Grades
Grading System
A graduate student will be allowed credit for a course only when a grade for the course has been reported to the Office of the Registrar. Grades awarded in all courses are indicative of the quality of the work done. Their significance is as follows:
Grade Honor Point Equivalent
| Letter Grade | Explanation | Grade Pts. Per Sem. Hr. |
|---|---|---|
| A | (Superior) | 4 Honor Points |
| B | (Excellent) | 3 Honor Points |
| C | (Acceptable) | 2 Honor Points |
| D | (Passing, but no graduate credit awarded) | 1 Honor Point |
| F | Failure | 0 Honor Points |
| I | Incomplete | |
| S | Satisfactory | |
| U | Unsatisfactory | |
| W | Withdrawn | |
| SP | Satisfactory Progress (995,997,998 & 999) | |
| UP | Unsatisfactory Progress (995,997,998 & 999) |
Graduate Grade Point Average
A graduate student’s cumulative GPA is based on all coursework, graduate or undergraduate, taken while the student is registered in the UND School of Graduate Studies. Grades of less than “C” are not included in the number of credits accepted for a graduate degree, but they are counted in determining the cumulative GPA.
Credits and grades for courses accepted in transfer, or courses graded on a Satisfactory-Unsatisfactory basis are not counted in determining the GPA.
Courses with grades of Incomplete are neither counted as partial fulfillment of degree requirements nor calculated in the GPA.
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Grading
Some seminars, research, thesis, dissertation, and field work may be graded on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis.
Those courses usually are marked in the Schedule of Courses, and the entire registration for the course will be graded on the S/U basis.
The student does not have the option of receiving a grade. Graduate students do not have the option of electing S/U grading in either graduate or undergraduate courses.
Incomplete Grades
It is expected that students will complete all requirements for a course during the time frame of the course. For reasons beyond a student’s control, and upon request by the student or on behalf of the student, an incomplete grade may be assigned by the instructor when there is reasonable certainty the student will successfully complete the course without retaking it. The mark “I,” Incomplete, will be assigned only to the student who has been in attendance and has done satisfactory work up to a time within four weeks of the close of the semester, including the examination period, and whose work is incomplete for reasons satisfactory to his or her instructor. Incompletes are entered on the final grade sheet, and instructors must also sign and submit a “Report of Incomplete Grade” form to the Office of the Registrar. The instructor may choose any one of the following options for the deadline to complete the course:
- The default date as stated in the UND Schedule of Courses.
- Extend to 12 calendar months after the end of the course.
- A date of the instructor’s choosing no later than 12 months after the end of the course.
Incomplete grades will convert to a grade of “F” if a grade is not submitted by the instructor to the Office of the Registrar on or before the deadline written on the “Report of Incomplete Grade” form.
The instructor of the course and the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies must approve and sign the Report of Incomplete Grade form for any extension of incomplete beyond the default date listed in the UND Schedule of Courses. It is the student’s responsibility to contact their instructor about an incomplete grade posted on the final grade report.
An “I” may be converted as indicated above but cannot be expunged from the record. Students may not register for courses in which they currently hold grades of incomplete, except for courses that allow repeated enrollment. A student will not be allowed to graduate with an unconverted incomplete grade on the academic record.
In Progress Grades
A grade of “SP,” Satisfactory Progress or “UP,” Unsatisfactory Progress may be assigned to Scholarly Project (995), Thesis (998), Dissertation (999), Independent Study (997), Readings for Comprehensive Examination (ENGL 591 Readings for Ph.D. Comprehensive Examinations), Professional Exhibition (ART 599 Professional Exhibition) or Research (leading to the thesis or dissertation). The “SP” or “UP” grade for these activities, which may span several semesters, need not be replaced until the conclusion of the activity, usually a student’s final semester. Grades of “SP” or “UP” are not calculated into term or cumulative GPA values and will be expunged from the record upon submission of final grades for the course.
Grade Changes
Submitted grades, except for grades of incomplete, are final and may only be changed to correct an error. Grades may not be changed by additional work or submitting additional materials. Students should report any error to their instructor within 90 days of receipt of the grade. The instructor must file a change of grade form with the Registrar signed by the instructor, the department chair, and the dean of the course (Note: For courses receiving graduate credit, the School of Graduate Studies Dean is the dean of the course). Reasons for the change must be fully explained and justified.
Repetition of Courses
All courses taken by graduate students, for which a grade of D, F, or U was received, may be repeated once for credit, with only the highest grade to count in the grade point average. This option does not apply to a student who has been dismissed. Courses with grades of C or better may not be repeated without the written approval of the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. It is up to the student to notify the School of Graduate Studies when a course has been retaken so that the grade point average can be recalculated. Courses taken as an undergraduate may not be taken again as a graduate student and used on a program of study.