The following grading system is designed to provide the greatest possible flexibility in planning academic programs. The instructor shall announce the grading procedures for the course at the first meeting of the semester. This announcement should include the specification of an S/U option or a letter grade only system.
Students who wish to be graded on a basis different from the one announced by the instructor must submit a written request to the instructor by the fourth week of class. The instructor's decision will be final and will be transmitted to the student in writing.
"A," "A-," "B+," "B," "B-," "C+," "C," "D," and "F" carry quality points of 4.0, 3.67, 3.33, 3.0, 2.67, 2.33, 2.0, 1.0, and 0, respectively and are considered the Graduate School's weighted grades. Instructors are required to list in each course syllabus their bases for determining course grades. Similarly, any deviation from standard grading practice must be made known to all students within a course, in writing, in order to ensure that the standard of equality of opportunity for all students is met.
Faculty shall submit grades for all courses by the due date scheduled for each term, which shall be no less than seven days [including weekends and holidays] after the last day of the term's final examination sessions or the last day of classes of a term not having separately scheduled final examination sessions. Courses offered in a non-standard term, e.g., a non-standard summer session, may have a shorter time for grade submission. Grades may be obtained by students and advisors, through the MyUB portal and DARS systems, the day after they are submitted.
An "S" indicates credit earned and "U" indicates no credit earned. The "S" grade should be awarded only in those instances where a student's weighted grade would have been equivalent to a "C" or better. No more than 25 percent of required course credits in a student's graduate program (not including courses taken as research, thesis, project, portfolio, or dissertation guidance) shall be graded on an S/U basis. Satisfactory (Written) "SW" grades shall not be construed as "S" grades for this purpose. An academic unit may establish a lower percentage limit.
Exclusive of "S" grades, courses to be included as satisfying degree program requirements must average "B" or better. The "U" grade indicates unsatisfactory performance, but is not computed in the overall grade point average reflected on the official transcript.
An audited course carries no weight and does not count as attempted or accumulated hours. A student wishing an "Audit" grade in a course must officially register for the course. The student must also submit a written request to the instructor by the fourth week of class. The instructor's decision is final and needs to be communicated to the student in writing. A student may repeat a previously audited course and receive a weighted grade and academic credit.
Graduate Students have the prerogative to resign any course for which they have registered without Q.P.A. penalty up to 11 weeks after the beginning of a semester. All course resignations processed during the permissible dates (as published in the Class Schedule available through the Student Response Center) will be indicated as officially resigned courses by the notation "R" on all grade reports, transcripts, and other official University documents. Resignation from all courses should be done through BIRD (716-645-7800) or MyUB. There are no quality points attached to an "R" designation.
Within the guidelines below, the incomplete "I/U" grade is available to students after the resignation deadline in cases where the student has not been able to complete all the assigned projects/and or examinations.
For all graduate-level courses, an interim grade of Incomplete "I" may be assigned if the student has not completed all requirements for the course. An interim grade of "I" shall not be assigned to a student who did not attend the course. For all graduate courses the default grade accompanying an interim grade of "I" shall be "U" and will be displayed on the UB record as "I/U." Neither "A", "P", nor "S" shall be assigned to a graduate course default grade. The default "U" grade shall become the permanent course grade of record if the "I/U" is not changed through formal notice by the instructor upon the student's completion of the course.
Assignment of an interim "I/U" is at the discretion of the instructor. A grade of "I/U" can be assigned only if successful completion of unfulfilled course requirements can result in a final grade better than the default "U" grade. The student should have a passing average in the requirements already completed. The instructor shall provide the student specification, in writing, of the requirements to be fulfilled. The default "U" grade shall become the grade of record if the "I/U" is not replaced by a permanent grade within twelve (12) months after the close of the term for which the "I/U" is assigned according to the following chart.
| Courses Taken In Any Given Year During | Deadline for Change of Grade or Petition for Extension of Deadline |
|---|---|
| Summer Semester | Aug. 31st of the following year |
| Fall Semester | Dec. 31st of the following year |
| Spring Semester | May 31st of the following year |
The instructor may set an earlier deadline for completion of the course requirements. If an earlier date for completion is set, the instructor shall inform the student thereof in writing. A student may not re-register for any course in which the student has an interim "I/U" grade.
