Undergraduate Catalog

• Table of Contents
•  |  Undergraduate Programs
•  |  Undergraduate Course Descriptions
•  |  Academic Calendar
•  |  Alphabetical Index

Academic Standards

Grading System

The grading system at St. Cloud State University includes the following grades as described in this section (A B C D F S U FN FW AU I IP W):

St. Cloud State University employs an A – F grading system to measure student achievement:

A – Excellent
B – Above average
C – Average
D – Below average
F – Fail

These grades, with the exception of F, may include a “+” or “–“ for further differentiation of achievement.

The university also records the following grades:

S – Satisfactory
U – Unsatisfactory

(Note: S – U grades are alternatives to A – F grades when permitted in a course design. Students must select S – U or A – F at the time of registration. Subsequent changes are not permissible. Students also may arrange prior to registration to audit courses for a grade of AU.)

FN – Failure for non-attendance. Entry of a grade of FN occurs automatically when an instructor enters information that a student has never attended class or participated in class-related activities.

(Note: The Office of Records and Registration provides instructions about entering information regarding students who never attended class or participated in class-related activities. Academically related activities in a class include but are not limited to an exam, a tutorial, computer-assisted instruction, academic counseling, academic advisement, submitting a class assignment, or attending a study group that is assigned by the institution.)

FW – Failure for non-completion. FW is the appropriate grade for students who do not withdraw from courses but stop attending class and participating in class-related activities by a date up to but not including finals week.

(Note: The Office of Record and Registrations provides instructions about entering information regarding students who stop attending and participating in class-related activities. See FN for academically-related activities. Unexcused absence from the final exam by itself can be a reason for assigning an F rather than FW.)

AU – Audit. Students may register for courses as auditors, meaning their performance in the course is not evaluated for a grade. Upon completion of courses students registering as auditors receive the grade of AU. An instructor may assign a grade of U to a student who registers to audit a course and then fails to meet the attendance requirement established by the instructor.

I – Incomplete. Instructors may assign the grade of I to students who are doing satisfactory work in a course but due to extenuating circumstances are unable to complete all course requirements during the term. A student and instructor must have a recorded understanding, such as an exchange of e-mails, that the assigned grade for the course is I. Completion of course requirements must occur by the end of the following semester unless the instructor sets a shorter time limit. For courses in spring semester the following semester is fall. A grade of I automatically changes to F or U at the end of that following semester if no other grade has been assigned.

(Note: A student who does not arrange for a grade of I should receive a grade of F or U for non-completion of course requirements.) [Reminder: See FN for students who do not attend the course and FW for students who stop attending before the end of the term.]

IP – In progress. Instructors may assign the grade of IP to students whose work at the end of a term is still in progress because the course, by design or by arrangement prior to registration, requires more than one term to complete all assignments. Examples of such courses include field work and internship assignments, contract-based courses, and courses which must be taken in a series before any grade is earned. Completion of course requirements must occur within one year. IP automatically changes to F or U at the end of one year.

(Note: If more than one term for completion is not permissible in the course description or if the student and instructor have not agreed before registration to completion in more than one term, the student and the instructor may agree to a grade of I to allow for an extension.)

W – Withdraw. (Withdrawal from a course is initiated by students. Faculty do not enter a W except as the result of a grade appeal.)

(Note: Z appears as an entry in place of a grade as soon as a student registers for a course. The Z disappears with the entry of a grade. In the absence of a grade a Z automatically changes to F (fail)  or U (unsatisfactory) after one semester.)

After the published last date to withdraw from courses the transcript will indicate the grade submitted by the instructor. If extenuating circumstances warrant other considerations, an appeal may be made through the Office of Records and Registration (AS-118).

Grading Appeals Policy

See the Office of the Provost Web site www.stcloudstate.edu/provost/stud_res.asp  for policy and form for grade appeal.

Computing Grade Point Average

A student's grade point average is a numerical ratio of the total credits attempted and the total grade points received, including courses numbered below 100. The method of computing GPA is to multiply the credit hours a class is worth (4-credit class, 3-credit class, 2-credit class, 1-credit class) by the GPA (honor) points for the grade you received.

