Grading System
The following grades are given in graduate courses; numerical values for letter grades are determined by individual academic programs:
A Four quality points per credit hour
B Three quality points per credit hour
C Two quality points per credit hour
The maximum number of hours of “C” grades permitted to count toward doctoral degrees, education specialist degrees, master’s degrees, master’s level professional educator certification programs, or graduate non-education certificates is six semester hours. Graduate students may earn no more than six (6) semester hours of grades below "B". Students who earn more than six (6) semester hours of "C" grades or below are automatically made ineligible, at which time they may petition the Dean of Graduate Studies through the academic appeals process. Some graduate programs may have more stringent requirements than university policy, and students should refer to their program for specific requirements.
F Failing - Zero quality points
P Passing - Grade given for thesis hours and other selected courses as specified in the course descriptions in this catalog.
The grade of “P” does not affect the GPA. The grade of “F” on a pass or fail course is computed as a regular “F” grade. A grade of “P” may only be assigned for the final thesis hours when the student has successfully defended the thesis and all paperwork has been signed by the thesis committee and submitted to Graduate Studies with the final thesis draft.
I Incomplete
Assigning the grade: The grade of “Incomplete” or “I” may be assigned by an instructor if extraordinary circumstances prevent a student from completing course requirements, and only if the student is passing the course after the last day to withdraw from the current term. The “I” grade does not immediately affect a student’s grade point average.
Completing the course requirements: The student is responsible for submitting the "Incomplete Grade Completion Plan" form after discussing the completion plans with the instructor. Coursework must be completed within the next major (fall or spring) semester. Grades of "I" will roll to "F" on the day grades are due in each term. Students should not register for the course again. Once the student has completed all course requirements, the instructor submits a grade change to the Registrar's Office. The Registrar then notifies the student of the grade change. Failure to complete course requirements within the established time frame will result in a grade of "F" being assigned.
Requesting extensions: The student must submit an "Incomplete Grade Extension Request" form to extend the time to complete the requirements within the following term. All incomplete grade extensions must be submitted to the Registrar prior to the last day of finals in the fall and spring semesters. The Instructor, Department Head, and Dean of Graduate Studies must approve the extension before the Registrar processes the request. If at any time during the process, as detailed above, the instructor is not available, the appropriate department head and/or academic dean will represent the instructor’s interest.
Incomplete grades and Graduation: All incomplete grade extensions for all courses, including those not required, must be completed prior to the degree being awarded. Otherwise, the grade of "I" will be converted to "F" in order for the degree GPA to be calculated.
NC No Credit
When a grade of incomplete is not applicable, the no credit (NC) grade may be given to a student who is otherwise passing but who is unable to complete a course due to circumstances beyond the student’s control. An “NC” grade is not calculated in the student’s GPA. A grade of “NC” must be approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies. A grade of “NC” cannot be retroactively assigned.
WF Withdraw Failing - Will be counted as a grade of “F” with zero quality points (Last term used, summer 2020)
WP Withdraw Passing - Non-punitive (Last term used, summer 2020)
X Audit - No credit
Grade Point Average (GPA)
A graduate student’s overall GPA is calculated on graduate-level courses only. The GPA is determined by dividing the quality points earned by the number of hours attempted. The GPA is not rounded. For reporting purposes, the GPA is truncated to two places past the decimal. All graduate coursework is factored into the GPA, even if a student takes courses not required for the degree, changes majors/concentrations, seeks a second graduate degree, etc.
Any student who does not attain good standing, as specified by their program, may be dropped from Graduate Studies. Good standing is defined as meeting the minimum required GPA for a degree or certificate program. For purposes of this regulation, the summer terms are collectively considered one semester.
Transfer credit cannot be used toward the GPA of JSU coursework to meet the required minimum GPA of any major, professional educator certification program, or graduate certificate program.
The maximum number of hours of “C” grades permitted to count toward doctoral degrees, education specialist degrees, master’s degrees, master’s level professional educator certification programs, or graduate non-education certificates is six (6) semester hours. Graduate students may earn no more than six (6) semester hours of grades below "B". Students who earn more than six (6) semester hours of "C" grades or below are automatically made ineligible, at which time they may petition the Dean of Graduate Studies through the academic appeals process. Some graduate programs may have more stringent requirements than university policy, and students should refer to their program for specific requirements.
Students may repeat only one graduate-level or doctoral-level course completed at the institution in which a "C" or lower was earned, and may repeat it only once per degree. While the original grade earned in the repeated course will remain on the student's transcript, only the most recent grade will be counted into the GPA no matter if it is higher or lower.
Midterm and Final Grades
At midterm, a grade is assigned to students who currently have a grade of “F” or “NC” in any class. This grade may be accessed for a limited time in MyJaxState (MyJSU). Midterm grades are reported for fall and spring semesters only. Final grades may be accessed the same as midterm grades.