Southern New Hampshire University
Academic Standards and Regulations
Grading System
Grades and Grading
Grade
Privacy of Student Records
A A– B+ B B– C+ C C– D+ D F IF I S U CR AU W WP WF T X
The policy and procedures concerning the privacy of student records maintained by Southern New Hampshire University are in large measure governed by the Federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. The university’s policy and procedures regarding this subject are posted by the Office of the Registrar. Except when requested by a student or required by federal or state regulations, an educational record will not include information concerning race, religion, nationality, political or social views or memberships in organizations. Directory information (name, address, telephone number, major, etc.) may be released or published without a student’s consent unless the student notifies the university that this information is not to be released. Only members of the university staff with a need to know, certain federal or state agencies and other education agencies completing surveys and studies for the university will ordinarily have access to a student’s record without the written consent of the student concerned. A student has the right to waive his or her right of access concerning recommendations from personnel at his or her former school and from others regarding admission to the university and recommendations for employment on file with the university and recommendations for some honor or honor society. The university may not require a student to waive this right nor may the student’s status at the university depend upon his or her waiving this right.
Grades Students have the privilege of receiving their course grade averages prior to final exams and discussing their grades with their instructors. To do this, a student must request an appointment with the instructor at least two weeks prior to the first day of final exams. Grades will not be released over the telephone or over fax lines.
Grade Changes Instructors are responsible for all grade changes. Concerns about incompletes, make-ups and grades should be directed to them.
In determining grades at the university, the following grade system is used: Quality Points (per credit hour) Excellent
4.00 3.67 3.33 3.00 2.67 2.33 2.00 1.67 1.33 1.00 0.00 0.00
Good
Average
Passing Fail Incomplete/Fail Incomplete Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Credit Audit Withdraw Withdraw Passing Withdraw Failing Transfer Credit Course in Progress
The grade-point average (GPA) is determined by dividing the sum of the quality points (QP) by the sum of the attempted credit hours (CR). An example of a student’s grades and grade-point average is as follows: ENG SNHU MAT PSY IT
102 101 120 108 100
3 Credits x A(4)= 3 Credits x B(3)= 3 Credits x C(2)= 3 Credits x D(1)= 3 Credits x F(0)= 15
12 QP 9 QP 6 QP 3 QP 0 QP 30 QP
30 QP divided by 15 CR = 2.00 GPA
Incompletes Faculty may give a student a grade of incomplete (“I”) in a course. Any student requesting an “I” grade must complete a Student Petition & Contract for a Grade of Incomplete and submit it to the proper offices prior to the final day of the term/semester. The petition will specify a deadline by which the course work must be completed, typically six calendar weeks after the end of the semester or term. The incomplete automatically becomes an “IF” if work has not been completed and a grade has not been submitted by the specific deadline. If an instructor accepts student work after the deadline, and wishes to change a grade of “IF” to a letter grade, such a change requires the instructor’s rationale documenting significant extenuating circumstances and the written approval of the Dean under whose aegis the course was offered.
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