Grade Policy and Credit

Grades and the Grading System

A student will receive grades on various types of classroom performance during the progress of most courses and a final grade at the end of the term. At the end of the term, grades are available online. Individual tests are usually graded with percentage or letter marks, but official academic records are maintained with a grade-point system. Overall scholastic averages are computed on a quality point ratio basis, wherein the sum of the quality points earned is divided by the sum of the credits attempted. The quality point value per credit for each letter grade is shown in the following tables:

Grades
Grade	Quality Points	Key
A	4.0
A-	3.7
B+	3.3
B	3.0
B-	2.7
C+	2.3
C	2.0
C-	1.7
D+	1.3
D+	0.0	Graduate Courses Only
D	1.0
D	0.0	Graduate Courses Only
D-	0.7
D-	0.0	Graduate Courses only
F	0.0	Failure
I	0.0	Incomplete
IP	0.0	In Progress
AUD	0.0	Audit
CR	0.0	Credit
NC	0.0	No Credit
WD	0.0	Withdrawn
NGR	0.0	No grade reported
INV	0.0	Invalid grade reported
PI	0.0	Permanent Incomplete
R	0.0	Repeat

Notes: Prior to Fall Semester 1973 cumulative grade point averages included transfer work. A student cannot raise a grade through re-examination.

I - Incomplete: Indicates that the student has done passing work in the course but that some part of the work is, for good and acceptable reason, not complete at the end of the term. Failure to make up the omitted work satisfactorily by the end of exam week of the following term, not including summer sessions, converts the “I” to an “F.” When the work is satisfactorily completed within the allotted time, the “I” is converted to whatever grade the student has earned. It is the responsibility of the student to make up the incomplete work. The faculty member should submit the new grade to the Office of the University Registrar via the grade roster, which is available through MyAkron. If the instructor wishes to extend the “I” grade beyond the following term for which the student is registered, the instructor should submit an incomplete extension form, which is available through MyAkron, before the end of the semester.

IP - In Progress: Indicates that the student has not completed the scheduled coursework during the semester because the nature of the course does not permit completion within a single semester, such as work toward a thesis. An “IP” grade should be assigned only in graduate courses.

PI - Permanent Incomplete: Indicates that the student’s instructor and the dean with jurisdiction over the course may for special reason authorize the change of an incomplete “I” to a permanent incomplete “PI.”

WD - Withdraw: Indicates that the student registered for the course but withdrew officially after the 15th day of the term.

NGR - No Grade Reported: Indicates that, at the time grades were processed for the current issue of the record, no grade had been reported by the instructor.

INV - Invalid: Indicates the grade reported by the instructor of the course was improperly noted and thus unacceptable for proper processing.

Special Credit/No Credit grading basis for Spring 2020 only:

CRX - Credit: Indicates that the student earned a letter grade of C- or higher and was awarded credit. Grade does not impact the GPA

NCX - No Credit: Indicates that the student earned a letter grade of D+ or lower and was not awarded credit. Grade does not impact the GPA

Credit/Noncredit Option (undergraduate and post baccalaureate only)

A student who takes a course on a “credit” or “noncredit” (CR/NC) basis, and who earns a grade equivalent to “A” through “C-,” shall receive credit (“CR”) for the course and have the grade, “CR,” placed on the permanent record; a grade equivalent to “D+” through “F” will be recorded with the noncredit grade, “NC.”

For the baccalaureate degree, no more than 16 credits of non-language courses and no more than 20 credits in total (including language courses) are permitted to be taken on a CR/NC basis. For the associate degree, no more than eight credits of non-language courses and no more than 10 credits in total, including language courses, is permitted.

A student is eligible for the CR/NC option if the student has:

Completed 50% of the number of credits required for a degree
A GPA of at least 2.30
The consent of an advisor

The CR/NC option is available only at the time of registration for the course. After the first week of the term or first two days of a summer session, the status cannot be changed. The University Registrar will notify the instructor of those students utilizing the CR/NC option by means of the final class list.

