GRADING POLICY

Policies concerning evaluation of student work ("grading") are under continuous review and subject to change. Department chairs are responsible for informing department members of basic faculty grading policy and procedures and for ensuring adherence to these policies and procedures.

It is the responsibility of the instructor to describe to each class the methods of evaluation. Students should feel free to ask for an explanation of the grading practices in any course.

Additional definitions which are applicable to special circumstances for graduate programs can be found in the Graduate Education section (consult Index for page reference).

Basic Definitions

The following symbols shall be used in evaluating student performance. Performance will be interpreted to reflect the quality of the student's accomplishment relative to the standards set for each course.

A =	Performance of the student has been of the highest level, showing sustained excellence in meeting course responsibilities.

B =	Performance of the student has been good, 
though not of the highest level.

C =	Performance of the student has been adequate, 
satisfactorily meeting the course requirements.

D =	Performance of the student has been less than adequate.

F =	Performance of the student has been such that 
course requirements have not been met.

CR=	(Credit) Performance of the student in undergraduate level course has been equivalent to grades A 
through C-; performance of the student in graduate level courses has been equivalent to grades A 
through B-.

NC=	(No Credit) Performance of the student has been 
less than that of CR level.

I =	(Incomplete) Performance of the student has 
been incomplete due to circumstances beyond 
his/her control. Passing work was being accomplished at the time the incomplete was issued, 
and there is a possibility of earning credit if the 
course requirements are completed within the 
time allowed.

W =	(Withdrawal) Indicates that the student was permitted to drop the course after the 20th day (4th 
week) of instruction with the approval of the 
instructor and appropriate campus officials. It 
carries no connotation of quality of student performance and is not used as units attempted in 
calculating grade point average.

AU=	(Audit) Indicates that the student was enrolled on 
a non-credit basis. Enrollment as an auditor is 
subject to the permission of the instructor and 
shall be permitted only after students otherwise 
eligible to enroll in the course on a credit basis 
have had an opportunity to do so. Auditors are 
subject to the same fee structure as credit students and regular class attendance is expected. 
Once enrolled as an auditor, a student may not 
change to credit status unless such a change is 
requested prior to the last day to add classes.

SP=	(Satisfactory Progress) Performance of the student 
in a course which normally extends beyond one 
term has been evaluated and found to be satisfactory, but the assignments for the subsequent 
term(s) must be completed before a final grade 
can be assigned.

RD=	(Report Delayed) Indicates no grade was turned 
in by the professor.

U =	(Unauthorized Incomplete) The symbol "U" indicates that an enrolled student did not withdraw 
from the course but failed to complete course requirements. It is used when, in the opinion of the 
instructor, completed assignments or course activities or both were insufficient to make normal 
evaluation of academic performance possible. 
For purposes of grade point average this symbol 
is equivalent to an "F." Effective Fall 1996, San 
Francisco State University no longer uses the "U" 
grading symbol.

GRADING SYSTEMS

 The basic grading system to be used at San Francisco State University is the A-F system (see definitions above).

An alternative Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) system may be used under the following conditions:

Use of Incomplete (I) Grade

 An incomplete signifies that a portion of required course work has not been completed and evaluated in the prescribed time period due to unforeseen, but fully justified, reasons and that there is still a possibility of earning credit. A request for a grade of Incomplete may be initiated by either the student or the instructor. Petition for Incomplete may be obtained at the Student Services Center and must be signed by the instructor and department chair. It is the responsibility of the student to bring pertinent information to the instructor and to reach agreement on the means by which the final grade is assigned when the work agreed upon has been completed and evaluated. An incomplete must be made up within one calendar year immediately following the end of the term in which it was assigned. This limitation prevails whether or not the student maintains continuous enrollment. Failure to complete the assigned work will result in an incomplete being counted as equivalent to an F for grade point average. If a student has extenuating circumstances and an extension of this one year is necessary, the student should contact the instructor involved and obtain a designated extension of time to make up the incomplete. The form to be used for this extension is the Petition for Waiver of College Regulations. The petition must be approved by the instructor and the department chair and forwarded to the Registrar's Office.

