400 Grading Policies

Using the official school grading policy, instructors are expected to assign grades on the basis of a critical and fair assessment of the student’s work. It is the right and obligation of the instructor to assign the grade they deem appropriate.

Students are responsible for attending to academic progress criteria, monitoring their own learning performance against those criteria, identifying problems in meeting course criteria, and initiating timely efforts to address them.

400.1 Grades for Coursework

All courses will be graded on a Pass/Marginal Pass/Fail basis in accordance with the course rubric. Any student who fails a required course must repeat and pass that course in order to graduate from the program; no course may be re-taken more than once.

Grades are kept indefinitely as part of the student’s permanent record (Section 900.2).

A student’s performance in each course shall be assessed on the basis of the grading criteria specified in the course syllabus. Criteria often cited for evaluation include:

• mastery of course content
• ability to conceptualize
• timeliness of work
• class preparation
• critical thinking
• integration across the curriculum
• creativity and originality
• writing skills
• professional conduct in the classroom

Letter grades are assigned in accordance with the categories defined below:

• P – Pass: performance reflecting an acceptable mastery of graduate level course content.   A pass in this system should be viewed as the equivalent of the work in the “B” or better category in an A to F grading system.
• MP - Marginal Pass: performance of a marginal quality, falling below the mastery of graduate level course content. A marginal pass in this system should be viewed as the equivalent of the work in the “C” category in an A to F grading system.
• F – Fail: performance that fails to demonstrate creditable mastery of graduate-level course content. 
• I – Incomplete: used for cases in which the student has not completed all assignments for a course but has obtained written permission, following the established procedures, for additional time to complete those assignments. The grade of Incomplete is a temporary grade designation.
• Withdrawal: used when a student withdraws from a course, following all established procedures (see section 300.4).

Grading

Grade	Meaning
Pass	83 to 100
Marginal Pass	75 to 82
Fail	0 to 74

400.2 Grading

The Practicum Education in Social Work courses (SOCW 580 and SOCW 680) are graded on a Pass/Marginal Pass/Fail basis. Credit is granted only if the entire course is completed satisfactorily. No partial credit is granted. The grade for the course is assigned by the Director of Practicum Learning and is based upon the written evaluations submitted by the practicum internship supervisor as well as feedback from the PFA, obtained from rubric-based evaluations of demonstrated competencies on assignments and in the practicum internship.  

400.3 Grade Changes

Normally, grades may not be changed after they have been submitted by the instructor to the Registrar’s Office. Under rare circumstances, an instructor may submit a written request and explanation to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs for a change of grade.

400.4 Appeal of Grade

A student who receives a grade that they believe violates the School’s stated grading policies may petition the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs (ADAA) for a review of the grade. The ADAA’s decision shall be final. The following procedures regarding appeals shall govern.

• The petition must be submitted to the ADAA in writing no later than seven (7) days following the publication of the grade by the Registrar’s Office.
• If the ADAA determines that the School’s grading policies have been followed, the student shall be so notified and the grade will stand.
• If the ADAA determines that the School’s grading policies have not been followed, the ADAA, in consultation with the appropriate Course Coordinator will grant to the student a remedy which may include an opportunity for re-assessment, submission of another paper/assignment, or the possibility of re-taking the course.
• Should, however, the ADAA determine that the circumstances were ambiguous in regard to the School’s stated grading policies, the ADAA will refer the matter to the Academic Progress Review Committee, which will consider the case and make a recommendation back to the ADAA.

400.5 Failing Grades

400.5.1 Failing Grade in Practicum or Practice Courses

Failure in any of the following courses (SOCW 500, SOCW 501, SOCW 600, SOCW 601, SOCW 580 and SOCW 680) will initiate a meeting of the student’s learning progress by the Academic Adviser or Director/Associate Director of Practicum Learning with the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.

A determination will be made as to whether informal problem-solving or an Academic Progress Review is the appropriate next step.

400.5.2 Options for Making Up Failing Grades

When a student fails a course, several options exist for making-up the credits:

​A course can only be retaken one time.

• Retake the failed course (mandatory for required courses)
• Make up the credits by taking and successfully completing another elective (an option for courses failed in second summer or third summer, Term 1)
• Make-up the failed course at another institution; prior approval of the course by the ADAA