Courses that can be taken on a CR/NC basis:

One free elective (not in major field) course per term
Any first- and/or second-year foreign language course at any time, regardless of grade-point average

Courses that cannot be taken CR/NC:

Any General Education courses
Courses required by colleges and departments of all undergraduate majors

Courses for which “CR” is awarded will be counted as hours completed only; courses for which “NC” is awarded shall not be counted as hours attempted; in neither case shall “CR” or “NC” be considered in calculating grade-point average, but in both instances the course shall be entered on the student’s official academic record. A student may repeat a course for credit (CR), or a grade (A-F) after receiving a grade of “NC.” A college may designate in the printed schedule, on an annual basis, a course as not available to be taken on a “CR/NC” basis. A student taking a course on a “CR/NC” basis is expected to meet the full requirements of the course as required by the instructor.

Changing Grades

A student who wishes to appeal a final grade must initiate the procedure by the end of the fifth week of the spring semester for grades received during the preceding fall semester, and by the fifth week of the fall semester for grades received during the preceding spring or summer semesters. For grades earned during the semester in which a student graduates, grade appeals must be initiated and completed before the degree is posted to the student’s permanent record. Students must first review the matter with the instructor. If the matter is not resolved, or if the instructor is not available, the student must submit a written appeal to the department chair or school director.

Re-examination for the purpose of raising a grade is not permitted.

Audit Policy

A student choosing to audit a course must elect to do so at the time of registration. The student pays the enrollment fee and may be expected to do all the work prescribed for students taking the course for credit, except that of taking the examination. Any faculty member may initiate withdrawal for a student not meeting these expectations.

Importance of Grades

Grades determine whether a student is either eligible or ineligible to remain at the University. Eligibility to participate in the 200-plus registered student organizations and other co-curricular activities is dependent on the student’s maintenance of good academic standing at the University. A student who has not been placed on probation or dismissed from the University is deemed to be in good academic standing. Some selective organizations such as honoraries and varsity athletics require special eligibility criteria. On the basis of grades, a student receives opportunities to take additional courses to accelerate academic progress. Acceptance for admission to a college depends on the approval of the dean of the college which the student chooses to enter and on the student's academic performance to date.

President’s and Dean’s List

Undergraduate students who earn 12 letter-graded credits or more and earn a grade point average of 4.0 are eligible for inclusion on the President's List. Undergraduate students who earn at least 6 but fewer than 12 letter-graded credits and earn a grade point average of 4.0 are eligible for inclusion on the Part-Time President's List. This is an undergraduate academic honor recognizing excellence in the classroom prior to the completion of the degree. Developmental Program course load hours do not carry academic credit toward a degree and are not considered in determining President's List honors but do count in computing a student’s course load for financial aid or student employment, and are used in probation and dismissal decisions.

Undergraduate students who earn 12 letter-graded credits or more and earn a grade point average of 3.5 or better are eligible for inclusion on the Dean’s List of their respective college. Undergraduate students who earn at least 6 but fewer than 12 letter-graded credits and earn a grade point average of 3.5 or better are eligible for inclusion on the Part-Time Dean’s List of their respective college. This is an undergraduate academic honor recognizing excellence in the classroom prior to the completion of the degree. Developmental Program course load hours do not carry academic credit toward a degree and are not considered in determining Dean’s List honors but do count in computing a student’s course load for financial aid or student employment, and are used in probation and dismissal decisions.

Probation-Dismissal

Probation is a warning to the student whose academic record is unsatisfactory and who is in danger of being dismissed from the university. A student may, however, be dismissed without having previously been placed on probation.

An undergraduate student whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 is placed on academic probation and is subject to such academic action, including but not limited to mandatory repeat for change of grade, credit hour restriction, and student success programming, as may be imposed by the dean of the student's degree-granting college, or by the dean’s designee.

