Revision to Rule 10 approved on 12/12/2005 by Faculty Senate
and signed by President Gates on 1/21/2006. This rule change is effective 4/12/2006.
Please see Current Rule 10 for up to date information.

10.1 The course instructor shall provide in writing the following information to the class during the first class meeting:

• A statement of the nature, scope and content of the subject matter to be covered in the course.
• All course prerequisites as listed in the catalog.
• All required course text and material.
• The grading rule, including weights as applicable for tests, laboratory assignments, field student work, projects, papers, homework, class attendance and participation and other graded activities in the calculation of the course grade. No such rule should be in contradiction to other provisions of the University Student Rules.

10.2 The student’s semester grade shall be based upon the grading rule statement in 10.1 (above). No such rule should be in contradiction to other provisions of the University Student Rules.

For information on contesting an assigned grade, see Part III, Student Grievance Procedures, 48. Grade Disputes.

10.3 There are twelve grades. The five passing grades at the undergraduate level are, A, B, C, D and S, representing varying degrees of achievement; these letters carry grade points and significance as follows:

Assigned by the instructor:

• A: Excellent, 4 grade points per semester hour
• B: Good, 3 grade points per semester hour
• C: Satisfactory, 2 grade points per semester hour
• D: Passing, 1 grade point per semester hour
• F: Failing, no grade points, hours included in GPR
• I: Incomplete, no grade points (hours not included in GPR)

Grades assigned if student is taking an undergraduate course S/U:

• S: Satisfactory (C or above), hours not included in GPR
• U: Unsatisfactory (D or F), no grade points, hours included in GPR)

Other:

• X: No grade submitted, see 10.6
• Q: Dropped course with no penalty, requires dean's permission, see 1.16
• W: Dropped course(s) with no penalty during the semester enrolled, hours not included in GPR, requires dean's permission, see (1.7, 1.18, 7.8, and 17)
• NG: No Grade. Administrative removal of posted grades requires approval by the dean of the college in which the student was enrolled during the semester in which the courses were taken. A NG requires extensive documentation of the extraordinary circumstances justifying the No Grade. The instructor of record, or the instructor's department head if the instructor is unavailable, will be consulted during the process.  The registrar will, if possible, notify the instructor of record, and in any event will notify the instructor's department head, whenever a NG is issued.

10.4 Passing grades for graduate students are A, B, C and S.

10.4.1 Grades of S or U may be assigned in certain officially designated courses. Graduate courses on the degree plan may not be taken on an S/U basis, except for courses bearing the numbers 681, 684, 690, 691, 692, 693 695 and 697. Graduate courses not on the degree plan may be taken on an S/U basis.

10.4.2 Only grades of A, B, C and S are acceptable for graduate credit. Grades of D, F or Unsatisfactory (U) for courses on the degree plan must be absolved by repeating the courses and achieving grades of C or above or Satisfactory (S). A course in which the final grade is C may be repeated for a higher grade.

10.4.3 Graduate students must maintain a grade point (GPR) of 3.000 (B average based on a 4.000 scale) for all courses which are listed on the degree plan and for all graded graduate and advanced undergraduate coursework (300- and 400-level) completed at Texas A&M and eligible to be applied toward a graduate degree.  Those involving grades of W-drop (W), Satisfactory (S), Unsatisfactory (U) and Q-drop (Q) shall be excluded.

If either of a student's cumulative GPR or the GPR for courses listed on the degree plan falls below the minimum of 3.00, he or she will be considered to be scholastically deficient.  If the minimum GPR is not attained in a reasonable length of time, the student may be dropped from graduate studies.  The procedures for dismissal are explained in the Texas A&M University Student Rules, Scholastic Deficiency/Probation, rule 12.  Departments or colleges may adopt specific guidelines pertaining to scholastic deficiency or dismissal.

10.5 A temporary grade of I (Incomplete) at the end of a semester or summer term indicates that the student (graduate or undergraduate) has completed the course with the exception of a major quiz, final examination or other work. The instructor shall give this grade only when the deficiency is due to an authorized absence or other cause beyond the control of the student. When an instructor reports an incomplete grade to the registrar, he or she will fill out an “Incomplete Grade Report,” which is filed with the department head. Copies are sent to the student and to the student’s academic dean. This report includes (1) a statement of the instructor’s reason for awarding the incomplete grade and (2) a statement concerning the remaining work to be completed before the last day of scheduled classes of the next fall or spring semester in which the student enrolls in the university unless the student’s academic dean, with the consent of the instructor (in the absence of the instructor, the department head), grants an extension of time for good reason. If the incomplete work is not completed within this time or if the student registers for the same course again, the I will be changed to an F by the registrar. Grades of I assigned to 684 (Professional Internship), 691 (Research), 692 (Professional Study) or 693 (Professional Study) are excluded from this rule.

