Grades Policy: Graduate Students

No. v 3/9/18
Effective Date: 9/1/18
Issuing Authority: Provost
Issuing Office: Office of the Provost

PURPOSE AND APPLICATION

Grades are assigned by a faculty member at the conclusion of a course in which a graduate student is registered to measure student academic achievement.

STATEMENT OF POLICY

Final Grades

Permanent/final grades are awarded in one of two ways:

1. Some courses are graded on a letter grade system (A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, or F). These grades have numerical quality point weights. All permanent grades with quality point weights count in the computation of the student’s cumulative grade point average. Students may not receive more than two grades of C in graduate courses towards degree completion. Any additional grades of C, beyond the allowable 2, will not be counted towards degree progression, however will be counted in the term and cumulative GPA calculations. Note that all graduate students are required to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or higher to remain in good academic standing and progress toward graduation. Please note that individual programs may set higher grading standards.
   
   *Some preclinical and clinical master’s and certificate programs in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies which remain grandfathered in for their minimum academic requirements which allow more than two grades of C to count towards degree completion.
   
   
2. Some courses are graded CR = Satisfactory or NCR = Unsatisfactory (where no credits are earned); CR and NCR grades do not have a corresponding numerical quality point weight and are not included in quality point average calculations. CR/NCR grades are used typically for research-type courses (theses, dissertations, practicums, co- ops). A grade of CR (Credit) indicates that the course was passed at the level of C or higher. A grade of NCR (No Credit) indicates work was unsatisfactory and the credits will not count toward degree requirements.

Incomplete and Grade Not Submitted

At the discretion of an instructor, the grade of "INC" or Incomplete may be reported in place of a grade for any course in which the instructor deems that the work has not been completed and that the student can complete the work within an agreed-upon amount of time (which must be in accordance with University policy and the statute of limitations governing grade changes). A grade of "INC" may be entered for a student at the time grades are submitted for the course. The conditions and terms for the completion of the course are at the discretion of the instructor and are to be mutually agreed upon by the instructor and the student and noted in Incomplete Grade Contract to be filed with the Graduate College. If the grade is not submitted within one year, the "INC" will turn into an "F" on the student's record and will be reflected in the student's GPA. The grade of "F" will be considered a permanent grade unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Students who are on probation or planning to graduate cannot be offered an “INC” grade. Instead, the grade of “GNS” or Grade Not Submitted should be awarded temporarily to be converted into a regular grade by the end of the first week of the following quarter and not at the end of that quarter, as is in the case for all other students.

TemporaryGrades

If an instructor does not report a grade for a student, an automatic notation of GNS is recorded. This is not a grade, but a temporary indicator that requires prompt resolution leading either to the removal of the course from the student's record or to the assignment of a grade. If a final grade is not reported by the end of the next calendar term, an administrative grade of "F" will be recorded on the student's transcript. It will be calculated as a failure in the student's GPA and is then considered a permanent grade. Students are urged to check their records each term and follow up when required.

In the case of thesis work or a special list of sequential courses, a temporary grade of "INP" (In Progress) can be recorded on the student's transcript for each such course; these grades must eventually be replaced by "CR"/"NCR" or a letter grade. When a letter grade is assigned, it will be included as the grade for all courses in the sequence; previous grades of "INP" will be replaced with a letter grade and the grade point average will be recalculated. If a grade of CR/NCR is awarded, no recalculation will take place.

At the discretion of an instructor, the grade of "INC" (Incomplete) may be reported in place of a grade for any course in which the instructor deems that the work has not been completed and that the student can complete the work within an agreed-upon amount of time (which must be in accordance with University policy and the statute of limitations governing grade changes). A grade of "INC" may be entered for a student at the time grades are submitted for the course. The conditions and terms for the completion of the course are at the discretion of the instructor and are to be mutually agreed upon by the instructor and the student and noted in the petition for an “INC” form to be filed with the Graduate College. If the grade is not submitted within one year, the "INC" will turn into an "F" on the student's record and will be reflected in the student's GPA. The grade of "F" will be considered a permanent grade unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Auditing Grades

The Audit Option provides students the opportunity of attending a course, that carries no credit and no standard letter grade. Participation in the course will be evidenced by the "AUD" grade designation on the transcript. The "AUD" grade designation does not affect a student's GPA. The Audit designation must be added by the end of the drop/add period.

1. Courses taken using the Audit Option are not counted in clearance for graduation; thus major requirements cannot be taken using the Audit Option.
2. The credits hours for courses taken using this option count toward the maximum term credits allotted to full-time students for their program of study though not in deciding their full-time status. All graduate students will be billed for the audited course on a per-credit basis.
3. Due to pedagogical or other considerations, some courses may not be audited.
4. In order to take a course using the Audit Option students must secure approval from both the instructor and their Graduate Advisor before the close of the course adjustment period.
5. Students may not change the option to Audit courses or petition to take these courses for credit after the close of the course adjustment period.
6. Students are not eligible to register for online courses using the Audit Option.
7. Instructors will not be able to assign a grade during grade submission for students electing this option.
8. Students electing this option will receive an automatic grade of "AUD".
9. Courses taken with the audit option cannot later on be taken for credit.

Grade Changes-Statute Limitations

Grades appearing on a student's academic record may not be changed after one calendar year from the end of the term in which the grade was received. Exceptions due to extenuating circumstances require approval of the head/academic dean of the department offering the course and the Graduate College. Final grades appearing on a student's academic transcript cannot be changed after the graduation date. Changes requested to correct administrative errors require the approval of the University Registrar.

Grading System