When a student graduates, an "I/U" grade in any course included in the student's degree program will default to the permanent "U" grade. If a student is continuing in a combined or multi-degree program, e.g., receiving an M.A. in a Ph.D. program, any course for which the student has an interim grade of "I" that is not included in the courses constituting the student's degree program will be excluded from this provision but will still remain subject to the maximum time limits.
The appearance of a "J" on the transcript denotes an invalid grade. Students should immediately consult with the instructor to validate their grade or the "J" will revert to a grade of "F" at the end of the following semester. A student's Application to Candidacy cannot be approved with any outstanding "J" grades listed on his/her transcript.
Changes to previously recorded grades must be submitted within twelve months following the end of the term during which the student was registered for the course. Changes from one weighted grade to another must be initiated by the instructor on a Universal Grade Change Form, signed by the instructor and the department chair, and then submitted to the Graduate School for review. A reason for the requested change must be provided before the request will be reviewed.
After one year (or when a student graduates, if sooner), grades are considered final. Any requests for a change of grade after one year require documentation describing why the work was not complete in a timely manner and why the Universal Grade Change Form was not filed during the appropriate period.
Changing an existing "I" Incomplete or "J" Invalid grade before the default date does not require an explanation nor approval of the Graduate School. Once an "I" grade has defaulted, it cannot be changed. However, if an instructor makes an error, a correction can be made to that final grade if it was assigned before the default date. Such a correction must be requested before the end of the term following the default date.
A grade (other than "I" or "J") may be changed at the instructor's discretion only to correct a calculation or data-entry error or to correct an end-of-session assignment or exam evaluation error. Such a change must include justification by the instructor and be approved by the department chair and The Graduate School. A grade change other than to change an "I" or a "J" is not permitted under any other circumstance.
A grade change for a course taught by a faculty member who is no longer associated with UB, and who is not available to address errors or to remove "I" or "J" grades, may be requested by officers of the unit offering the course, and must include an explanation.
Once an Incomplete "I" is changed to an Unsatisfactory "U" grade, the course, if offered again, may be repeated for credit.
The Incomplete "I" should not be used for dissertation guidance, thesis, project, or portfolio credits in which continual registration is required by the University.
Load "L" grades may be assigned to signify adequate progress in dissertations, research, theses, projects and portfolios since continuous registration is required. All "L" grades will be changed to "S" grades by the Student Response Center degree auditors upon final acceptance of the dissertation, thesis, project or portfolio and completion of all degree requirements. If the instructor wishes to have a default grade other than "S," a Universal Grade Change Form must be submitted. For Master’s degree students, if all degree requirements are satisfied by means other than the thesis, research, project or portfolio (e.g. comprehensive exam), any "L" grades received will remain on the transcript.
Satisfactory "S" or Unsatisfactory "U" weighted grades may be assigned to any semester of dissertation, research, thesis, project or portfolio work, since these grades do not imply final approval of the dissertation, thesis, project or portfolio itself.
Grades shall not be changed any later than one term following a student's receipt of a degree or permanent departure from UB.
Grades are available either through BIRD (716-645-7800) or through the MyUB web portal at www.myub.buffalo.edu. Grades will not be given over the telephone except through the BIRD system.
If a graduate student repeats a course that is not normally "repeatable" ("repeatable" courses include dissertation, research, thesis, project or portfolio guidance; independent study; directed readings, etc.), only the highest grade earned in the course will be counted toward the degree and used to calculate the grade point average associated with the graduate degree program requirements. However, the student's official transcript will record all courses attempted (including repeated courses). All resulting grades earned are calculated in the GPA reflected on the students’ final official transcript.
Under extraordinary circumstances, graduate students may petition for total academic withdrawal from a given semester. The Graduate School will only consider cases where the student or department (on the student’s behalf) can document:
Academic withdrawal is for the entirety of a student's registration in that semester (i.e. these cases are considered on an all or nothing basis). The deadline for graduate students to submit petitions for academic withdrawal is the end of the subsequent academic semester. The Graduate School reserves the right to consult members of the faculty and others as appropriate when reviewing academic withdrawal cases.
Academic withdrawal from the semester will be indicated on the transcript by the symbol "W" (withdrawal) next to each course registered. For the purposes of determining Good Academic Standing/Satisfactory Academic Progress, courses given "W" grades do not count as having been attempted.