Grade Policies 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:

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	Noncredit
WD	0.0	Withdrawn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 on a change of grade form, 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.

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.

Dean’s List

Undergraduate students who carry 12 graded credits or more without receiving an “Incomplete” or “In Progress” grade and earn a grade point average of 3.25 or better are eligible for inclusion on the 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.

Part-Time Student Dean’s List

Undergraduate part-time students who carry between 6 and 11.5 graded credits without receiving an “Incomplete” or “In Progress” grade and earn a grade point average of 3.25 or better are eligible for inclusion on the Part-Time Student 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 Part-Time 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

An undergraduate student who fails to maintain a grade-point average of 2.00 (“C”) is placed on academic probation and may be subject to a change of courses, dismissal, or some other form of discipline. Academic discipline is determined by the dean of the college in which the student is enrolled. Reinstatement of a student is determined by the dean of the college from which the student was dismissed. Once dismissed from the University, a student is not eligible to register for credit courses until readmitted.

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
• All grades for attempts at a course will be used in grade-point calculation for the purpose of determining graduation with honors and class standing
• 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 adviser 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 adviser and student in the facilitation of a solution
• If the adviser 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 into the DARS academic progress system 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

To be eligible for academic reassessment, a student shall:

• Have not attended The University of Akron for at least three 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 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 adviser. 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 adviser, shall identify the courses to be reassessed. Grades to be reassessed shall come from the time period prior to the student’s re-enrollment following the three-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
• 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”)

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 this 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
• Grades from all courses ever taken at The University of Akron and the resulting “GPA” (unadjusted by the academic reassessment policy) will be used for purposes of determining eligibility for university, departmental or professional honors or other recognition based upon the student’s undergraduate academic career and record of academic performance
• 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

Students at The University of Akron are an essential part of the academic community, and enjoy substantial freedom within the framework of the educational objectives of the institution. The freedom necessary for learning in a community so rich in diversity and achieving our educational objectives requires high standards of academic integrity. The University community is governed by the policies and regulations contained within the Code of Student Conduct. Contact the Department of Student Judicial Affairs in Student Union 216, at sja@uakron.edu or 330-972-6830. The University of Akron considers academic integrity an essential part of each student’s personal and intellectual growth. Instances of academic misconduct will be addressed. All members of the community contribute actively to building a strong reputation of academic excellence and integrity at The University of Akron. It is each student’s responsibility to know what constitutes academic misconduct and to seek clarification directly from the instructor if necessary. Examples of academic misconduct include, but are not limited to:

• Submission of an assignment as the student’s original work that is entirely or partly the work of another person
• Failure to appropriately cite references from published or unpublished works or print/non-print materials, including work found on the World Wide Web
• Unauthorized copying of an assignment in computer programming, or the unauthorized examination or view of the computer, specifically during examinations
• Possession and/or unauthorized use of tests, notes, books, calculators or formulas stored in calculators not authorized by the instructor during an examination
• Providing and/or receiving unauthorized information from another student to complete an assignment
• Observing or assisting another student’s work
• Violation of the procedures prescribed by the professor to protect the integrity of the examination
• Cooperation with a person involved in academic misconduct

An incident of academic misconduct may be resolved and a sanction assessed in a meeting between the faculty member and student. If the student and faculty member agree on the facts of the incident and the proposed sanction, the matter can be resolved informally. Prior to an informal resolution, the faculty member shall confer with Student Judicial Affairs to determine whether any prior academic misconduct has occurred. If the student and the faculty member disagree about the facts of the incident or the proposed sanction, then the matter shall be referred to Student Judicial Affairs. When the matter is referred to the Department of Student Judicial Affairs, a meeting will occur and, if the information indicates it is more likely than not that an academic misconduct violation has occurred, the office will follow procedures.

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 adviser

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.

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.

Transient Work at Another University

The purpose of transient work is to provide The University of Akron student with opportunity to: 1) take a course that is not offered at The University of Akron; or, 2) if the student is away in the summer, to take a course in a distant location; or, 3) 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 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 32 hours of a baccalaureate degree or are in the last 16 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.

Alternative Credit Option

American Council on Education’s College Credit Recommendation

The University of Akron accepts the American Council on Education's College Credit Recommendation Service (CREDIT). CREDIT evaluates and makes credit recommendations for formal educational programs and courses offered by organizations including business and industry, labor unions, professional and voluntary associations, schools, training suppliers, and government agencies. The program is based on the idea that it is sound educational practice for colleges and universities to grant academic credit for high-quality educational programs conducted by a variety of organizations provided that the courses are appropriate to an individual's degree program.

Advanced Placement Credit

http://www.uakron.edu/admissions/undergraduate/who-are-you/applicant/ap-and-ib-credit.dot

Many high schools offer Advanced Placement courses through the auspices of the College Board for possible college credit. By enrolling in such courses during high school and taking Advanced Placement Tests at the end of each course, high school students may earn undergraduate credits in a number of different academic areas. The test score required to receive credit for a specific course is determined by the Ohio Board of Regents and the Academic Department in which the course resides. Credits earned in this manner are included in the total credits completed, but are not assigned a grade and do not count in the quality point ratio, class standing, or graduation with honors calculations. Students must take the tests while they are in high school. It is not possible to take the tests once a student is enrolled at The University of Akron. The State of Ohio, working through the University System of Ohio, has initiated policies to facilitate the ease of transition from high school to college as well as between and among Ohio’s public colleges and universities.

Beginning in the Fall term 2009:

• Students obtaining an Advanced Placement (AP) exam score of 3 or above will be awarded the aligned course(s) and credits for the AP exam area(s) successfully completed
• Credits received will be applied toward graduation and may also satisfy a General Education or Honor’s Distribution requirement if the course(s), to which the AP area is equivalent, fulfill those requirements
• If an equivalent course is not available for the AP exam area completed, elective or area credit will be awarded in the appropriate academic discipline and will be applied toward graduation where such elective credit options exist within the academic major
• Additional courses or credits may be available when a score of 4 or 5 is obtained. Award of credit for higher score values varies depending on the institution and academic discipline
• In academic disciplines containing highly dependent sequences (Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics –STEM) students are strongly advised to confer with their academic adviser to ensure they have the appropriate foundation to be successful in advanced coursework within the sequence. The advanced placement table lists disciplines available for Advanced Placement Testing, scores required for accruing credit and courses at The University of Akron for which credit may be earned For questions concerning Advanced Placement Credit call 330-972-7066 or 330-972-7425.