Grading System
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Graduate students must achieve a grade of 70% or more in order to receive credit for normal graded courses or pass or credit for courses with a different grading mode. Students who are qualifying or probationary may have to achieve a higher overall average than the 70% minimum, if this is a condition of their acceptance.
Qualifying and probationary students who fail one course will be Required-to-Discontinue (RTD).
Fully Qualified students who fail a course will be allowed to retake the course (or a suitable, approved substitute). A second failure in any course will result in the student being discontinued (RTD). A failing grade must be resolved by the end of the following semester. Students with unresolved grades on their academic records are ineligible for FGSR funding including graduate scholarships (GSS), graduate teaching assistantships (GTA) and graduate research awards (GRA).
NP (No Paper) grades are considered failing grades and are assigned 40% in the calculation of the average.
The system of normal grading is a percentage system and the following evaluations also apply:
| AG | Aegrotat Standing | IP | In progress |
| AU | Audit, No Credit | MC* | Maintenance of Candidacy |
| AW | Audit withdrawal | ||
| C | Credit for hours Shown | N | No Credit for hours Shown |
| CW | Compulsory Withdrawal (administrative) | ||
| DE | Deferred Examination | NP | No Paper |
| NR | Not yet reported | ||
| P | Pass Standing | ||
| F | Failure | ||
| IN | Incomplete | W | Withdrew From Course |
| XF | Academic misconduct |
Calculation of Averages for Graduate Students
Standing will be determined on the basis of weighted percentage average (WPA) computed by dividing the sum of the credit hours times the marks accumulated during the semester by the total credit hours attempted. In summary, WPA is calculated as:
The sum of (credit hours X marks)
The sum (credit hours)
For purposes of the calculation, a grade of NP is calculated
at 40%, a grade of XF is counted at 0%. The minimum passing
grade for all course work completed as a graduate student
is 70%. Competence in writing skills is required in courses
at the University of Regina.
Grades Assigned on Withdrawal. The part of term is divided
into three periods for grades:
- Period 1: no grade; the course does not appear on the student’s official transcript.
- Period 2: grade of W; appears on the student’s official transcript but is neutral in the calculation of grade point averages.
- Period 3: grade of NP: appears on the student’s official transcript and is a failing grade that counts as 40% in calculation of grade point averages.
After the end of period 2 (= the “academic withdrawal deadline”), a grade can be converted from NP to W only with the authorization of FGSR which will normally gives its approval only when a withdrawal is requested for reasons beyond the student’s control (for example, illness, accident, involuntary job transfer, or serious personal problems). Requests received after the end of the semester will usually only be considered in terms of a full withdrawal from all of the semester’s courses. A written request may be, and supporting documentation will be, required (supporting documentation will be treated as confidential). Regardless of whether or not there is an associated fee adjustment, students who are on student loan funding during a semester in which they withdraw for medical or compassionate reasons should notify Saskatchewan Student Loans of their withdrawal, and provide a copy of the supporting documentation.
Deferral of Final Examination and/or Term Work
Grounds for Deferral. Extensions on deadlines for completion of assignments or writing of final examinations may be granted to students on the basis of illness, accident, or other extreme and legitimate circumstances beyond their control.
Authority to Approve Deferrals During the Semester. The authority to approve deferrals of term work (assignments and mid-term examinations) within the semester belongs to the instructor of the course. All deferred work must be completed by the date of the final examination (or, if there is no final examination, by ten days after the start of the examination schedule for Fall/Winter semesters and within five days for the Spring/Summer semester) in order to allow the instructor to submit grades promptly. In the case of mid-term examinations, the instructor may assign a make-up examination or may transfer the weight of the examination to another examination or assignment, including the final examination. Some line-faculties have regulations governing this process.
Authority to Approve Deferrals Beyond the End of the Semester. The authority to approve deferrals of final examinations and/or term work beyond the date of the final examination rests with the Dean of FGSR.