An undergraduate student whose cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0 for consecutive semesters (excluding summer semesters) will be evaluated at the end of each of the second and third consecutive semesters for dismissal from the university by the dean of the student's degree-granting college, or by the dean’s designee. The dean may retain an undergraduate student for the third or fourth consecutive semester if the term grade point average has improved significantly but the cumulative grade point average remains below 2.0. An undergraduate student whose cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0 for each of four consecutive semesters will be dismissed from the university.

An undergraduate student not yet enrolled in a degree-granting college will be evaluated for dismissal, according to the criteria above, by the head of the division of student success, or by the head’s designee. Decisions regarding retention or dismissal will be made by the dean of a student’s degree-granting college, or by the dean’s designee.

To be eligible for readmission, previously dismissed students must have either:

completed at a regionally accredited college or university at least 18 credit hours, with a 2.5 GPA or higher, that will apply toward a degree at the University of Akron or,
waited a minimum of two calendar years from the date of dismissal and submitted a written statement outlining the causes of poor academic performance and steps taken toward improvement.

Students readmitted on probation will be evaluated for retention or dismissal immediately following the first semester after readmission, with the option to retain for one additional semester if the term GPA has improved significantly but the cumulative GPA remains below 2.0.

Repeating Courses

Any course may be repeated twice by an undergraduate student subject to the following conditions:

To secure a grade (“A-F”) a student may repeat a course in which the previously received grade was a “C-,” “D+,” “D,” “D-,” or “F,” “CR,” “NC,” or “AUD.” Registrations under the “CR/NC” option are subject to the restrictions in the “CR/NC” policy
To secure a “CR,” a student may repeat a course in which the previously received grade was a “NC.” Registrations under the “CR/NC” option are subject to the restrictions in the “CR/NC” policy
To secure a grade (“A-F”), “CR,” “NC,” a student may repeat a course in which the previously received grade was an “AUD.” Registrations under the “CR/NC” option are subject to the restrictions in the “CR/NC” policy
A graded course (“A-F”) may not be repeated for a grade of “AUD”
A course taken under the “CR/NC” option may not be repeated for a grade of “AUD”
With the dean’s permission, a student may substitute another course if the previous course is no longer offered. Courses must be repeated at The University of Akron
Grades for all attempts at a course will appear on the student’s official academic record
Only the grade for the last attempt will be used in the grade-point average
For purposes of this section, credit for this course or its equivalent will apply only once toward meeting degree requirements

Course Substitution Policy

The University of Akron recognizes that some students may be unable to satisfy specific coursework requirements for degree completion. Therefore, the student may request a course substitution. A course substitution is not appropriate when the specific course(s) is essential to the degree being sought and a substitution would represent a fundamental alteration of the program. The process for requesting a course substitution is as follows:

The student contacts his/her advisor and requests a course substitution.

If the request(s) is based on a disability, the Office of Accessibility shall be consulted and shall assist the advisor and student in the facilitation of a solution
If the advisor approves, an appropriate substitution is agreed upon and the recommendation with rationale is forwarded to the department chair or school director for approval
The student shall be advised of and sign an informed consent form which is forwarded with the recommendation and which states the following:
- You have been advised that this substitution is only applicable in this college and is not binding on any other college within the University
- You understand that a course substitution may ultimately affect further studies at this university or other colleges and universities including graduate studies
If the department chair or school director approves, the recommendation with rationale is forwarded to the Dean
If the Dean approves, the office of the Dean shall notify all parties concerned
Approved course substitutions should be entered in the Degree Progress Report by the appropriate office
If the Dean disapproves, the student may request a review by the Senior Vice President and Provost and Chief Operating Officer

Academic Reassessment

Due to Leave of Absence

To be eligible for academic reassessment due to leave of absence, a student shall:

