Policy 2080: Grading Policy

University Policy #2080

Section 1. Policy Statement

Metropolitan State University’s grading policy offers students two grading options—traditional grades of “A/B/C/D/F” or “competence/no competence.”

Section 2. Authority

This policy is issued pursuant to the authority granted under the Rules and Regulations of the Minnesota State College and University System.

Section 3. Effective Date

This policy shall become effective upon the signature of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and shall remain in effect until expressly revoked.

Section 4. Responsibility

The responsibility for implementing this regulation is assigned to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Section 5. Process

1. Students must choose the competence/no competence grading option at registration or submit a signed request to the instructor by the second class session of a course, or before the first major assessment for other learning opportunities. After that time, students cannot change either from a graded to an ungraded option or vice versa.
2. If a student drops a course within a week of the semester start date, or one day after the first class meeting, whichever is later, that class will not be recorded on the student’s transcript. Policies for dropping other learning opportunities will be published in the current Class Schedule.

Section 6. Independent Studies and Individualized Internships

Students who enroll in a Faculty Designed Independent Study (FDIS) course, a Student Designed Independent Study (SDIS) course or an individualized internship (350I or 650I) will receive a grade at the end of the term in which the enrollment commenced. If the time permitted to complete the independent study or individualized internship extends into the succeeding term, instructors or internship faculty liaisons will assign a grade of “I” for the term in which the independent study or individualized internship commenced.

Section 7. Definitions

1. The chart below indicates the letter grades and the grade points used to calculate grade point averages (GPA).

Grade

Grade Points

A

Excellent

4.0

A-

3.67

B+

3.33

B

Good

3.0

B-

2.67

C+

2.33

C

Adequate

2.0

C-

1.67

D

Partially adequate

1.0

F

No grade or credit

0.0

Note: D work cannot be used to meet requirements for undergraduate program majors or

prerequisites. Work with a grade of less than B- cannot be used to meet graduate program requirements.

2. Other notations on student’s transcripts include: competence (S), no competence (NC), incomplete (I), withdrawal (W), auditing (AU) and repeat (R).
3. Competence (S): Satisfactorily completed work equivalent to a grade of C- or better, will be recorded as a competence.
4. No competence: (NC): Unsatisfactory work equivalent to a grade of D or F, will be recorded as no competence and cannot be used to meet academic requirements.
5. Incomplete (I): Students who have completed substantial work in a course or FDIS, but have not finished by the end of the semester, may request that the instructor assign an incomplete. If the instructor does not change the incomplete within one additional semester, it will convert to an “F” or “N.”
6. Withdrawal (W): Students may formally withdraw from courses before the end of the twelfth week of the semester. Students may formally withdraw from FDISs before the end of the twelfth week of the semester or before the end of the twelfth week of registering, whichever is later. Withdrawals are recorded on students’ transcripts.
7. Auditing (AU): Auditing indicates that a student is visiting a course and not taking it for credit.
8. Repeat (R): Undergraduate students may repeat courses or other learning opportunities if they receive grades of D, F or no competence. If a learning opportunity is repeated, both the grade and R are recorded on the transcript. If a learning opportunity is repeated once, only the higher grade is used in computing the grade point average. If a learning opportunity is repeated more than once, the grade point average includes all attempts except the first one. Students who receive a grade higher than a D may not repeat the learning opportunity, except as an auditor, without the approval of the dean of the college or school. Grades for undergraduate learning opportunities that are repeated after the undergraduate degree is conferred will not replace the grade for the initial completion of the learning opportunity.

Section 8. Grade Point Average

1. A student’s grade point average is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points received by the total number of graded credits attempted. This excludes those credits for which the student received a grade of W, AU, S or NC. Transcripts requested prior to graduation include a cumulative unofficial grade point average.

B. Students who have not received grades for at least 75 percent of the work they complete at

Metropolitan State will not have an official grade point average. Official grade point averages are not calculated for students who have more than 25 percent of their work ungraded.

3. Students Admitted Prior to 1994

Students who completed more than 25 percent of their Metropolitan State coursework at the university prior to fall 1994 will not have an official grade point average (GPA).

Section 9. Exceptions

Any other exceptions to this policy require approval from the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Section 10. Review

This regulation will be reviewed and modified as appropriate.

Section 11. Signatures

Issued on the 6th day of June 2005.

William J. Lowe, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs