Graduate School at The University of Cincinnati

Letter Grades

Graduate Division grades include:

Grade	Description	Quality Points
A	Excellent	4.0000
A-		3.6667
B+		3.3333
B	Good	3.0000
B-		2.6667
C +		2.3333
C	Satisfactory	2.0000
F	Failure Graduation with an F grade is permitted in a non-required course only if the student meets published program standards for the degree program and a waiver is granted by the program. In a required course, the student must re-take the course and receive a C or better. Once an F is on a student’s transcript, it cannot be removed. Even if the course is retaken, the original F is calculated in the cumulative average. F grades do not count toward meeting satisfactory academic progress requirements for federal financial aid.	0.0000
P (previously S)	Pass Used to indicate passing work in courses graded under the pass/fail system as well as for noncredit courses.	N/A
U	Unsatisfactory Used to indicate failure in non-credit courses. U grades do not count toward meeting satisfactory academic progress requirements for federal financial aid.	N/A
W	Withdrawal (Official) To receive a W, the student must apply for an official withdrawal. Students who drop courses through the first 14 calendar days of the quarter will have the courses deleted from their academic schedules and they will not appear on students’ records. Thereafter, students must obtain the professor’s signature and a grade of W or F on a Drop/Add form. No official withdrawals are granted after the 58^th calendar day of classes. If a student does not apply for an official withdrawal from a course in which he or she is registered but has not attended, the professor may assign a grade of UW (unofficial withdrawal) or F. The UW is weighted as an F in the computation of the student’s GPA but appears as UW on the transcript. W grades do not count toward meeting satisfactory academic progress requirements for federal financial aid.	N/A
UW	Unofficial Withdrawal If a student does not apply for an official withdrawal from a course in which he or she is registered but has not attended, the professor may assign a grade of UW. The UW is weighted as an F in the computation of the student’s GPA but appears as UW on the transcript Graduation with a UW grade is permitted in a non-required course only if the student meets published program standards for the degree program and a waiver is granted by the program. In a required course, the student must re-take the course and receive a C or better. Once a UW is on a student’s transcript, it cannot be removed. Even if the course is retaken, the original UW is calculated in the cumulative average. UW grades do not count toward meeting satisfactory academic progress requirements for federal financial aid.	0.000
X	Unofficial Withdrawal –No Participation If a student does not officially withdraw from a class in which they have not participated, she/he will receive and X grade (unofficial withdrawal- no participation). The X grade will appear on the transcript and will be weighted as an F in the computation of the student’s GPA.	0.0000
SP	Satisfactory Progress Used only for those courses (approved by college committees) that have an extended grading period beyond the normal quarter due to the nature of the material covered in the course. For instance, it is used while a student is working on a thesis, dissertation, research project, or internship in which there is no basis for evaluation available or required by the end of the quarter. Awarded to students who demonstrate they are making satisfactory progress in the above course type. Generally, SP must be replaced by a letter grade before graduation. In some cases, however, the SP may remain. (See Grades Assigned to Research Courses that Are Repeated by Graduate Students.)	N/A
UP	Unsatisfactory Progress Used only for those courses (approved by college committees) that have an extended grading period beyond the normal quarter due to the nature of the material covered in the course. For instance, it is used while a student is working on a thesis, dissertation, research project, or internship in which there is no basis for evaluation available or required by the end of the quarter. Awarded to students who have failed to demonstrate they are making satisfactory progress in the above course type. Generally, UP must be replaced by a letter grade before graduation. A grade of UP is not satisfactory progress for the purpose of federal financial aid.	N/A
T	Audit For the student who desires or is advised to do work in a course in which a grade is deemed unnecessary. Admission and conditions for participating are up to the instructor. May be used for deficiency/remedial course in major area and for electives outside major area. Denotes that the student has regularly attended the course. No more than one audit course per quarter is recommended. Audit credits are not calculated into a student’s cumulative average, credit requirements for tuition scholarship awards, or active graduate status. T grades do not count toward meeting satisfactory academic progress requirements for federal financial aid.	N/A
I	Incomplete Used when a course grade has not been finalized. The instructor has contracted with the student for later completion Should not be used when F, SP/UP, or UW would be more appropriate. Converts to I/F (Failure) after one calendar year. I grades do not count toward meeting satisfactory academic progress requirements for federal financial aid.	N/A
I/F	Failure At the end of one year after the quarter ends, the I automatically changes to the I/F (Failure) if no other grade has been submitted. The I/F is equivalent to an F and is governed by the same policies that govern F grades. I/F grades do not count toward meeting satisfactory academic progress requirements for federal financial aid.	0.0000
NG	No Grade reported mark No grade was submitted. See instructor for more information. No credit is granted for courses in which NG is assigned. Must have letter grade in last quarter of research course. NG grades do not count toward meeting satisfactory academic progress requirements for federal financial aid.	N/A

