Developing an Engineering Academic Learning Plan and Time Management Plan

You may have been referred to this website because your academic performance needs improvement; alternatively you may simply want to maximise your learning experience.

The first step in this process is to review the information available on the Queen's Learning Strategies Development website: sass.queensu.ca/

On this page, click on the link for Undergraduate students. You will find a large list of topics containing very useful material. Spend time reviewing this material BEFORE you begin your Academic Learning Plan and Time Management Plan. You may also want to schedule a meeting with a SASS Advisor. The advisor will help you to identify areas that need improvement in the way you manage your time and approach your studies.

If you are on Academic Probation...

You MUST submit your Engineering Academic Learning Plan and Time Management Plan by no later than 4:00 p.m. on the first day of class in September.

If you have been Required to Withdraw and plan to apply for a waiver, you must include the Engineering Academic Learning Plan and Time Management Plan with your Requirement to Withdraw Waiver Request.

Preparing a Academic Learning Plan: For a step-by-step guide on how to complete your Engineering Academic Learning Plan, please refer to the 'Engineering Academic Learning Plan Guide'. Once you have reviewed this document, please complete the 'Engineering Academic Learning Plan Template'.

Preparing a Time Management plan: An example of a Time Management plan can be found at this link: Time Management Plan Example. Time management is critical to ensuring that you allocate the time necessary to review and complete assigned tasks for each of your courses, as well as having scheduled time for yourself. To create a Time Management Plan (using the link Time Management Plan Example as an example):

  • Using Excel, create a spreadsheet table such as that shown in the example plan. Fill in the time you have for scheduled classes, indicating lectures, tutorials and labs.
  • Next, add in time to complete personal tasks — thing like meals, personal preparations, transport to and from class, etc. This time is indicated in purple on the example plan.
  • At the end of each day, schedule about an hour for overall review of material you have covered in lectures that day. This shouldn't take long — the review involves reading quickly through class notes, etc — but this creates a 'memory trace' which enables your brain to more readily retrieve the information later on.
  • Schedule a similar review on Sunday evening — for a couple of hours — to review the material you will need for upcoming lectures in the following week.

Preparing a Probationary Course Plan Form: All students who are placed on probation under Regulation 10 are expected to complete and submit a Probationary Course Plan form to the Faculty Office within the first week of September for their probationary year. This form MUST be approved and signed by their Undergraduate Chair/Academic Advisor. It is advised that students schedule a meeting with their Undergraduate Chair/Academic Advisor in July/early-August prior to registering in any courses for the year. Probationary Course Plan Form.