Grading

Undergraduate

Grades for completed courses are recorded using the symbols and definitions shown below.

Graduate

Graduate students are evaluated on a traditional four-point grading system. Quality points are allotted as follows:

Grades of "D" are not accepted toward completion of degree requirements. The pass/no credit option is available only in designated courses.

Grade Point Average

Quality Points

Quality points are awarded to a student in relation to the grade given and the number of hours of credit attempted in the course. Quality points are awarded according to the following schedule.

Calculation

Grade point average will be computed by dividing the total quality points for hours with grades of A, B, C, D, and F by the total hours attempted with grades of A, B, C, D, and F. Courses with grades of P, N, I, X, W, WW, and IE are excluded. Only courses from National Louis University will be included in the computation.

Repeat Course Policy

Students are permitted to repeat a course, except where prohibited by program. The grade achieved in the repeated course is recorded on the academic record. The original grade, however, also remains on the academic record. The course with the highest grade is used in determining cumulative credit earned and in computing the GPA. All repeated courses are included in hours attempted. Students must pay for each attempt of a course and financial aid may not be available for all repeated courses.

Grade Report

A report based on the instructor’s evaluation of the student’s achievement in every course is available at the conclusion of each term via the NLU Student Portal. This report also includes the student’s credit hours completed, quality points, term completion ratio and cumulative grade point average.

In-Progress (Incomplete) Grade Policy

An in-progress (incomplete) grade (“I”) is a temporary grade that may be assigned at the discretion of the instructor if the student has successfully completed 75% or more of the course requirements and has encountered unusual or unforeseen circumstances which prevent them from completing the course requirements by the end of the term. The rules and procedures governing “I” grades are outlined below.

• The final decision about what constitutes 75% rests with the instructor based upon a discussion initiated by the student 
• No student automatically qualifies for an “I” grade — the decision is made by the instructor on an individual basis
• Some programs prohibit the use of “I” grades in Term I and for students on “high potential,” “one term review” and “four-course review” admission statuses
• Faculty are encouraged to submit an online in-progress contract to be completed by the instructor to document the details for completion of the course requirements  
• The student is expected to complete the work in-progress no later than 90 days following the last day of the in-progress course.  The faculty member may set an earlier required completion date at their discretion.
• The faculty member must include a Provisional Grade to be assigned at the time of submitting the in-progress contract.  All “I” grades will lapse to this grade if the coursework is not completed within the specified time period, up to 90 days. 
• All "I" grades without the Provisional Grade will be lapsed to a grade of "F" for undergraduate students and a grade of "N" (no credit) for graduate students if the coursework is not completed within the specified 90 days
• In the event that the original instructor is no longer available to grade the work, the Department Chair, where applicable, or the Associate Dean will identify the faculty member who will resolve the incomplete
• “I” grades are prohibited in the following teacher preparation courses, if the Student Teaching experience must be repeated: ECE 590, ELE 470A, ELE 470B, ELE 590, ELE 597, MGE 590, MGE 597, SEC 590A-F, and SPE 592C. If candidates need to repeat the Student Teaching Experience, they will be required to withdraw from the Student Teaching Course in which they are registered and register for a new experience, when ready, with the approval of the program faculty and Director of Teacher Preparation.

In the case of exceptional circumstances, a student may follow the steps outlined below to request a one-time only 275-day In-Progress Extension.

• It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor (or the associate dean, should the instructor be unavailable) who granted the “I” grade at least 30 days prior to the end of the 90-day time limit
• With the instructor’s or associate dean’s signature and support, the student must make a formal request to the appropriate college academic appeals committee, including a letter and documentation of the exceptional circumstances that may warrant an extension
• If an extension is to be granted, it must be formalized before the end of the 90-day time limit