GRADING AND DROPPING COURSES
For the standards which are required in specific degree programs, see sections on PhD requirements and Master's requirements.
Letter Grades for Graduate Courses:
A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, F, F-, NR (Failure, No Record)
INC (Incomplete - course work only)
IP (In Progress - major paper, project, thesis, or dissertation)
P or NP (Pass or Non-Pass)
S or U (Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory)
The final deadline for dropping one-term (i.e., twelve- or thirteen-week) graduate courses in Fall, Winter, or Summer term without a grade being assigned is nine weeks from the start of the term; for six-week courses in Intersession and Summer Session, three weeks are allowed. Prior to the deadline, courses dropped will be recorded as "Voluntary Withdrawal".
The granting of an Incomplete grade must follow discussion between the student and the course instructor concerning the nature of the work to be completed and the time period for completion. Courses recorded as Incomplete must be completed and a grade reported within twelve months of the original due date unless an earlier deadline has been established. If such courses are not completed within twelve months, they will be permanently designated as Incomplete on the student's transcript. Normally, a student may carry only one Incomplete grade at a time. Graduate students carrying more than one Incomplete grade at the end of a term will have their progress reviewed by their program chair, and a recommendation will be forwarded in each case to the Office of Graduate Studies. Incomplete grades are normally not granted for major papers, theses or dissertations.
The Faculty of Graduate Studies requires that students maintain at least an 8.0 cumulative G.P.A. at all times.
Courses in which a grade of B- or higher is received will be accepted for graduate credit. In addition, upon the positive recommendation of the program concerned, the Faculty of Graduate Studies may grant credit for not more than two term courses in which a grade of C+, C or C- has been obtained. The regulations of individual departments should be consulted for their particular policies on C grades.
If a student fails to obtain credit in a course, the course may be repeated once only, at the discretion of the program concerned and the Dean of Graduate Studies. No student may repeat, or replace with another course, more than two term courses in which credit was not obtained.
Letter grades or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory may be assigned for theses and major papers, depending on program policy.
Theses and major papers, for which a letter grade is assigned, must be graded B- or better to receive credit.