orientation session for new exchange
students. The exchange club ‘MIX’ also plans numerous events for new students to settle into the
community and get to know one another.

For term 1 and full year students, events will begin on September 2nd. For term 2 students, a welcome
orientation will be held the first week back to classes in January. More details on these events will be
sent to you at a later date.

Students will receive a welcome package at this event, detailing further services and resources
available to incoming exchange students, in addition to information regarding student health coverage
under the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP), and MSU Health & Dental Plan.
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Mentorship Program for Incoming Exchange

Students
Prior to arrival in Canada, exchange students have the option of being paired with returned McMaster
Exchange Students. These volunteers are familiar with life at McMaster and can help ensure a smooth
and welcoming transition to campus. The mentorship program takes place between July and October.

An email to register for the Exchange Mentorship Program will be sent out in June.
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Academics
Academic Term Dates (Undergraduate)

Fall/Winter Session 2015-2016

http://registrar.mcmaster.ca/dates/sessional/2015-16fw/ (full schedule)

TERM 1 TERM 2
(61 days) (63 days)
Classes begin Tuesday, September 8 Tuesday, January 5

Last day for enrollment (registration) and

adding or dropping courses
Mid-term recess
Last day for cancelling courses without failure
by default
Good Friday: No classes
or examinations
Test and Examination Ban
(no tests or exams may be held during class
time)
Wednesday, September 16 Wednesday, January 13
Monday, October 12 Monday, February 15
to to
Saturday, October 17 Saturday, February 20
Friday, November 13 Friday, March 11
- Friday, March 25
Wednesday, December 2 Monday, April 4
to to
Tuesday, December 8 Monday, April 11

Classes end Tuesday, December 8 Friday, April 8

Wednesday, December 9 Tuesday, April 12
Final Examinations to to
Tuesday, December 22 Friday, April 29

McMaster Undergraduate Faculties

Faculty of Science http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/

Faculty of Social Sciences http://www.socsci.mcmaster.ca/
Faculty of Humanities http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/
Faculty of Engineering http://www.eng.mcmaster.ca/
DeGroote School of Business http://www.degroote.mcmaster.ca/
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Course Restrictions (review)

General Restrictions: Students accepted at the undergraduate (bachelor) level are NOT eligible to
take courses at the graduate (masters) level. Students are NOT permitted to take courses within the
School of Social Work. Exchange with the Faculty of Health Sciences is NOT permitted.

Faculty of Humanities: Multimedia courses are restricted, but may be open to students registered in a
similar program at their home university. Students interested in taking Studio Art courses must be
enrolled in a Fine Art/Studio Art program at their home university. Students should contact McMaster
early to check course availability and submit a portfolio.

Faculty of Engineering: The Bachelor of Technology (TECH) program is not available to exchange
students. This includes any course with TECH in the course code.

Faculty of Social Sciences: Students applying for PNB (Psychology, Neuroscience and Behavior) courses
should have completed ‘A’ level mathematics and at least ‘O’ level biology. This would equate to
university calculus and grade 12 biology (highest biology level in high school). Please note that
Psychology courses are science based.

Faculty of Science: Enrollment in Science Inquiry and Senior Projects is restricted (may be waived on a
case by case basis).

Students within the Faculty of Science may be permitted to take courses within the Faculty of Health
Sciences. This will depend on seat availability and sufficient background knowledge. Students will be
considered on a case by case basis, negotiating all requests with their McMaster academic advisor.

Degroote School of Business: The economics program is part of the Faculty of Social Sciences at
McMaster, NOT the School of Business. This may affect some students’ eligibility for Commerce
courses depending on the agreement between McMaster and the partner university.
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Course Selection (Review)

How to Understand Course Codes
At McMaster, the course code provides quick information at a glance to the reader. This includes:
1. The abbreviation of the subject that the course belongs to
2. The level of study (ie. level 1, level 2, etc)
3. How many units the course is worth
*At McMaster each course is worth either 3 or 6 units. A 3 unit class lasts for one term (4 months) and a
6 unit course lasts for two consecutive terms (8 months).
4. A/B Indicates it is a multi-term course
5. Full Name of course.

Example 1: HISTORY 3J06A: The United States in the 1960s

HISTORY 3J06A -> Indicates the subject to which the course belongs to. This is a history course.
HISTORY 3J06A -> Indicates the level of study. This is always the first number in any course
code. This history course is a level 3 course.
HISTORY 3J06A -> Is random lettering assigned by the faculty. Provides no information.
HISTORY 3J06A ->Indicates the number of units the course is worth. This course is worth 6 units
(multi-term). This is always the last number in the course code.
HISTORY 3J06A ->Indicates this is the first half of a full-year (multi-term) course.

The United States in the 1960s -> Indicates the course name

How Many Courses Should You Take?