Have not attended The University of Akron for at least two calendar years. A semester or summer session in which the student received all “WD” grades cannot be counted as part of the separation period; and
Have re-enrolled and maintained a grade point average of 2.5 or higher for the first 24 letter-graded (“A” through “F”) hours attempted at The University of Akron; and
Have not used academic reassessment due to leave of absence before at The University of Akron; and
Submit a written request for academic reassessment to the student’s college dean’s office. To apply for academic reassessment, the student shall complete the appropriate form in consultation with his/her academic advisor. The Office of the University Registrar shall confirm eligibility and make the adjustments to the student’s academic record.
The student begins with a new cumulative grade point average and adjusted credit hour totals. Credit hours are defined as semester hours. Only grades with a “C-“ or lower may be reassessed. The student, in consultation with his/her academic advisor, shall identify the courses to be reassessed. For reassessment due to leave of absence, grades to be reassessed shall come from the time period prior to the student’s re-enrollment following the two-year absence.
Grades earned for the courses that are reassessed at The University of Akron are excluded from the calculation of the cumulative “GPA,” but will remain on the student’s official transcript
Credit hours earned for courses at The University of Akron during the previous enrollment with a grade of “C” or better, including “CR,” are retained
For reassessment due to leave of absence, credit hours from all reassessed courses taken during the previous enrollment at The University of Akron with a grade of “C-“ or lower are removed from the calculation of the cumulative “GPA” (although the grades are retained on the academic transcript with the notation “academic reassessment policy”)

Due to Change of Major

To be eligible for academic reassessment due to change of major, a student shall:

Have changed major during the first sixty credit hours attempted at The University of Akron; and
Have maintained a grade point average of 2.5 or higher for the first 24 letter-graded (“A” through “F”) hours attempted subsequent to the student’s change of major; and
Have not used academic reassessment due to change of major before at The University of Akron; and
Submit a written request for academic reassessment to the student’s college dean’s office. To apply for academic reassessment, the student shall complete the appropriate form in consultation with his/her academic advisor. The Office of the University Registrar shall confirm eligibility and make the adjustments to the student’s academic record.
The student begins with a new cumulative grade point average and adjusted credit hour totals. Credit hours are defined as semester hours. Only grades with a “C-“ or lower may be reassessed. The student, in consultation with his/her academic advisor, shall identify the courses to be reassessed. For reassessment due to change of major, grades to be reassessed shall come from the time period prior to the student’s change of major.
Grades earned for the courses that are reassessed at The University of Akron are excluded from the calculation of the cumulative “GPA,” but will remain on the student’s official transcript
Credit hours earned for courses at The University of Akron during the previous enrollment with a grade of “C” or better, including “CR,” are retained
For reassessment due to change of major, up to three courses may be reassessed. Credit hours from all reassessed courses taken prior to the change of major at The University of Akron with a grade of “C-“ or lower are removed from the calculation of the cumulative “GPA” (although the grades are retained on the academic transcript with the notation “academic reassessment policy”)

The Office of the University Registrar will apply the following provisions of the academic reassessment policy:

When counting the first 24 credits attempted, if the 24th credit is part of other credits earned during a semester, the entire number of credits earned for that semester will be calculated into the grade-point average
An undergraduate student may utilize each academic reassessment policy only one time in his/her career at The University of Akron
This policy applies to undergraduate course work taken at The University of Akron and only for undergraduate students earning a first undergraduate degree
Any academic probations, suspensions or dismissals from reassessed semesters shall not be forgiven. They will count when the probation-dismissal policy is applied to the student’s record after readmission
A student may seek an exception to this policy through an appeal to the senior vice president and provost and chief operating officer whose decision will be final

Academic Misconduct

It is each student’s responsibility to know what constitutes academic misconduct. The University of Akron’s Code of Student Conduct defines academic misconduct as any activity that compromises the academic integrity of the student and university, and undermines the educational process. Academic misconduct includes but is not limited to:

Cheating, including but not limited to:

Use of unauthorized assistance in taking quizzes, tests, or examinations.
Submitting substantially the same work to satisfy requirements for one course or academic requirement that has been submitted in satisfaction of requirements for another course or academic requirement, without permission of the faculty member of the course for which the work is being submitted or supervising authority for the academic requirement.
Use of sources prohibited by the faculty member in writing papers, preparing reports, solving problems, or carrying out other assignments.
Inappropriate acquisition and/or improper distribution of tests or other academic materials without the permission of the faculty member.
Engaging in any behavior specifically prohibited by a faculty member in the course syllabus or during class discussion.

