Grades and Transcripts

Grades and Grading Policies

The following symbols are used for grades: A, B, C (passing), D, F (failure), and I (incomplete). Each graduate program may specify the grading requirements for the specific program; however, most graduate program require students to maintain an overall B (3.0) average and/or earn a grade of B or higher in every course.

A Pass-Fail (P-F) grading system may be used at the discretion of the graduate programs for certain types of graduate study with the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Graduate programs have the option of assigning grades that include a plus or a minus to graduate students enrolled in graduate courses. As plus/minus grading is only an option, graduate programs, at their discretion, may continue to assign only single letter grades. By design, the grade of A still indicates superior achievement, so A+ is not assignable. For more information regarding the meaning of grades assigned, see Grade Point Average.

Grade Point Average

The grade point average (GPA) is obtained by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total number of credits attempted, except credits marked AU, P, W, and I, and other credits awarded which do not carry quality points. Credits with the grade of F are used in the calculation.

The following charts indicate the meaning of the grades assigned and the number of quality points given per credit for each grade. Final grades are made available to students through Self Service.

Incomplete Grades

A grade of Incomplete (I) is a temporary grade that may be assigned at the instructor’s discretion due to extenuating circumstances such as illness, military obligations, or death in the family. A student must be passing the course and have attended class through the final withdrawal date to be eligible for an incomplete. If the instructor agrees with issuing an incomplete grade, the instructor and the student must execute the Graduate Incomplete Grade Contract and submit it to the Registrar and the director/chair of the graduate program before the last day of the term. Final approval for the incomplete grade is at the discretion of the director/chair of the graduate program, providing that the student meets the conditions listed above. Upon approval of an incomplete grade, the student will have a maximum of four (4) weeks post-course to complete all course requirements. Courses that are not assigned a grade within four (4) weeks will be assigned an F for the course.

Transcripts of Record

Official transcripts of record are ordered through the Registrar's Office. In certain circumstances, transcripts may be released only when financial obligations to the College have been met. As stated on each transcript, federal law requires that release of such records be authorized personally by the student. No third party may legally have access to that record without the student's written consent. Official transcripts can be requested via www.getmytranscript.org. Unofficial transcripts can be viewed via Self Service.

Grade Change Policy

Once a grade has been recorded in the Registrar’s Office, it can be changed only if an error was made in assigning the original grade. An error refers to incorrect data entry, miscalculation, or failure to consider all coursework submitted before the grading deadline. Any coursework received after grades are posted or the Incomplete contract deadline cannot be considered for a grade change.

If a grading error was made, the faculty member must notify the Registrar’s Office by submitting a Grade Change form no later than the end of the term/semester following the grade submission. To protect records integrity, all grade changes must be submitted in writing and be signed and dated by the faculty member.

For an error discovered more than one term after grade submission, the grade change must be approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies and supported by documentation (e.g., grade books, papers, examinations) from the faculty member or director/chair of the graduate program. No changes will be permitted more than one year after the grade has been recorded.

A student who believes that a course grade does not accurately reflect their performance must attempt to resolve the matter with the faculty member within two weeks from posting of the final grade in Self Service. If the student and faculty member are unable to reach a solution, then the student may request grade mediation (see Grade Mediation Policy).

Grade Mediation Policy

If a student believes a course grade was improperly or unfairly assigned, the College has a grade mediation procedure to help resolve the matter. The evaluation of a student's academic performance is the sole responsibility of the person appointed to teach or supervise the course. A student who questions the validity of a faculty member's final evaluation of the student's academic work should confer with that faculty member within two weeks from posting of the final grade in Self Service. If the matter cannot be resolved between the faculty member and the student, the student should seek the appropriate director/chair of the graduate program to act as a mediator between the student and faculty member (if the instructor of record is the director/chair of the graduate program, the student should request that a mediator be appointed by the Dean of Graduate Studies). However, the faculty member assigned to teach the course retains the final responsibility for assigning the course grade.

Upon conclusion of the mediation, the mediator will prepare a brief summary of the interaction with the student and its outcome and provide a copy of the summary to the student, the faculty member, and the Dean of Graduate Studies (a copy of which will be retained through the subsequent evaluation period of the faculty member in case it would need to be referred to for any reason). If the faculty member agrees to alter the grade, they must submit a Grade Change form to the Registrar (see Grade Change Policy).

After the final outcome, if the student and/or mediator feel that the faculty member in question has been unprofessional in resolving the matter, they should send a letter to the Dean of Graduate Studies to be put in the file of the faculty member and considered by the faculty evaluation committee as part of the regular evaluation process. Upon receipt of such a letter, the Dean of Graduate Studies will provide a copy to the faculty member, and if relevant, the mediator, both of whom may write letters for the file as well.

If the faculty member whose grade is questioned is no longer employed by the College or is otherwise unavailable because of sabbatical leave or some other reason, the student submits a petition for review by the director/chair of the graduate program. The director/chair of the graduate program will review all available materials and speak with people who may have insight into the situation and will issue a resolution. The timelines for the grade mediation procedures are the same whether or not the faculty member continues at the College. The decision by the director/chair of the graduate program is final.