Academic Procedures:Grades – Their Meaning and Value
| Grade Marks | Grade Meaning | Grade points Per Semester Hour |
|---|---|---|
| A | Excellent | 4 |
| B | Good | 3 |
| C | Average | 2 |
| D | Passing (Minimum) | 1 |
| F | Failure | 0 |
| X | Incomplete | 0 |
| I | Incomplete (490, 518 & 718 only) | 0 |
| W | Withdrew | 0 |
| S | Satisfactory | 0 |
| U | Unsatisfactory | 0 |
| Q | Course Drop | 0 |
| NG | No Grade Assigned |
Beginning Fall 2008, the Q denotes a dropped course. DP, DF, DS and DU no longer apply to dropped courses.
Passing Grades: A, B, C, D, S
Failing Grades: F, U
Grades of S, U, W, Q, X, I and NG do not affect the GPA.
Developmental (Remedial) Grades:
Fall 2018 – Present
Grades of RA, RB, RC, RD and RF will be assigned to developmental/remedial courses and will not count in the grade point average or towards graduation.
Fall 2014 through Summer 2018
Grades of DVA, DVB, DVC, DVD and DVF were assigned to developmental/remedial courses and counted in the grade point average but did not count towards graduation.
Prior to Fall 2014
Grades of RA, RB, RC, RD and RF were assigned but did not count in the grade point average or towards graduation.
The bachelor's degree will not be conferred upon any student whose total grade average is less than “C” (2.00). Transfer students must also have a “C” average on work completed on this campus to qualify for a bachelor's degree.
A grade of “D” is the minimum passing grade for credit in a course. All major courses require a “C” or better.
Students who officially withdraw from school prior to the date stated in the current Schedule of Classes will receive a mark of “W”.
The grade “F” means failure.
Students who, because of circumstances beyond their control, are unable to attend classes during finals week or the preceding three weeks, will, upon approval of their instructor, receive a mark of “X” (incomplete) in all courses in which they were maintaining passing grades.
When an “X” is given for a grade in a course, the credit hours are not included for one year in calculating the grade point averages. A grade of “X” reverts to a grade of “F” one year from the close of the semester/term in which the grade was originally recorded if the course requirements have not been satisfied and the hours are included in the number of hours attempted.
Students may apply for an exception that requires approval (department, college, and Title IX Coordinator/Student Disabilities Services) to exceed the one year timeline.
Recording a grade of “X” requires the filing of a plan for completion. The plan will be submitted with the official grade record sent to the department head who will forward it to the Dean's Office. The plan will include why the grade was given and steps necessary for the student to receive the final grade.
A grade of “I” will only be given for thesis and dissertation courses (518, 718 and 490s) at the end of the terms/semesters in which the student has been accurately recorded to have completed more than 60% of the term/semester. A grade of “I” will be given for terms/semesters prior to the term/semester in which the final document is completed. The time limit imposed on the grade of “X” (one year) does not apply for these courses.
Computation of Grade Point Averages
All grade point averages will be computed by dividing grade points accumulated by the number of hours attempted, with grades of “X”, “I”, “IP”, “Q” and “W” being excluded.
Repeated Courses
When a course is repeated, only the last enrollment for that course will be used in computing the grade point average. This second grade will be used to determine credit earned for the course. This procedure invalidates the first credit earned in that course. Courses taken before a degree is awarded (regardless of whether the course is applied to the degree) cannot be repeated and the grade point average recalculated once the degree is awarded. Grades of “Q” and “W” do not count in the GPA and therefore are not marked as repeats.
Any student who enrolls in the same course a second or subsequent time must notify the Registrar's Office during the semester in which the repeat the course. Access the Request for GPA Update form to notify the Registrar’s Office when you repeat a course. When the semester is completed, the Registrar's Office will then update the student's grade average to reflect the duplication of the course.
Enacted in the 78th Legislative session, HB1 mandates that students repeating a course for a third or more time, may be subject to an additional fee for the repeated course. Courses dropped or withdrawn are counted as attempted hours and count towards the “Three-Peat Rule.”
Calculating your GPA
Each grade received has a corresponding number of points associated with it, and each class has a certain number of hours. Points for each letter grade include:
| Grade | Points |
|---|---|
| A | 4 |
| B | 3 |
| C | 2 |
| D | 1 |
| F | 0 |
To calculate your GPA, take the number of hours of the course (English = 3) and multiply it by the points for the grade you earned (A = 4) so your grade points for a 3 hour course with the grade of A would be 12.
Add all of your grade points, and divide by the total number of hours taken:
English 1301 – 3 hours – letter grade A – would be 3 X 4 = 12 grade points
Biology 1407 – 4 hours – letter grade C – would be 4 X 2 = 8 grade points
PE 102 – 1 hour – letter grade B – would be 1 X 3 = 3 grade points
Add your grade points (12 + 8 + 3 = 23), and divide by your total number of hours (3 + 4 + 1 = 8)
23 divided by 8 = 2.875 (GPAs will only go out two decimal places and will not be rounded)
The total GPA would be 2.87
Native GPA
Beginning Fall 2000, all new students who enter East Texas A&M University for the first time will have their cumulative grade point average calculated on courses taken at East Texas A&M University only. Courses taken at other institutions will no longer be considered in the calculation of the East Texas A&M University grade point average.
Good Standing Rule
This policy defines good standing for all undergraduate students enrolled at East Texas A&M University effective August 1, 1996.
Entering students (first time university students or transfers) who have been fully admitted without any type of probation, provision, or restriction will be considered in good standing. A student is in good academic standing if, and only if, they have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 and are not on disciplinary suspension. A student placed on academic probation or suspension must attain a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher to be in good standing, regardless of whether they are allowed to re-enroll. For good standing status, an undergraduate student must maintain a 2.00 GPA and be in compliance with ethical and professional standards as determined by the student's academic department. The University Registrar is responsible for the good academic standing designation and reporting.
President's Honor Roll and Dean's List
Undergraduate students who maintain sufficiently high academic averages each semester are placed on the university's special honor rolls—the President's Honor Roll and the Dean's List. The Dean's List includes the names of those undergraduate students who have been registered for no fewer than 12 hours of academic work during the semester, not counting non-academic service courses, and who have maintained a minimum semester academic grade average of at least 3.50. The President's Honor Roll includes the names of those undergraduate students who have met the above requirements and have maintained a semester academic grade average of 4.00.
Mid-Term and Final Semester Grade Reports
Mid-Term and Final semester grades will be updated to the student information system. Students may check the status of their grades by accessing myLEO at leo.tamuc.edu. A PIN (Personal Identification Number) is required to access myLEO.
Academic Distinction
Students completing the requirements for baccalaureate degrees with exceptional scholastic averages may be graduated with academic distinction. The levels of recognition will be recorded on the students' diploma(s) and permanent academic records.
Candidates for graduation with distinction must achieve the specified grade point average on all hours attempted at East Texas A&M University. The level of attainment will be determined by the overall East Texas A&M University grade point average.
Academic Distinction recognition in the commencement program will be made based on a student's grade point average at the end of the previous term. However, notations of Academic Distinction recorded on diplomas and permanent academic records will be determined after final semester grades are processed.
The levels of recognition and the grade point averages required for each are:
- Summa Cum Laude, 3.90-4.00
- Magna Cum Laude, 3.70-3.89
- Cum Laude, 3.50-3.69