Fei Tian College

Fei Tian College uses two grading scales: letter grade and pass/no pass.

The basic letter grades are “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” and “F.” The College gives instructors the option to add a plus or minus to letter grades (except “F”), yielding grades such as “A+” and “C–.”

The pass/no pass grades are “P” and “NP.”

The following table details the letter grades, the pass/no pass grades, and the various other grading codes that may appear on a student’s transcript.

Grades and Grading Codes

Grading System

Grade	Percent	Grade Points	Allows Credit	Description
A+	97–100	4.3	Yes
A	93–96	4.0	Yes
A–	90–92	3.7	Yes
B+	87–89	3.3	Yes
B	83–86	3.0	Yes
B–	80–82	2.7	Yes
C+	77–79	2.3	Yes
C	73–76	2.0	Yes
C–	70–72	1.7	Yes	Lowest passing grade for graduate students
D+	67–69	1.3	Depends*
D	63–66	1.0	Depends*
D–	60–62	0.7	Depends*	Lowest passing grade for undergraduate students
F	0–59	0.0	No
P	Depends*	N/A	Yes	Pass. Passing grade in a P/NP course or in a course for which the student elected the P/NP option.
NP	Depends*	N/A	No	No pass. Failing grade in a P/NP course or in a course for which the student elected the P/NP option.
AFE		0.0	No	Absent from final examination. For unexcused absences.
AUD		N/A	No	Audit.
CR		N/A	Yes	Credit is awarded or requirement is met.
FIN		0.0	No	Failed incomplete. Assigned when the time to resolve an “I” grade expires.
I		N/A	No	Incomplete. Approved extension of time to complete course requirements.
IA		0.0	No	Insufficient attendance. Includes stopping attending a course without withdrawing.
IP		N/A	No	Course is in progress. No grade is assigned at this time.
MX		N/A	No	Medical excuse. Granted by petition to department chair.
NGR		N/A	No	No grade reported. Decision pending.
PX		N/A	No	Professional excuse. Performance courses only, with chair approval.
W		N/A	No	Course withdrawal.

* For undergraduate students, the minimum passing letter grade is “D–” and the “P” grade corresponds to a percentage range of 60–100. For graduate students, the minimum passing grade is “C–” and the “P” grade corresponds to a percentage range of 70–100.

The Pass/No Pass option was designed to encourage students to explore a new academic area or take a particularly challenging course without undue concern about their academic performance in the course.

By electing the Pass/No Pass option for a certain course, the student will be graded by the instructor as usual throughout the course, but the final grade that appears on the student’s transcript will be a “P” (Pass) if the instructor assigns a passing letter grade, or an “NP” (No Pass) if the instructor assigns a failing letter grade or an “IA” or “AFE” grade, or if the grade is “FIN.” All other grades, including “I,” “W,” and “PX,” are not converted and appear on the student’s transcript unchanged. Courses taken on a Pass/No Pass basis do not affect the GPA.

Students may earn a maximum of eight credits per degree with the Pass/No Pass option. Each use of the Pass/No Pass option must be approved by the student’s academic advisor. Credits earned by taking a course on a Pass/No Pass basis do not fulfill any General Education, major core, or electives requirement.

The “I” grade (Incomplete) may be assigned at the discretion of the instructor when a student’s work in a course is of passing quality but is incomplete and the student formally requests an “I” grade by the last class session. In requesting an “I” grade, the student should discuss with the instructor the reason the work is incomplete and exactly what coursework remains to be completed.

The course instructor has discretion to grant or deny the request and to determine the conditions under which the incomplete grade is made up, including setting a deadline within a one-year timeframe. Under no circumstance should a student re-register for a class to complete an “I.” Registering for a course a second time invokes the “Course Repetition” rules.

An “I” is a temporary notation that must be changed to a permanent grade on the student’s transcript within a maximum of one year. To confirm the student’s completion of the assigned work and replace the “I” grade, the instructor must submit a Change of Grade Form to the Office of the Registrar. Otherwise, the student’s grade will automatically change to a “FIN” (Failed Incomplete).

Once final grades have been posted by the Office of the Registrar, they will be changed only in exceptional circumstances and only with the approval of the instructor and the Chair of the department offering the course.

To request a grade change, instructors must submit a completed Change of Grade Form to the Chair of the department offering the course for consideration. If the request is granted, the instructor must forward the Change of Grade Form to the Office of the Registrar for processing.

A grade point average (GPA) summarizes a student’s academic performance.

A GPA is a weighted average. It is calculated as the total number of grade points earned divided by the total credit weight of courses attempted. For each grade, the number of grade points is the grade’s assigned grade points multiplied by the course’s credit weight. This calculation excludes grades that do not affect GPA, such as certain grades earned when repeating a course (see the General Course Policies - Repeating a Course section).

Useful types of GPA include semester GPA (calculated from a student’s grades within a single semester), cumulative GPA (calculated from all of a student’s grades), and major GPA (calculated from all grades a student received in courses that his/her major requires).