As an exchange student you must be registered in full time studies. Full time studies at McMaster
equates to 12 or 15 units per semester (4 or 5 courses). Be sure to check with your home university to
see how many courses you are required to complete. Please be aware that Canadian Immigration
Authorities may check the status of your McMaster course registration in order to confirm that you are
registered in full-time studies as required by your study permit.
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Course Selection (Continued…)

What level of courses should you consider?
Undergraduate exchange students will be registered as Level 3 students at McMaster and should
expect to follow courses in Level 2 and Level 3. Enrollment in Level 4 and many Level 1 courses is
generally reserved for McMaster students. Access to Level 1 elective courses may be given, space
permitting. For restricted areas of study, please refer to the Course Restrictions section of this guide.

*Courses available for graduate credit are numbered 600 level and up (e.g. 771 or 6D06). These
courses are restricted to students registered in a graduate program at McMaster. Undergraduates
cannot take courses from within a graduate program.

What does “Multi-Term” (MT) mean?

The multi-term course, usually stretching from September to April, is a common offering at McMaster.

Multi-term courses are shown as existing in multiple terms and each course term is identified uniquely
with a letter. “A” for the first half and “B” for the second half. For example, Sociology 1A06A and
1A06B is one, full year course. Courses that last 12 months are split into “A, B and C” courses. Students
who enroll into the “A” course are automatically enrolled into the “B” course (and “C” course, if
applicable). If a student chooses to drop either the “A” or “B” course, both courses are dropped at the
same time.

When you add a multi-term course to My Planner or your Shopping Cart, you must register for the “A”
course (e.g. ARTSSCI 1D06A). If you attempt to enroll in the “B” course of a multi-term sequence, you
will receive an error message.
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General Course Information (Review)

2015-2016 Undergraduate Calendar

To find a list of all undergraduate courses at McMaster, refer to the Undergraduate Calendar.

The actual day/time schedule for each course will only be released in June. Prior to this, students are
only able to see a general listing of courses through the calendar from which to create their tentative
study plan.

When selecting courses, it is a good idea to have a list of backup selections. Registration is on a first-
come, first served basis, so students should be prepared with a substitute course list in the case that a
preferred course is already full, has time conflicts, or is canceled.

*If a course is full when it comes time to register, it is still possible for a seat to become available
during the designated course enrolment periods. Students may cancel, add or revise their course
selections as necessary until the last day of enrolment as posted by the Office of the Registrar.

To view the 2015-2016 Undergraduate Calendar:

http://academiccalendars.romcmaster.ca/content.php?catoid=7&navoid=558
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Click on the course title for a brief course description and any course pre-requisites. If a prerequisite
exists, your home academic record should be able to prove prior knowledge of this subject to study at
this level.

If you need access to the full course syllabi to have your courses approved at your home university,
some departments have these available on their Faculty websites. From each link below, you may need
to first choose your department of interest > undergraduate level > course list.

DeGroote School of Business – Click here

Faculty of Engineering – Click Here
Faculty of Humanities – Click Here
Faculty of Science – Click Here
Faculty of Social Science – Click Here
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Getting Registered at McMaster for 2015- 2016

Registration for the 2015-2016 McMaster academic year (Term 1 and Term 2)
takes place in June for all students.

STEP 1: Activate Your MacID using the MOSAIC Registration System

Your MAC ID is a unique identifier assigned to you and is used to access services such as MOSAIC, your
McMaster email, and MacConnect (wifi).

What is Mosaic?

Mosaic is an academic enrollment system that provides individual student information and other
functionalities.

MOSAIC has replaced our previous ‘MUGSI’ and ‘SOLAR’ student systems at McMaster.

Highlights include:
 An enrollment (registration) system that lets students enroll directly into specific classes,
allowing them to build their own weekly schedule
 View complete grade and course history
 Make transcript requests online
 View grade reports and their personal timetable
 Update their profile information, including mailing address
 Update Emergency Contact information
 View financial statements online
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To activate your MacID, visit http://mosaic.mcmaster.ca

Click “What’s my MAC ID or password?”

Select “Activate your MAC ID” and click Next.

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To activate your MacID, you will need to enter your new student barcode, student number, and date
of birth. You can find your student number and barcode on your McMaster admission letter.

This process will allow you to choose your own password and verify it. You will also be asked to
determine challenge questions and responses in case you need to reset a forgotten password.

Your new MACID will be displayed at the end of this process. Please write it down!

Once your MacID has been activated, you can then login to MOSAIC.

If there are any conflicts or problems with the login, please contact the UTS service desk through email
at uts@mcmaster.ca or call (905) 525-9140 ext. 24357.
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STEP 2: Check your Course Enrollment Date on MOSAIC

Your enrollment date and time is the earliest point at which course enrolment is open to you for both
Term 1 and Term 2 at McMaster. You will have access to add/drop/swap courses until early September
and/or early January for term 2 students.

