20-21 Undergraduate Catalog

Grade Definition

Grade Definition

Grading for Guided Study (GS), online (OL), blended (BL) and nursing undergraduate (NU) and nursing graduate (NG) courses:

Letter Grade Grade Points Assigned
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 1.0
F 0
I (Temporary grade) 0
IF 0
ZF 0 (Academic Integrity Violation)

Grading for prior learning assessment (PLA), e-Pack® (EP) courses, and TECEP® examinations (TE) is credit/no credit. No grade points are assigned for CR/NC (credit/no credit) grades.

Grade Notes

A final grade of F is assigned when:

  • A student does not complete the course work and examination(s) for a course and does not request a withdrawal or extension before the course has ended; OR
  • The overall average on all course work (including examinations) is below the passing level (59 or below).

A temporary grade of I, or “incomplete,” is assigned by the University when:

  • A student has completed the required course work, including the final examination, by the end of the semester, but the mentor has not yet received the final examination. Once your mentor receives the final examination and has submitted a Change of Grade to the Office of the Registrar, the final grade will be posted. This I grade is not recorded on the student’s permanent transcript.

NOTE: Students may not request that mentors provide an I grade, or “incomplete,” for a course. If the student needs additional time to complete course work or examinations, he/she will need to request an extension from the University. Mentors cannot give extensions without the student having followed the full course extension request procedure. When no request for extension is filed, and examinations are not completed, the I converts to a grade of IF six weeks after the end of the term.

A grade of IF, or “incomplete failure,” is issued six weeks after the end of a term:

  • As a replacement grade for students on extensions who do not complete the work; OR
  • As a replacement grade for students who are originally assigned an I grade when the University does not receive a completed examination. This IF grade is recorded on the student’s permanent transcript.

ZF grade may be assigned to a student who has been found to have violated an Academic Integrity policy in a course. The grade represents a failure due to the violation and as such will be included in the student's grade point average even if the student repeats the course. The grade remains part of the student's permanent transcript.

A grade of NC, or “no credit,” is assigned to a TECEP® or e-Pack® courses when a student does not achieve a passing score, or a PLA/portfolio course when a student fails to complete the course and does not request an extension within the appropriate time frame. This grade is not recorded on the student’s permanent transcript.

To receive credit for the course, students must:

  • Earn a passing average on the total of all assigned course work (e.g., examinations, assignments, discussion postings, etc.). Failure to complete and submit all assignments will negatively influence the final grade and may result in a failing grade for the course. In addition, a grade of C– or below in nursing courses is not accepted for credit toward any program in the W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing.