Grading

Good Academic Standing

A student must be in good academic standing to be eligible to have a Master, Specialist, or Doctoral degree conferred. A student who is placed on academic probation or who is dismissed from a program is not considered in good academic standing.

To remain in good academic standing, a graduate student must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00 in all graduate courses required on the student’s program. No graduate course with a grade below a “C” may be counted toward a degree program.

The GPA is computed on a cumulative basis, by dividing the total number of grade points by the total number of credit hours a student has taken in courses earning grade points. The GPA includes any course work taken at USF for which a student earned graduate credit, but not graduate work taken at other institutions accepted toward meeting the requirements of a graduate degree or certificate. Courses in which a student has received I, P, W, or WP are not included in this computation.

Following any academic term at the end of which the cumulative graduate GPA falls below 3.00, the student will be considered on academic probation and will receive a letter from the Graduate School office. A student on academic probation who fails to bring the GPA to the required level of 3.00 upon the completion of an additional 6 credit hours of graduate work will be dismissed from the program.

Some programs have higher performance expectations, which will be specified in the program handbook or in the student’s letter of admission.

Dismissal from a program in the Graduate School does not preclude application to another program. Each program shall determine eligibility for readmission.

Academic Suspension

A student may be academically suspended for failing to meet minimum requirements in a semester in which he or she is placed on academic probation or otherwise expressed by Academic Progress Committee (APC). The first suspension a student receives may be for one academic semester. A second suspension will be for a full academic year. Students may reapply to the institution at the completion of the suspension period; however, reapplying will not automatically result in readmission. Students who reapply must provide evidence to support academic preparedness and progression with their reapplication, which will be reviewed by APC. All decisions by APC are final.

Students placed on academic suspension are not considered in good academic standing and will not have a degree conferred.

Grades & Quality Points

The University of Saint Francis operates on a 4.0 grading system and determines the scholastic standing of students according to the following scale:

Audit Courses at the graduate level may be taken on a special non-credit basis, with the approval of the Office of Academic Affairs.

*If a student receives an “F” in a required graduate level course, the course must be repeated the next term it is offered if permitted by program policy.

Change of Grades

Only the faculty member who assigns a grade may make a change in that grade. Students who believe a grade was erroneously given should confer with the appropriate faculty member. If a resolution is not reached, refer to the procedures outlined in the Academic Grade Appeal Policy.

The grade submitted by a faculty member at the end of the semester is considered a final grade and ordinarily a grade change should not be requested unless one of the following two circumstances occurs:

1. The grade is an incomplete (I), and needs to be changed when the required coursework is completed.
2. An error was made in assigning the original grade.

Audits

Individuals interested in taking graduate work on a non-credit basis are classified as Audit students. No academic credit is granted. Upon completion of the course a grade of AU is entered on the records. Audited courses do not count toward degree requirements. Students may not change from audit to credit after the second week of class. Audit students need to file an Application for Admission and submit an undergraduate transcript from the regionally accredited institution in the United States of America from which they received their undergraduate degree. These students are allowed to register for classes only after degree-seeking students have registered. Registration dates are posted in each term’s course schedule.

Grade Reports

Midway through the semester, instructors are asked to submit the names of students earning “D” or “F” grades or not meeting grade-specific program progression requirements to the Registrar’s Office. Students are notified in writing and are responsible for setting up a conference with their instructors to discuss specific steps to improve their academic performance.

Final grade reports are posted approximately two weeks after the end of a term. The grade reports of students who have not met their financial or other obligations will be withheld.

Incomplete Grades

A grade of Incomplete (I) is a conditional grade granted when the student is unable to complete the basic course requirements. The granting of an Incomplete (I) is reserved for those times when (a) extenuating circumstances have interfered with the student’s studies and (b) there is an expectation the student will be able to complete the coursework within the extended time limit. Note: An “I” is not appropriate when a student has missed classes or has failed to complete assignments.  

It is the student’s responsibility to request an Incomplete. The instructor must fill out the electronic Incomplete Grade Form on Form Central before final grades are due. This form must be signed by the instructor and submitted. Once submitted, a copy of it will be sent to the student and the appropriate administration to process the request. All Incomplete grades are given a deadline of no more than two weeks after the last day of a five-week or eight-week course and no more than four weeks after the last day of a sixteen-week course. If no grade is submitted or an extension is not requested, the Registrar’s Office is authorized to change the Incomplete to an F.  

If an extension beyond the two or four weeks as described above is needed, the student will be required to make a request to the faculty member supervising the course. If the faculty member determines the request is acceptable, it must be approved by the College Dean. If an additional extension is granted, the faculty member must notify the Registrar’s Office (include the Dean’s approval). If no grade is submitted before the start of the next term, the Registrar’s Office is authorized to record an F for the course.  

Repeated Courses

In most cases, any currently enrolled student may repeat any course in the current catalog subject to the following conditions:

• The final grade for each enrollment in the course will be recorded on the student’s transcript. Only the last grade will count toward the cumulative GPA and major index.
• The original grade will remain on the transcript.
• The student will receive credit for the class only once.
• A student may repeat a course once.

Transcripts

Transcripts may be requested and fees paid online through the National Student Clearinghouse website, allowing a variety of ways to send the transcript, including electronically. Official transcripts can also be picked up in person or mailed directly from the Registrar’s Office to a third party, but a form must be completed in the Registrar’s Office, and the presentation of a photo ID is required. Transcripts requested via the Registrar’s Office also require payment of a fee of $20.00 per transcript, and credit cards cannot be accepted. Transcript requests are not processed until all financial and other obligations have been satisfied. The University of Saint Francis will not release a copy of a transcript of grades earned at another institution.

In accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, student records will not be released without the written consent of the student, except in emergency situations, or in the following situations:

• To school officials, including faculty, who have legitimate cause to view the records;
• In connection with application for and receipt of financial aid;
• Where the information is classified as Directory Information. Directory Information includes name, address, telephone number, dates of attendance, date of graduation, and birth date. At the student’s request, any of these items will be withheld.

Graduate Student Honors

Students are placed on the Graduate Student Honors List in a given semester if they meet these standards:

1. Earn at least six semester hours of class credit
2. Attain a scholastic semester GPA of at least 3.75.