10.6 The X notation is assigned to a course by the registrar at the end of a semester or summer term only when a grade is not submitted by the instructor. The registrar will notify the dean of the college in which the course is taught that an X notation has been made. The dean of the college offering the course will request, through the department head, that the instructor, at the beginning of the succeeding semester or summer term, remove the X notation and assign a letter grade with a Grade Change Report. The instructor will have 30 days from the beginning of the succeeding semester or summer term to report a change of grade to the registrar. If a Change of Grade Report is not received during this time period, the registrar will automatically remove the X notation and assign a grade of F. Grades of X assigned to 684 (Professional Internship), 691 (Research), or 692 (Professional Study) are excluded from this rule.

10.7 An instructor may change a student’s grade by submitting a Grade Change Report to the registrar.

10.7.1 A grade may be changed up to one year after the submission of the final grades for a given semester. This change requires the approval and signature of the department head as well as the instructor.

10.7.2 After one year, a grade change must have the approval and signature of the student’s dean in addition to the signatures of the instructor and department head.

10.7.3 Anytime a grade is lowered, the Grade Change Report must have the approval and signature of the student’s dean in addition to the instructor and department head.

10.7.4 Grade changes for faculty members who are unavailable, or are no longer employed at Texas A&M University, require the approval of the department head and the dean of the college.

10.8 All grades shall be reported to the registrar promptly on the date specified in the call for grades. Except for grades for graduating students, all other final grades shall be due not less than 72 hours after the end of the examination period.

10.9 Only the grade made in course work for which the student was registered in this institution shall be used in determining his or her grade point ratio.

10.10 An undergraduate student’s cumulative grade point ratio for any period shall be computed by dividing the total number of semester hours for which he or she received grades into the total number of grade points earned in that period. Semester credit hours to which grades of F or U are assigned shall be included; those involving grades of W, Q, S, X, I and NG are excluded.

10.10.1 First Year Grade Exclusion Policy
A fully admitted, currently enrolled Texas A&M undergraduate student as defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board as "first time in college"* may elect to exclude from his/her undergraduate degree and cumulative GPR calculation grades of D, F, or U. This exclusion shall be permitted for up to a maximum of three courses taken for credit at Texas A&M University during the twelve month period beginning with the student's initial enrollment at Texas A&M.

The first year grade exclusion option may be used by current "first time in college" freshmen for courses taken in the twelve months beginning with their initial enrollment at A&M. Sophomores, juniors and seniors also may use the exclusions for courses taken in their first twelve months as "first time in college" freshmen, dating from initial enrollment.

• All courses chosen for first year grade exclusion shall remain on the official transcript and be designated on the transcript as excluded.
   
• First year grade exclusion cannot be invoked after a baccalaureate degree has been conferred upon the student. If the student chooses to exercise the first year grade exclusion, that option must be exercised before the official deadline for application for the baccalaureate degree in the student's final semester.
   
• First year grade exclusion will affect student classification if excluding a course lowers total completed hours below 95, 60, or 30 hours.
   
• Grades for courses in which the student was found to have committed academic dishonesty will not be excluded from the GPR calculation, regardless whether or not the student completed remediation.
   
• A course for which the grade has been excluded will not be used to satisfy degree requirements unless it is repeated by the student for an acceptable grade.
   
• Once a grade in a course has been excluded from the GPR calculation, the student will not later be permitted to have the exclusion removed or otherwise changed.
   
• Courses for which grades have been excluded will be counted as attempted hours when determining eligibility for tuition rebates, calculating excess credit hours, and determining third-time repeats.
   
• Courses for which grades have been excluded will not be taken into account when determining eligibility for a change of major, scholarships, or achievement based awards.
   
• Courses excluded under this policy are NOT excluded when determining whether the student is meeting satisfactory academic progress requirements (hours completed) for federal and state financial aid programs.
   