Enrolment dates will be released mid-June.

Enrollment dates and times are based on level. At McMaster, undergraduate exchange students enroll
as Level 3 students and therefore will register around mid-June.

Your enrolment date and time will be common to other students, so remember that you are competing
with other students for a seat in classes. For this reason, you should be ready to enter course
registration on MOSAIC on the date and time your enrollment begins.

To find your enrollment date, in your Mosaic Student Center. Look on the right-hand side column and
you should see a panel that looks like this:
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STEP 3: Preparing for Course Enrollment

At this point, you have reviewed and selected courses from the Undergraduate Calendar. Your
McMaster Academic Advisor has done a general overview of your course selections and notified you of
any concerns via your McMaster online exchange application.

Now that course registration is approaching, you need to use MOSAIC to determine if your course
selections are offered in your term(s) of exchange and if there are any conflicts in your course schedule
(two courses taking place at the same time).

Ensure that you have some backup courses for each selection, in case a course or tutorial/lab section is
unavailable. MOSAIC will help you ‘verify’ your course selections for conflicts.

If you have changed your course selections in any way from what was initially listed on your McMaster
Online Application (added courses needing approval/waivers) you need to be in touch with your
McMaster Academic Advisor notifying them of the updates to your study plan ideally before June 15th.
They will then apply the required course waivers and permissions to your student account. If you do
not update your changes with your advisor, you may not have the necessary permissions to enroll in
that course when registration opens.

Please refer to your Admission Letter to see which faculty you have been accepted to.
Faculty Advisor E-mail Extension
Humanities Rowena Muhic-Day muhicr@mcmaster.ca 27787
Social Science Kelli Cale calek@mcmaster.ca 26076
Science Robyn Tebbutt smithra@mcmaster.ca 23562
DeGroote School of Business Sriyani Dissanayake dissanay@mcmaster.ca 26534
Engineering Michelle Zheng zhengm2@mcmaster.ca 20854
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STEP 4: My Academics – Select Courses

Once you login to Mosaic, go to the Student Center tab. Within the Student Center, go to the Academic
subsection and click on Plan.
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What is ‘My Planner’?

‘My Planner’ is a tool to help you organize your courses before the course schedule is released and
which you can reference when pulling courses into your shopping cart for course enrolment. You can
select from this list using the ‘My Planner’ button when registering for courses in either the Shopping
Cart or Enroll tab. Adding courses to the My Planner DOES NOT enroll you into courses.

Within My Planner, you can choose to view courses within the ‘Course Catalogue’. The Course
Catalogue is a copy of the McMaster Undergraduate Calendar and will show you all classes, regardless
of academic session. You will find course descriptions here and unit load. If you click ‘view class
sections’ you will see the class schedule for the current session. Remember, you are selecting courses
for the Fall or Winter session of 2015-2016 NOT the summer session. If the summer session schedule is
still showing, the timetable of courses has not yet been released for the Fall/Winter.

Reminder: when you add a multi-term course to My Planner or the Shopping Cart, you must register
for the “A” course (e.g. ARTSSCI 1D06A) first. If you attempt to enroll in the “B” course of a multi-term
sequence, you will receive an error message. Once you register in the first half (A) part of the course,
the second half (B) will be added automatically. The same works for dropping a multi-term course.

My Planner is a great tool to use prior to course schedules being released. You can ‘move’ your courses
in your planner to sit in a particular term for organizational purposes, however, this does NOT mean
the course is actually available during this term! This just gives you a layout to determine how you will
try to plan your class schedule.
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Course Schedule Release: Add Courses to your ‘Shopping Cart’ for

Verification and Enrollment
The official course schedule is set to be released on June 8 for 2015-2016. Once open, you can prepare
your courses for enrollment using the Shopping Cart. A feature of the shopping cart is that it will check
your eligibility for each course as well as tell you if you have any course conflicts.

Saving and verifying your courses in the shopping cart prior to the assigned enrollment appointment
time will make for quicker registration once Enrollment Appointments open.

Courses can be added to the Shopping Cart by using the ‘Class Search’ or ‘My Planner’. Be sure that you
are pulling courses for the correct academic session, this example is showing summer registration.
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Using the Class Search

Once the class schedule is released, you can search for individual course day/time using the Class
Search. Mosaic allows you to search a course by its subject, course number and class number (we
suggest you ignore the class number).

Remember to check that you are browsing for classes under the correct course career (undergraduate)
and academic term (Fall/Winter 2015-2016).
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After clicking Search, Mosaic will pull all the courses in its database for the current academic session.

