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Incomplete Grades (Graduate Students)

Policy Title: Incomplete Grades for Graduate Quarter Students No. 
Effective Date: Fall 2020
Supersedes:
Next Review: 2022

POLICY HISTORY

Review/Revision Date:                    

PURPOSE AND APPLICATION

This policy provides the process and guidelines for assigning an Incomplete (INC) grade in a course for graduate students in quarter systems.

SPONSORING UNIT

The Graduate College and the Office of the University Registrar

STATEMENT OF POLICY

Drexel University students are expected to complete a course during the academic term in which the course was taken. However, a student, for reasons beyond their control may be unable to complete the coursework and thus, may have the opportunity to obtain an INC for the course under specific conditions and guidelines.

CONDITIONS

The assignment of the grade of Incomplete (INC) is a limited privilege. The decision to honor a student request for an Incomplete grade is at the discretion of the course instructor at the time the INC is requested. The student and the instructor must enter into a contract that delineates the requirements for the student to make up the outstanding course material. 

Incomplete grades may not exceed two subsequent quarters; extensions may be granted by the instructor with approval by the Graduate College. If a final grade is not submitted by the date established with the course instructor in the Incomplete Grade Contract, the INC grade will become a failing grade (I/F) on the student's academic record on the last day of classes within the deadline quarter of the designated two subsequent quarter sequence; this grade will be reflected in the student’s GPA and will be considered as the final grade.

GUIDELINES

A Grade of Incomplete (INC) is a discretionary decision. The following guidelines are recommended to enable successful course completion. 

  • The instructor determines the student to have a legitimate reason related to an exigent circumstance(s) as the reason for the request of an Incomplete grade;
  • The student has successfully participated in the course and completed at least 50% of the required coursework. In the estimation of the instructor, the student has a reasonable likelihood of completing the outstanding course material; and
  • The student has maintained a passing grade of C or better for the completed material.

MISSING THE FINAL EXAM or FINAL ASSESSMENT

If a student has completed all course requirements except for the final exam or final assessment, instructors should not negotiate an Incomplete grade but rather:

a) give the student the grade that was earned up until that point in time, which can include a grade for the missed final exam or assessment 

OR; 

b) give the student the grade that was earned up until that point in time and work with the student to make up the final exam or final mode of assessment by the end of the first week of the subsequent term. Once the final exam is completed, the instructor should submit a grade change online via DrexelOne.

COMPLETING AN INCOMPLETE CONTRACT 

Contract Requirements

  • All Incomplete contracts [PDF] should be completed between week 7 of the term and the last day of classes. Contracts should generally not be negotiated during final exam week or during the final grade submission process.
  • 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; the student will develop a work plan to complete the outstanding coursework using an Incomplete Contract:
    • Incomplete Graduate Student Contract
  • The contract must include a deadline, with a specific date, for completion of the missing work. The deadline should not extend beyond the two subsequent quarters. 
  • The Incomplete contract should not require the student to attend the class  in future terms or re-enroll into the course for which the Incomplete is sought.
  • It is the student’s responsibility to maintain communication with the professor regarding progress on assignments until the INC is completed.
  • The student, instructor and the academic unit offering the course must retain a mutually signed copy of the Incomplete Grade Contract, with the original contract being sent to the Office of the University Registrar (OUR) via email at academic-records@drexel.edu.
  • The INC contract will be stored in the University’s document management system and maintained under the University’s document retention protocols.
  • Upon completion of the contract, and once the contract is received by OUR, a grade of INC will be entered by OUR. No grades of INC will be assigned without an INC contract submission to OUR.

SCOPE

All Graduate Quarter Courses.

RELATED INFORMATION

Academic Standing (Graduate Students)
Course Enrollment Course Repeat
Course Withdrawal
Enrollment and Eligibility to Register
Grade Changes
Incomplete Grades (Undergraduate Students)
Leave of Absence
Military Services
Withdrawal from the University

KEYWORDS AND DEFINITIONS

INCOMPLETE GRADE

APPENDIX: RELATED DOCUMENTS, FORMS AND RESOURCES

Incomplete Contracts: