Grades
Grading System
Graduate Letter Grades
| Grade | Meaning | Grade Points per Hour |
|---|---|---|
| A | Excellent | 4.00 |
| B | Good | 3.00 |
| C | Average | 2.00 |
| D | Failure | 0.00 |
| F | Failure | 0.00 |
| FN | Failure1 - Stopped Attending Class | 0.00 |
| FX | Failure - Academic Dishonesty | 0.00 |
| I | Incomplete | 0.00 |
| IM | Incomplete Due to Military Activation | 0.00 |
| P | Passing | 0.00 |
| S | Passing | 0.00 |
| U | Failure | 0.00 |
| UN | Failure1 - Stopped Attending Class | 0.00 |
| W | Withdraw | 0.00 |
| WM | Withdraw Due to Military Activation | 0.00 |
| AU | Audit | 0.00 |
| CR | Credit Only | 0.00 |
| IP | In Progress | 0.00 |
| NC | No Credit | 0.00 |
| NR | Not Reported | 0.00 |
- 1
FN/UN: Students who stop attending/participation in online courses and do not resume participation have unofficially withdrawn from the class. This act may have significant financial aid repercussions. EKU is required by the U.S. Department of Education to provide a last date of attendance/participation for such students.
Throughout this Catalog, specific grade requirements are to be interpreted precisely as stated. Thus, if a requirement specifies that a grade of at least “C” is required, a “C-” will not satisfy the requirement. If it is intended that “C-” is to be allowed, a “C-” will be listed rather than “C.” This applies to all specific grade requirements.
The grade point average (GPA) is based on those courses in which a student earns a normal letter grade (“A”-“F”, or “U”). The overall graduate grade point average includes all graduate course work taken by the student at any institution at any time unless specifically excluded. The program graduate grade point average includes only those courses included as a part of the student’s planned program.
Incomplete Grade Agreement
When a student has extenuating circumstances that impede him/her from completing a course, an incomplete grade may be awarded as a temporary final grade. The incomplete grade cannot be used simply because a student has failed to complete the work in the course or as a means of raising the student’s grade by doing additional work after the grade report time. Students must request an incomplete grade from the faculty member prior to the last day of class when a student wishes to pursue an incomplete grade. If the instructor agrees that the student has extenuating circumstances beyond his/her control and the instructor agrees to assign an incomplete grade, the instructor must complete an Incomplete Grade Agreement detailing all outstanding assignments and/or conditions needed to complete the course, and a due date for each assignment.
An incomplete grade may not be given as a midterm grade. Any student given an incomplete is expected to have satisfactorily completed at least 60% of the course.
The following procedure applies when an instructor has agreed to assign a grade of “I” for students who are unable to complete the course because of extenuating circumstances.
- On the Incomplete Grade Agreement, the instructor will identify all outstanding assignments and/or other conditions needed to complete the course, and due dates for each assignment.
- Faculty are strongly encouraged to give students the shortest reasonable time period in which to complete the work. The longest possible time period is the end of the next regular semester (fall/spring); however, typically it benefits students to complete work before they begin classes the next semester.
- The Incomplete Grade Agreement must be signed by the faculty member, student, chair of the department offering the course, and dean of the college offering the course. Student approval of the terms of the Incomplete Agreement can be submitted electronically, and attached to the form. Chairs should assure that the Agreement includes reasonable due dates for completing the work, and all signatures.
- The Incomplete Grade Agreement must be received by the Registrar’s Office no later than 15 university business days past the deadline for final grade submission. While the faculty will be able to submit the “I” grade through the online grade submission process, any “I” grade that is not accompanied by an Incomplete Grade Agreement within 15 university business days of the advertised final grade submission deadline will be converted to an “F.”
- Outstanding work must be completed by the student and a Grade Change form must be submitted by the instructor to the Registrar’s Office by the deadline noted on the Incomplete Grade Agreement. If a grade change is not submitted by the established deadline, the incomplete will automatically default to a failing (“F”) grade.
- If, due to extenuating circumstances, a student is unable to complete the contracted course work to fulfill the incomplete course by the deadline on the Incomplete Grade Agreement, the student has the option of requesting a one-time, one semester extension to the incomplete deadline. The student must initiate the request through the instructor before the original deadline. Approval of the extension of an incomplete grade is not automatic and depends on the student’s unique circumstances.
