GRADING AND CREDIT POLICIES |
GRADING
Reports of progress are kept by the College on all students. Grades will not be released to other parties without the written permission of the student. The following grades are used to report and record the level of student academic achievement:
Grade | Grade points per semester HOUR | ||
|---|---|---|---|
A | Superior Mastery | 4.0 | |
A- | 3.7 | ||
B+ | 3.3 | ||
B | Good Mastery | 3.0 | |
B- | 2.7 | ||
C+ | 2.3 | ||
C | Satisfactory Achievement | 2.0 | |
C- | 1.7 | ||
D+ | 1.3 | ||
D | Less than Satisfactory Achievement | 1.0 | |
D- | 0.7 | ||
F | Unsatisfactory Achievement; Failure to Achieve Minimum Competency | 0.0 | |
I | Incomplete | * | |
S | Satisfactory (equivalent to "C" or better) | * | |
U | Unsatisfactory (equivalent to "F") | * | |
W | Withdrawn | * | |
*Not used in computation of GPA |
In this grading system, each semester hour passed has a grade point value equated to the letter grade. Thus, a student who earns an “A” in a three-semester hour course earns 12 grade points for that course whereas he or she would earn 11.1 grade points (3 semester hours x 3.7 grade points) for an “A-” in a three-semester hour course.
The cumulative grade point average (GPA) is obtained by dividing the total semester hours attempted into the total grade points earned. The grades of “I,” “S,” “U,” and “W” are not used in this calculation. Semester and cumulative grade point averages are computed on the transcript at the end of each semester.
When serious illness or other unforeseeable circumstances prevent a student from completing the work for a course, an instructor may allow additional time to finish assignments by awarding an “I” (Incomplete). An “I” is not to be awarded as a remedy for failure to attend classes or to complete assigned work on time. Under no circumstances will students receiving an “I” have the opportunity to complete work not assigned to the entire class. An “I” indicates that a small portion of assigned work is unavoidably unfinished at the end of the term. A faculty member intending to award an “I” must fill out and submit to the Registrar a form explaining the reasons for the grade. This form must be submitted no later than the time when the grades for the class in which the “I” is given are turned in to the Registrar. The form will also indicate whether the student’s progress in the course is satisfactory (a “C” or better) at the time the “I” is awarded and must indicate that the student has substantially completed the course work at the time the application is filed. If the student fails to complete the course work by the date set by the published Catawba College Academic Calendar for the removal of “I” grades, the “I” becomes an “F” and may be changed only by action of the Academic Policies and Standards Committee.
The grades of “S” and “U” are used as final grades in practica and other experiential courses, which include Fieldwork, Internship, Practicum, and Student Teaching in all academic programs.
All student petitions for a change of grade must be presented to an individual faculty member no later than thirty calendar days after the beginning of the semester, excluding summer sessions, following the semester in which the grade was awarded.
REPEATING OF COURSES
All courses attempted and grades earned at Catawba College appear on a student’s permanent record. However, students may repeat courses up to two times and, in such instances, the highest grade achieved for the same course is the only grade used for calculating the Grade Point Average (GPA). Credit by examination may not be used for the purpose of repeating a course. Courses in which a “D+”, “D”, “D-”, or “F” was earned at Catawba College cannot be repeated elsewhere for credit at Catawba College.