Responsibility for Grades
A student’s performance in a course must be evaluated resulting in a course grade by the instructor of record assigned to the course. The only exception is when the instructor is not available due to illness or termination from employment. In this event, the department chair or dean shall request the change of grade.
A request for a change of grade must be initiated by the instructor of record assigned to the particular course, or the department chair when the instructor is no longer with the university. The request must be approved by the instructor’s department chair and dean. The only exception to an instructor’s involvement in seeking a change of grade is when a grade appeal results in a change of grade. In this event, the department chair or dean shall request the change of grade
The registrar will email the instructor and department chair (or dean if there is no department chair) to confirm that the change of grade originated from the instructor who signed the change of grade form.
Each instructor who assigns grades has the responsibility to implement grading procedures that are fair and equitable, and to provide a reasonable evaluation of the student’s performance in the course. The instructor is expected to inform all students at the beginning of the semester of the means to be used to determine grades in each course or section. This information must be included in the instructor’s course syllabus.
Types of Grades
The following grades may be awarded in graduate courses.
Graded courses
This section provides a list of all grades that may be awarded for graded courses, that is, courses that are taken both for credit and for a letter grade. Letter grades A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C and F correspond to a specified grade point value. The student’s Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated by adding quality points for all courses where the quality points for a course equal the grade point value times semester credit hours. Some grades do not have associated quality points and are not included in GPA calculation.
- A (Excellent); 4.0 points
- A-; 3.7 points
- B+; 3.3 points
- B (Average); 3.0 points
- B-; 2.7 points
- C+; 2.3 points
- C (Below average); 2.0 points
- F (Failure); 0 points
- AU (Audit); not included in GPA
- I (Incomplete);not included in GPA
- CR (Transfer Credit); not included in GPA
- CE (Credit by Examination); not included in GPA
- W (Withdrawal Voluntary); not included in GPA
- WM (Withdrawal, Medical); not included in GPA
- WA (Withdrawal, Administrative); not included in GPA
Non-Graded courses
Certain courses are non-graded or taken for credit only. These include Continuation/Residency, Dissertation, Internship/Field Experience, Project, Seminar, Supervised Research, Supervised Teaching, and Thesis. The following grades may be awarded for courses that are non-graded or are taken for credit only. The grade for a non-graded or credit-only course will have no effect on the student’s grade point average.
- S (Satisfactory)
- U (Unsatisfactory)
Additionally, the following examinations, if required in the program, are recorded as either being Satisfactory (or completed) or Unsatisfactory (not completed): Comprehensive Examination, Qualifying Exam, and Preliminary Exam.
The S or U grade for a non-graded or credit-only course or for a required examination will have no effect on the student’s grade point average. However, courses with a required course with an S/U grade must be completed with a grade of S. A student with a grade of U in a required course will not have fulfilled his/her Plan of Study and will not be permitted to graduate. Similarly, required examinations must be passed before a student is permitted to graduate.
Attempted Credit Hours
All courses taken, irrespective of grade, are included in calculating attempted credit hours. Furthermore, all courses in which a grade of C or higher or a grade of S is earned are included in calculating earned credit hours.
Graduate Credit
Only courses numbered 600 or higher can be counted toward completion of graduate degrees or certificate programs. Grades for courses taken for graduate credit while an undergraduate at North Carolina A&T State University, in Post Baccalaureate Studies (PBS) classification, or transferred from other universities must have a grade of “B” or better to be transferred. “B-” is not a “B” or better.
Grade Point Average
To determine the Grade Point Average for a term, first determine the total quality points earned in the term by multiplying the number of grade points awarded for each course by the course’s assigned number of semester credit hours and add the resulting quality points earned for each course in the term. Then divide the total quality points earned in the term by the number of semester credit hours attempted (for courses that award letter grades) in the term. All courses numbered 600 or higher taken in a graduate classification or for graduate credit as an undergraduate are included in the graduate GPA.
Incomplete and IP Grades
Students cannot graduate with an “I” grade on their transcript. “I” grades must be resolved during the next semester after taking the course. Otherwise, a grade of “F” or “U” will be automatically assigned. When a grade of “I” converts to “F”, this may result in an action of probation or dismissal for the semester in which the conversion takes place, even if the student is not registered for the semester in which it converted.
Change of Grade
A change of grade, if any, must be made within one year from the date the original grade was received.
Course Repetition
All graduate students may repeat special courses designated for continuation or repetition, i.e. Special Topics, Continuation and Residency, Thesis, Dissertation, etc. In this case, degree credit is given for each attempt and all attempts are included in the GPA calculation. All other courses may be repeated only once as indicated below.
Masters students may repeat all other graduate courses only if the initial attempt resulted in a failure. Additionally, the student must have the approval of the graduate program coordinator, department chair, and Dean of the Graduate College. Degree credit for repeated courses will be given only once, but the grade assigned for each enrollment shall be permanently recorded. The higher grade of both attempts will be used for calculating the overall GPA. If a student fails a second time, he/she may be dismissed from the degree program.
Doctoral students may repeat all other graduate courses only if the initial attempt resulted in a grade of “C”. Degree credit for repeated courses will be given only once, but the grade assigned for each enrollment shall be permanently recorded. The higher grade of both attempts will be used for calculating the overall GPA.
Failure to Meet Course Requirements
A student who stops attending a course and/or fails to meet course requirements without officially withdrawing from the course may be assigned a grade of “F” or “U”.
Failing to Withdraw by Deadline
Students who withdraw from the University prior to the published deadline to withdraw from the University shall receive a “W” in all classes enrolled. Failure to execute and file these forms in a timely manner will result in a student receiving an “F” or “U” for each course in which he or she was enrolled during the semester in question.
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