Grades

• The Grading System
  • Figuring Your Grade Point Average
• Audits
• Credit/No-Credit
• Class Attendance
• Incompletes
• Withdrawal from the University
• Academic Warning, Probation, Suspension, and Dismissal
• Re-Enrollment
  • Fresh Start Policy

The Grading System

Grades for all students are reported to the Office of the Registrar at the close of each semester or term. Miami uses the following grading structure on a 4.00 scale:

Other grade symbols include:

Figuring Your Grade Point Average

Add the hours you have attempted for a grade in the semester. Then figure the point value of your grades by multiplying the point value of the grade by the number of hours in the course. Divide the number of points by the number of hours; this is your g.p.a.

51.2 divided by 17 = 3.01 g.p.a.

To figure your cumulative g.p.a., divide total points for all terms by the total number of credit hours you attempted for a grade. Grade point averages are truncated to the second decimal place.

Audits

With permission of the instructor you can audit any course. This means you receive no credit and no grade but you attend all classes. Depending on the course, the instructor may require you to take exams and participate in class projects or discussion.

A course can be changed from credit to audit or audit to credit through the end of the first 60 percent of the course meetings (see the academic calendar).

Normally, audit courses are not counted in the maximum registration guidelines (no more than 20 hours without permission of your dean). If it is a laboratory or studio course that requires a great deal of work, however, those hours will count in the maximum registration.

An audit course is charged at the same rate as a credit course.

Credit/No-Credit

The idea behind the credit/no-credit grading system is that students should be able to sample courses in many areas of study with relative freedom, without worrying too much about grades.

If you take an undergraduate course on a credit/no-credit basis, you receive credit for a grade of C or better; if your grade is C- or less, no credit is awarded. At the graduate level, a grade of B or higher is required to receive credit. Credit/no-credit courses are not figured in your grade point average.

No more than 25 percent of your total semester hours earned at Miami can be earned in courses taken on a credit/no-credit basis. Freshmen must be registered for at least 12 hours of courses for grades before taking a class on a credit/no-credit basis. Students on academic probation cannot take any course on a credit/no-credit basis.

Usually, you cannot take a course that counts toward your major or minor on a credit/no-credit basis. Some departments, however, may make exceptions for specific courses. If you are planning to go to graduate or professional school, you should carefully consider which courses you take credit/no-credit. Your adviser can help you decide.

You can change a course from a grade to credit/no-credit, or vice versa, before the deadline. Usually the deadline is three weeks or after completion of 20 percent of the classes. (See the academic calendar.)

You cannot take a course on a credit/no-credit basis if you have already earned credit in the course. Likewise, you cannot take a course for a grade that you have received credit for previously.

Class Attendance

You are expected to attend every class for which you are registered.

A department may drop a student from a course if the student misses the first class meeting unless the student notifies the instructor or department by the end of that day (11:59 p.m.) of an intention to take the course. When possible, instructors and departments will reinstate students who, for reasons beyond their control, were unable to contact the instructor or department by the deadline.

If your instructor notifies the Registrar's office that in his or her opinion you have missed too many classes, you can be dropped from the course with a grade of F. If this occurs, the instructor must notify you in writing.

Do not assume that a department will automatically drop you from a course. You must take responsibility for dropping a course.

Incompletes

If you cannot finish the work for a course by the end of a term, with your instructor's permission you can take an incomplete. This is an agreement between you and your instructor that you will finish your course work by the last day of classes of the following term (summer excluded). Until you complete the work, you will receive an I on your record, which is calculated the same as an F in your grade point average. If, in the instructor's judgement, you must repeat the course to receive credit, the incomplete grade may be taken out of the calculation of your g.p.a. after you receive a passing grade.

Withdrawal from the University

If you withdraw from the university, you must file a form, signed by the appropriate authority, with the Registrar's office. You can withdraw without grades during the first three weeks of the semester or during the first 20 percent of a summer term.

If you withdraw after the third week of the semester (after 20 percent of class meetings), you will receive grades of W (withdrawal), excluding completed or not yet begun sprint courses. (For a completed sprint course you will receive the actual grade earned in the completed sprint.)

If you withdraw after the ninth week of the semester (after 60 percent of the class meetings) and you wish to re-enroll, you must submit a petition for re-enrollment to the Interdivisional Committee of Advisers.

If you are withdrawing because of medical reasons, consult Appendix Z of the Student Handbook at www.muohio.edu/handbook.

For information on refunds, see the Fees and Expenses chapter.

Academic Warning, Probation, Suspension, and Dismissal

These are actions taken by the Registrar when grades fall below an acceptable level at the end of a semester or a summer session.

Academic Warning

An undergraduate student who earns a cumulative g.p.a. less than 2.00 during his or her first semester at Miami University will be placed on academic warning. Excluding a student's first semester (per above), in all subsequent semesters an undergraduate student with fewer than 16 cumulative g.p.a. hours who earns a cumulative g.p.a. lower than 2.00 is placed or continued on academic warning. If an undergraduate student on academic warning has a cumulative average of 2.00 or better, the student is removed from academic warning and placed in good standing.

Academic Probation

An undergraduate student with 16 or more cumulative g.p.a. hours is placed on academic probation at the end of any semester or summer session in which his or her cumulative average is lower than 2.00. If an undergraduate student's cumulative average is 2.00 or better, the student is removed from academic probation and placed in good standing.

Continued on Academic Probation

An undergraduate student with 16-29 g.p.a. hours who is on academic probation and who has a cumulative average lower than 2.00 is continued on academic probation. An undergraduate student with 30 or more g.p.a. hours who is on academic probation and who has an average for a semester or summer session of 2.00 or better, but has a cumulative average lower than 2.00, is continued on academic probation.

Academic Suspension

An undergraduate student with 30 or more g.p.a. hours who is on academic probation will be suspended if his or her average for a semester or summer session is lower than 2.00. The period of suspension is one semester and a summer. The period of suspension is two semesters for students suspended at the end of summer session.

Academic Dismissal

A second academic suspension for low scholarship constitutes an academic dismissal. The period of academic dismissal is two calendar years and is usually considered a permanent action.

You can petition for an exception to academic suspension or academic dismissal. Freshmen should consult their freshman adviser or commuter adviser about the petitioning process. Upperclass students can get a petition from their divisional dean. These petitions are considered by the Committee of Advisers in your academic division.

All decisions on petitions are reviewed by the Interdivisional Committee of Advisers, which has the authority to affirm or reverse the decision.

Re-Enrollment

Former students who left the university in good standing may apply for re-enrollment through the Office of the Registrar. Students who have been suspended, dismissed, or have a financial, medical, or disciplinary hold also apply through the Office of the Registrar. Apply for re-enrollment at least 30 days before the beginning of the term that you intend to enroll. Information is available at www.muohio.edu/registrar/.

Returning students whose degree programs have been discontinued should consult with their academic departments or divisions.

Fresh Start Policy

Fresh Start Policy is designed to help students return to good academic standing after an absence of at least two calendar years.

Students who have been academically suspended or dismissed are eligible for Fresh Start status. Other students who have left the university without being suspended or dismissed but who believe their past academic record suffered due to extenuating circumstances may petition their Divisional Committee of Advisers after a two-year absence. Credit earned from other institutions during the two-year period will not be accepted for transfer credit. For more information about Fresh Start Policy, see The Student Handbook at www.muohio.edu/handbook or contact the Office of the Registrar at 513-529-8703.

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