Grades and Transcripts

Transcripts
At the written request of the student, official transcripts are sent directly to other institutions or to the student in a sealed envelope. The fee for an official or student copy of a transcript is $5. Transcripts will not be issued during the first week of the academic year, during Commencement week, during registration weeks, or for students whose financial accounts, including those at the library, are not settled. Please allow ten (10) business days for the issuance of the transcript. Same Day transcript requests are $40.

Grade Reports
Reports are available on Self-Service at the end of each semester to students whose financial accounts have been settled.

Grades and Index
The grading scale is as follows:

^{*Must be cleared no later than the fourth week of the following semester.}

Quality Points
A student’s academic standing is determined by his/her cumulative index based on all grades and quality points earned at College of Mount Saint Vincent since entrance into the College. The student’s index is computed by dividing total quality points by total credits.

The quality points assigned to each grade are listed below:

Incomplete
When extenuating circumstances (e.g. illness) prevent the completion of requirements for a course, the student must submit a Request for a Grade of Incomplete form to the instructor for his/her signature. All requests for a grade of Incomplete must receive prior approval by the Dean of the Undergraduate College. Forms, which are available on the Office of the Registrar’s page, must be returned to that office prior to the end of the semester.

The deadline for completing the course requirements will be set by the instructor, but in no case will be later than the fourth week of the following semester or the Incomplete is changed to an F. An “I” grade in a January Intersession must be completed during the immediately following spring semester. An “I” grade in a Summer Session must be completed during the following fall semester.

Pass/No Credit
The purpose of the Pass/No Credit option is to encourage the student to explore electives outside known areas of competency. One P/NC course may be taken each semester beginning in the second semester of sophomore year, provided the student is carrying at least 12 credits of courses with letter grades for that semester. The P/NC option may be exercised for any course except for core curriculum requirements, courses in the major field, and cognate requirements of the major. The P/NC option form is signed during the third week of the semester.

Auditing a Course
To register as an auditor in a course, a student must obtain the written permission of the course instructor and the Registrar. An auditor attends the class but does not complete any tests or papers, and does not receive a grade or credit for the course. Students must register as an auditor prior to the end of the drop/add period.  Visiting students, part-time students, and students enrolled in 15 or more credits will pay a reduced tuition rate for an audited course.

Change of Grade
A final grade may be changed for reasons of error in computation or in transcribing or in exceptional circumstances with the written approval of Dean of the Undergraduate College. Any such changes must be made no later than the fourth week of the following semester.

Replacing a Grade
When an F or any other low grade is earned by a student, the student may compensate for this by repeating the course. Any required course in which a student receives an “F” grade must be repeated, usually in summer school. Major or minor courses in which a student receives a “D” must be repeated since a minimum of “C” is required for all courses taken to meet major or minor requirements.

When a student repeats a course, the prior grade then appears with no hours attempted or earned and is removed from the cumulative average after the course has been replaced. In all cases, the grade earned the second (or, in rare circumstances, the third) time is the one calculated in the student’s cumulative grade point average.

Students are permitted to repeat a course one time without needing to obtain special permission.  In rare circumstances, a student may be permitted to take a course a third time, subject to obtaining the approval of the appropriate department chair and the Dean of the Undergraduate College. Students are not permitted to take a course more than three times. In cases where the student is not successful after the allowed attempts, the student will be withdrawn from the major, if the course is a major requirement; or will be dismissed from the College, if the course is a core requirement.