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Grading system for graduate Nursing students
UW Tacoma graduate students should consult the UW Graduate School for details regarding the general graduate student policies. Also see Evaluation of Student Performance and Progression.
Academic Progress Update
An academic progress update is given if you are doing less than satisfactory work during the quarter. A progress update must be given if you are in danger of not making satisfactory progress or you have less than a 2.7 grade at mid-quarter. The purpose of the progress update is to notify you of the difficulty in ample time so you may rectify the situation. You will be asked to reply to the instructor by email to acknowledge receipt of the progress update; you may also be asked to meet with the instructor, your advisor, or other support resources. Progress updates are placed in your file, but are removed upon graduation.
Interpretive standards for graduate course grades
These interpretations were adapted from grading standards for graduate students adopted by the University of Washington Seattle Department of Sociology and describe the general basis for interpreting course grades.
| Grade | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | Excellent and exceptional work for a graduate student; work at this level is creative, thorough, well-reasoned, insightful, well-written, and shows clear recognition and an incisive understanding of the salient issues. Work of obvious professional quality. |
| 3.7 | Strong work for a graduate student; although not quite obvious professional quality, work at this level shows some signs of creativity, is thorough and well-reasoned, and demonstrates clear recognition and solid understanding of the salient issues. |
| 3.3 | Competent and sound work for a graduate student; well-reasoned and thorough, but not especially creative or insightful (or creativity is not developed); shows adequate understanding of issues although that understanding may be somewhat incomplete. This is a graduate student grade that indicates neither exceptional strengths nor exceptional weakness; hence it is the grade for "standard" graduate performance. |
| 3.0 | Adequate work for a graduate student; moderately thorough and well-reasoned, but some indication that understanding of the important issues is less than complete and perhaps inadequate in other respects, but the work is above the minimal expectations for the course. |
| 2.7 | Borderline work for a graduate student; barely meets the minimal expectations for the course; understanding of salient issues is incomplete and overall performance, if consistently at this level, would be below the level of adequate graduate level performance. |
MN Policy on Repeating Courses
Students may petition the Graduate Program Committee to repeat failed courses (<2.7). The petition should include a reason for the failure and a plan to prevent future failure(s). A student’s faculty advisor will assist with the process.
Grade appeal process
A student who believes that the instructor erred in the assignment of a grade, or who believes a grade recording error or omission has occurred, shall first discuss the matter with the instructor within ten days of the grade posting.
If the student is not satisfied with the instructor's explanation, the student, no later than ten days after their discussion with the instructor, may submit a written appeal to the dean of the SNHCL, with a copy of the appeal also sent to the instructor. Within ten calendar days, the SNHCL dean consults with the instructor to ensure that the evaluation of the student's performance has not been arbitrary or capricious. Should the dean believe the instructor's conduct to be arbitrary or capricious and the instructor declines to revise the grade, the dean, with the approval of the voting members of their faculty, shall appoint an appropriate member, or members, of the faculty of that department to evaluate the performance of the student and assign a grade. The EVCAA should be informed of this action.
Once a student submits a written appeal, this document and all subsequent actions on this appeal are recorded in written form for deposit in a department or college file. (University of Washington Office of the Registrar)