Making an Application for a Deferral Beyond the End of the Semester. Students must apply using a Graduate Student Application for Deferral of Term Work and/or Final Exam Form available from the FGSR office or the web site. As well, they should notify their academic unit and their instructor of their difficulties as quickly as possible, by telephone or e-mail if they are unable to come to the university. The student submits the form with supporting documentation to the instructor who completes the relevant section of the form and forwards all materials to the Dean of FGSR.
Supporting Documentation. Supporting documentation is required and must be submitted before a deferral is approved. For illness or accident, students must provide the University of Regina Student Medical Certificate to their physician to complete and ensure that it is received in the FGSR office. The physician should clearly indicate the start and end dates of the illness and the student’s inability to write an examination, to complete assignments, and/or to attend classes as relevant to the request. The approved form may be printed from the web www.uregina.ca. For other circumstances, students should consult the FGSR office.
When a decision has been made, the Dean or designee will forward the form to the Registrar's Office who will inform the student and the instructor.
Maximum Length of Deferral. Outstanding course assignments must be submitted, and deferred final examinations written, by January 31 for Fall courses, by May 31 for Winter courses, and by September 30 for Spring/Summer courses. In cases of prolonged illness or other incapacity, the Dean has the authority to extend the deferral to the end of the semester: that is, to the end of Winter semester for Fall courses, to the end of Spring/Summer semester for Winter courses, and to the end of Fall semester for Spring/Summer courses. Students who are unable to complete the deferred work by the deadline may be eligible for aegrotat standing or a medical or compassionate withdrawal and should consult FGSR before the expiry of the deferral.
Grading of Deferrals - Deferred (DE) and Incomplete (IN) Grades
An interim grade of DE ("deferred") is assigned for a deferred final examination or deferral of both final examination and term work. An interim grade of IN ("incomplete") is assigned for deferral of term work alone. When the deferred final examination has been written, and/or missing work completed, the instructor (or, in the instructor's absence, the department head or department head's designee) will grade the work and assign a percentage grade to replace the interim grade.
Beginning on May 15, September 15, and January 15 for the previous Fall, Winter, and Spring/Summer courses respectively, the Registrar's Office will convert any unreplaced grade of DE to a grade of NP, and any unreplaced grade of IN to a percentage grade based on the portion of the course completed or to a grade of NP, as determined by the instructor and approved by the Dean. The grades of students who were granted a deferral only to the end of the first month of the subsequent semester may be converted by the Registrar's Office earlier than the schedule indicated above.
In Progress (IP) Grades
IP grades are given in the first semester of courses that are timetabled over two semesters. A grade of IP must be submitted for the course in the first semester. Grades of IP are not calculated in the average.
NR Grades
When completion of a course is delayed, for reasons intrinsic to the course, beyond the due date for submission of grades, the Dean upon request from the instructor may approve the assignment of grades of NR for those students who are affected, until the course can be completed.
Aegrotat Standing
In rare circumstances, aegrotat standing in one or more courses in a semester may be granted on medical or compassionate grounds to a student who meets the following conditions:
- the student is prevented from completing the semester by serious illness or other extreme circumstances beyond the student's control;
- the student's illness is certified by a physician, or, other circumstances are certified by a professional in the relevant field or confirmed by other documentation acceptable to the dean;
- a deferral of term work and/or final examination is not appropriate because of the nature or severity of the illness or of the other circumstances;
- the student has completed at least 50% of the work contributing to the grade in the course; and,
- the instructor of the course confirms in writing that the student has demonstrated an understanding of the course material.
Aegrotat standing is granted by the dean of the faculty or college in which the student is enrolled. The uncompleted work may be term work, the final examination, or a combination of the two.
Grade Change Forms
Grade change forms must be submitted for any grade that will be changed after initial submission, such as IN, DE, and NR grades or in cases where there is an informal reassessment after an initial grade has been approved. These forms are available from department and faculty offices. Grades should be resolved as quickly as possible in order that the student’s efforts to obtain funding are not hampered. Any unresolved grade will render the student ineligible for FGSR funding.
Undergraduate Courses
Some graduate programs allow students to take a senior (3rd or 4th year) undergraduate course for credit towards their graduate degree. These courses must be directly applicable and are subject to FGSR academic requirements and thus a grade of 70% or more is required in order to pass.
