Grading Scale and Academic Progress

Grading Scale

Grade Point Value Range Description
    Undergraduate Graduate  
A 4.0 94-100 96-100 The student has consistently completed work of superior quality and has mastered course content.
A- 3.7 90-93 93-95
B+ 3.3 87-89 90-92 The student has completed work of good quality and has a working knowledge of course content.
B 3.0 83-86 87-89
B- 2.7 80-82 85-86
C+ 2.3 77-79 82-84 The student has completed work of average quality and has an adequate knowledge of course content.
C 2.0 73-76 79-81
C- 1.7 70-72 77-78
D+ 1.3 67-69 74-76 The student has completed work of minimally acceptable quality and has marginal working knowledge of course content.
D 1.0 60-66 70-73
F 0.0 <60 <70 The student has failed to complete work of minimally acceptable quality and does not have a working knowledge of course content.

Grading Symbols

Withdraw Passing [WP]

The student has withdrawn from the class/university after the no academic penalty drop deadline with appropriate authorization while passing the course. A “WP” does not affect the GPA.

Withdraw Failing [WF]

The student has withdrawn from the class/university after the no academic penalty drop deadline with appropriate authorization while failing the course. A “WF” grade affects the GPA in the same manner that an “F” does.

Withdraw [W]

The student has withdrawn from the class/university after the no academic penalty drop deadline when no academic data is available for evaluations. A "W" grade does not affect the GPA.

Passing [P]

The student has completed a course taught on a Pass/Fail basis with a grade equivalent to a C- or higher for undergraduate courses and a B- or higher for graduate level courses. A grade of “P” in a Pass/Fail course does not affect the GPA. A grade of “F” in a Pass/Fail course affects the GPA in the same manner that a regular “F” does.

No Credit [NC]

The student has completed a course/project that supplements other courses by generating research data or background information.  The "NC" grade does not affect the GPA.

No Grade [NG]

The student has made significant progress in his/her doctoral dissertation/project but has failed to meet the goals for that stage due to circumstances beyond his/her control.  The "NG" grade does not affect the GPA.

Incomplete [I]

The student has maintained a successful record appropriate for his/her program but has failed to submit a major project or to take a final examination due to circumstances deemed by the professor to be beyond the student’s control. An “Incomplete” is a temporary grade that is required to be removed by the end of the sixth week after the end of the semester. An “Incomplete” that is not removed by the deadline is changed to an “F”. Financial aid may be affected until the “I” is changed to a permanent grade.

Audit [Au]

The student has been accepted, registered for the course, met the attendance requirements, but has chosen not to meet all the academic requirements for the course.  An "Audit" may be upgraded to credit, with approval, within one semester following the course by completing the remaining academic requirements and paying the balance of tuition. Credit status may be changed to "Audit" by the last date for "W."

* An asterisk indicates the course has been repeated and does not affect the student's GPA.

^ The caret sign on a transcript indicates the repeated course does affect the student's GPA.

Point System

The 4.0 system of awarding academic credit is used. One credit hour is awarded for a class meeting one hour per week for a semester, two credit hours for a class meeting two hours per week, and so on. Quality points are awarded using the following scale:

  • 4 points for each credit hour of A-grade work
  • 3 points for each credit hour of B-grade work
  • 2 points for each credit hour of C-grade work
  • 1 point for each credit hour of D-grade work
  • 0 points for each credit hour of F-grade work

Grade point averages are determined by dividing quality points by credit hours.

Undergraduate Grade Replacement

Students are allowed to repeat courses for which they have received a grade of D or F. The lower grade will remain on the transcript, but it will not be used in the computing of the student’s GPA. The student is allowed only one attempt to replace a D in a course, but multiple attempts to replace an F (only the original F will not be used in computing the GPA). Students who do not attain a C or better after two attempts in designated major courses within their program must receive approval from their respective school’s faculty and the Provost before being allowed to continue in their program of study.

Graduate Grade Replacement

With the appropriate permission, a student may repeat a course in which he has received C, D, F, or “WF.” The new grade replaces the lower grade in the calculation of the student’s GPA, but the former grade is not physically removed from the permanent record. A student is allowed multiple attempts to replace a grade, but financial aid will only cover at most a single repeat of a course. With the exception of the original grade, all subsequent grades will be computed in the GPA. Financial aid will only cover one replacement for the failed grade (including a D in a course in which the program requirement is a C). No additional financial aid will be awarded for improvement of a passed grade.

Academic Standing

All students will be reviewed for academic standing at the end of the fall, spring, and summer semesters.

A student fails to meet good academic standing if they do not meet the designated qualitative standard (GPA) and quantitative standard (completion rate) outlined in the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. A student who does not meet good academic standing will be notified by the Registrar.

Academic Warning

Any student who does not meet either the qualitative or quantitative standard for their degree and/ or classification at the end of any semester will automatically be placed on Academic Warning.

Academic Suspension

After an initial warning semester, any student whose cumulative GPA or completion rate does not meet the requirements for their degree and/or classification is placed on academic suspension.

The suspension will last for a period of one semester, and the student must reapply for admittance and must meet any standards mandated by the Admissions Committee at that time. Students re-entering from Academic Suspension will be readmitted on Academic Warning, will be guided by an approved academic plan, and will not qualify for Federal Financial Aid or institutional scholarships until they meet appropriate GPA and rate of completion requirements.

Academic Suspension Appeal

A student is eligible to appeal their academic suspension status if their term GPA from the initial warning semester does meet the requirements for their degree and/or classification. The appeal must be submitted in writing to the Registrar’s office within seven days of the notification of suspension and must include the following statements:

  • A statement outlining the extraordinary circumstances which resulted in failure to meet satisfactory academic progress in the term that resulted in academic warning (for example: a medical condition or other extenuating circumstance interfered with studies). 
  • A statement outlining the actions or resources used that helped improve performance in the initial warning term.
  • A statement outlining a plan of action for continued performance improvement. 

If the appeal is approved by the Satisfactory Academic Progress committee, then the student will remain in academic warning status for an additional semester. A separate appeal must be filed for financial aid eligibility.

Readmission

A student on Academic Suspension is eligible to apply for readmission after one semester following suspension. Readmission is not automatic. If readmission is granted, a student will re-enroll on academic warning and will have two semesters to reach the appropriate minimum cumulative grade point average for restoration of good standing.