The Class Search will show you:

- Class Status: Open/Closed
- Which term and whether the course is offered in the day or evening (ie. 2D = Term 2, Day)
- Date and class time options (eg C01, C02, etc.)
- Building and room number of class
- Instructor/Professor

COURSE OFFERING
 Course offerings are designated by a term and day or evening (ie. 2D = Term 2, Day)
LECTURES, LABS and TUTORIALS
 C = Core Section (lecture)
 L = Lab Section
 T = Tutorial

More schedule Terminology and building abbreviations can also be found here
http://registrar.mcmaster.ca/understanding-the-master-course-timetable/
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After selecting your class, Mosaic may take you to another page asking you to select a tutorial and/or a
lab section to enroll in. Select an open lab/tutorial section that fits your schedule the best. Not all
classes have tutorials/labs.
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When you have selected your course and its corresponding lab and/or tutorial, you will arrive at a
confirmation page for this course. Review the information for accuracy and then click next.

Repeat this process for all other courses you wish to consider at McMaster University, even those that
are back-up courses in your study plan. Be sure that you are choosing courses according to the correct
term(s) of your exchange.

To view all the courses in your Shopping Cart go to Student Center > Academics > Plan > Shopping Cart
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STEP 5: Verify Courses in your Shopping Cart for Eligibility and Conflicts
Once you have selected courses for your shopping cart, you will want to ensure that you are eligible
(have waivers) for these courses, that you do not have any course conflicts (courses taking place at the
same time) and that there are open seats for each course.

If the class is full, it will show as ‘closed’ under the status. Keep in mind that it is still possible for a seat
to become available again during the designated enrolment period. All students may cancel, add, or
revise their course selections as necessary until the last day of enrolment as posted by the Office of the
Registrar.

To verify your courses, select the courses you want to check and click ‘validate’.

Note: Adding courses to the Shopping Cart does not enroll you in the course until you press enroll’.

Change Term

Remember
to check off
your
courses!
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Error Messages when Validating

After you press ‘validate’ Mosaic will redirect you to a page indicating your eligibility and conflicts.

If a green check mark appears, there are no time conflicts and you are eligible to enroll in this course.

If a red “x” appears, then there is either a problem with your eligibility or there is a time conflict
between courses. A message box will appear beside the course code indicating the problem.
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Troubleshooting Eligibility Issues

Problem: Two or more courses have the same time slot on your schedule (Time Conflict).
Action: Please review the course schedule again to see if you can change the time for one of the
classes. If the conflicting courses only offer one time slot, you will need to choose only one.

*If one of the conflicting courses is only a back-up option on your study plan, it may not be an issue as
you will likely not choose this course if your preferred courses are available.

Problem: Enrollment Requisites are not met.

Action: Check that the course is the proper level for you (undergraduate). If so, you may be missing a
course waiver needed from your Faculty. Please email your McMaster Academic Advisor for the
waiver.

Please refer to your Admission Letter to see which faculty you have been accepted to.
Faculty Advisor E-mail Extension
Humanities Rowena Muhic-Day muhicr@mcmaster.ca 27787
Social Science Kelli Cale calek@mcmaster.ca 26076
Science Robyn Tebbutt smithra@mcmaster.ca 23562
DeGroote School of Business Sriyani Dissanayake dissanay@mcmaster.ca 26534
Engineering Michelle Zheng zhengm2@mcmaster.ca 20854

STEP 6: Enroll in your Courses

Students can only enroll in courses once their Enrollment Date opens. Enrolment dates will be released
mid-June.

When enrolling in your courses, you can enroll using the Shopping Cart or the Enroll ‘Add’ Tab. In this
guide we will enroll using the Shopping Cart.

When you have verified your eligibility for each course and checked for course conflicts, you are ready
to enroll in your courses, assuming availability.

Make sure you check that each course still has an ‘open’ status.

If you have included extra courses in your shopping cart, remember only check-off those courses that
you actually wish to enroll in at this time.
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Change Term

Click ENROLL. Verify and confirm the courses you are about to enroll in. After checking, press FINISH
ENROLLING.

If none of your courses display an error message, you have successfully enrolled in your McMaster
courses! In this final step you can view your timetable or add another course.
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DROP, ADD & SWAP Courses in Mosaic

Students may add/drop/swap courses during the course enrollment period as posted by the Office of
the Registrar.

McMaster’s 2015-2016 enrollment period can be found here:

http://registrar.mcmaster.ca/dates/sessional/2015-16fw/

To drop or add courses in Mosaic, go to Student Center > My Academics > Enroll > add OR drop.

To add a course, search the course in My Planner or Class Search and complete the enrollment process.

To drop a course, select the course(s) that you wish to drop and proceed with the “Drop Selected
Classes” button. This will redirect you to another webpage. To confirm dropping your course, press the
“Finish Dropping” button.

MOSAIC also offers you the option to SWAP courses in your schedule for others in your shopping cart.
This option allows you to hold a seat in one course while you are in the process of changing it for
another.
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STEP 7: View your Official Course Timetable

You will be able to access your course timetable via Mosaic. To access your official course timetable,
navigate to Student Center > Enroll > my class schedule

After accessing this page, you can view your timetable two different ways: List and Weekly Calendar
View.

List View
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Weekly Calendar View

You can choose what appears on your calendar through unchecking/checking the option boxes below
your calendar.

*At McMaster, classes may begin as early as 8:30am. Evening classes may go as late as 10:00pm.

Note: Adjust your start and end times accordingly so that all classes show up on your timetable. You
may want to view your timetable each week as some tutorial/labs are every other week. Familiarize
yourself with your course timetable.
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STEP 8: Enable your McMaster Email

24 hours after you have successfully enrolled in your McMaster courses, you will be able to activate
your new @mcmaster.ca email address. Your email account cannot be activated any earlier.

For the period before you enable your McMaster email services, all correspondence from university
offices (Residence Admissions, Academic Departments, and International Student Services) will
automatically be sent to the email listed on your McMaster Exchange Application. Once your
McMaster email is enabled however, university correspondence will switch to your McMaster email
address only. If you wish to continue having emails sent to your personal account, you must redirect
your emails.

To activate your McMaster email account go to:

https://adweb.cis.mcmaster.ca/CIS/EnableMcMasterEmail

Your McMaster e-mail address is your “MAC ID”@mcmaster.ca. An example of an e-mail address with
a student’s MAC ID of “smithk57” would be smithk57@mcmaster.ca.

The University will use this e-mail account to send important information during your time as a
McMaster student. Your account is powered by Google’s G-mail service and includes 25GB of space.
 34

It is important that you activate and communicate from your McMaster e-mail address as professors
and administrative offices will only respond to e-mails from this e-mail address once you start taking
courses at McMaster.

Students are expected to check their McMaster email accounts for communication from the McMaster
Community on a regular basis.

[ ! ] Offers of On-Campus Housing will be directed to your personal email as listed on your McMaster
Exchange Application or your McMaster email (if activated). Please check both for correspondence.

To login to your McMaster Email, go to the homepage of MOSAIC (mosaic.mcmaster.ca)

On this page, you can also redirect your McMaster emails to be sent to your Personal email.
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STEP 9: Upload a Student Card Photo

In order to receive a new McMaster student identification card, you

will need to upload a photo of yourself within your Mosaic Student
Centre (under the Personal Information subsection).

Once you upload a photo, you cannot make additional changes

unless you visit the Registrar’s Office in person. Choose a photo
where we can clearly see your face, such as a passport photo. There
should not be other people in your photo.

Students residing outside of Ontario are required to pick-up their

identification in-person at the Registrar’s Office upon arrival at
McMaster. Identification will not be mailed.
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STEP 10: Account Inquiry & Payment of Fees

Although you will not pay tuition or supplemental fees to McMaster, you will be automatically enrolled
for the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) to which you will receive appropriate charges to your
McMaster student account. More information on UHIP can be found later in this guide. Students living
in on-campus accommodation will also see residence and meal plan fees charged to their account.

To see if you have outstanding fee charges, navigate to the Student Center and look under the Finances
tab on the left-hand side. You should see a link that says “Account Inquiry”. The ‘Account Summary’
will also show your outstanding fees, if any. It’s important for students to check their Account
Summary often as some fee charges are not updated immediately. Fees are due August 15. Fees added
after this date must be paid as soon as possible.

To make a payment on your student account, click “make a payment”.

Please see the Student Accounts & Cashiers section as part of this guide for payment options.
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STEP 11: Update your Canadian Contact Details on Mosaic

Prior to or upon arrival to Canada, it is mandatory that you update your Canadian contact information
(address and telephone number) on your Mosaic student account.

Having your Canadian contact details updated on your Mosaic student account is also necessary for
UHIP (Health Insurance) registration.

To update your contact information, log into Mosaic. In Mosaic, navigate to Student Center > Personal
Information. Using the drop-down menu, choose Addresses. Click the arrow.

On this webpage, click on any tabs you want under Personal Information to view your information and
edit/update any entries that are incorrect.
 38

Student ID Card/Free Hamilton Transit

Upon arrival at McMaster, students can visit the Office of the Registrar to obtain their official
McMaster Student ID card as well as validation sticker.

What is a validation sticker?

Your validation sticker identifies your academic classification at McMaster, whether you are registered
as full-time/ part-time student, and in some cases your faculty. The sticker also displays some of the
University services available to you (e.g. Athletics & Recreation and Bookstore).

The validation sticker also gives students free access to the Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) Transit
(excluding MBA exchange students).

