Announcement: Extraordinary Circumstances Late Grading Option Change Request
The University of Washington Tacoma uses a numerical grading system at both the graduate and undergraduate levels of instruction.
Standard grading system for undergraduate students
Undergraduate Grading Scale
Numerical grades may be considered equivalent to letter grades as follows:
| LETTER GRADE | NUMBER GRADE | NOTE |
|---|---|---|
|
A |
4.0 – 3.9 | |
| A- | 3.8 – 3.5 | |
| B+ | 3.4 – 3.2 | |
| B | 3.1 – 2.9 | |
| B- | 2.8 – 2.5 | |
| C+ | 2.4 – 2.2 | |
| C | 2.1 – 1.9 | |
| C- | 1.8 – 1.5 | |
| D+ | 1.4 – 1.2 | |
| D | 1.1 – 0.9 | |
| D- | 0.8 – 0.7 | Lowest passing grade |
| E | 0.0 |
Academic failure No credit earned |
Reminder: Grades in the range 0.6 to 0.1 may not be assigned.
At the undergraduate level, instructors may report grades from 4.0 to 0.7 in 0.1 increments and the grade 0.0.
The grade 0.0 is assigned for failing work or if a student does not officially withdraw.
Grades in the range 0.6 to 0.1 may not be assigned. Grades reported in this range will be converted by the Office of the Registrar to 0.0.
Grading system for graduate students
Graduate Grading Scale
Numerical grades may be considered equivalent to letter grades as follows:
| Letter grade | Numerical grade |
|---|---|
| A | 4.0 – 3.9 |
| A- | 3.8 – 3.5 |
| B+ | 3.4 – 3.1 |
| B | 3.0 – 2.9 |
| B- | 2.8 – 2.5 |
| C+ | 2.4 – 2.1 |
| C | 2.0 – 1.7 |
| E |
1.6 – 0.0 |
At the graduate level, instructors may report grades from 4.0 to 1.7 in 0.1 increments.
Grades below 1.7 are recorded as 0.0 by the Registrar and do not count toward residency, total credit count, or grade and credit requirements.
A minimum grade of 2.7 is required in each course that counts toward satisfying the Graduate School requirement for 18 hours of coursework numbered 500-700 at the master's level.
A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for graduation.
Other Letter Grades
The following letter grades may also be used:
| Letter Grade | Description |
|---|---|
N |
In Progress - An "N" grade carries with it no credit or grade until a regular grade is assigned. It indicates that the student is making satisfactory progress and a final grade will be given at the end of the quarter the work is completed. Used only for Thesis, research and hyphenated courses (courses not completed in one quarter) and graduate courses numbered 600 (Independent Study or Research), 601 (Internship), 700 (Master's Thesis) and 800. An N grade indicates that satisfactory progress is being made, but evaluation depends on completion of the next segment. |
X |
No grade has been turned in. |
I |
Incomplete - An incomplete is given only when the student has been in attendance and has done satisfactory work within two weeks of the end of the quarter and has furnished proof satisfactory to the instructor that the work cannot be completed because of illness or other circumstances beyond the student's control. For undergraduate students: To obtain credit for the course, a student must successfully complete the work by the last day of the next quarter in residence. (Students should never re-register for the course as a means of removing the Incomplete.) An Incomplete grade not made up by the end of the next quarter will be converted to the grade 0.0 by the Registrar unless the instructor has indicated, when assigning the Incomplete grade, that a grade other than 0.0 should be recorded if the Incomplete work is not completed. The original Incomplete grade is not removed from the permanent record. An instructor may approve an extension of the Incomplete removal deadline. Such an extension must be received, in writing, at the Office of the Registrar, not later than the last day of the quarter following the quarter in which the Incomplete grade is assigned. Extensions, which may be granted for up to three additional quarters, must be received before the Incomplete has been converted into a failing grade. In no case can an Incomplete received by an undergraduate be converted to a passing grade after a lapse of one year. For graduate students: To obtain credit for the course, a student must successfully complete the work and the instructor must submit a grade. In no case may an Incomplete be converted into a passing grade after a lapse of two years. An incomplete received by the graduate student does not automatically convert to a grade of 0.0 but the "I" will remain as a permanent part of the student's record. |
S |