Note: C-, D+, D, and D- are not valid in the Graduate Grading Scale. The grades C-, D+, D, and D- reported for graduate credit enrollment are converted to the NG (no grade reported) mark.

Note: Prior to January, 1999, the N grade was given. Rules governing the NG grade apply to the N grade.

Grades Assigned to Research Courses that Are Repeated by Graduate Students
If students are working on their dissertation research beyond the required 10 research credits, they should be registered in the appropriate research course* (e.g. Individual Dissertation), and the course work should be graded as SP or UP—not NG or I—up until the quarter in which they submit the document (i.e., report, thesis, or dissertation) and are graded for it. This will reflect the reality that their dissertation is in progress. The appropriate course should be identified and routed through the college and university approval process for IP grading by the program director. It is the program director’s responsibility to communicate this to all faculty advisers and doctoral students in his or her program so that it is used consistently.

If students are working on their thesis research beyond the research credits required by their program, they should be registered in the appropriate research course* (e.g. Individual Masters Thesis), and the course work should be graded as SP or UP —not NG or I —up until the quarter in which they submit the document and are graded for it. This will reflect the reality that their thesis is in progress. The appropriate course should be identified and routed through the college and university approval process for SP/UP grading by the program director. It is the program director’s responsibility to communicate this to all faculty advisers and doctoral students in his or her program so that it is used consistently.

Students must receive a grade for the last quarter they are registered in the research course. IPs recorded for this same course in earlier quarters need not be changed on their transcripts in order for them to be certified for graduation as long as the research credits are not required for graduation; only the course in the final quarter needs to be graded A, B, C, F, P, or S. However, for a student to retain on their transcript the unchanged SP/UPs that were recorded for each quarter that they were working on their thesis or dissertation up to the final quarter, it is essential that he or she be registered for the same research course (with the same number) each quarter. If the courses are different (even if they are all “research”), the SP/UPs must all be changed before the student can be certified for graduation.

Note: In this context, the definition of a “research course” is a course outside of formal class work or instruction that allows a student to be registered as a graduate student while he or she is working independently on his or her thesis or dissertation under the guidance of his or her adviser or dissertation committee. This policy also applies to internships and other multiple quarter or series courses.

Pass/Fail Grades
An instructor may request approval for pass/fail grading for an individual student in his or her class prior to the first day of class. A graduate student can take a course on a pass/fail basis (P or F grade) when approved by his or her adviser and instructor. An instructor is not required to accept a student on such a basis.

Participation Grades
Attendance and participation are critical factors in educational success and progress towards degree. They are also monitored for eligibility of Title IV Federal Financial Aid funding. Instructors alert the University of non-participation via grade assignment. All grades reflect participation in a class with the exception of the X and WX grades. A student who officially withdraws from a class in which they have not participated will receive a WX (official withdrawal – no participation). In these cases, the W grade will appear on the academic transcript. A student who does not officially withdraw from a class in which they have not participated will receive an X grade (unofficial withdrawal – no participation). The X grade will appear on the transcript and will be weighted as an F in the computation of the student’s GPA. Non-participation will impact student financial aid eligibility.

Grading

Grade Reports

Letter Grades