Graduate Grading System
Grades
When a student registers for a graduate (500- and 600-level ) course, one of the following grades will appear on the academic record. Grades are based on the level of performance and represent the extent of the student's demonstrated mastery of the material listed in the course outline and achievement of the stated course objectives. These are Mines' grade symbols and their qualitative interpretations:
| Symbol | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| A | Acceptable for Graduate Credit |
| A- | Acceptable for Graduate Credit |
| B+ | Acceptable for Graduate Credit |
| B | Acceptable for Graduate Credit |
| B- | May be Acceptable for Graduate Credit |
| C+ | May be Acceptable for Graduate Credit |
| C | May be Acceptable for Graduate Credit |
| C- | May be Acceptable for Graduate Credit |
| D+ | Not Acceptable for Graduate Credit |
| D | Not Acceptable for Graduate Credit |
| D- | Not Acceptable for Graduate Credit |
| F | Failed |
| S | Satisfactory (C- or better, used as a mid-term grade) |
| U | Unsatisfactory (below C-, used as a mid-term grade) |
| INC | Incomplete |
| PRG | Satisfactory Progress |
| PRU | Unsatisfactory Progress |
Graduate students enrolled in undergraduate-level courses (400-level and below) are graded using the undergraduate grading system.
In addition to these performance symbols, the following is a list of additional registration symbols that may appear on a Mines transcript:
| Symbol | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| WI | Involuntarily Withdrawn |
| W | Withdrew, No Penalty |
| T | Transfer Credit |
| NC | Not for Credit |
| Z | Grade not yet Submitted |
Incomplete Grade
An Incomplete INC is a temporary grade which may be given at the instructor’s discretion to a student when illness, necessary absence, or other reasons beyond the control of the student prevent completion of course requirements by the end of the academic term. An INC is restricted to cases in which the student satisfactorily completed a significant amount of the coursework, including attendance and participation.
The student and the instructor should discuss the terms for the incomplete before the end of the term. The instructor may grant up to one year, but the time limit may be less, to complete outstanding coursework. Any outstanding grade of INC will be converted to an F grade if it has not been updated by the instructor after one year. In the event that an INC grade remains on the record at the completion of the degree, the INC will be converted to an F and included in the final GPA.
Satisfactory Progress Grades
A graduate student may receive a grade of Satisfactory Progress (PRG) in any one of three possible situations:
- As a passing grade given in a course that is graded pass-fail.
- As a grade for a course extending more than one semester.
- As a grade indicating completion of research credit hours.
When applied to pass-fail courses, the Satisfactory Progress (PRG) grade indicates successful completion of the requirements of the course. A grade of Unsatisfactory Progress (PRU) as applied to pass-fail courses indicates the student failed to meet the requirements for successful completion of the course. The PRG and PRU grades have no point value toward a student's GPA. As described in the Unsatisfactory Academic Performance portion of this catalog receipt of a PRU grade indicates unsatisfactory progress toward degree completion and will trigger academic disciplinary proceedings.
For students completing independent study or seminar courses extending over multiple terms, the progress grade has no point value. In such cases, the student receives a grade of PRG (progress). For multiterm independent study courses, upon completion of course requirements, a final letter grade is assigned in the last term in which the student enrolled in the course. In seminar courses in which continuous enrollment is required by the degree program, the PRG grade remains on all previous terms, with the option of either assigning a PRG grade or a final letter grade the last term of attendance.
When applied to research credits, the Satisfactory Progress (PRG) grade also has no point value toward a student's GPA, but indicates satisfactory progress toward completion of the research component of a student's thesis-based degree program. In this situation, a grade of PRU, Unsatisfactory Progress, may be given, and if given, indicates that a student has not made satisfactory progress toward the research component of a thesis-based degree program. In this case, receipt of a grade of PRU may trigger academic disciplinary proceedings as described in the Unsatisfactory Academic Performance portion of this catalog.
Unless faculty submit the Change of Grade forms to the registrar, grades of PRU delivered for unsatisfactory research performance, are not changed to PRG upon the successful completion of a student's degree program.
NC Grade
For special reasons and with the instructor's permission, a student may register in a course for no credit (NC). To have the grade NC appear on the transcript, the student must enroll at registration time as an NC student in the course and comply with all conditions stipulated by the course instructor. If a student registered as NC fails to satisfy all conditions, no record of this registration in the course will be made.
Quality Hours and Quality Points
For graduation, a student must successfully complete a certain number of required credits and must maintain grades at a satisfactory level. Numerical values assigned to each letter grade are given in the table below:
| Grade | Numerical Value |
|---|---|
| A | 4.000 |
| A- | 3.700 |
| B+ | 3.300 |
| B | 3.000 |
| B- | 2.700 |
| C+ | 2.300 |
| C | 2.000 |
| C- | 1.700 |
| D+ | 1.300 |
| D | 1.000 |
| D- | 0.700 |
| F | 0.000 |
The number of quality points earned in any course is the number of credit hours assigned to that course multiplied by the numerical value of the grade received. The quality (or grade-point average) hours earned are the number of credit hours in which grades are awarded. To compute a grade-point average, the number of cumulative quality hours is divided into the cumulative quality points earned. Grades of W, WI, INC, PRG, PRU, or NC are not counted in quality hours.