A grade of “IP” is available for courses which the graduate faculty has anticipated may take more than the normal semester, such as thesis. “IP” grades are available only in courses which have been approved to receive “IP” grades by the Graduate Council and the Council on Academic Affairs. A student assigned an “IP” grade for internship, practicum or self-paced courses must complete requirements within the calendar year after the “IP” is awarded to receive credit for the course. If requirements are not completed, the Registrar will change the “IP” grade to “NC” (No Credit), and the student must register again for the course to receive credit. Grades of “IP” for thesis must be changed within seven years.
A degree cannot be awarded to a student with any incomplete or non-recorded (NR) grades for EKU courses on his/her record. Any student who is a pending graduate with unresolved EKU incomplete grades (“I”) will be given the choice of either accepting an “F” for the course (or “NC” for unresolved “IP” grades) or being deferred to the next term for graduation consideration.
Grade Appeals
If a student believes that the final grade assigned in a course is unjustified, that student should consult the instructor, seeking a satisfactory explanation. If, after doing so, the student still feels that the grade is unjustified, the student may appeal the grade, in writing, to the department chair. A written appeal must be filed with the chair within 30 days after the beginning of the next semester (exclusive of summer session). Refer to the University Handbook for Students for complete policy concerning grade appeals.
Repeating Courses and Grade Calculation
Students may repeat a graduate course one time for the purposes of grade replacement, as long as the repeat is not prohibited by the policy of the graduate program. Individual graduate programs may impose limitations on course repetitions, and the student should consult with the advisor and/or graduate program coordinator/department chair for the program’s policy regarding repeat of courses. An enrollment is counted as a repeat if previous enrollment in the course resulted in a passing or failing grade. For repeated courses, the best grade earned will replace a lower grade in calculations of the student’s term and cumulative GPA. The grade replacement occurs irrespective of whether the lower grade was earned in the original taking of the course or in a repeat enrollment.
The repeated course and grade will still appear on the transcript but with the notation indicating whether the grade is included or excluded from the student’s GPA. If a student attempts to repeat a course and replace the grade but then withdraws from the course, that course attempt will not be counted among those for which grade replacement is available.
Students who repeat a course in which they earned a failing grade, and fail the course again, will have the most recent failing grade included in the GPA.
A graduate student may enroll in a course for the third time (second repeat) only under unusual circumstances and with the written approval of the advisor, the department chair/program coordinator of the student’s major, the dean of the college of the student’s major, and the Dean of the Graduate School. If a student enrolls in a course for a third or subsequent time without approval, the student may be administratively withdrawn from the course. The grade earned in a course taken at another institution will not replace a grade earned at Eastern Kentucky University. A grade of “S,” “CR,” or “P” will not replace a letter grade.
Grade Change
All grade changes must be made by the following deadlines:
- for fall semester grades—the last day of classes for the following spring semester; and
- for spring and summer semester grades— the last day of classes for the following fall semester.
Changes to Transcript
Once a degree has been posted to the transcript, changes will not be made to courses or grades earned prior to the posting of the degree.
Transcript Notations
A student’s academic standing (good standing, academic probation, academic suspension, or academic dismissal) is determined at the conclusion of each semester and is notated term by term on the student’s transcript.
Expulsion is the permanent separation of a student from the institution. Expulsion at EKU is restricted to the most egregious academic or disciplinary offenses. Expulsion, due to its permanent nature, is notated on the official transcript with the comment, “Expelled – ineligible to return”.
Details of due process that can lead to expulsion of a student can be found in the Eastern Kentucky University Handbook for Students. For process and sanction details refer to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards http://studentrights.eku.edu/student-conduct
Pass-Fail Grades and Audit
The Pass-Fail and Audit options are available for students who wish to take graduate courses for their own professional growth or personal interest. Not all courses are approved to be taken as Pass-Fail or Audit. The Office of the Registrar will verify the course is approved to be taken as Pass-Fail or Audit. Courses taken Pass-Fail or Audit may not be used in any graduate program. Students may select the “Pass-Fail” option by completing the Audit/Pass-Fail registration form, available from the Office of the Registrar. Students may change to or from the Pass-Fail option by the date specified each semester in the Colonel’s Compass. The student must submit to the Registrar’s Office the completed form as authorization to change their registered course to Pass-Fail.
