The University of St. Thomas

School of Education

School of Education Policies 2007-2008

Grade System

Grading Philosophy

Grades are symbols that indicate a professor’s evaluation of the degree of student mastery of course outcomes. Grades are not intended to reflect the degree of student effort.

Faculty members are responsible for evaluating student performance and determining grades for students in their courses. The grading policy is normally described in the course syllabus and should be discussed at the beginning of the semester. Students are responsible for requesting appropriate clarification if needed. A faculty member may change the grading policy during the semester and will communicate the new policy and the purpose for the change. Students are responsible for keeping track of such changes.

Graduate Grade Scale

The following grades are used in the School of Education graduate programs.

A Excellent
A-
B+
B Good
B-
C+
C Minimally Satisfactory
F

Also I, NR, and IP

Grade Expectations, Probation and Dismissal

Continuation in a graduate licensure or degree program requires maintenance of at least a 3.0 (B) cumulative grade point average (GPA.). A student may be dismissed from a program if the term GPA in any one term is below 2.5, or if the term GPA is below 3.0 in two consecutive terms.  Any student having less than 3.0 cumulative GPA at the conclusion of course work will be ineligible for graduation.

Other factors besides an acceptable GPA are taken into consideration in determining a student’s qualifications for an advanced degree. Degree students should be aware of their department’s performance and dispositional criteria. The programs and the School of Education evaluate each graduate student’s overall performance on the basis of these criteria.

Grades of “Incomplete” or “NR”

The grade of “I” (Incomplete) is used if the student has not completed the work of the course, has good reason for delay, and has made arrangements with the instructor before the date grades for the course are due to be submitted. Ordinarily, good reason will involve matters not wholly within control of the student, such as illness. The grade may not be used to allow a student to improve a grade by additional work over and above that ordinarily expected for the course or by repetition of work already submitted to the instructor. The grade of “I” should not be used without prior arrangement between instructor and student.

The request for an “I” must be initiated by a student maintaining an average of “B” or better prior to the last scheduled course date; if a student has not made the request, the instructor will record the grade earned to that point. An assigned grade cannot be changed back to an “I”. A low class average or lack of planning are not sufficient reasons to request an “I” notation.

The student must complete the designated work and submit it to the instructor by May 31 for an “I” received in fall semester or January term; by December 31 for an “I” received in spring semester or a summer session (unless an earlier deadline has been required by the instructor).

In the absence of a final grade report on or before the deadline, the grade of “I” will be changed by the university registrar to a grade of F or R. The deadline may not be extended. The instructor may change a resulting F or R by means of university grade change policies and procedures.

It is the student’s responsibility to submit the required work to the instructor far enough before the deadline to ensure its timely evaluation. In an instance where a grade has not been assigned at the end of the term, a designation of Not Recorded (NR) will be assigned to the student’s academic record. The NR must be changed to a grade by May 31 for the fall semester or January term; by December 31 for the spring semester or summer session. In the absence of a final grade on or before the deadline, the mark of NR will be changed to a grade of F or R. This deadline may not be extended.

Two Incompletes disqualify a student from registering for new courses.

Grade of “In Progress”

The grade of “In Progress” (IP) is used for a limited number of courses involving work such as dissertations which take place over an extended period of time.

Repeated Courses

By university policy, a course for which a student has received a grade of C or better cannot be repeated to improve the grade for the course.

Change of Grade Limitations

An instructor may change a grade if there has been an error in the computation, transcription, or reporting of the grade. Changes may not be made on the basis of additional work completed by a student unless all members of the class had the option to submit additional work.

Grade Appeal Process / Limitations

The evaluation of performance resulting in the assignment of grades is a fundamental right and duty of faculty members. As such, the faculty member assigning a grade maintains the final authority for that grade. Unless a student asserts that a grade in dispute is a result of verifiable bias, an administrator’s role is limited to serving as a facilitator toward the possible resolution of the dispute.

Most grade grievances result from error, misunderstanding or a disagreement about performance in a class. If a student believes that a grade received is incorrect or unfair, the student must contact the faculty member directly to request clarification and to attempt to resolve any disagreement directly.  This needs to be done within ten days of receipt of the grade report. The faculty member needs to explain the process used in determining the grade and may provide appropriate information.

If no resolution is achieved, the student may present the complaint in writing to the Department Chair within one week after discussing the issue with the faculty member.The Department Chair will review the complaint and discuss the grading process with the instructor. The faculty member will reconsider the issue but will maintain the final authority for the grade.The Department Chair will inform the student of the results of the complaint.

The grade appeal advances to the associate dean level only if an assertion of verifiable bias is being alleged.