Satisfactory - Is a grade for courses taken on a satisfactory/not satisfactory basis. The grade of S is not computed in the grade-point average calculation. For undergraduate students, an S grade is automatically converted from a numerical grade of 2.0 or above. For undergraduate students, an S grade is automatically converted from a numerical grade of 2.0 or above. Undergraduate students may elect this option only for fee electives and cannot be used to satisfy a university, college, campus or department course requirement. A maximum of 20 credits of S/NS grades may be applied to an undergraduate degree. A graduate student, with the approval of the Graduate Program Coordinator or Supervisory Committee Chairperson, may elect to be graded S/NS in any numerically-graded course for which he or she is eligible. If a student does not so elect, then he/she will be graded on a numerical basis. If approval is granted the student must elect the S/NS option either when registering or no later than the end of the seventh week of the quarter. The instructor shall submit a numeric grade to the Registrar, who shall convert grades of 2.7 and above to S and grades lower than 2.7 to NS. For Spring 2020, Summer 2020, Autumn 2020 and Winter 2021 Grading Options - see the announcement for Extraordinary Circumstances Late Grading Option Change Request |
NS |
Not Satisfactory - Is a grade for courses taken on a satisfactory/not satisfactory basis. For undergraduate students a grade less than 2.0 is converted to NS. For graduate students a grade less than 2.7 is converted to NS. NS is not included in the grade-point average calculation. No credit is awarded for courses in which an NS grade is received. For Spring 2020, Summer 2020, Autumn 2020 and Winter 2021 Grading Options: see the announcement for Extraordinary Circumstances Late Grading Option Change Request |
CR |
Credit awarded in a course offered on a credit/no credit basis only or in courses numbered 600, 601, 700, 750, and 800 - The minimum performance level required for a CR grade is determined, and the grade is awarded directly, by the instructor. CR is not computed in the GPA calculations. |
NC |
Credit not awarded in a course offered on a credit/no credit basis only or in courses numbered 600, 601, 700, 750, and 800 - The grade is awarded directly by the instructor and is not included in a GPA calculations. |
W |
Official withdrawal or drop from a course after the fourteenth calendar day of the quarter through the seventh week - to be followed by a number representing the week in which the course was dropped. An official withdrawal is not computed in GPA calculations. Students who do not officially drop a course(s) will receive a grade of 0.0. For DL-suffix courses that do not follow the quarter schedule, the grade W shall be assigned to any course dropped after the fourteenth calendar day after the start of the course and more than two weeks before the end of the maximum term for completion of the course, as specified at the time of registration. The date of withdrawal shall be noted on the transcript. |
RD |
Registrar Drop - (effective Spring 2020) Grade assigned when a student drops courses after the second week of the quarter or with approval of a Former Quarter Drop Petition (formerly Hardship Withdrawal Petition) after the seventh week of the quarter. It is not computed in grade-point average calculation, and no credit is earned. |
HW |
Hardship Withdrawal - Grade assigned when an undergraduate is allowed a hardship withdrawal from a course after the seventh week of the quarter. It is not computed in grade-point average calculation, and no credit is earned. |
Nontraditional Grading Options
Credit/No Credit-Only as a Course Option
With appropriate departmental review and approval, a course may be offered on a credit/no credit-only basis. The standard for granting credit in credit/no credit-only courses under this option is the demonstration of competence in the material of the course to the instructor's satisfaction.
Satisfactory/Not-Satisfactory Grading Option
For Spring 2020, Summer 2020, Autumn 2020 and Winter 2021 Grading Options: see the announcement for Extraordinary Circumstances Late Grading Option Change Request
You may elect to take certain courses on a satisfactory/not satisfactory (S/NS) basis.
When registering through Personal Services on MyUW, select the Grade Option box to select S/NS grading option. The S/NS grade option can be elected through the day shown on the academic calendar for the current quarter (NO EXCEPTIONS). A $20 fee is charged beginning the eighth calendar day of the quarter.
Students may only register for up to 20 credits of S/NS through Personal Services on MyUW.
As an undergraduate, a course in which an S is earned may not be used to satisfy any department, college, or University requirement, except that the credits may be applied to the minimum of 180 credits required for graduation. Each instructor will report numerical grades to the Registrar, who will convert satisfactory grades (2.0 or greater) to S, and unsatisfactory grades (less than 2.0) to NS for the student's transcript. No more than 25 S/NS credits may apply toward an undergraduate degree.
