Grading System
Lindenwood University operates under the 4.0 grading system. An A carries four quality points; a B carries three quality points; and a C carries two quality points. A grade of F carries zero quality points and no credit. Thus, a course worth three credit hours in which a student earned an A would merit 12 quality points. The grade point average is computed by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total number of semester hours attempted. Only grades earned at Lindenwood are used in computing the GPA unless the student is seeking teacher certification.
Graduate students may receive grades of A, B, C, F, W, AF, NG, I, and Audit. A grade of A represents work outstanding in quality; it indicates that the student has shown initiative, skill, and thoroughness and has displayed originality in thinking. A grade of B grade is awarded for work of high quality, well above average. The grade of C indicates below average work but completion of course requirements. An F grade indicates coursework so unsatisfactory that no credit is given. No grade of D is awarded at the graduate level.
This grade is given when a student stops attending a particular class prior to the published deadline to receive a grade of W but does not withdraw from the course. The grade of AF is treated as a grade of F in the calculation of the student’s grade point average.
A student may register to audit lecture courses, not to include studio or laboratory courses. Auditors will be expected to attend all classes. No credit may be earned or later claimed by a student who audits a course. A student has one week into a regular semester and two class meetings into a five-term or summer session to make a change in registration either to audit a class or take it for credit. The audit fee is 50 percent of the posted tuition for a course.
A grade of I (incomplete) is given at the end of a term only for incomplete coursework due to exceptional circumstances beyond the student’s control, such as an extended illness, hospitalization, or death of a close relative requiring absence from class for a significant period of time. When assigning an incomplete grade, the professor should consider whether the student is capable of successfully completing the course. Incompletes should be offered only toward the end of the term for students who were progressing satisfactorily in the class before the exceptional circumstances arose.
A grade of I (incomplete) must be resolved prior to the end of the subsequent term; otherwise, the incomplete will be converted to an F. Any request to extend the time needed to resolve the grade of incomplete must be submitted to the Office of Academic Services no later than two weeks before the date the grade is due. Requests will then be sent to the appropriate school dean and the associate provost to be considered for approval.
An administrative grade of N is assigned by the registrar when final course grades have not been submitted prior to making grades accessible to students. Under normal circumstances, the N grade will be cleared within two weeks after the end of the term. Faculty members are not authorized to submit a grade of N.
Some academic activities such as practicum placements, internships, residencies, and thesis projects are graded on the basis of pass/fail. In these cases, the grade of P denotes successful completion of the assigned requirements for the aforementioned academic activity courses.
A grade of W indicates that the student withdrew from a class with no effect to the student’s GPA. To withdraw from a course with a grade of W, students must complete, sign, and submit a withdrawal form before the last day to withdraw with a W, with the signature of the academic advisor, and, if the student has attended the course at least once, the signature of the instructor of the course. Students wishing to withdraw from the university altogether must obtain the signatures of the instructors for each course from which they wish to withdraw. The deadline to withdraw is set at the two-thirds mark of the term.
The only circumstance in which the student will not be charged for a course is if the student never attends a class session. If the student attends one class session or more, he or she will be charged a determined percentage of the course’s tuition cost. The percentage applied to the student’s account depends on how many classes the student attends and the withdrawal date. For further information, please contact either the Financial Aid Office or the Office of Academic Services.
Note: A student who is a first responder may elect to withdraw from a course with a grade of W at any time during the term if documentation is provided verifying that the student’s first responder duties were the cause of absences exceeding the number of allowable excused absences. This policy applies to academic withdrawal only.
When it is in the best interest of a student or of Lindenwood University for a student to withdraw, a student may be given a W and put on administrative hold. This action of administrative withdrawal results in removal of all credits associated with the affected classes and places the student on administrative suspension. Before re-enrolling at the university, the student on administrative suspension must write a letter of appeal to the dean of students. An Administrative Withdrawal does not affect the student’s grade point average.
