Radford University Undergraduate Catalog, 2011-2012

A = 4 points
B = 3 points
C = 2 points
D = 1 point
F = 0 points
A student’s grade point average (GPA) is
computed by:
• Multiplying the number of semester hours
(SH) for each course taken by the number of
grade points (GP) corresponding to the grade
earned for the course. (See table above.)
• Adding up the total number of grade points
for the appropriate period (a single semester, for
example, or an entire academic career at Radford
University)
• Dividing the total number of grade points
by the total number of semester hours attempted
(TSHA) during that same period
For example (see above for abbreviations):
Course Grade GP SH Total
ABC 101 A (4) x 3 = 12
DEF 102 B (3) x 2 = 6
GHI 101 C (2) x 3 = 6
JKL 201 D (1) x 4 = 4
MNO 102 A (4) x 4 = 16
Total 16 44
Grade Point Average (GPA): 44 GP/16
TSHA = 2.75 GPA
While courses passed with a grade of “C”
or better at other institutions do satisfy certain
course requirements, these grades are not used
in computing the Radford grade point average.
Auditing Courses
A student who audits a class attends and
participates but receives neither an A-F or P/F
grade nor credit for the course. Students may
audit classes on a space-available basis with
written permission of the class instructor and the
department chairperson. Students who audit a
course may not transfer to regular status in the
course after the census date. Auditing students
are expected to attend class on the same basis as
regular students. The instructor may delete from
the roll any auditing student who does not meet
course requirements. Tuition and fee rates for
audited courses are the same as those for credit
courses.
50
Incomplete Grades
Occasionally, students are unable to complete
course requirements because of circumstances
beyond their control: e.g. a disabling
accident or illness, or a family-related issue that
creates a clear hardship for the student and precludes
the completion of final assignments or
exams. At the discretion of the faculty member,
a grade of “I” (Incomplete) may be assigned.
Incomplete grades are to be awarded only
in those cases in which all but a small portion
of the course work has been completed. Otherwise,
the burden in completing unfinished
assignments would be severe, and withdrawal
from the course or the university is appropriate
and recommended. Incompletes are also not to
be awarded because students want or need additional
time to complete assignments to avoid
low grades, or so that students have time to do
“extra credit” work to improve their grades.
Prior to the time when the extenuating circumstances
emerged, the student should have been
making satisfactory progress in the class and not
be in danger of earning a grade lower than “C.”
Finally, A-F grades cannot be changed to incompletes
after the term has ended; arrangements for
incompletes must be made before the end of the
term and prior to the awarding of final grades.
A written Course Completion Contract
specifying the work to be completed and the
deadline for its completion (no later than the last
day of classes of the following semester) must
be signed by the faculty member and the student.
The “I” grade will automatically revert to “F” if
it is not otherwise changed before the last day of
classes of the next (Fall or Spring) semester. The
Course Completion Contract must be filed in the
office of the chairperson/director of the department/school
in which the course is taught, with
a copy submitted to the registrar along with the
faculty member’s grade sheet.
Radford University will not award degrees
to tentative graduates with “I” grades on their
records. For a student to be considered a fall
graduate, the “I” must be replaced with an A-F
grade by the census date for the following spring
semester; to be a spring graduate, by the census
date for the following Summer II term; and to be
a summer graduate, by the census date for the
following fall.