Final Examinations
Final examinations are given at the end of each semester on a day and hours specified on the Exam Schedule available from the Registrar's Office.
Students may not be excused from examinations or make any changes (time or day) in the schedule without the approval of the instructor. A change in the examination schedule may be made for serious reasons ONLY (e.g. serious illness of a student, serious illness or death in a student’s family, when more than two exams are scheduled on the same day, etc.). The make-up examination day and time is scheduled between the instructor and the student.
Grade Point Average (GPA)
To determine a student’s grade-point average, the total number of points earned is divided by the total number of graded hours attempted, which are also known as GPA hours. Thus, a student taking 30 hours of work and earning 90 points would have a grade-point average of 3.00.
Grades of W, P, NC, I, IP, AU, SP, and NR are not included in this computation.
The grade point average of a student is computed on courses taken at the Mount and for courses taken through approved Consortiums and Study Abroad arrangements.
Grading System
The grading system, with quality points assigned each grade, is as follows:
| Grade Quality Points | ||
| A | Excellent achievement of course objectives | 4.00 |
| AU | Audit (not calculated in GPA) | 0.00 |
| B | High achievement of course objectives | 3.00 |
| C | Satisfactory achievement of course objectives | 2.00 |
| D | Minimal achievement of course objectives | 1.00 |
| F | Failure | 0.00 |
| FA | Failure due to absence Grade option for the mid-term grade if student stops attending class prior to the mid-semester. The grade would remain FA for the final grade if the student does not withdraw from the class or improve performance. |
0.00 |
| I | Incomplete (Incomplete grades are initiated by the student with a course work completion plan. Incomplete grades, if not changed by the instructor, convert to an "F" the following semester.) |
0.00 |
| IP | Current term in progress | 0.00 |
| NC | No credit | 0.00 |
| NR | Grade not reported Grade not reported by instructor, through approved Consortiums as of deadline for reporting grades for each semester/academic term as established by the Registrar’s Office (the “Grade Deadline”). NR grades do not calculate into Grade Point Average, do not count for academic credit towards graduation, and cannot be changed more than one (1) calendar year after the Grade Deadline. |
0.00 |
| P | Pass (not calculated in GPA) | 0.00 |
| SP | Satisfactory Progress Grade option for thesis, research, clinical, and internship courses that may exceed one semester in length to complete with no credit towards graduation awarded until completion of the course requirements. SP grades must be changed to a letter grade within one (1) calendar year of the deadline for reporting grades as established by the Registrar’s Office the first semester the student was registered for the course or the SP grade converts to an “F” grade. |
0.00 |
| W | Withdrawn (not calculated in GPA) | 0.00 |
Students who receive a grade of "F" or "FA" must repeat the course to obtain credit.
Pass/Fail Grade Option
Degree seeking students who have earned 48 semester hours and are in good academic standing may opt to register for one course per semester as Pass/Fail instead of letter graded. The course must be an elective; that is, it must not be taken to satisfy core curriculum requirements or requirements in the student’s major or minor field. Non-degree seeking students may register for courses offered on a Pass/Fail basis without 48 semester hours previously earned.
Students must complete all course requirements satisfactorily (i.e., earn a D or higher in the course). A grade of “P” for Pass or “F” for Fail will be assigned by the instructor. A Pass “P” grade does not affect the student’s grade point average. However, a grade of Fail “F” does calculate into the grade point average. Pass/Fail credits are counted in the maximum credits allowed for a semester.
If a student wishes to change from letter grade to Pass/Fail or vice versa, the changes must be made via an Add/Drop form during the first five weeks of class for a traditional semester course. For accelerated and summer sessions, students must declare the "PF" grading option the first quarter of the course.
Credit hours earned using the Pass/Fail grade option are counted toward the residency hours and total hours earned required for graduation. However, credit hours earned under the Pass/Fail grade option do not count toward the minimum 42 residency hours required for graduation with Latin honors.
Incomplete Grades
Students may request an Incomplete “I” grade ONLY if they have made significant academic progress in a course of at least 75% of work must be completed and plan to complete work before an agreed upon deadline. Incomplete grades do not contribute to the semester or cumulative grade point average, and are not calculated in academic standing until replaced by a grade.
