Faculty members are to provide a series of graded assignments or assessments throughout the semester. In undergraduate classes, faculty members normally must assign enough graded work so that they can give a midterm grade that is a reflection of the student's work and effort up to the midterm date. If faculty members do not feel that a mid-term grade is appropriate for their course, they should consult with their department chair who must approve eliminating the midterm grade, providing a brief explanation of their decision. New first-time, first-year students must receive a midterm grade for all courses in their first year.
Midterm Grades
Midterm grades for undergraduate students serve as an important formative assessment tool. They provide students with timely feedback on their academic progress performance in a course. These grades are intended to help students understand their standing in a course, and when necessary, take proactive steps to improve performance or even consider withdrawing from a course.
Faculty are required to evaluate and provide feedback on all undergraduate student work that was due before the midterm break prior to assigning a midterm grade. This evaluation must include all components that contribute to the student’s grade such as class participation, assignments, exams, and other assessed items, even if these components remain ongoing at the time of assigning the midterm grade. Only grades that are valid final grades for a course, as delineated below, can be given as midterm grades. SP (only valid for midterm grades) is the one exception that is not a valid final grade. SP should be used sparingly when there is minimal graded material due at this time. It is best practice to give a valid “letter” grade to allow students to accurately know their progress. In all cases, all gradable work due before the midterm break must be graded and returned to the students before assigning any midterm grade.
The midterm grade should be calculated using the same weighting scale used for the final grade, while items not yet graded or due are excluded from the running total. For example: if class participation is 25% (partially completed) and papers are 50% (partially completed) and the final exam is 25% (not completed) of the final grade, then the midterm grade should be based upon 75% of the total final grade, with 1/3 being class participation to date and 2/3 being papers to date.
Faculty members are expected to give students timely feedback on all graded assignments at all times whether they assign midterm grades or not, so that students can know how they performed, and how they may improve in the future. A best practice is to grade material within 2 weeks of the due date. All mid-term and final grades are to be posted in the University’s official records system within the time limits specified by the Registrar.
Grading System
The grade report at the end of the semester is part of the student's permanent record. Any inaccuracy on this record must be reported to the Registrar according to the following deadlines; otherwise, the record will stand as it is. Deadlines are also noted on the Academic Calendar.
- Summer Semester grade changes: Incomplete work is due from the student the last Friday in August. All grade changes, including the grading of incomplete work, must be submitted by the 2nd Friday in September. After this deadline, any remaining incomplete (N) grades are converted to incomplete failure (NF) grades.
- Fall Semester grade changes: Incomplete work is due from the student the last Friday in January. All grade changes, including the grading of incomplete work ,must be submitted by the 2nd Friday in February. After this deadline, any remaining incomplete (N) grades are converted to incomplete failure (NF) grades.
- Spring Semester grade changes: Incomplete work is due from the student by the last Friday in June. All grade changes, including the grading of incomplete work, must be submitted by the 2nd Friday in July. After this deadline, any remaining incomplete (N) grades are converted to incomplete failure (NF) grades.
Faculty members are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the evaluation and grading system. Presented below is the Undergraduate Grading System.
A A- B+ | is the highest academic grade possible; an honor grade which is not automatically given to a student who ranks highest in the course, but is reserved for accomplishment that is truly distinctive and demonstrably outstanding. It represents a superior mastery of course material and is a grade that demands a very high degree of understanding as well as originality or creativity as appropriate to the nature of the course. The grade indicates that the student works independently with unusual effectiveness and often takes the initiative in seeking new knowledge outside the formal confines of the course. |
B B- C+ | is a grade that denotes achievement considerably above acceptable standards. Good mastery of course material is evident and student performance demonstrates a high degree of originality, creativity, or both. The grade indicates that the student works well independently and often demonstrates initiative. Analysis, synthesis, and critical expression, oral or written, are considerably above average. |
C C- D+ | indicates a satisfactory degree of attainment and is the acceptable standard for graduation from college. It is the grade that may be expected of a student of average ability who gives to the work a reasonable amount of time and effort. This grade implies familiarity with the content of the course and acceptable mastery of course material; it implies that the student displays some evidence of originality and/or creativity, works independently at an acceptable level and completes all requirements in the course. |
D D- | denotes a limited understanding of the subject matter, meeting only the minimum requirement for passing the course. It signifies work which in quality and/or quantity falls below the average acceptable standard for passing the course. Performance is deficient in analysis, synthesis, and critical expression; there is little evidence of originality, creativity, or both. |
| F | indicates inadequate or unsatisfactory attainment, serious deficiency in understanding of course material, and/or failure to complete requirements of the course. |
| N | Incomplete; Coursework not completed (valid only as a temporary final grade). If no grade change is received after the published deadline, N grades will automatically default to NF (incomplete failure). |
| NF | Incomplete Failure Grade; Coursework not submitted by deadline. Registrar’s Office converts N grades to NF grades. Will not appear in grade drop-down menu. |
| S | Satisfactory. Assigned in Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory courses (work must be equivalent to C or better). |
| SP | Satisfactory Progress. Valid only as a mid-term grade. |
| T | Transfer grade. Does not appear in grade drop-down menu; Applied at time of transfer acceptance. |
| WX | Approved withdrawal without penalty. Does not appear in grade drop-down menu; Student submits a Course Withdrawal Form. |
| W | Approved withdrawal with penalty. Does not appear in grade drop-down menu; Student submits a Course Withdrawal Form. |
| U | Unsatisfactory: Assigned in Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory courses. |
| AU | Audit. Does not appear in grade drop-down menu. |
| NG | (Or Blank); no grade reported. The NG is reserved for use when a student has “walked away” from a course and by the Registrar’s Office when no grade is given. Does appear in grade drop-down menu. Should not be used for incomplete work. |
| AP | Placeholder/Transfer credit grade for College Board Advanced Placement Test, International Baccalaureate or A-level exam. Does not appear in grade drop-down menu. |
| IP | Can only be used for thesis courses for undergraduates. Is not a valid grade for students with incomplete work or needing grade extensions, in these cases the N grade must be used. |
Policies
- All grades are permanent, except N and NG, which are temporary grades. N grades are used to indicate that the student's work in a course has not been completed. NG should only be used when a student has “walked away” from a course and the faculty has no grade to assign. NG is NOT TO BE USED for incomplete work.
- If a change is not reported or an extension is not approved by the college, the N or NG grade automatically becomes an NF. NF grades are reflected in the grade point average as an F.
- All grade changes require the approval and sign-off of the department chair, dean, or designee.
- The grade of WX indicates an authorized withdrawal with the grade not considered in the calculation of the quality-point average.
- The grade W also indicates an authorized withdrawal, but the grade is calculated as an F in determining the quality-point average.
- Authorization for WX and W may be given only by the student's dean and are not valid grade options for faculty to use. The Registrar’s Office processes W and WX grades upon approval from the college.
- Required courses carrying a final grade of F must be repeated unless the student transfers to another college of the University where the course for which an F grade was received is not a requirement for the degree. The reasons for student deficiencies are reported by the faculty member at mid-semester and at the end of the semester to the dean of the student's college.
- When a student who has failed in a course presents evidence of subsequently passing a like course in another institution, the University reserves the right to withhold credit for the course until the student shall have passed a qualifying examination given by the Faculty from which a degree is sought. Students should recognize that failure in one course or more will usually make it impossible for them to graduate with the class in which they matriculated.
5/1/11; Updated 5/1/26