Grades and Academic Standing

University Grading Policy

Final Grades

Programs may require minimum grades in specific courses; the University requires that graduate students achieve an overall cumulative grade point index of at least 3.0 for graduation.

The following quality point scale is used in the University of Delaware grading system:

Students permitted to withdraw after the announced deadlines for whom the grade is reported as a failing grade will receive a grade of F for the course unless the Office of Graduate and Professional Education approves their withdrawal “without penalty”.

Students may not graduate if their record contains any temporary grades unless the course with an incomplete grade applies to a higher level degree. For example, a student can be cleared for an Associate in Arts degree if the student has an incomplete grade in a course that applies to the bachelor’s degree and not to the associate degree.

Temporary Grades

No student will be permitted to graduate from the University with temporary grades pending. Students intending to receive a master’s degree who have been given permission to continue studies toward a doctoral degree may retain those temporary grades that do not apply to the master’s course of study. If a student does not take steps to remove temporary grades, these grades will be changed to F at the expiration of the regular degree program time limits.

The following temporary grades are used:

I - Incomplete. In the event that a student fails to complete a course due to illness or other reason deemed adequate by the instructor.

An “I” grade must be removed no later than the end of the first six weeks of the semester immediately following, e.g., incomplete work for the fall semester must be completed by the end of the first six weeks of the spring semester following; incomplete work for the spring semester must be completed by the end of the first six weeks of the following fall semester. Incomplete work for either summer session must be completed by the end of the first six weeks of the following fall semester.

An incomplete (“I”) grade will default to a grade of “F” six weeks into the next regular semester. At the time of grading, course instructors who give an “I” grade must submit the Incomplete Grade Explanation or Extension web form if they wish to provide an alternative to the default grade of “F” or if they wish to extend the default deadline to allow the student additional time to complete the work. The Incomplete Grade Explanation or Extension web form can be found in the UDSIS Faculty Center Forms folder.

S - Satisfactory Progress. For thesis research, dissertation, independent study, special problems, distance learning, and other courses which span two semesters or in which assignments extend beyond the grading deadline in a given semester.

U - Unsatisfactory Progress. For thesis research, dissertation, independent study, special problems, distance learning, and other courses which span two semesters or in which assignments extend beyond the grading deadline in a given semester.

Temporary grades of S and U are recorded where the work normally extends beyond the regular semester periods. The time limit for such grades is determined by the nature of the project. Final grades are normally recorded at the completion of the project. The grade recorded for the last course entry (a final grade) is understood to be the grade that applies to all preceding S or U grades in that course. If instructors wish to change individual S or U grades, they may do so in the regular manner through change-of-grade forms. The revised current and cumulative summaries will be posted on the permanent record at the time of and along with the recording of grade changes.

N - No grade reported by instructor.

Dismissal Policies

Academic Good Standing

To be considered in good academic standing, a student must maintain a minimum cumulative graduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale each semester. To be eligible for an advanced degree, a student’s cumulative grade point average shall be at least a 3.00 and the student’s grades in courses counted toward the degree requirements of the program shall equal at least a 3.00. A grade below a C- will not be counted toward the course requirements for a degree but is calculated in the student’s cumulative grade point average.

In addition to the University’s definition of good standing, some programs may also require minimum grades in specific courses in the program. These courses are identified in each program’s policy and procedures manual and these unit-specific requirements have been approved by the Faculty Senate.

Performance in graduate lecture courses and seminars is evaluated according to the University’s Grading Policy. When the work required in research (868/968), dissertation (969), master’s thesis (869), or special problem (866) extends beyond the regular semester period, temporary grades of “S” and “U” should be recorded. Final letter grades are to be recorded only at the completion of the project.

Academic Deficiency And Probation

The Graduate College monitors the academic progress of all graduate students and notifies students in writing of all academic deficiencies. The cumulative GPA after each nine-hour increment determines academic standing.

In addition to the University policy regarding minimum grade point averages, some departments require graduate students to maintain certain performance minima in their programs of study in all or in particular courses. Failure to meet the stated minima may lead to academic dismissal from the program.