Requesting an incomplete requires the student to do the following:
- Discuss the possibility of an Incomplete grade with the instructor. It may be in the best interest of the student to withdraw from the course and repeat in a future term.
- Student must have completed 75% of the course requirements, and for a serious reason are unable to complete the remaining requirements by the end of the course.
- Student must be able to complete the work without “sitting in” on the same course in the upcoming semester.
- If instructor is agreeable, student completes the Incomplete Contract with the instructor, and obtains instructor’s signature by the last week of the classes for a traditional semester course OR before the last scheduled date of an accelerated course.
- A completion date must be included prior to the “I’ to “F” grade conversion chart below. The specified student course work must be completed and submitted to the instructor no later than the completion date agreed upon by the student and instructor. If an "I" grade is not changed by the time specified in the grade conversion schedule, the "I" grade will automatically convert to an "F" (failing) grade.
- Student submits the completed Incomplete Grade contract to the Registrar’s Office prior to exam week or the final scheduled accelerated class meeting. Late submission requires approval from the Provost Office or designee.
Upon receipt, the Registrar’s Office will enter the Incomplete grade and will maintain the Incomplete Grade Contract in the student record.
“I” grades convert to “F” grades on the following schedule:
Fall semester “I” grades change to “F”: Last day of spring semester.
Spring semester “I” grades change to “F”: Last day of the 3rd week of fall semester.
Summer session “I” grades change to “F”: Last day of fall semester.
Incomplete Extension
An extension for an incomplete requires approval from the instructor, program director/chair, and Provost Office, can only be granted once, and only for one additional semester. An extension must be requested prior to the catalog deadline for the Incomplete grade conversion. The extension decision must be communicated to the Registrar’s Office.
Change of Grade
If for a serious reason an instructor must change a student’s grade, the instructor must submit a Change of Grade to the registrar and give a rationale for the change. Only instructors are authorized to change grades.
Grades may be changed by an instructor after the end of a semester only if:
- an error is discovered in the determination of the original grade assignment; or,
- the automatic “I” (incomplete) to “F” (failure) conversion needs to be corrected.
Grade changes cannot be made which exceed a time limit of one [1] calendar year after the original grade assignment. This includes the grade of “SP” (satisfactory progress) which must be changed to a letter grade within one [1] calendar year after the original grade assignment. Grades cannot be changed in courses that are part of a student’s earned degree once or after the degree is officially noted on the academic record. Grade changes become official when received and recorded by the Registrar’s Office.
Repeated Courses
Undergraduate students may repeat a course in which they have received a grade below an “A”, took as an audit, or earned a “W” for withdrawal. There is no limit on the number of attempts a student can repeat a course, or attempt to transfer in an equivalent. When a course is repeated, the credit hours and highest grade earned will be the one counted in the student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA) and toward graduation requirements. Credit hours are only counted once in earned hours regardless of attempted repeats. The student’s academic record, however, will show every attempt at a course and a grade for each attempt.
Some programs have additional requirements that limit the number of a times a student can repeat a course and remain in the program.
When repeating courses, students should consult with the Student Administrative Services office for how financial aid may be affected.
This policy does not apply to courses that are considered repeatable. See below.
Repeatable Courses
Repeatable courses are those courses, like special topics, sport courses, music lessons, which are repeatable for credit and grade. See course descriptions for more information on number of times courses are repeatable for credit.
Course Age Limits
Each academic department regulates the acceptable age limits of courses required in their discipline. Refer to departmental policies in this catalog.
Progress and Mid-Term Grades
Progress Reports are electronically submitted by instructors to identify those students who are not doing satisfactory work. Advisors and students receive notification of all Progress Reports
Mid-Term Grades are mandatory for all undergraduate students and can be viewed in myMount after the mid-term grade period is complete.
Transcripts
Transcripts of a student’s complete academic record at the University are obtained only upon written request from the student. An official transcript (one bearing the University seal and the authorized signature of the Registrar) is sent directly to a third party and/or institution specified by the student. An official transcript issued to the student is labeled “Student Copy.” The university is not permitted by law to issue copies of documents from other institutions. Only official transcripts are released to a student or a third party.
Transcripts can be ordered and sent electronically. Complete information regarding a transcript request can be found at https://www.msj.edu/academics/registrar/transcript-requests/index.html.