Grades and Grading
Grade Reports
At midterm and at the end of each term students may view their grade reports online through BannerWeb. To access BannerWeb go to: http://www.principia.edu/bannerweb. If a student has signed a release of academic information form, a printed grade report will be sent to those listed on the release form. Such forms authorizing the release of grades are available in the Registrar’s Office.
All requests for transcripts must be made in writing; grades and GPA information will not be released over the telephone.
Grading System
Grades are on a letter basis from A through F, including pluses and minuses, earning quality points through D minus. Quality points are based on a four-point scale, where one semester hour with a grade of A earns 4.0 quality points. A three semester-hour course with a grade of A earns 12.0 quality points, etc. A student’s grade point average is computed by dividing the total quality points earned by the total GPA hours.
| Grade Meaning | Quality Points Earned: 1 semester hour | Quality Points Earned: 3 semester hours | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Satisfactory | |||
| A | Excellent | 4.000 | 12.00 |
| A- | 3.668 | 11.00 | |
| B+ | 3.334 | 10.00 | |
| B | Good | 3.000 | 9.00 |
| B- | 2.668 | 8.00 | |
| C+ | 2.334 | 7.00 | |
| C | Satisfactory | 2.000 | 6.00 |
| Unsatisfactory | |||
| C- | 1.668 | 5.00 | |
| D+ | 1.334 | 4.00 | |
| D | Deficient | 1.000 | 3.00 |
| D- | 0.668 | 2.00 | |
| F | Failure; no credit | 0 | 0 |
| Withdrawn 1 | |||
| WP | Passing; no credit | 0 | 0 |
| WF | Failing; no credit | 0 | 0 |
| WX | No basis for grade; no credit | 0 | 0 |
| Other grades | |||
| I | Incomplete | 0 | 0 |
| S | Satisfactory (non-credit only) | 0 | 0 |
| U | Unsatisfactory (non-credit only) | 0 | 0 |
| * | Course still in progress | 0 | 0 |
- 1
based on grades at the time of withdrawal
Midterm Grades
Midterm grades are given to all students in all courses. Only the grades A through F (no I or * grade) are appropriate for midterm grades. S and U are appropriate as midterm grades in non-credit courses only.
Final Grades
Final grades are given to all students in all courses. All grades A through F, Incomplete, or * grades are appropriate for final grades according to policy. S and U are appropriate as final grades in non-credit courses only.
In order for course work to be included in the final grade assessment, work must be submitted by the end of the assigned final exam time for the course. In the case of courses with no defined days and times, work must be submitted by the end of the final exam time for the term, which is Wednesday of exam week by 5:30 p.m. No work may be submitted for any course (credit or non-credit) for the term after the exam time for the course.
Withdrawal Grades
Instructors may give withdrawal grades as final grades in accordance with the college's withdrawal policies. See Withdrawals on the Registration Rules page.
Star (*) Grades
A star grade means the course is still in progress at the end of a semester or interterm. The star grade is given only by pre-arrangement in special courses. These courses will be indicated in the catalog or on the course contract. The College Curriculum Committee approves such courses for the catalog and sets guidelines for acceptance of such contracts.
Incomplete (I) Grades
An incomplete or "I" grade indicates that the instructor has granted an extension in accordance with the guidelines below to a student who has not finished course work on time. Incompletes from fall and spring semesters and interterms must be resolved by the following midterm. At that time a grade must be given, even if the grade is an F.
If an extension beyond midterm is deemed necessary, the professor must petition the Scholastic Committee giving specific reasons for such an extension; the petition must be in the hands of the registrar a week before the deadline for the resolution of incomplete grades. The extension should at no time go beyond one year after the term in which the incomplete (I) grade was given.
In order to allow evaluation of academic standing before a new semester begins, I grades for students whose academic standing could be affected by the resolution of the incomplete must be resolved by one week before the first day of the following term rather than at the following midterm when incompletes normally resolve.
A student who is suspended during the term and is asked to leave before the end of the term may not receive an incomplete grade. The student will receive withdrawal grades in all their classes. See Withdrawals on the Registration Rules page.
If a student’s suspension goes into effect at the end of a term, the student is allowed to complete the courses taken during the term. If any incomplete grades are recorded, they must resolve within two weeks of the last day of the term when the incomplete was recorded rather than at the following midterm when incompletes normally resolve.
Guidelines for Giving Incompletes
Meeting deadlines is viewed as part of character education at Principia. Students are expected to meet end-of-term deadlines; therefore, incomplete grades (I) are not given simply because a student’s work has not been finished. Incomplete grades may be given when:
- Extenuating circumstances have arisen which have prevented the student from completing work, and which are completely outside the student’s control (usually unforeseeable); and
- It is the opinion of the instructor that it is in the best interest of the student and the school.
Students are expected to have enough flexibility so that a short unexpected interruption in their schedules early in the term can be made up by the end of the term.
Three examples of extenuating circumstances are:
- Student was called home during the last two weeks of the semester.
- Student was in Cox Cottage during the last week of the semester.
- Laboratory equipment ordered for a research project was unavoidably detained.
Repeat Grades
Courses for which academic credit may be earned only once may be repeated if the previous grade earned in the course is lower than a C. When such a course is repeated, the highest grade is used to form the student’s overall grade point average; all grades remain on the student’s record; academic credit is earned only once. Although students are encouraged to repeat courses when the grade earned is lower than a C, the college is not obligated to offer courses specifically for this purpose.
Grade Changes
Policy
A grade change should be made only to reflect more accurately the student’s work done during the semester (or other class term), but not to take into account work done or submitted after the original grade was recorded.
Procedure
Faculty may recommend grade changes in their own classes to the academic dean. The academic dean sends grade changes to the registrar, who implements them.
Students have twelve months after a grade is posted during which they may petition the Scholastic Committee when they feel they have received an incorrect grade. The committee, after consultation with the faculty member involved, may, in turn, recommend a grade change to the academic dean.
If cheating or plagiarism is discovered after a final grade has been submitted, the grade may be changed according to the above procedures.