Graduate Studies Dismissal Policy

The University’s Academic Probation Policy is expressed in the following chart:

The Graduate College notifies students when they are dismissed from graduate programs without completing a degree. Dismissals usually take place at the end of a term. Students may be dismissed for the following reasons:

• Upon the expiration of the five-year time limit for master’s degree programs or for those students in a doctoral program who were admitted with a master’s degree. Upon the expiration of the seven-year time limit for doctoral students who were admitted without a master’s degree.
• Upon the failure to meet the grade point average requirements as stated in the policy on Academic Deficiency and Probation.
• Upon written notice to the Graduate College of voluntary withdrawal from the program.
• Upon failure to pass the preliminary, language, or comprehensive/candidacy examination(s), a thesis/dissertation/executive position paper proposal defense, or a thesis/dissertation/executive position paper defense.
• Upon the failure to achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 upon the completion of the stated number of required credits for a degree.
• Upon the failure to meet the stated minima in specific course requirements as identified by individual programs when a department has a policy that such failure leads to dismissal from the program.
• Upon failure to satisfactorily conduct research required for the degree.
• Upon the determination by the faculty of the student’s department that the student has failed to meet or has failed to make satisfactory progress towards meeting academic standards required of the student’s program other than the failure to achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 upon the completion of the stated number of required credits for a degree.
• Upon failure of a graduate, research, or teaching assistant to perform assigned duties adequately. A student’s stipend may not be terminated without the Dean’s approval and the approval of the Associate Dean of the Graduate College. The Graduate College must be informed of a student’s stipend termination prior to the initiation of an HR Employee Termination Form.

At the close of each semester, winter session, or summer session, in those circumstances deemed appropriate by the department or program faculty exercising its professional judgment, the faculty of each department or program may evaluate the progress of a graduate student toward meeting the academic standards of the program in which the student is enrolled. In addition to graded course work, academic standards include, but are not limited to, professional, ethical, clinical, and other standards required of graduate students.

Students are entitled to know the procedures and standards by which their academic performance is assessed. Each program has a statement of policies and procedures by which student academic progress is monitored and by which comprehensive, qualifying, and final examinations/defenses are conducted and graded. If, in the professional judgment of a department or program faculty, a student has failed to make satisfactory progress toward meeting the academic standards of the program in which that student is enrolled, the faculty may vote to dismiss that student from the program.

In the case of dismissal, the program director is required to send a report to the Associate Dean of the Graduate College that states the faculty vote on the decision causing dismissal and the justification for this action. The Associate Dean of the Graduate College will notify a student in writing when the student is being dismissed for failure to make satisfactory progress in the program.

In the case of academic dismissal, the student may appeal the termination by writing to the Dean of the Graduate College. This appeal must be made within ten class days from the date on which the student has been notified of academic dismissal. The Dean will review the appeal and may either uphold the dismissal, grant reinstatement or refer the case to the Graduate Hearing Board for resolution. If the Dean grants reinstatement, the student must meet the conditions of the reinstatement. Failure to meet these conditions will result in dismissal from the program. A graduate student may be reinstated only once to a given major. The student’s academic transcript will reflect the reinstatement with the appropriate academic probation status.

Re-Enrollment Following Academic Dismissal

A graduate student who has been dismissed from the University for academic deficiency may not be readmitted to the major from which the student was dismissed. This policy does not apply to a student who is dismissed for exceeding the time limit for the completion of the degree and is granted reinstatement to the original major for an extension of time.

A student who is dismissed may be admitted as a matriculated graduate student in a different major. The student must apply and be approved through regular admission procedures. A graduate student may be readmitted only one time to a different major after academic dismissal. All information related to the dismissal is available to the new program admissions committee.

The student’s grade point average at the time of dismissal shall not carry over to the new major. The student’s academic grade point average shall be based on grades received following admission to a new program. Similarly, credit for courses completed while matriculated in the major from which a student is dismissed may not be used to fulfill requirements of a different graduate program.

Reapplication After Graduation Or Withdrawal

Students who have officially withdrawn from a graduate program at the University or students who have completed a terminal degree program and subsequently seek to reenter the University for further graduate study must apply for admission and follow the same procedures as any other student seeking admission to graduate study. Students continuing in a doctoral program immediately after completing the master’s degree in the same major may request this change of program on a Change of Classification Form.

Honor Societies

Honor societies at the University of interest to graduate students include Phi Beta Kappa (scholarship in liberal arts), Phi Kappa Phi (scholarship, without regard to area of study), Alpha Zeta (agriculture), Omicron Delta Epsilon (economics), Kappa Delta Pi (education), Tau Beta Pi (engineering), Pi Mu Epsilon (mathematics), Sigma Theta Tau (nursing), Sigma Pi Sigma (physics), Psi Chi (psychology), and Sigma Xi (scientific research).