Mar 28, 2024  
2020-2021 SDSM&T Academic Catalog 
    
2020-2021 SDSM&T Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

V. Grading Policies


V.1. Graduate Grading System
V.2. Course Retake Policy
V.3. Pass-Fail Option for Graduate Students
V.4. Grade Appeal Procedure
V.5. Calculation of Graduate GPA


1. Graduate Grading System:

Graduate grades are assigned in accordance with BOR Policy 2-10-C-11-13

Faculty advisors directing research programs for graduate students have the option of assigning final or progress research (courses numbered 798 or 898) grades each semester during the student’s program. 

The Board of Regents authorizes the following grades for research credits (798 or 898):  

  • S - Satisfactory 
  • NP - Normal Progress 
  • U - Unsatisfactory 

After the defense is satisfactorily completed, the major professor notifies the Registrar that any existing NP grades be converted to S grades.  
 
For an uncompleted program, a U or NP or I grade will be given for the last enrollment in  
798 or 898 and will stand on the student’s transcript until the program is completed. If a graduate student does not enroll for a period of one calendar year, the NP grade may be changed to I (Incomplete) upon the approval by the graduate dean. Time on an approved leave of absence (GEP III.6. Leave of Absence ) does not count toward the one-year period.

2. Course Retake Policy

A student will be allowed a total of 2 registrations for any particular graduate course (course numbers of 500 and above) for which credit is to be counted toward graduation.  The student must petition the dean of graduate education and obtain the dean’s approval to be permitted to take a graduate course more than 2 times.  If a course is repeated for a passing or improved grade, only the grade for the last attempt will be included in the computation of the cumulative grade-point average shown on the graduate student’s transcript.

A student will be allowed multiple registrations for certain graduate courses for which credit toward graduation may be received more than once (e.g., Independent Study, Thesis, Research, etc.).  Grades for such courses, where applicable, will be used for grade point average calculations. Please note that individual departments/programs may limit the number of credits allowed toward graduation in these types of courses.

3. Pass/Fail Option for Graduate Students

The following policy pertains to the pass/fail option at the graduate level:

  1. 100 and 200 level courses, either within or outside of the department, which cannot be applied for credit toward a graduate degree may (with the consent of the student’s major professor and graduate student advisory committee) be taken on a pass/fail basis under the same rules that apply to undergraduate students.
  2. 300 through 800 level courses outside of the student’s department/program may (with the consent of the student’s major professor and graduate student advisory committee) be taken on a pass/fail basis except that a C grade shall be considered the lowest passing grade.  The maximum number of hours of pass/fail work for which a MS degree student may receive credit will be 6 for the thesis option and 9 for the non-thesis option.
  3. No 300 through 800 level courses offered by the student’s major department/program may be taken for credit under the pass/fail option. Beyond the master’s level, the pass/fail option may be exercised at the discretion of the graduate student advisory committee but must still be approved by the dean of graduate education.

4. Grade Appeal Procedure

Refer to section GEP IV.7 Appeal Procedure  for information regarding appeals for course or research grades.

5. Calculation of Graduate GPA

The graduate cumulative grade point average (GPA) is calculated from all courses that appear on the graduate transcript, with the exception of the specific courses or grades listed in section GEP V.1. Graduate Grading System. Note that thesis (798) and dissertation (898) credits are not included in the GPA. Project credits (788 or 888) that have been assigned a grade of U or S are not included in the GPA, but project credits with a letter grade WILL be included in the GPA.