Satisfactory-Unsatisfactory (“S”-“U”) Grading System
Some courses are approved to be taught exclusively on a “Satisfactory” (“S”) or “Unsatisfactory” (“U”) basis. Each student enrolled in the class will receive either a grade of “S” or “U.” Hours passed under the Satisfactory-Unsatisfactory option will not be used in the computation of GPAs; however, hours failed (“U”) will be used. A few courses such as practicum, internship, and thesis, which have been specifically designated by the department for satisfactory-unsatisfactory grading only, may be used on any graduate program.
Graduate Course Credit
All 700 level courses have undergraduate 500 level counterparts bearing the same last two digits. The 700 level courses are offered only for graduate level credit and require additional appropriate experiences for all students enrolled. Credit will not be awarded for both the 500 and 700 level of the same course. Students who have previously taken the undergraduate counterpart of these courses at the 500 level will not be permitted to enroll for graduate level credit in the 700 level counterpart. Courses numbered in the 700 and 800 series are open only to graduate students or to undergraduate students granted concurrent enrollment or admitted to a 3+2 dual-degree program. Courses in the 900 series are open only to doctoral students.
Correspondence courses from any source are not applicable for graduate credit.
Graduate level courses are expected to require a minimum of four hours of outside preparation for every hour of lecture. Course syllabi are to reflect these expectations. Graduate courses other than those which are independently directed, shall be based upon a minimum of 12.5 clock hours of contact per hour of graduate credit. Workshop courses shall have a minimum of 25 clock hours of contact per hour of graduate credit. All credit producing experiences shall be based upon a minimum of one week of instruction per hour of graduate credit. The University requires a minimum of 80 hours of employment for each semester of academic credit for graduate co-op, field placement, practicum, internship and other such placements.
Transfer of Credit
A student may transfer from other accredited or professional graduate schools up to 12 hours of course work that has been accepted by their Master’s or Specialist degree program without transferring in all graduate course work taken at that institution. Up to 15 hours of coursework may be transferred into graduate degree programs requiring 45 or more hours and up to 18 hours for graduate degree programs requiring more than 54 hours. Only the transferred work for the degree program will be used to calculate the overall grade point average. Any programs covered by an articulation agreement between Eastern Kentucky University and other colleges or universities are excluded from the 12-hour transfer limit.
Official copies of transcripts must be submitted and evaluated before any transfer credit can be accepted. Certain courses submitted for transfer may not be considered equivalent to specified program requirements even though course titles are the same. Official requests for transfer of credits must be recommended by the student’s advisor, the department chair, the college dean, and approved by the Office of Graduate Education and Research. Students who would like to enroll in courses at another institution while enrolled at EKU and expect to transfer credits to meet program requirements at EKU should obtain official approval prior to registration for the courses at the other institution. Official transcripts of approved transfer credits must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Education and Research within 30 days after the course has been completed.
Office of Graduate Education and Research
Eastern Kentucky University
Whitlock 310, CPO 68
521 Lancaster Avenue
Richmond, KY 40475-3168
Transfer credits taken during the final semester of a program will delay graduation and certification approval until official transcripts have been received in the Graduate School Office. If transfer work is taken during the semester in which a student is to graduate with a degree, the official graduate school transcript must be received in EKU’s Office of Graduate Education and Research within two (2) weeks of the end of the semester.
Credits earned at other institutions may be transferred only when grade points of “B” (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or above has been earned. The credit-producing experience must be taught by a graduate faculty member with scholarly competence in the subject matter area to be considered for transfer. Graduate credit for “special workshop courses” may be considered for transfer only when it can be clearly documented that the course in question meets Eastern Kentucky University’s graduate instructional standards and is clearly distinguishable from undergraduate work and from continuing education activities. Credit for prior learning will be accepted in accordance to the Graduate School's transfer policy and the eligibility to apply credit for prior learning is contingent on each graduate program's policy. Students on academic probation cannot take a course from another institution for the purpose of transferring the credit to their program.