Grading Policies

Courses

The outcome of active, current learning experiences assessed by the University will be graded based upon the scale below. This policy applies to graded course credits earned through the University.

Academic Standing: Undergraduate Grading System

Letter Grade	Quality Points	Numerical Equivalents
A	4.0	93-100
A-	3.7	90-92
B+	3.3	88-89
B	3.0	83-87
B-	2.7	80-82
C+	2.3	78-79
C	2.0	73-77
C-	1.7	70-72
D	1.0	60-69
F	0	Below 60
I	Incomplete (temporary grade)
IF	0	Below 60
ZF	0	Academic Integrity Violation

Academic Standing: Graduate Grading System

Graduate courses – and other graded graduate learning assessments – are graded based on the following scale:

Letter Grade	Quality Points	Numerical Equivalents
A	4.0	93-100
A-	3.7	90-92
B+	3.3	88-89
B	3.0	83-87
C	2.0	73-82
F	0	Below 73
I	Incomplete (temporary grade)
IF	0	Below 73
CR*	N/A	None
ZF	0 (Academic Integrity Violation)

*Nongraded credit assessed at the B level and above will be counted toward graduate degree requirements in accordance with University and appropriate School policies.

Unit of Credit

In expressing its degree requirements, Thomas Edison State University uses semester hours measurement. Other colleges define the value of knowledge in semester hours, trimester hours, quarter hours and competencies. All such hours transferred to Thomas Edison State University will be converted to semester hours.

Credit Without a Letter Grade

Thomas Edison State University will transcript credit (CR) without a letter grade for the following: Prior Learning Assessment (PLA); e-Pack®; all testing programs (including TECEP®), business, industry and corporate training programs evaluated and recommended for credit by the American Council on Education (ACE) or National CCRS; military training programs evaluated and recommended for credit by the American Council on Education (ACE); licenses, special programs and registries evaluated and recommended for credit by Thomas Edison State University; and credits from foreign universities. A grade of CR is equivalent to a C or better at the undergraduate level and B or better at the graduate level.

Credits earned are automatically applied to Thomas Edison State University degree programs for enrolled students, but are not calculated into the GPA.

Policy on Grade Point Average

An official Thomas Edison State University term and cumulative GPA will be calculated and posted on the official transcript for any student attempting at least 1 semester credit of graded course work at the University. Only grades earned at the University will be considered in the calculation of the official Thomas Edison State University GPA. Transfer grades will not be used in calculating the official Thomas Edison State University GPA.

Grades which reflect attempted graded credits (A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, IF, ZF and F) will be used to calculate the official Thomas Edison State University GPA. Grades of CR (Credit) and W (Withdrawn) will not be used in the calculation of the GPA, but will be recorded on the student’s transcript. Grades of NC (No Credit) and NT (Not Taken) will not be counted in the GPA nor recorded on the transcript. This policy is effective July 1, 2011. It will be applied only to courses for which students register that begin on or after July 1, 2011. Effective July 1, 2018, a ZF grade is assigned in cases of academic integrity violations. ZF grades are included in the TESU GPA with 0.00 grade points and count toward the GPA even if the course is repeated. - Students may repeat a course, without limitation, for the purpose of raising the course grade, except in academic integrity violations, in which the ZF grade will not be replaced.

Policy on D Grades

Students may transfer in or apply Thomas Edison State University course grades of D to their non area of study requirements as long as their overall grade point average is at least a 2.0, or higher as determined by the School in which they are enrolled, with the following exceptions:

• All area of study courses must be graded C or better in order to apply to area of study requirements
• All required composition courses must be graded C or better
• No course in which a student earned a D- grade will be accepted in transfer

Grade Rounding Policy

Grades on course assignments and examinations which are determined by percentages involving decimals should be rounded up to the next whole number when equal to .5 or greater. When the decimal is less than .5 the grade is to be rounded down. This policy also applies to final course grades where the final course grade is determined using percentages with decimals.

Minimum Grade Point Average for Graduation

All undergraduate students at Thomas Edison State University are required to maintain an overall minimum average of C in their Thomas Edison State University courses in order to graduate. All area of study courses must be graded C or better in order to apply to area of study requirements for undergraduate students at Thomas Edison State University.

All undergraduate students at Thomas Edison State University are required to maintain a minimum average of C in all the credits applied to their degree (Thomas Edison State University and transfer credits) in order to graduate. All undergraduate students at Thomas Edison State University can only utilize a grade of C or better in the area of English composition in order to graduate.

Graduate students are required to maintain an overall minimum average of B in their Thomas Edison State University courses in order to graduate.

Students must also meet any minimum required GPA standards established by their School to graduate from Thomas Edison State University.

Credit Hour Policy

At Thomas Edison State University, a semester hour credit represents the amount of work typically needed for a student to achieve mastery of intended learning outcomes that have been established at the appropriate level and rigor for college-level work. Evidence of this mastery corresponds to minimum standards for the grade received.

Courses offered by TESU are designed with the expectation that students will need to spend approximately 4 hours on course-related work per credit per week. As such, for a three-credit, 12-week course, students should expect to spend up to 144 hours (12 weeks x 4 hours x 3 credits or 8 weeks x 6 hours x 3 credits) on course-related work. Credit awarded for prior learning or other non-traditional methods is based on mastery of the same learning outcomes as are found in TESU courses. This meets or exceeds the applicable federal, state, and regional standards.