Plagiarism, including but not limited to:

Intentional or unintentional representation of ideas or works of another author or creator in whole or in part as the student's own without properly citing the original source for those ideas or works.
The use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials.

An incident of academic misconduct may be resolved and a sanction assessed in a meeting between the faculty member and student. The faculty member should confer with the Department of Student Conduct and Community Standards to determine whether any prior academic misconduct has occurred. If there is no history of prior academic misconduct and the student and faculty member agree on the facts of the incident and the proposed sanction, the matter can be resolved informally through the use of the Academic Misconduct Notification Form located on the Department of Student Conduct and Community Standards webpage. If agreement has been reached and the Academic Misconduct Notification Form has been signed by both the student and faculty member a copy should be retained by the faculty member and student, and the original should be sent to the Department of Student Conduct and Community Standards.

If the student and faculty member disagree about the facts of the incident or the proposed sanction, or the student chooses not to sign the form, or the faculty member chooses not to resolve the matter informally, then the matter should be referred to the Department of Student Conduct and Community Standards for adjudication as provided in the Code of Student Conduct.

For additional information or resources concerning academic misconduct or the Code of Student Conduct, please contact the Department of Student Conduct and Community Standards.

Department of Student Conduct and Community Standards
Simmons Hall, Room 302
(330)972-6380
studentconduct@uakron.edu
www.uakron.edu/studentconduct

Transient Work at Another University

The purpose of transient work is to provide The University of Akron student with opportunity to:

take a course that is not offered at The University of Akron; or,
if the student is away in the summer, to take a course in a distant location; or,
in rare cases, a student who is only a few credits shy of graduation and must leave The University of Akron due to extenuating circumstances.

These courses will be listed on The University of Akron official academic record. Each course will reflect the course number, title, grade and credit value; no grade-point value will appear on the record and the grade for such course will not be included in The University of Akron grade-point calculation. The name of the institution will be listed on The University of Akron official academic record as well as the date that the coursework was taken.

Any University of Akron student who wishes to take coursework at another regionally accredited institution of higher education must receive prior approval by the academic dean of the appropriate unit if the student intends to apply this coursework toward a degree at The University of Akron.

A student can make an official request for transient credit by submitting a Transient Permission Form. If the coursework taken at another institution will be used to satisfy The University of Akron General Education requirements, prior written permission to take the course must be received from the office responsible for transfer student services unless the course has been previously approved as an equivalency by The University of Akron.
If the coursework taken at another institution will be used to satisfy a degree granting college degree requirement or as elective credit, prior written permission to take the course must be received from the dean of the student’s degree granting college unless the course has been previously approved as an equivalency by The University of Akron.
A student must earn a grade of “D-” or better in the course at the other institution in order for the credits to apply toward the student’s degree requirements at The University of Akron unless otherwise specified by the degree-granting college. The student must provide the official transcript for the course in order to receive credit.
No more than 18 total credit hours of transient work may be approved prior to the granting of a baccalaureate degree. No more than nine total credit hours of transient work may be approved prior to the granting of an associate degree.
Approvals for transient attendance at other institutions are valid for only the requested term and are subject to all restrictions of the dean of the college approving the request for transient credit.
Students who are on probation, dismissed or are in the last 30 hours of a baccalaureate degree or are in the last 15 hours of an associate degree are restricted or denied transient permission by either the dean of the degree granting college or the dean of the University College except in rare and compelling circumstances.

Note: Coursework taken at another institution cannot be considered for The University of Akron’s Repeat for Change of Grade policy or Academic Reassessment policy and will not be calculated into the UA grade point average.