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.

Course Repeat and GPA Recalculation Policy

The policies below govern the processes by which students may address prior academic performance in an effort to improve their GPA. All GPA recalculation policies may affect student’s financial aid eligibility. It is very important that students consult the Student Finance Office regarding the possible implications for satisfactory academic progress (SAP) and financial aid awards. Under all policies below, courses excluded from GPA calculation are also excluded from degree-applicable requirements. All grades earned and credits attempted will remain on the student transcript.

Course Repeats

Students may repeat a course, except where prohibited by their program, to earn a higher grade when needed to meet academic or program requirements or to improve their GPA. To be eligible under this policy, the repeated course must be an exact match in course prefix and number or be an updated version of the course with a different prefix, number, or title that is 100% equivalent in content. All course repeats require registration by the student; while no additional notification or application is required for grade replacement, students are encouraged to confirm course equivalency with their academic advisor or success coach.
Both the original and repeated grades will remain on the academic record. For purposes of cumulative credit earned and GPA calculation, the attempt with the highest grade will be used. All course attempts are included in attempted hours. Students are responsible for tuition and fees for each attempt, and financial aid may not be available for all repeated courses.

Grade Forgiveness Policy

This policy provides eligible students the opportunity to exclude from their cumulative GPA coursework that is no longer offered at National Louis University and cannot, therefore, be retaken for grade replacement through the Course Repeat policy.
University and programmatic policies, requirements, and decisions, including GPA minimums, accreditation requirements, and student conduct determinations, supersede this policy. Students who have been academically dismissed from a program or the university without the option to appeal are not eligible to return to that program or the University through the Course Forgiveness policy.

Grade forgiveness appeals may be denied if the coursework was previously the subject of a grade appeal, student adjustment form, established teach-out plan, or other University decision. All decisions on grade forgiveness appeals are final.

Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate students who earned a grade of D or F in a course that is no longer offered are eligible to apply for Grade Forgiveness subject to the following requirements:

• Students must have achieved a minimum of a 2.0 GPA for their most recent 15 quarter hours of attempted credit with no more than one “W” grade. An exception to this will be made for students who are returning to NLU after an absence of one year or more and who are within one term (15 quarter hours) of program completion; these students may apply for forgiveness of a grade with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 at the time of their return.
• A maximum of 25 quarter hours of credit are eligible for forgiveness
• Students may apply for forgiveness at any point after above requirements have been met; however, all appeals must be received by the end of the add/drop period of the final term of study to allow time for consideration and review in advance of degree conferral deadlines. No exceptions will be granted.

Graduate Students

Graduate students with a C, D, or F grade in a course that is no longer offered are eligible to apply for Grade Forgiveness according to the following requirements:

• Students must have achieved a minimum of a 3.0 GPA for their most recent 6 semester hours of enrollment for master’s and 500-level EDS programs and most recent 9 semester hours of enrollment for doctoral and 600-level EDS programs with no more than one “W” grade. An exception to this will be made for students who are returning to NLU after an absence of one year or more and who are within one term (6 semester hours/9 semester hours depending on program level, above) of program completion; these students may apply for forgiveness of a grade with a minimum cumulative graduate GPA of 2.5 at the time of their return.
• A maximum of 6 semester hours of credit (master’s and 500-level EDS programs)/ 9 semester hours of credit (doctoral and 600-level EDS programs) are eligible for forgiveness
• Students may apply for forgiveness at any point after above requirements have been met; however, all appeals must be received by the end of the add/drop period of the final term of study to allow time for consideration and review in advance of degree conferral deadlines. No exceptions will be granted.

Academic Amnesty

This policy applies only to coursework completed for a major, program-specific minor, and/or concentration that does not apply to the graduation requirements of the program in which the student is currently enrolled. It is intended to provide students who are making academic progress in a new program with the opportunity to exclude from their cumulative GPA coursework from an earlier program that is not applicable to their current program. Amnesty decisions will be reversed if a subsequent student change of program makes the coursework applicable again.
University and programmatic policies, requirements, and decisions, including GPA minimums, accreditation requirements, and student conduct, supersede this policy. Students who have been academically dismissed from a program or the university without option to appeal cannot return to that program or the University through the Academic Amnesty policy. Amnesty appeals may be denied if coursework was the subject of an earlier grade appeal, established teach-out plan, or other University decision. All amnesty appeal decisions are final.

Students are eligible to apply for Academic Amnesty according to the following requirements:

• Students have successfully completed the Change of Program process to their new program of study.
• Students have completed coursework for a major, program-specific minor, and/or concentration with a grade of D or F (also includes C for graduate programs) that does not apply to the requirements of their new academic program.
• Students have successfully completed the below levels of coursework in their new program of study (all GPA requirements apply to the new program of study):
  • Undergraduate degree programs - 15 quarter hours of major coursework with a minimum GPA of 2.00
  • Accelerate U certificate programs - 50% of required credits with a minimum GPA of 2.0
  • Kendall College certificate programs - because certificate requirements are almost fully embedded in the degree programs, students must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 on a minimum on 12 quarter hours of coursework that applies to the certificate program
  • Graduate certificate programs - 50% of required credits with a minimum graduate GPA of 2.5
  • Master’s and 500-level EDS programs - 6 semester hours of required coursework with a minimum GPA of 3.0
  • Doctoral and 600-level EDS programs - 9 semester hours with a minimum GPA of 3.0
• The maximum credit amounts eligible for amnesty by program level are:
  • Bachelor’s degree programs - 25 quarter hours
  • Associate’s degree programs - 15 quarter hours
  • Undergraduate certificate programs - 6 quarter hours
  • Graduate certificate programs - 3 semester hours
  • Master’s and 500-level EDS programs - 6 semester hours
  • Doctoral and 600-level EDS programs - 9 semester hours
• Students are eligible for only one amnesty appeal at National Louis University.
• Students may apply for amnesty at any point after above requirements have been met; however, all appeals must be received by the end of the add/drop period of the final term of study to allow time for consideration and review in advance of degree conferral deadlines. No exceptions will be granted.
• Amnesty appeals may be denied if coursework was the subject of an earlier grade appeal or other University decision.

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, ECE 470A, ECE 470B, ECE 471CB, ECE 472CB, ELE 470A, ELE 470B, ELE 590, ELE/ELEF 597, MGE 590, MGE 597, SEC 470A, SEC 470B, SEC/SECF 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