If you are a graduate student and earn grades of 2.7 or above, you will receive a grade of S while 2.6 or below are recorded as NS. With the approval of your graduate program advisor or the Supervisory Committee Chairperson, you may elect to take any course for which you are eligible outside of your major academic unit on an S/NS basis.
In cases of withdrawal, the W is recorded. Neither S nor NS is included in the grade-point average
Grading Procedures
Grade-Point Average (GPA)
The University's cumulative GPA is based solely on courses taken in residence at the UW; this includes some, but not all, courses taken through UW Extension. The UW transcript also reflects grades for UW Extension course work that is not residence credit, and the grades for credit by examination. These latter grades do not affect the University cumulative GPA.
Computation of GPA
The GPA for graduation is computed by dividing the total cumulative grade points by the total graded credits attempted for courses taken in residence at the University. Grade points are calculated by multiplying the number of credits by the numeric value of the grade for each course. The sum of the grade points is then divided by the total graded credits attempted.
Courses elected on an S/NS basis are counted as follows: Satisfactory grades are printed on the permanent record as an S and do not count in the quarterly or cumulative GPA, but they do count as credits earned toward graduation. Not-satisfactory grades, NS, do not count in the quarterly and cumulative GPA and do not count as credits earned toward graduation.
Examples of how to calculate your GPA:
| COURSE | CREDITS | GRADE | GRADE POINTS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TWRT 211 | 3 | X | 0.0 | = | 0.0 |
| TMATH 324 | 5 | X | 2.9 | = | 14.5 |
| TCSS 390 | 5 | X | 3.2 | = | 16.0 |
| + | + | ||||
| = 13 total credits attempted | = 30.5 total grade points |
Total credits earned toward graduation: 10
Total graded credits attempted: 13
Total grade points: 30.5
To calculate the Grade Point Average (GPA): 30.5 ÷ 13 = 2.35 GPA
The total graded credits attempted (13 credits), not the credits earned (10), are used in computing the GPA.
| COURSE | CREDITS | GRADE | GRADE POINTS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TBUS 300 | 5 | X | 2.3 | = |
11.5 |
| TBUS 310 | 5 | X | 2.9 | = | 14.5 |
| TBUS 320 | 5 | X | I | = | 0.0 |
| + | + | ||||
| = 10 credits completed (5 are incomplete | = 26.0 total grade points |
Total credits earned toward graduation: 10
Total graded credits attempted: 15
Total grade points: 26
Grade point average = 26.0 ÷ 10 = 2.60
The student attempted 15 credits, but has received an incomplete (I) for TBUS 320, so only 10 are graded initially; the I is not computed in the grade point average. If the work in TBUS 320 is not made up by the end of the following quarter, the I grade will convert to a numeric grade of 0.0 and the grade point average will be recomputed and the 15 total credits attempted will now used to re-calculate the grade point average. When a grade of 0.0 is received, it is computed in the grade point average, but no credit is awarded toward graduation.
Change of Grade
Except in case of error, no instructor may change a grade that he or she has turned in to the Registrar. Grades cannot be changed after a degree has been granted.
Grade Appeal Procedure
A student who believes that the instructor erred in the assignment of a grade, or who believe a grade recording error or omission has occurred, shall first discuss the matter with the instructor before the end of the following academic quarter (not including summer quarter).
- If the student is not satisfied with the instructor's explanation, the student, no later than ten days after his or her discussion with the instructor, may submit a written appeal to the director or the dean of the department that offered the course, with a copy of the appeal also sent to the instructor. Within ten calendar days, the director or dean will consult with the instructor to ensure that the evaluation of student's performance was fair and reasonable or whether the instructor's conduct in assigning the grade was arbitrary or capricious. Should the dean or director believe the instructor's conduct to be arbitrary or capricious and the instructor declines to revise the grade, the director or the dean, with the approval of the voting members of his or her faculty, shall appoint an appropriate member, or members, of the faculty of that department to evaluate the performance of the student and assign a grade. The Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and the Provost will be informed of this action.
Once a student submits a written appeal, this document and all subsequent actions on this appeal are recorded in written form for deposit in a department, school or college file.
Additional information on grade appeals can be found in UW Student Governance and Policies under Change of Grade - Written Appeal of Grade Error.
Grade Reports
Grades are not mailed. You may display and print a grade report through MyUW.