Credit Hours
The number of times a class meets during a week (for lecture, recitation, or laboratory) determines the number of credit hours assigned to that course. Class sessions are normally 50 minutes long and represent one hour of credit for each hour meeting. A minimum of three hours of laboratory work per week is equivalent to one hour of credit. For the average student, each hour of lecture and recitation requires at least two hours of preparation.
Grade-Point Averages
Grade-point averages shall be specified, recorded, reported, and used to three figures following the decimal point for any and all purposes to which said averages may apply.
All graduate degree programs require students to have a minimum overall grade point average of 3.0 in order to be eligible to receive the degree. All courses, including graduate courses taken as a non-degree graduate student and graduate-level courses taken at Colorado School of Mines after first enrolling in a graduate degree program are included in the calculation of the overall graduate grade-point average. Grades for courses applied to a degree program as transfer credit are not included in any grade-point average calculation. Specifics in calculating the overall, and other grade-point averages are defined below.
Overall Grade-Point Average
The overall graduate level grade-point average includes all attempts at courses taken at Colorado School of Mines while a graduate student, whether degree seeking or non-degree, with the exception of courses that fall under the repeat policy described below.
If a course completed during the Fall 2023 term or after (1) is a repeat of a course completed in a previous term in which the student received a grade lower than a B, (2) was not already used for an awarded degree, and (3) is not repeatable for credit, the higher grade and credits earned will count toward the student's grade-point average and the student's degree requirements. The repeated course must be an exact match to the previous course completed (subject and number). A course that falls under this repeat policy may only be retaken once for the purpose of improving a student’s grade point average.
Courses from other institutions transferred to Colorado School of Mines are not counted in any grade-point average and cannot be used under this repeat policy.
All occurrences of every course taken at Colorado School of Mines will appear on the official transcript along with the associated grade.
Course and Research Grades
All candidates for graduate degrees must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.0 in all courses taken at Mines and listed on the graduate transcript. This includes both graduate and undergraduate courses. Any grade lower than C- is not acceptable for credit toward graduate degree requirements.
For research credits, students receive either an “In Progress-Satisfactory” or an “In Progress-Unsatisfactory” grade based on their faculty advisor’s evaluation of their work. Research grades do not enter into the calculation of the student’s grade-point average.
Students who fail to maintain a grade-point average of at least 3.0, or who receive an In Progress-Unsatisfactory research grade are placed on academic probation by the graduate dean and may be subject to dismissal as defined by the Unsatisfactory Academic Performance section of this catalog.
Grade Changes
After the completion of final grading for a term, only corrections to errors in grading may be processed and they must be for grade improvements only. Corrections to errors in grading for all students will be accepted one year from the original grade entry. With the exception of punitive disciplinary actions, diminution of a grade is not allowed without approval of the provost.
Grade Appeal Process
Mines faculty have the responsibility and sole authority for assigning grades. As instructors, this responsibility includes clearly stating the instructional objectives of a course, defining how grades will be assigned in a way that is consistent with these objectives, and then assigning grades. It is the student’s responsibility to understand the grading criteria and then maintain the standards of academic performance established for each course in which he or she is enrolled.
If a student believes he or she has been unfairly graded, the student may appeal this decision first to the instructor of the course, and if the appeal is denied, to the Academic Standards Committee of the Faculty Senate. The Academic Standards Committee is the faculty body authorized to review and modify course grades in appropriate circumstances. Any decision made by the Academic Standards Committee is final. In evaluating a grade appeal, the Academic Standards Committee will place the burden of proof on the student. For a grade to be revised by the Academic Standards Committee, the student must demonstrate that the grading decision was unfair by documenting that one or more of the following conditions applied:
- The grading decision was based on something other than course performance, unless the grade was a result of penalty for academic dishonesty.
- The grading decision was based on standards that were unreasonably different from those applied to other students in the same section of that course.
- The grading decision was based on standards that differed substantially and unreasonably from those previously articulated by the instructor.
To appeal a grade, the student should proceed as follows:
- The student should prepare an appeal of the grade received in the course. This appeal must define the basis for the appeal and must present all relevant evidence supporting the student’s case.
- After preparing the appeal, the student should deliver this appeal to the course instructor and attempt to resolve the issue directly with the instructor. Written grade appeals must be delivered to the instructor no later than 10 business days after the start of the regular (fall or spring) semester immediately following the semester in which the contested grade was received. In the event that the course instructor is unavailable because of leave, illness, sabbatical, retirement, or resignation from the university, the course coordinator (first) or the department head/program director (second) shall represent the instructor.
- If after discussion with the instructor, the student is still dissatisfied, he or she can proceed with the appeal by emailing a copy of the appeal and a copy of a summary of the instructor/student meetings held in connection with the previous step to the Academic Standards Committee. All information must be submitted to the committee no later than 25 business days after the start of the semester immediately following the semester in which the contested grade was received.
- On the basis of all information deemed pertinent to the grade appeal, the Academic Standards Committee will determine whether the grade should be revised. The decision rendered will be either:
- the original grading decision is upheld, or
- sufficient evidence exists to indicate a grade has been assigned unfairly.
In the latter case, the Academic Standards Committee will assign the student a new grade for the course. The committee’s decision is final. The decision and supporting documentation will be delivered to the Faculty Senate, the office of the executive vice president for Academic Affairs, the student, the instructor, and the instructor’s department head/program director no later than 25 business days following the Faculty Senate’s receipt of the grade appeal.
The schedule, but not the process, outlined above may be modified upon mutual agreement of the student, the course instructor, and the Academic Standards Committee.