PRP 3522 – Grades, Quality Points and Quality Point Averages

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  4. PRP 3522 – Grades, Quality Points and Quality Point Averages

Issued by: James K. Krause, Ed.D., Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Effective date: Fall 2017

The grades earned at Bloomsburg University with their commensurate quality points are defined as follows:

  • A = 4.00
  • A- = 3.67
  • B+ = 3.33
  • B = 3.00
  • B- = 2.67
  • C+ = 2.33
  • C = 2.00
  • C- = 1.67
  • D+=1.33
  • D = 1.00
  • F = 0.00

The grades earned by each student for academic credit at Bloomsburg University are assigned by those faculty who are responsible for the courses in which the student is enrolled. Grades are given based on the criteria specified during the first week of the academic term (See PRP 3264, Student Course Requirements and Progress Information).

After a grade of A through F has been reported to the Office of the Registrar, it may be changed only through the grievance process (see PRP 3592), through the appropriate procedure to correct computational or clerical error see PRP 3536-Grade Change), or in accordance with PRP 3454-Undergraduate Pass/Fail.

Other grades assigned to students not included in the computation of quality point averages are as follows:

I- Incomplete — This is a temporary grade to be given only when the instructor believes that the student has been unable to complete the course requirements due to circumstances beyond his/her control. Failure of a student to take a final examination or complete other course requirements without prior arrangement with the instructor or legitimate excuse is not a justification for a grade of I.

When the instructor submits the grade of I to the Registrar, it must be accompanied with a formal, written plan for the student to complete the course requirements and the appropriate letter grade that would be assigned if the plan were not completed by the student in the time specified. The plan for the student to complete the course requirements shall be drawn up by the instructor with the acquiescence of the student. Unless otherwise stated in the written plan, it is assumed that work will be completed prior to the end of the next regular semester. When the plan has been completed by the student, the instructor shall recalculate the grade to be assigned for the course and submit this new grade to the Registrar according to established procedures.

If the work is not completed within the time designated by the completion plan, the course grade specified on the Issuance of Grades of Incomplete form shall be assigned. If no time period is designated on the Issuance of Grades of Incomplete form, the time frame shall be to the end of the next regular semester. In the event that a student is assigned a grade of I without such a plan, the I will automatically convert to an F at the end of the next regular semester. A request for an extension of time in the plan to complete course requirements must be initiated by the student prior to the deadline of the plan on file in the Office of the Registrar. The student must present suitable documentation to the instructor indicating that circumstances above and beyond his/her control persist or new circumstances of that nature have developed. It will be granted only upon approval of the instructor and the dean of the appropriate college.

P- Passed — It is recorded by the Office of the Registrar when the faculty member assigned a passing grade to a student and when the student has elected to take a course on a pass-fail basis in accordance with the provisions of the PRP 3454- Undergraduate Pass/Fail. The grade of P is also recorded when a student passes a course by proficiency examination. This grade is not used in the computation of a quality point average.

F- Failed — It is recorded by the Office of the Registrar when the faculty member assigned a failing grade to a student. A grade of F in a pass/fail course is not used in the computation of a quality point average.

V- Audit — This grade is assigned by the instructor when the student has properly registered to audit a course, and the student has attended at least three-fourths of the regular class meetings. (Refer to PRP 3456-Auditing of Courses).

W- Withdrawal — This grade is recorded by the Registrar when the student has withdrawn from a course according to the requirements found in PRP 3462-Undergraduate Course Withdrawal.

R- Research in progress — This grade is assigned by the instructor only when a student has been unable to complete a research component of a course because the length of time for the research exceeds the end of the semester and when a formal plan for completion of the research is filed with the instructor and department chairperson. Provisions for removal of the grade are the same as those for the grade of I.

The instructor will submit the grade of R to the Registrar along with the formal plan for completion of the research and the grade to be assigned to the student if the research is not completed satisfactorily in the time period stipulated. The plan for the student to complete the research shall be drawn up by the instructor with the acquiescence of the student. Unless otherwise stated in the written plan, it is assumed that the work will be completed prior to the end of the next regular semester. When the plan has been completed by the student, the instructor shall recalculate the grade to be assigned for the course and submit this new grade to the registrar according to established procedures (refer to PRP 3536-Grade Change).

X- No grade reported — his temporary grade is reported by the Office of the Registrar when the instructor does not report any grade for the student. The X will automatically convert to an F at the end of the next regular semester, unless changed through the established procedures (refer to PRP 3536-Grade Change).

Calculating Quality Point Average

The Quality Point Average (abbreviated QPA) is computed from the record of courses taken at Bloomsburg University using the assigned grades of A through F as listed above.
The computation is as follows:

Multiply the number of semester hours for each course by the number of quality points for the grade in the course, and add the products.
Divide the sum obtained in the first step by the total number of semester hours represented by the courses.

A "Semester QPA" is computed by including only the courses of a single semester. The "Cumulative QPA" is that computed by including all courses taken to date at Bloomsburg University, including Developmental Studies courses (Academic Enrichment courses numbered 001 –099).

If a course has been successfully repeated, the credits are counted only once in the computation. The most recent grade (regardless of whether it is higher or lower) will be the grade used for the QPA calculation. If a course is successfully repeated at another accredited institution of higher education, the credits for the course initially taken at BU are deleted from the computation.