3341-3-46 Grading Policies – Undergraduate

1. Policy Statement and Purpose

   This university policy is part of the Undergraduate Catalog. The Undergraduate Catalog provides university academic policies and information about program requirements. The Undergraduate Catalog is updated each semester and can be found at https://catalog.bgsu.edu. Colleges and departments may have additional or more specific requirements or policies that relate to an individual program. Students are advised to become familiar with the Undergraduate Catalog as well as specific requirements and policies related to their degree program.

2. Policy

   1. Grading system

      Courses are graded as follows:

      A — excellent	INC — incomplete
      B — good	I — incomplete calculated as F
      C — acceptable	IP — in progress
      D — poor but passing	S — satisfactory
      F — failure	U — unsatisfactory
      W — withdrawn	NC — no credit
      WF — withdrawn failing	NGR — no grade report by instructor

      A student who wishes to attend a class without receiving credit for it may register to audit that course (see Audit).

   2. S/U grading

      Certain courses (including student teaching, some internships and remedial courses) are graded "S/U" only and are so indicated in the course descriptions. "S" means satisfactory and indicates course credit was earned. "U" means unsatisfactory and indicates no credit. Courses taken under credit by exam and portfolio assessment are considered "S/U" and do not count as letter-graded hours.

      A student may also elect an "S/U" grading option in no more than sixteen credit hours in a baccalaureate degree program (beyond those hours graded "S/U" only, as described in the previous paragraph). Any "S/U" hours beyond this limit will not count toward graduation. Many departments do not accept courses taken under the "S/U" option for credit in major or minor requirements; students should consult an advisor. For more information on deadlines to change the grading option, see Dropping, adding and changing the grade option.

      Students should carefully consider the following before choosing the S/U grade option:

      1. Within the S/U option, work at the level of "C" or better is needed to pass (that is, earn an "S"); within the letter grade option, by contrast, a "D" is a passing grade;
      2. All work is evaluated by a common standard, regardless of grading option;
      3. A grade of "F" may be assigned within the S/U option (for instance, if the student stops attending);
      4. If a student receives an "S" in an elective course, but then changes majors, the new major may require the course be taken for a grade. In those cases, the student may appeal retroactively for a change in grade option (and therefore receive a letter grade).
      5. More than twelve semester hours of "S/U" grades may increase the grade point average needed for graduation with honors. See Graduation with honors.

      Because of these and other considerations, students should consult an advisor before choosing the S/U grading option.

   3. "No Credit" grading

      In the event that the grade option is "A/B/C/NC" or “S/NC,” all grades will appear on the student's record, though a grade of “No Credit” will not affect the accumulative grade point average. A student may receive a grade of "F" in courses with the "No Credit" grading option.

   4. Impact of course drops and withdrawals on grading

      A grade of "W" is given if a student formally withdraws from a course after the drop deadline (see Drop/Add Policy) but before the end of the twelfth week of a course in a fifteen-week session. The student is responsible for filing a course withdrawal request that also notifies the instructor (Withdrawal form) on or before the last day of the twelfth week. For all other sessions, a "W" is assigned if a student withdraws after completing at least thirteen percent but not more than eighty percent of the contact hours of the session. The student is responsible for filing a course withdrawal request that also notifies the instructor before the eighty percent completion date.

   5. A grade of "F" (failing) is assigned under the following circumstances:

      1. the student withdraws after the intervals described above;
      2. the student stops attending the class without processing a withdrawal;
      3. the student has never attended the class and has not processed an official withdrawal.

      These provisions apply to the A-F, the S/U and the No Credit grading systems. Students taking courses that are graded S/U or No Credit should be aware that it is possible to earn a grade of "F" if they do not follow the guidelines for withdrawing from a course.

      See Incomplete marks, below.

   6. Grade point average

      For calculating the student's grade point average, the following quality points are assigned to each letter grade:

      1. For each hour of A, four points
      2. For each hour of B, three points
      3. For each hour of C, two points
      4. For each hour of D, one point
      5. For each hour of F or WF, zero points
      6. For each hour of I, zero points

      The grade of "WF" is used with zero quality points in computing the grade point average; "W' is not used in computing the grade point average.

      For courses graded S/U, grades falling within the range of "A" to "C" are interpreted as "S" and earn course credit. Grades in the range of "D" to "F" are interpreted as "U" and do not earn course credit. In any case, "S" and "U" grades do not affect the accumulative grade point average.

      For courses graded “A/B/C/NC,” grades of “A,” “B,” or “C” are calculated according to assigned quality points. A grade of “NC” does not earn course credit and does not affect the accumulative grade point average.

      A student's grade point average is obtained by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total number of hours taken, excluding courses in which the marks "S,"U,"IP,"INC," “NC,” or "W" are recorded. The hours for which a mark of "INC" is recorded are excluded from grade point average computation until the deadline for removal.

      As an example, suppose a student receives the following grades for a semester:

      • Biology (a four-hour course) B
      • English (a three-hour course) B
      • French (a four-hour course) C
      • Health (a three-hour course) A

      First, determine the number of quality points earned for each course. For example, each hour of B is worth three points and a four-hour B is worth twelve points (three times four).

      Therefore, the above grades translate into quality points as follows:

         4 times 3 (B) = 12
         3 times 3 (B) = 9
         4 times 2 (C) = 8
      + 3 times 4 (A) = 12
      14 hours -- 41 quality points

      Now, divide the number of quality points by the number of hours taken for a letter grade. The grade point average for this sample schedule is (forty-one/fourteen=two point nine two). Grade point averages are not rounded up to the nearest hundredth of a point.

   7. Incomplete marks

      The mark of "INC" (incomplete) may be given when, for some acceptable reason, a student fails to complete one or more requirements in a course as established by the instructor. The INC mark is not counted in grade point averages. The mark of "INC" may be removed and a grade (if taken for a grade) or the letter "S" (if taken "S/U") may be substituted for it by a student making up the deficiencies to the satisfaction of the instructor.

      An INC mark that is not converted to another grade by the grading deadline for the next semester (summer session excluded) becomes an F (or U if an S/U course) and is calculated in the grade point average. A request for an extension of time may be granted by the academic dean. Any INC mark at graduation will impede graduation until the mark is converted to a final grade.

   8. Grade appeals

      Students have a right to appeal decisions on grades. The student should first contact the department from which the grade was received. A member of each department, who is not a major departmental administrator, is designated to hear complaints, gather information, talk with both students and faculty, mediate disputes or identify appropriate channels for solving problems. If the dispute cannot be resolved at this level then the student should state the full particulars of the appeal in writing and submit them to the department chair or policy committee. If the matter is not resolved at the department level, the student may request a hearing before the academic arbitration board of the appropriate school or college. However, the sole responsibility and authority for determining grades rests with the faculty member who assigned the grade. This appeals procedure also may be used if a student believes an opportunity should be provided to make up work missed during absence from classes.

      The grade appeals procedure must be started by the end of the fifth week of the spring semester for grades received during fall semester and by the end of the fifth week of fall semester for grades received during the spring semester or during the summer semester. All actions for grade changes must be completed during the semester in which the grade is appealed. Grade and absence grievances may not be appealed beyond the college level.

Registered Date: March 24, 2015
Amended: July 10, 2018; April 7, 2023