Using your McMaster Student ID Card

1. Identification: Your validated ID card identifies you as a McMaster student and permits you access
to services on campus. Your validated student ID card is to be presented at all McMaster
examinations.

2. Library Card: The bar code on the card will enable you to borrow materials through the McMaster
Library system.

3. University Bookstore (Titles) Credit Card: Your card can be used as a charge card at the University
Bookstore after you have completed an account application at the Bookstore. Purchase charges get
directly added to your student account.

4. Hospitality Services Debit Card: Your card can be used as a debit card for Hospitality Services meal
plans (if applicable).

5. Recreation Card: You can use your ID card to access the Ivor Wynne Centre (Gym) recreation
facilities. In addition, your ID card entitles you to the discounted McMaster student rate for admission
to varsity sports competitions and for the purchase of additional services.

You can receive your student ID card at the

Registrar’s Office, in Gilmour Hall room 108.
 39

Important Dates & Deadlines

2015-2016
Please pay attention to the following dates as they have strict deadlines! It is the responsibility of the
student to verify and ensure that ALL deadlines are met.

Mosaic Online registration June 2015 - Dates vary by faculty

Deadline for campus residence applications (Fall June 19th, 2015 - 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
& Fall/Winter exchange students) (EST)
Campus Residence Lottery Results Any time after the deadline and up to July 15.
On-Campus Residence Deposits Due (if successful) One week after room assignments released
– Residence Admissions
UHIP coverage begins (Fall & Full year) August 10th, 2015
UG Bus Pass Valid September 1st, 2015
FEE PAYMENT DEADLINE August 15, 2015
Campus residence move-in date (by building) August 29th – August 30th, 2015
Classes begin September 8th, 2015
Last day for late course enrollment – adding & September 16th, 2015
dropping courses (Term 1)
Mid-Semester Break October 12 to October 17
Classes end December 8th, 2015
Exam period December 9th – 22nd, 2015
Campus residence move-out 12 noon after your last exam

Winter Session
Campus Residence Applications Open TBA (Announced in September)
Deadline for campus residence applications TBA (Announced in September)
(Winter exchange students)
Classes begin January 5th, 2016
Last day for late course enrollment – adding & January 13
dropping courses (Term 2)
Mid-Semester Break February 15 to February 20
Good Friday: No Classes March 25
Classes end April 8th, 2016
Exam Period April 12th – 29th, 2016
Campus residence move-out 12 noon after your last exam
 40

Student Accounts & Cashiers

The Office of Student Accounts & Cashiers is responsible for all student accounts and fee payments. If
you have any questions regarding how to pay the associated fees to your account, please check the
SA&C website > How to make a payment.

Please visit http://www.mcmaster.ca/bms/student/ for more information.

 41

Housing Services
Off-Campus Accommodation

Some exchange students prefer to live off-campus with other exchange/international students or with
local McMaster Students. Most student housing is within close proximity to campus, in a student
community, and is very affordable. Please refer to the McMaster Off-Campus Resource Centre website
for student rental listings surrounding McMaster University.

McMaster Off-Campus Resource Centre

http://macoffcampus.mcmaster.ca/index.php
 42

2015-2016 On-Campus Accommodation

McMaster Housing reserves up to 40 bed spaces for incoming undergraduate exchange students.
Applications for residence must be submitted online through the McMaster Housing website prior to
the deadline. Applications that are received after the deadline will be considered late and will
automatically be placed at the end of the waiting list.

Before applying, please visit the webpage below. When looking at this webpage, keep important dates
and the Residence Agreement Contract in mind.
http://housing.mcmaster.ca/Residence_Admissions/exchange_students.html

Students who are offered a bed space will be required to submit a $600 residence deposit made
payable online using a credit card (MasterCard, Visa, or American Express) in order to reserve their bed
space.

Meal plans are mandatory for students living in residence. Students living in traditional residences
must purchase a full meal plan. Students who are placed in Bates or Mary E. Keyes residence may
select either a full or reduced meal plan.

For more information on meal plans visit this link:

http://hospitality.mcmaster.ca/mealplan/residence/details.html

Move-in weekend for Term 1 and Full Year exchange students will be August 29th and 30st, 2015 based
on room assignments. Complete move-in information is sent to all students in Mid-August by email. If
you must arrive before your move in date you are required to make arrangements with Residence
Admissions in advance, however early move-in is not guaranteed.
 43

[ ! ] Special Accommodation Requests

If you have a medical, religious, learning, or dietary condition that may necessitate special
accommodation, you need to indicate this on your RESIDENCE APPLICATION (i.e., answer 'YES' to the
question "Do you require special accommodation").

Please download and print the Special Accommodation Request form. Carefully read the instructions,
then complete and submit the form.

Residence Services cannot guarantee special accommodation if your documentation is received after
June 19, 2015 at 4 p.m.

[ ! ] Christmas Holidays - Full Year Exchange

McMaster University will be closed during the Christmas Holiday Period. During this time, McMaster
residences will close and students will be expected to move-out of their dorm rooms for the holiday
period. Students staying in residence for the full academic year must be prepared to leave their
residence rooms at 12 noon after their last exam in December. No exceptions.

In light of the holiday closure, many full year exchange students choose to travel during this period,
return home for the holidays, or stay with a friend off-campus.

[ ! ] Single Term Exchange Students (4 Months)

Students participating in a four-month exchange program must notify Residence Admissions of their
single term status, in writing, by the application deadline (email is acceptable).

[ ! ] On-Campus vs. Off-Campus Living Expenses

Before submitting a request for on-campus housing, exchange students should review the expected
costs of living on or off campus.

The cost of living on campus and staying in a University residence can be much higher than renting a
room off-campus in the nearby community of Westdale. This cost structure is sometimes opposite to
what exchange students experience at their home universities.

More information on University Residence fees can be found below:

http://housing.mcmaster.ca/Residence_Admissions/Fees.html
 44

IMPORTANT DATES FOR ON-CAMPUS RESIDENCE – Term 1/Full Year

June 19th, 2015 @ 4:00PM Residence Application deadline

June 19th, 2015 @ 4:00PM Deadline for Special Accommodation requests

Mid-July Room Assignments completed

1 week after Room Assignments Deadline for residence cancellations to qualify for a partial
Released ($300) deposit refund

August 29 – 30st, 2015 Move-in by building (TBD)

September 8th, 2015 Classes begin

Campus residence move-out 12 noon after your last exam

IMPORTANT DATES FOR ON-CAMPUS RESIDENCE – Term 2 Only

Released in September Campus Residence Applications Open

Released in September Deadline for campus residence applications
Released in September Deadline for Special Accommodation requests

Important dates can be found on the Housing Services website:

http://registrar.mcmaster.ca/registered/sessional.html

Contact Residence Admissions

Email: resadmissions@mcmaster.ca
Phone: 905-525-9140 Ext 24342
 45

Student Accessibility Services

Website: http://sas.mcmaster.ca

Student Accessibility Services offers many supports for students with disabilities. SAS works with full
time and part time students, as well as prospective exchange students. SAS provides or assists students
with academic and disability-related needs, including:

 Learning Strategies  Note Taking Programs

 Assistive Technologies  Classroom Accommodations
 Test & Exam Administration  Groups and Event

Students who may require additional services or accommodations (academic, mobility, or

other) during their exchange with McMaster should make an appointment with their home
disability counselor to identify possible needs while abroad.

The student or home counselor should be in contact with Tim Nolan as soon as possible to
confirm availability of services.

Tim Nolan [ ! ] Upon arrival to McMaster, students

Director, Student Accessibility Services are expected to register with Student
tnolan@mcmaster.ca Accessibility Services in the McMaster
1(905) 525-9140 extension 24339 University Student Centre (MUSC)
Basement, Room B107

Residence (On-Campus) Special Accommodation Request Form

 If you have a medical, religious, learning, or dietary condition that may necessitate special
accommodation, you MUST indicate this on your RESIDENCE APPLICATION (i.e. answer 'YES' to the
question "Do you require special accommodation").
 Please refer to the Residence Admissions website above for more information regarding Special
Accommodation Requests.

The following websites will provide you with further information on services available at McMaster.

Residence Admissions http://housing.mcmaster.ca

Student Wellness Centre http://wellness.mcmaster.ca
Student Accessibility Services http://sas.mcmaster.ca
 46

Student Success Centre (SSC)

The Student Success Centre helps students navigate their undergraduate experience academically,
personally and professionally.

Drop-in for:
 Academic Skills, Writing workshops
 English Language Support (Speakeasy)
 Career Counseling and Resume Critiques
 Leadership Program
 Mentorship and Career Experience opportunities
 Service Learning & Reading Week programs.
 Learning Portfolio
 International Student Services

Follow the SSC on Facebook for event, career, and

academic skills updates! Just search ‘McMaster Student
Success Centre’.
 47

International Student Services (ISS)

ISS provides support for international students and internationally-minded Canadian students at
McMaster University. We promote an internationally informed and cross-culturally sensitive
community with a shared purpose: the student experience.

International Student Services is located within the Student Success Centre

Drop in for:
 Exchange Student Transition support
 University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) questions
 The Hamilton Speaker Series events
 Hamilton One-Bite-At-A-Time events
 Immigration Advising (Canada only)
 48

University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP)

For more information on UHIP, please visit the UHIP section of the ISS website as well as UHIP.ca.

UHIP provides health insurance through Sun Life Insurance Company to cover hospital and medical
services in Ontario. Click here for a UHIP booklet.

In Ontario, UHIP is mandatory for all international students. As soon as you are enrolled at McMaster,
Financial Services will place an automatic charge for UHIP against your student account.

PREMIUM RATES EFFECTIVE

SEPTEMBER 1, 2015 to AUGUST 31, 2016
Number of months One Member Only
4 $204
8 $408

UHIP is valid health insurance primarily for the province of Ontario, as coverage is significantly reduced
when you leave the province.

Before leaving for Canada, make sure you have Travel/Health Insurance valid for any period of time in
Canada before your UHIP coverage takes effect. Remember that UHIP coverage when travelling
outside Ontario is significantly reduced.

Provided that you are enrolled at McMaster, UHIP coverage is effective the 10th day of the month
before the student’s academic term begins, or the date of arrival in Canada, whichever is later.

Health Insurance start date:

 August 10 if your session starts in the Fall (Term 1)
 December 10 if your academic session starts in the Winter (Term 2)
 April 10 if your exchange session starts in the May (Summer)

[ ! ] Doctors or Hospital visit fees incurred prior to September 1st must be paid upfront by the student.
Claims may then be submitted to Sun Life for reimbursement after September 1 st.

More information on the University Health Insurance Plan will be sent out in future email
correspondence.
 49

Student Clubs of Interest – MIX Exchange Club

McMaster International & Exchange Club (M.I.X.)

M.I.X. is an organization comprised of recently returned McMaster exchange students, current

international and exchange students, as well as other members of the McMaster community. The
mission of the club is to create events and services that will benefit you, the incoming exchange
student, providing you with social events and services that allow you to interact with other exchange
students as well as the rest of the McMaster campus.
Join the MIX Facebook group
Join the MIX Facebook Marketplace (buy/sell/rent rooms)

M.I.X. International Correspondent

Each year M.I.X. looks for two half or full year exchange students (male & female) interested in
taking on the roles of ‘International Correspondents’ to act as links between the club and new
incoming exchange students. Correspondents will be expected to attend all club meetings. You
can visit their webpage at: McMaster International eXchange club.
 50

Student Clubs of Interest – Mac Outdoors Club

The McMaster Outdoor Club has been a part of McMaster University since the 1970s. The club leads
many outdoor focused events in the Hamilton Community, as well as week-long trips exploring
Ontario’s great outdoors. Some popular events frequented each year by exchange students include the
Term 1 trip to Algonquin Park and the Term 2 trip to the Grand Canyon National Park in the USA.

Join the MOC Facebook Page

 51

Helpful Online Resources

There are many helpful online resources available to McMaster students. Prior to arriving in Hamilton,
students are encouraged to review these resources for tips and preplanning information.

MacInsiders:

 Online community of McMaster students

 Personal account required
 1st Year Help, Academics, Sports, Residence, Reviews

Please visit: www.macinsiders.com

MIX Guide to Life in Canada

 Canada 101
 Downtown Hamilton
 Each Day of the Week
 Explore Toronto
 Greater Toronto Area (GTA)
 Hamilton
 McMaster Bucket List

Please visit: http://mixmcmaster.com

McMaster Students Union (MSU)

 Event Calendar
 Student Club Listing
 Campus Services

Please visit: https://www.msumcmaster.ca/

Daily News for the McMaster University Campus

 What’s Happening
 Events
 Current Research
 52

Hamilton Transit
Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) Service

Undergraduate exchange students have FREE access to the HSR busses in Hamilton with their student
card and validation sticker.

The HSR is a quick and easy way to travel to and from

campus for off-campus housing students, or to explore the
city of Hamilton. Riding the bus is as easy as showing your
McMaster student card with validation sticker attached.
The 51, 1A,1, 5A, and 5C are buses which travel frequently
through our campus. 10B, 52, and 5E travel outside of
McMasters Medical Centre also take you East and West
Hamilton by our main road, Main Street.

For more information:

http://www.hamilton.ca/CityServices/transit?WT.mc_id=hsr&WT.hamilton_redirect_friendly=1/

Go Transit, Coach Canada, and Greyhound Service

On Campus, McMaster has a transit station which provides coach buses for long distance travel.
Located beside Mary Keyes residence, students frequently take these buses for an easy ride to
different cities. Please note the GO transit is NOT included under free transit with your McMaster
student card.

For more information:

http://www.gotransit.com/publicroot/en/default.aspx

For more information on transportation:

http://www.msumcmaster.ca/compass/transportationlink.htm

OR Visit in the Student Centre on campus for further assistance

 53

International Student Services

McMaster University
Gilmour Hall, Room 110
1280 Main Street West,
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, L8S 4L8
Phone: (905).525.9140 Ext. 24254
Email: macincoming@mcmaster.ca
Website: www.iss.mcmaster.ca