Grading Policies, Grade Reports, and Dean's List

A final semester grade is submitted for each course and is the only grade on the student's permanent record. A grade report will be e-mailed to each student. Each student is awarded a letter grade at the end of the semester according to the following guidelines:

  • A - Excellent: The student performs in a consistently active, accurate, creative, and independent manner. Ability is demonstrated, not only to master the course material, but to synthesize and evaluate what was learned. Communication skills reflect and are commensurate with the student's ability.
  • B - Very Good: The student is able to master the course content and often demonstrates creative thought and independence, but does not give evidence of consistency in excellence.
  • C - Satisfactory: The student meets the basic expectations of the instructor, usually shows little initiative in attacking new problems, and indicates some progress in individual development.
  • D - Passing: The student demonstrates an inability to fully master the basic course requirements, but does gives indication of minimal growth expectations.
  • F - Failure: The student fails to meet the minimum course requirements.
  • P - Pass: The student has met at least the minimum course requirements.
  • W - Withdrawal: The student requests to withdraw from the class within the specified period. The course(s) is recorded on the transcript with the grade of “W.” Grades of “W” are not used in the computation of the grade point average. (Students are allowed to withdraw from a nursing course only once).
  • I - Incomplete: This grade may be given only at the request of the student and with the approval of the instructor. This grade is given when the student has, for a reason beyond the student's effective control, been unable to complete the required course work.
  • AU - Audit: The student sits in on a class for the semester but is not required to take exams, receives no credit and is not graded. Students must request audit status no later than the drop/add date published for each semester.

Pass-Fail Courses

The pass-fail option exists to allow students the opportunity to explore and enroll in courses that they might otherwise avoid because of the course’s degree of intensity, difficulty, or unfamiliarity. This option should not be chosen merely to avoid low grades. Students are expected to fulfill all requirements of a course taken on a pass-fail basis.

Students who reach mutual agreement with the Registrar and their academic advisor at the beginning of the semester (first 6 weeks) may receive a grade of Pass (“P”) in lieu of the letter grades "A", "B", "C", or "D" in any course not required in the student's major, minor, or general education program. An "F" in a pass-fail course is part of the cumulative average; a "P" is not used in the computation of the cumulative GPA. No more than one course each semester may be taken on a pass-fail basis. Pass-Fail courses are typically not transferable.

Withdrawal

The grade of “W” is used for all courses at the time of withdrawal. “W” grades are not used in the computation of grade point averages but will be recorded on the student’s permanent record/transcript. Inquiries regarding this procedure may be made at the Registrar’s Office. Students are responsible for checking their enrollment status through the MyUSF Portal to confirm that they have been withdrawn from their course(s).

Incompletes

The student may initiate the process by consulting the instructor. Instructors may request an Incomplete Grade electronically when submitting final grades in the MyUSF portal. The student must then complete the requirements by the end of the sixth week of the following full semester (spring, summer, or fall), at which time a final grade will be recorded. If the student fails to complete the requirements in this time, the final grade will be administratively changed from an “I” to an "F.” Students may, under extenuating circumstances, request an extension (with the dean of the college's approval). The extension may extend no longer than the end of the semester in which the grade is due. Grades may not be changed after that time.

Auditing Courses

Students who wish to audit a course must indicate this at the time of registration or no later than the end of the Add/Drop period. Students will be charged full tuition and applicable fees and must meet all requirements of the University and the course instructor except for examinations. A grade of “AU” is recorded for the course but no credit is earned.

Repeated Courses

Repeated courses are indicated on the transcript by an I or an E to the right of the grade. These indicators follow the grade on the transcript and mean that the course is Included (I) or Excluded (E) in the GPA. No credit is given for the (E) repeat and the course is not computed into the grade point average. A required nursing course in which a grade of D or F is received must be repeated and may be repeated one time only. No more than one nursing course may be repeated. The instructor determines the student’s final grade. Semester grades are permanent and cannot be changed except by repeating the entire course, in which case both grades will appear on the student's permanent record. Only the better grade will be counted in computing the student's grade point average. Hours of credit for repeated courses may only be counted once in computing graduation requirements.

Course Levels

Lower-division courses comprise all 100 and 200 level courses. Upper division courses comprise all 300 and 400 level courses.

Special Undergraduate Program Grading Policies for Nursing Majors

Nursing faculty at the College of Nursing use the following grading scale: A = 93-100%, B = 85-92%, C = 77-84%, D = 70-76%, F = less than 70%.

At the end of each semester, nursing majors will have their term and cumulative GPA recalculated based upon grades received in program prerequisites, general education, nursing and elective courses earned at USF. Students with a term or cumulative GPA below 2.75 will be placed on Academic Probation and be required to follow the academic coaching provided by the program director.

Clinical Course Grades in Nursing

Courses, which include a clinical component, receive one grade. The clinical component is evaluated as Pass or Fail.

  • Pass: The student has met the objectives of the course through the application of concepts to the client care setting.
  • Fail: The student has failed to meet the objectives of the course and/or was unable to apply the course concepts to client care.

When a student receives a passing clinical component grade, the course theory grade is recorded on the transcript. When a student fails the clinical component, a course grade of “F” is recorded. Through a process of ongoing evaluation, students are made aware of their progress in the clinical setting.

Withdrawal from Nursing courses: Nursing students are allowed to withdraw from a nursing course only once. Nursing students may only withdraw from three different nursing courses while enrolled in the nursing program. If a nursing student withdraws from a nursing course on or before the university withdrawal date (and is failing the course), it will not be considered a failure.

Repeated Nursing courses: A nursing course in which a grade of “D” or “F” is received must be repeated and may be repeated one time only. No more than one nursing course may be repeated. Students that receive a second “D” or “F” will be dismissed from the Nursing major.

Grading Policies for the College of Education

The College of Education has common grading scales for its courses. The grading scale for undergraduate courses: A = 93-100%, B = 85-92%, C = 77-84%, D = 70-76%, F = less than 70%.

Quality Point System/GPA Calculation

As a general requirement, degree candidates must achieve a minimum average of 2.0 quality points per credit hour completed. Final grades in each course are converted to quality points according to the following schedule: A grade of "A" in a course is converted to four quality points per each credit hour. Thus, in a three-credit hour course, an "A" is worth 12 points. A grade of "B" is worth three quality points per credit hour; a grade of "C" is worth two quality points per credit hour, a grade of “D” is worth one quality point per credit hour. Other grades receive no quality points. The quality point or grade average is computed by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total number of credit hours attempted excluding courses with a “P” grade. A student’s transcript reflects a cumulative GPA of all USF undergraduate courses completed.

Dean's List

A student who attains a grade point average of 3.5 or higher at the end of the semester in which they have taken at least twelve credit hours (not including pass/fail or audit courses) will be placed on the Dean’s Honor List. The list is made public and the student receives a letter of commendation from their Dean.

Dean's Scholars

This designation is reserved for those students who have completed at least thirty hours at the University of St. Francis and have maintained a grade point average of 3.9 or above (out of a possible 4.0). The Dean's Scholars are announced each spring at the Academic Honors and Awards Convocation.

Grade Reports

Official grade reports are sent to students through their USF email account only. Students may view and print copies of their grade reports through the MyUSF Portal. Reports for all students are issued at the end of the semester. Only the final grade is recorded on the permanent record. Appeals of grades must be filed within 10 workdays of the receipt of grade report and must be done in accordance with established grievance procedures.

Transcript Requests

Requests for transcripts can be made online at stfrancis.edu. There is a $5.50 charge for each transcript. The first official transcript after graduation is issued free of charge and included in the diploma mailing.