Grades
Required Grades
A minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is required in the approved degree plan for the graduate program or graduate certificate. Grades of D or F do not apply toward a graduate degree but are used to figure grade point averages. Courses may be repeated for credit, in which case the last grade of record is the official grade. Minimum grades required for stem work (assigned prerequisites) are noted on the initial degree plan and/or certification plan. Courses taken outside official program(s) are not subject to these grade requirements unless so specified by the program adviser on the degree plan.
Grades
Grades, with numerical values corresponding to these letters, are recorded as follows:
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| A | Excellent, 90-100 |
| B | Good, 80-89 |
| C | Average, 70-79 (May not apply towards a graduate degree in some programs.) |
| D | Passing, 60-69 (Does not apply towards a graduate degree.) |
| F | Failure, below 60 (Does not apply towards a graduate degree.) |
| I | Incomplete: given to a student who is passing but has not completed a term paper, examination or other required work. The instructor and the student are required to complete the standard university contract form for each course in which the temporary grade of I has been assigned. The grade of I will be used only to allow a student who has encountered some emergency such as illness or an accident an opportunity to complete the requirements for a course. A grade of I reverts to a grade of F one year from the close of semester/term in which the grade was originally recorded if the course requirements have not been satisfied. Not valid for Research/Project/Thesis/Dissertation courses. |
| Q | Dropped: given when a student has officially dropped or withdrawn from the university before or on the midsemester point as indicated on the official university calendar, regardless of student's standing in class. Also given after the midsemester point to a student who is passing at the time the official drop is processed. (A student who is not passing receives the grade of F under such circumstances.) |
| S | Satisfactory: used to report research project, thesis and dissertation progress in master’s and doctoral programs. Satisfactory progress but not yet completed the proposal or final defense. |
| U | Unsatisfactory: used to report research project, thesis and dissertation progress in master’s and doctoral programs. |
| X | No grade posted by instructor: used to indicate that no grade was posted by the instructor teaching the course. |
| CR/NC | Credit/Noncredit: used for courses that do not meet the normal or traditional framework of course scheduling and do not lend themselves to letter grading. |
The instructor may assign an (S/U) grade if the student (does/does not) make satisfactory progress. An instructor must assign a letter grade (A, B, C, D, F) when a student completes the research project, thesis proposal, thesis final defense, dissertation proposal and dissertation final defense on or before the published deadlines.
Student must continuously register for research project/thesis/dissertation classes until the final graduate requirements are completed.
Satisfactory (S)/Unsatisfactory (U)
If a student does not complete his/her dissertation, thesis or project during a given semester or term, and he/she is making satisfactory progress in that semester or term, the notation SATISFACTORY (S) OR UNSATISFACTORY (U) is given as a grade. An S or U notation in the research project, thesis or dissertation courses remain indefinitely as S or U on the student's transcript should the student's committee approve the student for a nonthesis degree program at some later date, or should the student not complete the degree. The S or U cannot be changed with a change-of-grade form.
Change of Grade
After being reported to the Office of the Registrar, grades other than I may not be changed unless an error has been made by the instructor. Students should review their end of semester final grades closely to ensure their accuracy. If an error or discrepancy should occur, the student should contact the appropriate professor and/or the Office of the Registrar immediately for resolution of the discrepancy. It is recommended that those changes occur no later than the beginning of the next semester. Under no circumstances will grades be changed after one calendar year.
Repetition of a Course
If a student repeats a course that may not be taken for additional credit, it is the policy of the university to count as part of a student's cumulative grade point average only the last grade received in the course, whether passing or failing, other than a grade of Q. However, for purposes of grade point average calculation on course work for graduation, grades stand as recorded unless the same course is repeated at this university.
Starting with 2015 Fall semester, all new admits, including transfer, can only exclude a grade one time. Any courses taken for the third time, cannot be excluded and will be averaged in the student's GPA.
Students who have received their first bachelor’s degree from this institution cannot repeat courses that were used to earn the first degree for purposes of grade point average calculation.
It is the responsibility of the student, after repeating a course, to file a special request form in the Office of the Registrar, so that the adjustment in the grade point average, when applicable, can be entered on the permanent record.
Repeated Grade Notation
Repeated course(s) and grade(s) are not removed from the official or unofficial transcript. The repeated grade and grade points will be removed from the cumulative grade point average only. The repeated course will be identified with the letter “E” next to the quality points on the transcript. Repeating a course after graduation will not change your graduation grade point average.
Scholastic Probation/Suspension
A graduate student pursuing a specific program is placed on scholastic probation if, at the end of either long semester or the second summer session, the cumulative grade point average of the student's graduate program falls below 3.0. If the probationary status is not removed during the next full semester for which the student enrolls (combined summer terms count as one full semester), the student's academic standing will change to suspension. As soon as the academic standing is changed to suspension, any pre-registration courses for future semesters will be dropped. The graduate student must be reinstated before registering for further graduate work.
Reinstatement
The graduate student who is dismissed for any reason may request reinstatement through the graduate dean. The student will be screened by the graduate dean in consultation with the graduate coordinator, department chair and/or program adviser from the academic area in which the student desired to study.
Satisfactory Rate of Progress
A graduate student must exhibit a normal and reasonable rate of scholastic progress. If, in the opinion of the student's committee and the graduate dean, the student has made an unsatisfactory rate of progress, the student may be dismissed from a specific program, even with a grade record that falls within guidelines.
Graduation with Honors
Only students completing undergraduate degrees with superior overall academic records will be graduated with honors.