Grading System

Sacred Heart University Graduate Grading System

* as designated by Department

I (Incomplete) grades may be changed by completing the deficient coursework no later than six weeks after the beginning of the following major semester (fall or spring.) All Incomplete grades not changed within the six-week period will revert to Fs. In unusual circumstances, the six-week period can be extended. (See IX)

(IX) (Incomplete Extension) grade will be in effect until the next conversion date which is six weeks into the following major semester. After that date, the Incomplete Extension grade will convert to an F. An extension for incomplete work may be given only once with the approval of the course instructor and the department chair. Incomplete grade extensions must be filed in writing with the Registrar’s Office by the instructor prior to the incomplete conversion date.

W (Withdrawal) grades are recorded when a student officially withdraws from a course within the approved time frame (see policy under Course Withdrawal).

NG (No Grade) is recorded by the Registrar when a grade is not reported by the instructor. Students will not receive credit for courses assigned a No Grade.

Quality grade points earned in a course are determined by multiplying the quality point value of the letter grade (see above chart) by the number of credits of the course. A term GPA is calculated by dividing the total number of quality grade points by the total number of credits taken during the term. A cumulative GPA is calculated by dividing the total number of quality grade points by the total number of credits taken at Sacred Heart University. Courses transferred into Sacred Heart University from other institutions do not factor into the Sacred Heart University grade point average.

Note: Grades of P/NP, W, I, AU, and NG are not included in the calculation of the term or cumulative GPA.

If a student repeats a course that had a passing grade, the best grade will be calculated into the student’s overall GPA. The initial grade will remain on the transcript but will not be calculated in the overall GPA. The student will receive academic credit for the course only once. See the policy for repeating a failed course under the Academic Forgiveness section.

Graduate students will receive a pass/fail grade only for courses designated by the department as pass/fail. These are generally limited to thesis, comprehensive examinations, and clinical affiliations. If a student enrolls in a course that is not required for his/her major, he/she may seek approval to put the course on pass/fail. Written approval from the Department Chair and College Dean is required.

Change of Grades

An instructor may submit a Change of Grade only due to miscalculation or clerical error of the original grade. Grade changes must be submitted by the instructor of record using the appropriate form or online procedure. Grade changes must be submitted no later than the end of the following semester in which the grade was posted. Any exceptions will require additional approval.

Student Grade Grievance—Policy and Procedure

A student’s dissatisfaction with a course grade is, in general, not sufficient grounds for warranting a grievance, convening a committee, or meriting a hearing.

Grounds for a grievance exist upon presentation of written documented evidence indicating:

• The process determining the grade differs from that outlined in the course syllabus; or
• The process determining the grade was not presented in writing to the students; or
• Discriminatory treatment.

A documented grievance associated with a grade must be presented within six (6) months after the original grade was issued.

If basis of a grade grievance is that the student was subjected to harassment or discrimination, the process will follow the university’s Anti-Discrimination and Harassment Policy. It is not the function of the Grade Grievance process to evaluate claims of discrimination or harassment. Please contact Renee Garcia-Prajer who will then evaluate whether the grade grievance should be paused until the allegations of discrimination and harassment are investigated.

For all other claims, the procedure for a documented grievance is as follows:

• The student is expected to resolve the issue at hand with the faculty member.
• If the solution as provided by the faculty member is unacceptable to the student, the student may present the case in writing with supporting evidence to the department chair of the faculty member involved. The department chair will then make a judgment, after consultation with the faculty member and the student, in an attempt to bring the matter to resolution.
• If the department chairperson is unable to bring the matter to resolution or the judgment is unacceptable to the student, the student may present a formal appeal in writing to the dean of the college in which the course was taken or to his/her designee.
• If the dean of the college or his/her designee finds that the appeal has merit, he/she will convene a grievance committee. This committee will consist of only faculty members: one faculty member selected by the student, one faculty member selected by the faculty member concerned, and one faculty member selected by the dean of the college or his/her designee. The chair of the faculty member against whom the grievance is filed is not eligible to serve on the Grade Grievance Committee. After reviewing all documented evidence, the grievance committee will then propose a solution, supported by a rationale in writing, that the grade either stands or should be changed by the faculty member. If the faculty member is unavailable to change the grade, the department chair shall serve in lieu of the unavailable faculty member.

In the extraordinary circumstances in which the faculty member does not accept the recommendation of the Grade Grievance Committee to change the grade after the Grade Grievance Committee ascertains that one or more grounds for a grievance outlined above has been substantiated, then the issue shall return to the Grade Grievance Committee, which will make the final grade decision to be implemented by the department chair. This step concludes the process.

Honors Designation for Graduating Graduate Students

The following represents the criteria for awarding the honors designation for graduate students at the time of their graduation:

• Students must be in top 20% of the graduating group within the degree program.
• Students must have obtained at least a cumulative GPA of 3.7.
• Students must have engaged in significant work (e.g., thesis, major project, course paper, etc.) that makes a recognized and documented contribution to the field of discipline.
• A recommendation that an honors designation be granted must be sent to the program director by a faculty member.
• Endorsement by the program director of the faculty member’s recommendation and a recommendation for the award to the dean of the college.