Grading System
The quantitative measure of a student's scholastic standing is the Grade Point Average (GPA) or the weighted average of the student's academic standing as measured by the reported grades and weighted according to credit and letter value.
The college uses the following grading system (quality points are indicated under the grade or to the right):
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A
|
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A-
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B+
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B
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B-
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C+
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C
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C-
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D+
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D
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4.0
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3.67
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3.33
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3.0
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2.67
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2.33
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2.0
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1.67
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1.33
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1.0
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P
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-
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Passing
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0.0
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F
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-
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Failure
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0.0
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I
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-
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Incomplete (absent from final exam and/or incomplete required course work)
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0.0
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S
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-
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Exempted, course requirement has been substituted, no credit
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0.0
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W
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-
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Withdrawal during the period from the second week of class to the third week after the mid-semester date
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0.0
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AW
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-
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Administrative Withdrawal – for a student who fails to attend class before the end of the add/drop period.
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0.0
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Nursing students must attain at least a grade of C+ in required nursing and health courses. Education certification students must attain at least a GPA of 2.75 in required certification courses.
For class ranking purposes, when there is a tie in cumulative Grade Point Averages, with two or more students, the number of credits successfully taken at Mount Saint Mary College will be the tie-breaker; the student(s) with more institutional credits will be ranked higher.
Pass/Fail Policy
Any sophomore, junior, or senior in good academic standing with a GPA of 2.2 may take advantage of the P/F grading system through the first two weeks of the semester. The Registrar will receive a form with notification of the student's choice of electives for P/F grading and at the end of the semester will change the letter grade received from the instructor to Pass (for A, B, C, or D) or Fail (F). The P course shall not be used in computing the GPA.
Incomplete Grade Policy
The Incomplete (I) grade is used only when a student has met the class attendance requirements of a course and must postpone, for reasons beyond his/her control (individual or family health or emergency problems), the completion of certain papers, reports, or other assignments. Student failure to complete course requirements in a timely manner during the semester does NOT justify the instructor awarding an Incomplete grade. The request for an incomplete grade must be initiated by the student. The student must obtain the proper request form from the Registrar and submit a written request to the instructor. After reviewing the student's record, the instructor will determine the validity of the request and approve or deny the Incomplete grade. If the document is signed and approved, the instructor will forward the completed form to the Registrar's Office when submitting the course Grade Report.
At the time the Incomplete grade is requested, the student and the faculty member must agree on a date by which the course work must be completed. Incomplete grades must be resolved by the fifth week of the following academic semester. If the grade is not changed by the date on the request form, the "I" grade will be changed to an "F" grade. Any extensions needed for students with incomplete grades must go through Academic Standards.
If the student is not awarded an Incomplete and the student believes the required conditions have been met, a written appeal may be presented to the division chair responsible for the course. The division chair will evaluate the case and inform the student, the instructor, and the Registrar of the decision. If the division chair is the instructor, the VPAA will appoint a senior faculty member within the division to hear the student's appeal. The decision is final with no further appeal.
Repeating a Course
If a student voluntarily repeats a course, the better of the two grades will be used for the purpose of calculating the GPA and for meeting degree requirements. If the student withdraws from the course during the withdrawal period, the student will retain the first entered grade, which will be used in all calculations. The student's record will show that the course was repeated and the final grades for each time will be shown. Consult the Tuition Assistance Program in the Financial Aid section of this catalog for financial aid regulations regarding repeating a course.