GPA (honor) points:

For example, add the number of credits for the classes in which you received an A+ or A and multiply by 4; add the number of credits for the class in which you received an A- and multiply by 3.67; add the number of credits for the classes in which you received a B+ and multiply by 3.33, etc. When a mark of "F", or "FN", or “FW” is earned, the credit hours attempted are included in the computation of a grade point average. Courses in which the mark of "S" or "U" is given are not included in the computation of grade point average. Divide the total GPA (honor) points received by the total credit hours.

Only courses taken at St. Cloud State University or courses taken through an approved off-campus program are used in computing grade point average. When an undergraduate course is repeated, only the highest mark is used in the calculation of the grade point average.

Marks of "I" (incomplete), "IP" (in progress), "AU" (auditor), "W" (withdrawn), "Z" (no grade submitted) do not represent credit earned and are not included in the computation of grade point average.

Certificate of Scholastic Achievement - Dean's List

The University recognizes outstanding scholastic achievement by awarding certificates each term, with the exception of summer semester, to students who earn a grade point average of 3.75 or better. A student must be a degree seeking enrolled student, and must complete at least nine credits of ABCDF-graded courses to be eligible for the award.

Probation/Suspension Policy

Effective August 22, 2011

This policy applies to any undergraduate student enrolled at SCSU.

A. Grade point average for good academic standing

1. An undergraduate student must have the following minimum cumulative GPA based on credits in courses, including developmental courses, attempted at SCSU. Cumulative credits in the various ranges include transfer credits accepted by SCSU:
0 – 44 credits: 1.75
45 or more credits: 2.00
A student defined as a post-baccalaureate student must maintain a GPA of 2.65 in courses completed following the conferring of the first bachelor's degree.

2. A student repeating a course in an effort to improve the grade will have the course credits count only once with the highest grade counting toward the GPA. The university may limit the number of times a student may repeat a course. (See Repeating Courses for Improvement of Grade)

B. Warning for Insufficient Grade Point Average

1. A student whose cumulative grade point average falls below the minimum at the completion of any semester or summer term will be placed on academic warning for the next semester or summer term of enrollment.

2. A student placed on academic warning is required to make an appointment at the Academic Advising Center to discuss academic progress. A student who does not meet with an advisor in the Center may lose the right to appeal any subsequent suspension. By careful planning for academic success, including retaking courses for improvement of grade, the student should be able to bring the cumulative GPA back to the minimum or above at the end of the academic warning semester or summer term.

3. A student on academic warning may withdraw from classes, but withdrawn coursework will be calculated as attempted credits.

4. A student on academic warning may pre-register for the next semester or summer term, but the enrollment will be administratively cancelled if the student is suspended.

C. Suspension for Insufficient Grade Point Average

1. A. student on academic warning who fails to raise the cumulative grade point average to the minimum during the semester or summer term will be suspended from the university through the next semester excluding summer session. Any pre-registrations for courses by the student will be cancelled.
[Clarification: "Excluding summer session" means that summer term does not count as the next semester. Accordingly, a student suspended at the end of spring semester may not register for either the subsequent summer term or subsequent fall semester. A student suspended at the end of summer term may not register for the subsequent fall semester. A student suspended at the end of fall semester may not register for the subsequent spring semester.]

2. Upon notification of suspension, a student may submit by the date written in the notice a written appeal with supporting documentation to the appropriate designee in the Office of Undergraduate Education in CH 233.
(Note: Students should check their university e-mail accounts regularly to be aware of notices of their academic status.)
(Note: A student with a grade point average below the minimum will be ineligible for financial aid.)

3. A student who is placed on suspension is required to discuss academic plans with an advisor.

4. A second suspension or subsequent suspensions will be for one full academic year, which includes two semesters and summer.

