Grading Policies

Grading and Transcripts

1. This policy became effective fall 1997, replacing all previous grading policies. It may not be applied retroactively to any grades or symbols awarded before that time.

2. The University has two grading systems, A-B-C-(with pluses and minuses) D-F and S-N. Students may receive grades only from the grading system under which they have registered for a course.  This policy does not require instructors to use pluses and minuses.  The College does not recognize D+ grades.

3. All required courses in the College of Pharmacy are graded A-F, with the exception of Phar 6182 and 6183, PharmD IV Seminar and Paper, respectively.

4. Instructors must clearly define for a class, at one of its earliest meetings, the performance necessary to earn each grade or symbol.

5. When both grading systems are available, students must choose one when registering for a course. The choice may not be changed after the end of the second week of classes (the first week in summer terms.)

6. The University's official transcript, the chronological record of the student's enrollment and academic performance, is released by the University only at the student's request or in accord with state or federal statutes; mailed copies have the University's official seal printed on them. Students may obtain an unofficial transcript, except when they have a transcript hold on their record.

7. The University calculates for each student, both at the end of each grading period and cumulatively, a grade point average (GPA), the ratio of grade points earned divided by the number of credits earned with grades of A-F (including pluses and minuses, where allowed). Both the periodic and cumulative GPA appear on each student's record.

8. When a student repeats a course, all grades for the course appear on the transcript, the course credits may not be counted more than once toward degree and program requirements, and only the last enrollment for the course counts in the student’s GPA.

9. Academic Dishonesty in any portion of the academic work for a course may be grounds for awarding a grade of F or N for the entire course and will be referred to the Honor Council.

10. Instructors are permitted to hold graduate, professional and undergraduate students who are in the same class to different standards of academic performance and accomplishment.  The syllabus must make clear what the different standards will be for the different groups of students who may be enrolled in the class.

11. See the University Policy for any other questions.

12. The following grades (with grade points as indicated) and symbols are used on transcripts.

A      4.00 Represents achievement that is outstanding relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements.

A-     3.67 

B+    3.33 

B      3.00 Represents achievement that is significantly above the level necessary to meet course requirements

B-    2.67 

C+   2.33 

C     2.00 Represents achievement that meets the course requirements in every respect

C-   1.67 

D     1.00 Represents achievement that is worthy of credit even though it fails to fully meet the course requirements

S   Represents achievement that is satisfactory (equivalent to a C- or higher and meets or exceeds course requirements in every respect.) The S does not carry grade points and is not included in GPA calculations, but the credits count toward the student's degree program if allowed by the department.

F or N   Represents failure or no credit and indicates that coursework was completed but at an achievement level unworthy of credit, or was not completed and there was no agreement between the instructor and student that the student would be awarded an I. Academic dishonesty is grounds for an F or N for the course. The F carries 0.00 grade points and is included in GPA calculations; the N does not carry grade points and is not included in GPA calculations.

I   Incomplete, a temporary grade that indicates coursework has not been completed. The instructor assigns an I when, due to extraordinary circumstances, the student was prevented from completing coursework on time. An I requires a written agreement between the instructor and student specifying the time and manner in which the student will complete the course requirements during the student's next term of enrollment.  The instructor is expected to turn in the new grade within four weeks of the date work is submitted. When an I is changed to another symbol, the I is removed from the record. Once an I has become an F or N, it may be converted to any other grade by petition of the instructor or department if the instructor is unavailable.

K   Indicates the course is still in progress and a grade cannot be assigned at the present time.

T   Transfer, posted as a prefix to the original grade, to indicate credits transferred from another institution or from one college or campus to another within the University when reevaluation is required.

V   Visitor, indicates registration as an auditor or visitor; does not carry credit or grade points.

W   Withdrawal, indicates a student has officially withdrawn from a course. Students in the College of Pharmacy may not withdraw from any course without action by the Academic Standing Committee.

X   Indicates a student may continue in a sequence course in which a grade cannot be determined until the full sequence of courses is completed. The instructor submits a grade for each X when the student completes the sequence.

Attendance

Students are expected to attend every class in which they are registered. Students must contact the Office of Student Services to inform the College of an unavoidable extended absence. The OSS will inform all of the student's course directors about the impending absences. It is the prerogative of the course director to excuse an absence (students may need proper documentation of illness, death in family, etc.) or impose a penalty for an unexcused absence.