• Keywords: Graduate, Grades
• Policy Number: KC-ACA-3730
• Originally Issued:
• Revised: Spring 2019
• Effective Catalog Cycle: AY 19-20
• Approved by: Graduate Council, SGS Dean, Provost
• Executive Sponsor: Provost
• Responsible Office: SGS, Registrar, Departments and Programs

Policy Statement

Course Designations

Courses numbered 5000 and above are generally open only to regularly admitted graduate students.

Courses numbered 5580 to 5589 generally are reserved for seminars, workshops, and special topics. Consult individual degree programs for possible restrictions on such offerings. The course numbers 5590 to 5598 usually are reserved for non-thesis research, directed studies, and readings. Courses numbered 5599 are restricted to research leading to a thesis. No more than 40 percent of courses numbered 5590 to 5599, or other courses which fall in the categories listed above for that course number range, may be applied to a graduate degree program of study, with the exception of the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. study.

Courses numbered 5695 to 5699 are restricted to research leading to a dissertation. Continuous Graduate Enrollment is numbered 5899.

Courses numbered 300 to 499 are upper division undergraduate courses. Graduate students who enroll in such courses have the option of designating them, at the time of enrollment, as “not for graduate credit.” If the student chooses this option, the grade will not be included in the student’s graduate grade-point average and the course may not be included on the graduate program/plan of study and will not count toward a graduate degree.

Courses numbered 300- or 400-level may be accepted for graduate credit, based on the following stipulations:

1. Supplementary work (e.g., additional readings, projects, papers and contact hours with the instructor) is assigned and appropriate assessment demonstrates graduate-level competency and achievement in the subject, as approved by the Graduate Council.
2. The course must be completed with a grade of B- (2.7) or better.
3. The total number of 300- to 400-level courses applied to the requirements for a graduate degree may not exceed 40 percent. For students in the PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies program, 300-400 level courses can comprise only 33 percent of the total number of courses on the approved Interdisciplinary Ph.D. plan of study.

Courses at the 100- and 200-level are not available for graduate credit and will not be applied toward the number of hours required for a graduate degree.

Reason for Policy

Who Should Read this Policy?

Instructions, Procedures and Related Information

Contacts

UMKC Registrar’s Office: Website: http://www.umkc.edu/registrar/default.asp

Physical Location: 115 Administrative Center, 5115 Oak Street, Kansas City, MO 64110

Mailing Address: 5100 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110-2499;

Phone: 816-235-1125; Fax: 816-235-5513; Email: registrar@umkc.edu

UMKC Office of the Provost: http://www.umkc.edu/provost/

UMKC School of Graduate Studies: https://sgs.umkc.edu/

Exclusions

The numbering of graduate courses in the School of Dentistry differs from the system described above.

History & Updates

Appendices

• Keywords: Graduate, Grades
• Policy Number: KC-ACA-3733
• Originally Issued:
• Revised: Spring 2019
• Effective Catalog Cycle: AY 19-20
• Approved by: Graduate Council, SGS Dean, Provost
• Executive Sponsor: Provost
• Responsible Office: Registrar

Policy Statement

Grading System

The following is the +/- grading scale and grade-point system used at UMKC. This +/- grading scale and grade point system is used by all faculty, in all undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs.

Letter Grade	Description	Points per Semester Hour
A	The highest grade	4.0
A-		3.7
B+		3.3
B	Work of distinction	3.0
B-		2.7
C+		2.3
C	Average work	2.0
C-		1.7
D+		1.3
D	Passing, but unsatisfactory	1.0
D-		0.7
F	Failure without credit	0.0
NR	Not Reported	0.0
WF	Withdrew Failing	–
W	Withdrew; no-academic assessment	–
I	Incomplete	–
AT	Audit	–
CR	Credit only	–
NC	No Credit	–
P	Passing	–
S	Satisfactory	–

In terms prior to and including 1985, any of the above grades may have been preceded by an R indicating a repeated course. These grades were not included in either total hours or the grade-point average. (Examples: RC, RD, RF.) Since 1985, all grades, including those in repeated courses, are included in the GPA calculation. Starting the 1993 Fall Semester, UMKC began using the plus/minus grading system for grades A, B, C and D. The grade of A+ is valid only for students in the School of Law.

Incomplete Grades

An instructor may give a grade of incomplete (I) to students who have been unable to complete the work of the course because of illness or other valid reasons beyond their control. Students who receive an incomplete must complete the required work within one calendar year to avoid an F (failure without credit). The instructor may specify a shorter completion period. A grade of incomplete is only appropriate when enough work in the course has been completed that the student can finish the remaining work without re- enrolling in the course in question, or by attending additional classes. In other instances, students should withdraw. Students cannot re-enroll in a course for which an incomplete remains on the record. Furthermore, graduate students cannot graduate with an incomplete on their record.

This policy is exclusive of those courses which are considered directed individual studies, internships, special topics, practica, research and thesis, and research and dissertation courses. Because completion of such courses will quite often span several terms, incomplete grades assigned in such courses will not automatically lapse to an “F” grade after one calendar year, but will adhere to the completion period specified by the instructor.

Repeated Graduate-Credit Courses

Whenever students repeat a graduate-credit course, they must submit a course repeat form to the Office of the Registrar no later than the fourth week of the term. Students seeking graduate degrees are limited to repeating no more than 20 percent of the credits applicable toward a graduate degree. If approved by the school or department or Interdisciplinary Ph.D. supervisory committee, students may repeat a course once to improve the grade-point average or satisfy the program requirements. The second grade received will be used to calculate the grade-point average that will be used in satisfying degree requirements.

Reason for Policy

Who Should Read this Policy?

Instructions, Procedures and Related Information

Contacts

UMKC Registrar’s Office: Website: http://www.umkc.edu/registrar/default.asp

Physical Location: 115 Administrative Center, 5115 Oak Street, Kansas City, MO 64110

Mailing Address: 5100 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110-2499;

Phone: 816-235-1125; Fax: 816-235-5513; Email: registrar@umkc.eduUMKC Office of the Provost: http://www.umkc.edu/provost/

Exclusions

History & Updates

Appendices