D. Cumulative Percentage of Credits Completed

1. Students are subject to standards of satisfactory progress toward the completion of an academic program. An undergraduate student meets the standards by successfully completing a minimum of 66.67 percent (2/3) of all credits attempted at SCSU and credits accepted as transfer, including credits in developmental courses. A student defined as a post-baccalaureate student must maintain a completion rate of 66.67 percent in courses completed following the conferring of the first bachelor’s degree. Successful completion of credits means earning a passing grade (A+ through D- or S) in a course. Grades of F, FN, FW, U, I, IP, W and Z in a course count as non-completed credits.

2. A student repeating courses will have the course credits count only once with the highest grade counting toward the GPA. However, each time a course is repeated, it is included in the computation of the student’s completion percentage. The university may limit the number of times student may repeat a course. (See Repeating Courses for Improvement of Grade)

E. Academic Warning for Insufficient Percentage of Credits Completed

1. A student who does not maintain the minimum cumulative completion rate at the end of any semester or summer term will be placed on academic warning for the next semester or term of enrollment.

2. During the academic warning semester or term, the student is required to raise the cumulative completion rate to the minimum.

3. A student on academic warning may pre-register for the next semester or summer term, but the enrollment will be administratively cancelled if the student is suspended.

F. Suspension for Insufficient Percentage of Credits Completed

1. A student on academic warning who fails to raise the cumulative credit completion rate to the minimum during the academic warning semester or summer term will be suspended from the university through the next semester. A student who has been suspended may appeal for reinstatement.
(Note: Students should check their university e-mail accounts regularly to be aware of notices of their academic status.)
(Note: A student with a credit completion rate below the minimum will be ineligible for financial aid.)

Procedure for Reinstatement of Suspended Students

Students with extenuating circumstances may appeal their first (one semester) dismissal by submitting a written appeal and supporting documentation to the Office of Undergraduate Education in CH 233. Students dismissed for one year as a consequence of extraordinary circumstances (e.g. extended hospitalization) may appeal by submitting a written appeal and supporting documentation (e.g. hospital records) to the Office of Undergraduate Education in CH 233. This appeal should be done as soon as the student’s grades are posted and must be completed by the deadline set each semester by the Office of Academic Affairs. Without extraordinary circumstances, students who are dismissed for one year must sit out a minimum of one semester, excluding summer, and may then submit a written appeal and supporting documentation for early readmission to the Academic Appeals and Probation Office in Centennial Hall 208.

More specific information is included in student’s notification of dismissal. (Students who do not receive a notification of dismissal when they fail to meet the academic standards described above should check with the Academic Appeals and Probation Office in Centennial Hall 208 (320-308-4913) or the Office of Undergraduate Education and Student Support Services (320-308-5272) immediately, since it is the grades and not the notification which suspends the student.)

All students returning after a suspension will be placed on academic probation and will be required to meet the terms outlined in the Probation/Suspension Policy.

Issued by the Office of Academic Affairs May 31, 2011; effective August 22, 2011

Undergraduate Academic Forgiveness

To qualify for this one-time opportunity of academic forgiveness, the following are prerequisites:

1. The student may not be enrolled at St. Cloud State University for a minimum of 7 consecutive years prior to the point of forgiveness.
2. Following this absence, the student must prove academic ability by completing 15 undergraduate credits within two semesters at a minimum of 2.0 grade point average.

When the above conditions are met, the student submits a written request to the Office of Records and Registration. The Office of Records and Registration will make the following adjustments on the student's transcript:

1. The transcript will indicate the point of forgiveness.
2. No credits will be granted for courses completed prior to the point of forgiveness. However, the grades will remain on the transcript.
3. Calculation of the student's grade point average will not include grades received before the point of forgiveness.

Academic forgiveness will not be granted if a student has received a degree using the credits. Note: For financial aid eligibility, credits and grades for which students have been granted academic forgiveness will continue to be included when determining the cumulative GPA, percentage of credits completed and the maximum time frame calculations.

Dismissal

The university reserves the right to dismiss a student whose personal qualities, general health, scholastic achievement, conduct, or other standards are such that continued enrollment would not be in the best interests of the university or the student. This may also apply to enrollment in a particular program or individual course.