The Graduate School’s grading system is as follows: A, excellent; B, good; C, fair; D, passing but poor; F, failure. Plus and minus letter grades are also used. Unless program regulations specifically state otherwise, all courses to be credited toward the degree will be taken for a letter grade (see also paragraph on R credit below). A letter grade is given to a student who has completed the required work in a course, including the final exam or paper, and it is expressed on a student’s transcript by the letter grades A, B, C, D, or F. The grade of F is a final grade and is not subject to reexamination. The grade of P (passed) is an option for courses not required for the degree. Students should seek advice from the director of graduate studies in their department if they wish to take a course for Pass/Fail or for R credit.

The mark of INC (incomplete): Given to a student who has satisfactorily met all the requirements of a course except for the completion of certain assigned papers or reports or the final examination that the student has been compelled to postpone for reasons beyond his or her control and that are satisfactory to the instructor. If the INC is not removed by the submission of a qualitative grade by the instructor within one year, it will be changed to an F. The dean may grant an extension for an additional year upon a request made by the student before the expiration of the one-year grace period. If no extension has been granted and the required work has not been submitted to the instructor, the mark of F will be considered a final grade not subject to change at a later date.

The mark of R (registered for the course; no qualitative grade assigned): Awarded in place of a letter grade. Students who wish to be given R credit for a course must receive written permission from the instructor that specifies the instructor's expectations within the standard course-change period. A course that has been taken for R credit may not be repeated for a letter grade. The student who has been approved to take a course for R credit is not required to take the final examination but is required to meet any other requirements established by the instructor of the course. It is assumed that the student will meet all course requirements other than the final examination unless the instructor states otherwise in writing when the permission for R credit is granted. The number of points of R credit acceptable for a degree is set by each program in consultation with the Executive Committee of the Graduate School.

The mark of YC (year course): A mark given at the end of the first term of a course in which the full year of work must be completed before a qualitative grade is assigned. The grade given at the end of the second term is the grade for the entire course.