Grades

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Grade Point Equivalent per Course Unit 

Course Unit 

Grade Point Equivalent 

4.0 

3.75 

3.5 

3.25  

Excellent 

3.0 

2.75 

2.5 

2.25 

Good 

2.0 

1.75 

1.5 

1.25 

Satisfactory 

1.0 

Lowest Passing Grade 

0.0 

Failure 

 

St. Lawrence Grading System 

Designation 

Definition 

Credits 

E 

Incomplete 

0.0 

P 

Pass under Pass/Fail option 

1.0 

W 

Withdrawn 

0.0 

WM 

Withdrawn Medical 

0.0 

CMP 

Work Completed Satisfactorily for non-credit course component 

0.0 

X 

See below 

0.0 

NGS 

No Grade Submitted by Instructor 

0.0 

 

X grade  

Assigned at the end of a semester for work in a designated course that will be completed in the following semester. Only those students specified by the mid-term of the initial semester are eligible to receive an X grade. This grade is not to be confused with the incomplete (E), which is given to a student who fails for a valid reason to complete the work of a course within the period prescribed for that course. 

Incomplete (E)  

Assigned only when, as a result of unusual or extenuating circumstances (e.g., illness), some part of the required work for a course is left unfinished. In such a case, the instructor informs the department chair and agrees with the student on conditions, preferably in writing, for removal of the E. The student is expected to fulfill these conditions in good time, in the ensuing semester, for the instructor to evaluate their work and report a permanent grade to the registrar, generally by the end of the second full week. If no grade is reported, the E is replaced by 0.0 (Failure). The instructor may set an alternate deadline if they wish. 

The department chair may request further delay from the registrar, but this delay may not be longer than the term. If the student is not in residence during that term, the delay may be extended for one additional semester. Further extension must be requested of the dean of academic affairs and is unusual since the passage of time often brings changes in instructor and course content. 

It is the responsibility of the student to see that conditions for the removal of a grade of E are established and met. 

Pass/Fail 

Before graduation, a student is permitted to elect up to four semester course units of work to be graded Pass/Fail. The purpose of the option is to encourage students to explore new areas of study in which they are interested but have little or no background, not to justify reduced effort in a course. The Pass/Fail option may be chosen for semester course units taken to satisfy distribution requirements or any elective semester units outside the major or minor. The Pass/Fail option is subject to the following limitations: 

  1. Neither the First-Year Program nor the First-Year Seminar may be taken on a Pass/Fail basis. 

  1. Courses counting towards the student’s major or minor completion cannot be taken on a Pass/Fail basis after the major or minor is declared. 

  1. No more than one optional Pass/Fail course can be taken in any semester. 

  1. The Pass/Fail option requires that the written consent of the instructor and acknowledgment by the academic advisor be submitted to the registrar by the end of the ninth week of classes in the fall and spring semesters. In summer session or courses that meet only half of the fall or spring semester, students may avail themselves of the option by the midpoint of the course as determined by the registrar. 

  1. A student must attain a minimum of a 1.0 grade to receive a Pass for the course.  

Students should be aware that grades of 0.0 (F) are calculated in the grade point average. Although the P grade is not calculated in the grade point average, P grades may place students at a competitive disadvantage when they apply for admission to some graduate or professional schools. Students choosing to take a course Pass/Fail in a given semester will not be eligible for the Dean’s List in that semester, if the total graded units become less than 4.0 units. 

If no Pass/Fail option is allowed in a course, the instructor will indicate that policy in the course syllabus.  

Repeating Courses 

When a student repeats a course, the higher grade will be computed in the cumulative average. Grades from both attempts will remain on the transcript. A repeated course does not earn additional credit toward graduation unless the first attempt received a failing grade. 

  1. If a student’s grade is lowered below the level required by the major due to academic dishonesty, the student may retake the course, but only with the agreement of the department chair and only on a pass/fail basis, even if the major has already been declared. The original grade remains on the student’s transcript. 

  1. If a student fails a course due to academic dishonesty and the course is not required for the major, the student may not retake the course. 

  1. If a student’s grade is lowered due to academic dishonesty and the course is not required with a higher grade for the major, the student may not retake the course. 

  1. In all other cases, a student who wishes to retake a course must submit a petition to the Academic Petitions Committee. The petition must provide a more in-depth explanation of the student’s reason(s) for retaking the course than merely stating “to raise my GPA.” Pending the Committee’s approval, the student may register to retake the course only after the pre-registration process is complete by submitting an add/drop form. 

Students should be aware that financial aid, visa status, or veterans’ benefits may be affected by a repeated course. Students should contact the Financial Services and the Financial Aid offices to determine if repeating a course would jeopardize a grant or scholarship.