• While excluded courses will not be factored into Texas A&M University GPR, students should be aware that employers, professional schools, and graduate schools may recalculate the GPR to include such grades.
   
• University rules regarding Q drops remain unaffected, but students should consult with their undergraduate associate dean or his/her designee.
   
• First year grade exclusion will become available as an option for undergraduate students who are enrolled in the Spring 2005 semester and thereafter.
   
• Students are directed to contact their academic advisor or the office of the undergraduate dean of his/her college to obtain the necessary form.
   

* First time in college: an undergraduate, degree seeking, student who applied and enrolled in college for the first time regardless of whether the student has acquired college level credit through testing, advanced placement or summer enrollment.
 

10.11 Students registered for KINE 198 and KINE 199, wishing to change the grade type from a graded course to S/U or from S/U to a graded course may do so at the Student Information System web site at https://myrecord.tamu.edu/, by selecting "Current Student", then "KINE 198/199 Update".  All requests for KINE 198 and KINE 199 changes must be accomplished on or before the Q-drop deadline for the fall, spring or summer semester.

10.12 Undergraduate students:

10.12.1 Undergraduate students may be permitted to take courses in their degree programs at Texas A&M University on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) basis consistent with the requirements of the student’s college.

10.12.2 The hours for which a student receives a grade of “satisfactory” shall not be included in the computation of the student’s semester or cumulative grade point ratio; a grade of “unsatisfactory” shall be included in the computation of the student’s grade points per credit hour as an F. A grade of “satisfactory” will be given only for grades of C and above; a grade of “unsatisfactory” will be given for grades D and F.

10.12.3 Students on probationary standing may be required to take KINE 199 or electives on an S/U basis as determined by published college rules.

10.13 Graduate students:

10.13.1 Graduate students will not receive graduate degree credit for undergraduate degree courses taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. Graduate students may take any graduate courses that are not used on their degree plans on an S/U basis.

10.13.2 A grade of “satisfactory” (S) will be given only for grades of A and B in graduate courses and for grades of C and above in undergraduate and professional courses; a grade of “unsatisfactory” (U) will be given for grades of C and below in graduate courses and for D and F grades in undergraduate and professional courses.

10.13.3 S/U grades are not included in the grade point ratio calculation for graduate students.

10.13.4 Courses numbered 681, 684, 690, 691, 692, 693, 695 and 697 are graded on an S/U basis only.

10.14 Near the middle of the fall and spring semesters, a preliminary report, showing the current progress of all undergraduate students who have completed less than 30 semester credit hours of course work at Texas A&M University, will be made available. Preliminary grades are not recorded on the student’s permanent record.

10.15 At the close of each semester, a final report of the student’s semester grades will be made available to the student.

10.16 No student grade that is personally identifiable may be posted unless the student has given written consent in advance.

10.17 An undergraduate student is making satisfactory academic progress when he or she is meeting university, college and major field of study grade point requirements.

10.18 Unless otherwise stated, students in graduate degree programs and post-baccalaureate non-degree students (G6 classification) must maintain a 3.00 cumulative GPR (computed as specified in section 10.4.3). Degree-seeking students also must maintain a GPR of at least 3.00 on all courses listed on the degree plan. Departments and colleges may establish higher GPR requirements for their students in graduate degree programs and for post-baccalaureate non-degree students (G6 classification).

10.19 Any undergraduate student who wishes to repeat a course must do so before he or she completes a more advanced course in the same subject. What constitutes a more advanced course will be determined by the head of the department offering the course.

10.20 When a course is repeated by an undergraduate student in an attempt to earn a grade higher than C, D, F, or U, only the highest grade may be used toward degree requirements. However, the grades for all courses taken in residence at Texas A&M University will remain on the student's permanent record. A student’s cumulative GPR will include all graded courses except courses excluded under the First Year Grade Exclusion Policy. An undergraduate student may attempt a course no more than three times, including courses graded Q or W but excluding these graded NG, unless approval has been received from both the student's Dean and the department offering the course.

10.21 A student repeating a course in which a grade of B or better has been earned will not receive grade points for the repeated course, unless the catalog states the course may be repeated for credit.

10.22 For graduate students, grades of D, F or Unsatisfactory (U) for courses on the degree plan must be absolved by repeating the course(s) and achieving grades of C or above or Satisfactory (S). A course in which the final grade is a C may be repeated for a higher grade. Those involving grades of W, Q, S, U, X, I or NG are excluded.