Grading, Grade Appeals & Graduation

Grading System

Graduate Program Grade Definitions

Grading System
Grade	4.0 Scale
A	4.0 Indicates excellent work of consistently high standard (superior) (95% and above)
A-	3.7 (90-94%)
B+	3.3 Indicates good work, demonstrating qualities such as organization, accuracy, originality, understanding (high average) (87-89%)
B	3.0 (83-86%)
B-	2.7 (80-82%)
C+	2.3 Unsatisfactory performance, below the level expected of a graduate student
C	2.0 Unsatisfactory performance, below the level expected of a graduate student
F	Indicates failure and work undeserving of credit
W	Indicates that a student withdrew from a course
INC	Indicates a temporary extension of the semester
P	Indicates an acceptable level of performance (project/thesis)
P*	Indicates an acceptable level of performance worthy of distinction (research/thesis courses only)
COMP	Completed or Passed, no credit, no quality points
NCOMP	Not Completed or Failed, no credit, no quality points
T	Indicates transfer credit

Audit

To audit a class, a student must obtain permission from the instructor and department chair and pay the appropriate fee.

A student is allowed to audit one course per semester under the following conditions:

Student must be properly enrolled in the university as either matriculating or nonmatriculating.
Student may audit only on a space-available basis. This request requires the signature and approval of the instructor and the chair of the department in which the course is given and then must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar.
Audited courses are considered as part of the student’s regular course load but do not carry academic credit. Financial aid as applicable to audit courses must be cleared through the Office of Financial Aid.
An audited course cannot be changed to a credit course after the add period is completed.
A credit course cannot be changed to an audited course after the add period is completed.
The student’s record will show a grade of AU for the course if instructor certifies that the course has been completed.
A student who has audited a course may take the course for credit at a later date.

Incomplete Work

A student who has done satisfactory work in a course, but has not completed the course requirements because of illness or some other emergency situation, may request an “Incomplete” as a temporary extension of the semester. To receive this extension, the student must submit the Request for Incomplete form to the instructor and dean of the appropriate school for approval. This request must be made prior to the start of final assessment. At the end of the semester extension, if the instructor does not submit a final grade to the registrar, the student will automatically receive an F for the course unless the instructor submits a different grade, based on work previously completed.

The semester extension period is six weeks after the end of term and is referenced on the Office of the Registrar’s web page and Request for Incomplete form.

Repeating a Course

A course retaken to improve a grade will result in only the higher grade being calculated in the academic average. The lower grade will remain on the academic transcript but will not be included in the grade point average or in the earned credit total. Repeated courses shall be taken at Georgian Court, unless special permission is given by the program director.

Grade Posting

Grades are available via Self-Service approximately three weeks after the completion of any term. Indebtedness to Georgian Court University precludes access to grades and transcripts.

Grade Appeals

A student wishing to file an appeal about a final grade or a grade received for a particular piece of work in a course should follow this procedure:

For a grade received for a particular piece of work in a course:

The student must first attempt to resolve the matter through discussion with the faculty member who assigned it within 10 working days of receiving the grade.
If the issue cannot satisfactorily be resolved between the student and faculty member within 10 working days after the student has conferred with the faculty member, the student may specify in writing the basis for the grade appeal and request a review by the appropriate program director. This written appeal should reach the program director no later than 10 working days after the student has conferred with the faculty member. The program director shall attempt to resolve the issue between the student and the faculty member, in consultation with the faculty members in the discipline. Written notification of the determination by the program director shall be sent to the student within 10 working days of the receipt of the appeal. The program director’s decision is final.

For a final grade:

The student must first attempt to resolve the matter through discussion with the faculty member who assigned it within the first 10 working days of the next semester. If the faculty member receives from the student convincing evidence that the original grade is inaccurate, the faculty member shall correct the grade. If an inaccurate final grade has been given, the faculty member shall submit a Change of Grade form to the Office of the Registrar.
If the issue cannot satisfactorily be resolved between the student and faculty member within 10 working days after the student has conferred with the faculty member, the student may specify in writing the basis for the grade appeal and request a review by the appropriate program director. This written appeal should reach the program director no later than 10 working days after the student has conferred with the faculty member. The program director shall attempt to resolve the issue between the student and the faculty member.
If the issue cannot be resolved satisfactorily within 10 working days, the student may then submit the appeal in writing to the dean of the school of the particular discipline, who will then attempt to resolve the issue between the student and the faculty member.
If the issue is still unsatisfactorily resolved within 10 working days, the student may submit the appeal in writing to the provost, who shall attempt to resolve the issue in consultation with the student, faculty member, program director, and school dean. If an agreement is not reached in this consultation, the provost shall have the final authority to resolve the appeal. Written notification of the determination by the provost shall be sent to the student within 10 working days of the receipt of the appeal. The provost’s decision is final. Copies of the decision shall be provided to the student, faculty member, school dean, program director and registrar within 10 working days of the receipt of the appeal. If the faculty member believes that their academic freedom has been compromised by the provost’s decision, the faculty member may appeal the decision in accordance with the grievance procedure and time lines set forth in the appropriate section of the faculty personnel policies volume of the policy manual, which can be accessed at http://www.georgian.edu.