Web Mark Entry (WME)
Guide to Web Mark Entry for Instructors
WME is used to enter all grades into the Banner/Caspur system. Instructors are to attend the available training to learn how to utilize WME. Grades are submitted by the instructor through WME to the Department Head (or designate) for approval, and then are forwarded to the Dean of FGSR for approval. Once approved at this level, they are official and are posted on Banner and UR Self-Service. If you experience difficulties with WME, contact Caroline Chupik, Office of the Registrar at (phone: 585-4173) or by (email: caroline.chupik@uregina.ca).
Deadlines to Submit Grades
Faculty must submit grades for courses with final exams five calendar days after the exam date. For courses without final exams, grades must be submitted nine calendar days after the last day of classes for that semester.
Reassessment of Grades
Students have the right to request the reassessment of any grade. In normal graded courses, at least 75% of the work is to be of such a nature that it can be reassessed by an independent examiner. When an instructor wishes to deviate from established practices and especially when methods of evaluation may make it impossible to follow these regulations, such evaluation methods require approval by the Dean of FGSR. Non-adherence to these regulations may necessitate permission being granted to the student for a second examination/evaluation.
Informal
Reassessment Regulations
While the Course is in Progress. Students
are entitled to request reassessment of any work that
contributes to their final grade. If the instructor’s
reassessment results in a lower grade or no change,
a student may, in cases of disagreement between the student
and the instructor, appeal to the department head or
other appropriate officer.
When the Course is Completed. A
disagreement over a final grade should first be discussed
with the instructor. The instructor will review the grading
records and if an error is found, the grade will be changed
accordingly. A student who is unable to contact the instructor
should contact the head of the academic unit.
Formal Reassessment
Regulations
If informal discussion fails to resolve the disagreement,
the student may formally appeal for reassessment by
submitting the following to the Registrar's Office:
- A completed Reassessment of Final Grade form which may include a letter requesting reassessment. This reassessment will be of all work on which the grade was based. Reassessment will not lower the original grade.
- A fee for reassessment must accompany the application. This fee will be refunded if the student's grade is raised at least 5% as a result of the reassessment.
- The original (graded) copy of all term work.
- The application for reassessment must be made in writing to the Registrar's Office within six weeks of the date the grade is posted to his or her web record.
- The Registrar's Office will forward the application to the Dean of FGSR, who will make arrangements for the reassessment and transmit to the Registrar a statement of the final grade to be awarded as a result of the reassessment.
- In the first instance, the reassessment will be made by the original instructor if the instructor is available. If this does not result in a higher grade, a reassessment will be made by one or, if possible, two other instructors in the same discipline.
- During the semester and at examination time, instructors will maintain proper records of the assessments of the different parts of the work subject to assessment. Students' final examination papers will be retained for a period of six months.
- Students should retain all graded work returned to them by the instructor in order to facilitate a proper reassessment. Copies of term papers should always be retained by students. When a reassessment is requested, the student is responsible for providing the written work to be reassessed.
- The reassessment of grades shall be granted high priority and the results of a reassessment shall be conveyed to the Office of the Registrar as soon as possible. The Registrar’s Office notifies the student of the result.
A student dissatisfied with the results of the reassessment may discuss the matter with the Associate Vice-President of Student Affairs, from whom the student may obtain information about procedures for further appeal.
Grade Changes Due to Arithmetical Errors
Instructors may
initiate a grade change because of an arithmetical error or
erroneous marking within a time period not exceeding the end
of the next semester after the course was offered.
Since the recording of grades for a course is the formal
dissolution of the course and the final record of results,
instructors may not initiate a grade change for a grade as a
result of subsequent special consideration being given to a
student, such as further examination or submission of more
work.
Interim Grading During Investigation or Appeal of Academic Misconduct
If a grade roster must be submitted when a student is under investigation for, or has appealed a ruling of, academic misconduct, the instructor will enter a grade of NR (Not Yet Reported) for that student.