A grade of Incomplete (I) will not be changed after a degree or credential has been awarded even though it is made up within the time period.

Use of Satisfactory Progress (SP) Grade

The SP symbol is used in connection with courses that extend beyond one academic term. It indicates that work is in progress and has been evaluated and found to be satisfactory to date, but that assignment of a precise grade must await completion of additional work. Cumulative enrollment in units attempted may not exceed the total number applicable to the student's educational objective. Work is to be completed within a stipulated time period. Any extension of time limit must receive prior authorization by the Dean of Undergraduate Studies (for undergraduate courses) or by the Dean of the Graduate Division (for graduate courses).

GRADE POINT AVERAGE

Grade point averages are determined by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number of units attempted in courses in which A-F grades are assigned.

Grade Points

The following grade points are assigned per unit of course work:

A	= 4.0	B-	= 2.7	D+	= 1.3

A-	= 3.7	C+	= 2.3	D	= 1.0

B+	= 3.3	C	= 2.0	D-	= 0.7

B	= 3.0	C-	= 1.7	F	= 0.0
No other grading symbol, including F, I, AU, SP, RD, CR, NC, carries grade point credit.

DEFINITION OF SEMESTER UNIT

One Semester Unit--One class meeting per week for fifteen (15) weeks. (At least two hours of study is expected in preparation for each hour of class.) or
Three hours of laboratory work per week for fifteen (15) weeks, or
Two hours of class work in activity-type courses in art, music, and speech per week for fifteen (15) weeks.
(At least one hour of outside preparation is expected for each hour of laboratory or activity class work.)
Summer session and extension units are evaluated on a basis of hours to units equal to those above, but adapted to the special schedules of these programs.

DEFINITION OF CONTINUING EDUCATION UNIT (CEU)

CEUs are nationally recognized units of measurement for participation in professional development programs for which academic credit is not awarded. CEUs may neither be applied to nor substituted for graduation requirements. One CEU is earned for 10 hours of instruction. San Francisco State University policy requires an evaluation of student learning for all courses which award CEUs.

GRADE CHANGES

Student Appeal for Grade Change

 San Francisco State University policy, consistent with California State University policy, guarantees the student a right to appeal a final course grade when the student believes that the assigned grade does not reflect what the student has earned according to the criteria for grading as outlined by the instructor of the course. SFSU policy states that: (1) It is the responsibility of the instructor of each course to define his/her grading policy and criteria as early in the semester and as explicitly as possible while conforming to accepted university practices. If there is any deviation from this original statement of course policy, all affected students should be informed. (2) It shall be assumed that the grade assigned is correct and that the student appealing the grade must justify the need for a change of the grade assigned. (3) Normally, grade appeals should be resolved informally between the student and faculty involved. (4) A student who believes s/he has been assigned an improper grade should meet with the instructor of record and together review the grading procedures used to determine the grade assigned on the student's transcript. If, after careful review of the grading procedures, the student is still dissatisfied, or if the instructor of record refuses to take part in the informal process, the student may initiate the formal grade appeal procedure of the particular SFSU college by which the course is offered. For information about the specific grade appeal policies and procedures of each of the eight colleges, contact the appropriate college dean's office.

REPEAT OF COURSES

Unless otherwise stated, courses may not be repeated for additional units of credit.

When undergraduate students must repeat a course in which the grade was F, they will earn units completed only once. All units attempted and all grade points will be included in the student's cumulative totals.

When undergraduate students choose to repeat a course in which the grade was passing, in order to raise the grade, they will be charged for all units attempted and all grade points earned but units completed will be granted only once.

A student in graduate standing may not repeat a course taken for credit since earning the baccalaureate degree, in which a grade of C or better was earned on the first attempt. Grades of C- or lower are not acceptable on a Graduate Approved Program for meeting the requirements of a master's degree.

If graduate students repeat a course in which a C or lower grade was earned, they will be charged for all units attempted and all grade points earned but units completed will be granted only once.

It is not possible for graduate students to raise their undergraduate grade point average by repeating undergraduate courses.