Graduation & Degree Requirements

Submission of Graduation (completion of degree) Application by appropriate submission date is required.
Successful completion of specified credits for each program is required.
Maintenance of a minimum of a B, 3.0, academic average is required.
Completion of all work toward the master’s degree during a six-year period exclusive of an approved leave of absence is required.

Comprehensive Examination

A final comprehensive examination is required of candidates in some master’s degree programs. Students are directed to individual programs to ascertain the requirements for their specific program.

Research

Most programs require that a student present a written project or thesis as one of the requirements for the degree. The project/thesis must have academic significance and must be completed under the guidance of the program director or someone specifically designated by the program director. The project/thesis, as a general rule, will be in the student’s area of specialization in the graduate program. The project/thesis must show evidence that the student:

understands the theoretical basis of the topic,
proceeds independently with a well-organized plan of work,
demonstrates reasonable familiarity in handling the research methods involved in the project,
demonstrates graduate-level facility in writing and interpreting the material, and
demonstrates skill in interpreting findings and drawing conclusions.

Although the structure of the research may differ somewhat for the various programs, each project/thesis includes the review of published literature, data collection, and analysis.

Graduation (Completion of Degree) Application

All students must submit an application for graduation (completion of degree) to the Office of the Registrar by the priority due date: July 1 for May graduation; February 1 for August graduation; and May 1 for December graduation. Receipt of application will result in preparation of an academic audit. Students are encouraged to apply two semesters prior to intended completion of degree requirements. Late applications are accepted for a limited time after the priority due date. A late fee is applicable to any late application received once the graduating semester has begun. Please refer to the Office of the Registrar’s web page for application deadlines.

Graduation Terms and Participation in the Commencement Ceremony

Graduation is distinct from participation in the Commencement ceremony. Graduation refers to completion of program requirements. The university holds a Commencement ceremony in May of each year at which May graduates and graduates from the preceding August and December may participate. With limited exceptions, only students who have completed all requirements for graduation (including all coursework) prior to the Commencement ceremony are eligible to participate in the ceremony.

Students who have completed all requirements for graduation except for a few credits should consult the university’s Commencement web page three months prior to Commencement for the current policy regarding participation in the ceremony. The conferral of degrees (graduation) takes place in August, December, and May.

Honors at Graduation

Departmental Awards: Awards are granted to graduating students in recognition of outstanding ability and achievement in their academic program. To qualify for these awards, students must be recommended by appropriate faculty.

Length of Time to Complete Program

Unless otherwise specified, the master’s degree, certificate, or certification program must be completed within six continuous academic years following the date of first enrollment as a matriculated student at Georgian Court. (The six years does not include an official leave of absence.) In rare and compelling circumstances, an extension of one year may be requested by a degree candidate to complete their program. This request may be granted only once upon approval by the provost. Only graduate courses taken within the five years prior to acceptance into the current graduate program will be applicable to the program requirements.

Note: If New Jersey regulations or policies change regarding preparation or requirements for certification or licensure during the six-year period, the state’s policy will prevail and may result in the need for a continuously enrolled student to take additional courses to complete a program.

Graduate Thesis Continuation Policy

With the permission of the instructor, a student who does not finish their graduate internship, thesis, or research course in the allotted time period may register for a graduate continuation course in order to complete course requirements. The graduate continuation course, designated GRCONT, will have a flat fee assigned. The student will have up to one calendar year to complete the graduate internship/thesis/research continuation. The student is required to enroll on a semester basis for the graduate continuation course. Should the student not complete course requirements within the required time frame, a grade of F will be assigned to the course.

Request for Transcript

Transcript requests can be made online. There is a fee per transcript. Transcripts are processed in the order in which they are received within five working days. The Office of the Registrar is not able to issue transcripts immediately upon request. The online request form is available on the Office of the Registrar’s web page at http://www.georgian.edu.