REG 02.50.03 – Grades and Grade Point Average
Authority: Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost
History: First Issued: 1996. Last Revised: November 18, 2011.
Related Policies:
NCSU REG02.20.04 – Audits
NCSU REG02.20.15 – Credit Only Courses
NCSU REG02.30.01 – Academic Honors
NCSU REG11.00.01 – Family Educational Rights and Privacy (FERPA)
Contact Info: Registration and Records (919-515-2572)
1. GRADING
1.1 Evaluation of a student’s performance in a particular course or section is the prerogative of the faculty member, graduate teaching assistant or other instructor (collectively “instructor(s)” herein) responsible for that course or section. No grade assigned to a student in a particular course or section may be changed without the consent of the instructor responsible for that course or section.
1.2 Each instructor who assigns grades has the responsibility to implement grading procedures that are fair and equitable, and to provide a reasonable evaluation of the student’s performance in the course.
1.3 Each student should be informed at the beginning of the semester of the means to be used to determine grades in each course or section. This information should be included in the instructor’s course syllabus.
2. GRADE POINT AVERAGE
2.1 The number of credit hours attempted in a semester or summer session (for which regular grades are received) is divided into the total number of grade points earned to arrive at the grade point average. The cumulative and semester Grade Point Averages will include the effect of any A+ grades awarded (at 4.333 grade points) up to a grade point average of 4.000. The grade point average will be calculated to three decimal points.
3. REGULAR GRADING SCALE AND GRADE POINTS
3.1 The following grade points are used in the calculation of grade point averages:
| Grade | Grade Points |
|---|---|
| A+ A A- |
4.333 4 3.667 |
| B+ B B- |
3.333 3 2.667 |
| C+ C C- |
2.333 2 1.667 |
| D+ D D- |
1.333 1 0.667 |
| F | 0 |
3.3 A+ grades will contribute to the Grade Point Average up to a maximum of 4.000.
Other Grades
| Grade | Usage |
|---|---|
| AU – AUDIT | Given in recognition of successful completion of a course audit. (See NCSU REG02.20.04 – Audits) |
| CR – CREDIT | Used by the University Registrar to indicate course credit received by examination or advanced placement as certified by appropriate departments or colleges. Awarded only when the advanced placement testing indicates that the quality of the student’s work in the course would have been expected to be of C- or higher level. |
| IN – INCOMPLETE | Temporary grade. At the discretion of the instructor, students may be given an IN grade for work not completed because of a serious interruption in their work not caused by their own negligence. An IN must not be used, however, as a substitute for an F when the student’s performance in the course is deserving of failing. An IN is only appropriate when the student’s record in the course is such that the successful completion of particular assignments, projects, or tests missed as a result of a documented serious event would enable that student to pass the course. Work undertaken to make up the IN grade must be limited to the completion of the missed work. An IN grade must be made up by the end of the next regular semester (not including summer sessions) in which the student is enrolled, provided that this period is not longer than twelve (12) months from the end of the semester or summer session in which the work was due. In the event that the instructor or department offering the course is not able to provide a student with the opportunity to make up the incomplete work by the end of the next regular semester in which the student is enrolled or within twelve (12) months, whichever is shorter, the instructor or department offering the course must notify the student and the Department of Registration and Records of the date of the extended deadline for removing the IN grade. Requests for extending the deadline for graduate students beyond the end of the next semester in which the student is enrolled or beyond the twelve (12) months, whichever is shorter, must be made through the Graduate School.
Any IN grade not removed by the end of the next regular semester in which the student is enrolled or by the end of twelve (12) months, whichever is shorter, or by the extended deadline authorized by the instructor or department offering the course and recorded by the Department of Registration and Records, will automatically become an F grade and will count as a course attempted. Students must not register again for any courses in which they have IN grades. Such registration would not remove IN grades, and the completion of the course on the second occasion would automatically result in an F for the incomplete course. In the case where a graduating senior has received an IN, the following procedures will apply:
|
| LA – TEMPORARILY LATE | An emergency symbol to be used only when grades cannot be reported on time by the teaching department or the instructor. The LA differs from the IN grade in that the student receiving the LA has completed the work of the course including the examination. LA grades convert to IN grades before the end of the next semester and are subject to the conditions of the IN grade outlined above including automatic expiration to an F if not resolved in a timely manner. |
| NR – NO RECOGNITION | Given for unsuccessful completion of a course audit. (NCSU REG02.20.04 – Audits) |
| S – SATISFACTORY | A passing grade to be awarded only when the quality of the student’s work is judged to be C- or higher level. It is used as the passing grade for students who are taking courses under the credit-only option. It may also be used for certain courses such as orientation courses, seminars, and research problems, in which regular grades are not appropriate. Unless otherwise specified, a grade of “S” will not satisfy requirements for courses in a major, minor, certificate, or GER requirements. (See NCSU REG02.20.15 – Credit Only Courses) |
| U – UNSATISFACTORY | Used to indicate that the student is not to receive credit for a credit-only or other course for which the passing grade would be S (Satisfactory). (See NCSU REG02.20.15 – Credit Only Courses) |
| W – WITHDRAWAL/LATE DROP | Used to indicate all courses for which the student has received official approval to withdraw or to drop after the deadline for dropping. |
4. POSTING GRADES
4.1 The posting of grades is strictly regulated by federal law, in particular the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA” or “Buckley Amendment”). Pursuant to FERPA, grades are considered a part of a student’s educational record and may not be released or posted in any personally identifiable form unless the student gives written consent for each occasion on which grades are to be posted.
4.2 Information from educational records, including grades, may be released to a parent or guardian only upon student consent or according to the guidelines established by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. (See NCSU REG11.00.01 – Family Educational Rights and Privacy (FERPA)) Parental access can be established by the student through the Department of Registration and Records website.
5. CORRECTION OF ERROR IN GRADING
5.1 When submitted to the Department of Registration and Records, end of course grades are final and not subject to change by reason of a revision of the Instructor’s judgment; nor are submitted grades to be revised on the basis of a second trial (e.g., a new examination or additional work undertaken or completed). Changes may only be made within one (1) calendar year after the date final grades were submitted in order to correct an error in computation or transcribing, or where part of the student’s work has been unintentionally overlooked.
5.2 A Grade Change Report form requires the instructor’s signed statement as to the reason for the change, the approval of the department head, and the approval of the dean of the college in which the course is taught. Such approval is not necessary when changing an IN or LA.