Within the first week of a semester, a student may add or drop classes via the student portal without having to obtain the signature of a faculty member. Students may not add a course via the student portal after 5 p.m. on Friday of the first week of the term. Students may add a class during the second week of class only under extenuating circumstances and with signatures of the course professor, dean of the appropriate school, and the registrar. A Petition for Policy Exemption is required in addition to a drop/add/enrollment form to add a course after the deadline.
Within the first week of a semester, a student may drop classes via the student portal without having to obtain the signature of a faculty member. No grade of W will appear on the student’s transcript as a result of dropping classes during this week, and the classes will be dropped as a “never attended” as long as the student’s academic load does not fall below 12 credit hours for full-time students or six credit hours for half-time students.
Note: The following is an exception to the policy described above: A grade of W will appear on the transcripts of students whose status changes from full-time to half-time or from half-time to less than half-time as a result of dropping a class during the first week if the student attended the class before dropping it.
To withdraw from a course with a grade of W, students must complete, sign, and submit a withdrawal form before the last day to withdraw with a W, with the signature of the academic advisor, and, if the student has attended the course at least once, the signature of the instructor of the course. Students wishing to withdraw from the university altogether must obtain the signatures of the instructors for each course they wish to drop. The deadline to withdraw is set at the two-thirds mark of the term.
Late withdrawals will be approved only under extreme, documented circumstances. A late withdrawal requested due to a low grade in the class, lack of interest in the subject matter, a different learning style from that of the classroom professor, or a change of major/requirements will not be granted.
If a student believes that extraordinary circumstances require withdrawing from a class after the deadline, the student must complete the following steps:
- Write a letter fully specifying the reasons for the withdrawal.
- Gather supporting documentation (physical report, court documents, hospital documents, etc.).
- Meet with the academic advisor for a signature on a Petition for Late Withdrawal.
- Meet with the dean of the school for a signature on the petition.
- Submit the signed petition, along with the letter and documentation, to the associate provost or registrar.
- If approved for a late withdrawal, the student will receive a W.
Notes: (1) Students are not permitted to withdraw from a course to attend another course if the second course has already had two class meetings.
(2) A student who is a first responder may elect to withdraw from a course with a grade of W at any time during the semester if documentation is provided verifying that the student’s first responder duties were the cause of absences exceeding the number of allowable excused absences. This policy applies to academic withdrawal only.
(3) Calculation of the return of Title IV aid will be based on the last date of attendance for the term. This may result in a balance due to the university for which the student will be responsible.
Students who wish to appeal a final grade must first contact the course instructor. If the matter cannot be resolved through the instructor, the student may appeal in writing to the appropriate school dean. If resolution is not reached at that time, the student may appeal in writing to the associate provost. An Academic Grievance Committee may be convened to review a grade appeal before a recommendation is made to the provost for review.
Information concerning these procedures is available through the Associate Provost’s Office. Notice of intent to file a grade appeal must be made in writing to the appropriate school dean or associate provost within six weeks of receipt of the grade. Changes under this procedure will be made only during the term immediately following the term in which the disputed grade was given.
Lindenwood University shares information from students’ formal written complaints with the Higher Learning Commission as part of its normal accrediting process. This information is shared in such a manner as to shield all individual identities of complainants. No letters or documents revealing the identities of individual complainants will be shared without the express written permission of the complainants.
If a graduate student retakes a course, the second grade does not replace the first grade; the two grades are averaged. For instance, if a student earns an F for a class and retakes the class, earning an A, the two grades would be the equivalent of two Cs.
Registration for extensions on graduate thesis, capstone experience or culminating projects must be completed by the student each succeeding term after the student’s initial enrollment for the thesis, Capstone III, or culminating project. The fee charged for extension is listed on the fee page of this catalog. If the student fails to register for a term during which he/she plans to complete the thesis, capstone experience or culminating project, he/she will no longer be considered a degree candidate. Should the student wish to resume the thesis, capstone experience, or culminating project, he/she must pay the full tuition rate for the thesis, capstone experience, or culminating project at the time of re-enrollment. In order to appeal that charge, the student must submit a written request to the assistant vice president of the business office including any evidence that would substantiate the appeal.