Link to the University of Waterloo home page Advanced Search or
Spring 2011
View Current Calendar
The Graduate Calendar
 

Calendar - General Information & Regulations

Regulations

Grades & Grading
Printable Version Printable Version

Grade Submission

Instructors must submit final grades to the Graduate Studies Office by the end of the term in which the course was given or by the beginning of the following term. Interim grades may not be assigned. Once a grade has been assigned, it cannot be changed.


Conversion of Incompletes

An incomplete grade status (INC) submitted by an instructor may remain on a student's academic record for at most two terms of enrolment following the term in which the course was taken. A student may seek a one-term extension by submitting a petition to the course instructor and the Department prior to the end of the two terms.  If a grade has not been submitted by the end of the second term and an extension has not been granted, the INC will automatically convert to an FTC (failure to complete incomplete course work, no credit granted).  For average calculation, FTC value equals 0.  An FTC status may be reverted to an INC on the academic record only if a petition from the student is approved by the Department, Faculty, and the Associate Provost, Graduate Studies.  Such a petition is granted only in exceptional circumstances.


Grading Scheme

The grading system of the University changed in Fall 2001. Grades for all courses taken prior to Fall 2001 appear on grade reports and transcripts either as one of 15 letter grades from A+ through F, or as numeric marks on a percentage scale depending upon the Faculty of enrolment.

Effective Fall 2001, numeric grades on a scale from 0 - 100 are used by all Faculties.

Averages are reported in all Faculties as percentages. Average calculation values are used for overall averages for students with letter grades on their records.

The following conversion scale applies to courses taken prior to Fall 2001.

Letter Grade Percentage Ranges Weighting Factors
for Letter Grades
A+ 90-100 95
A 85-89 89
A- 80-84 83
B+ 77-79 78
B 73-76 75
B- 70-72 72
C+ 67-69 68
C 63-66 65
C- 60-62 62
F 0-59 0


Non-Numeric Grades/Graded Standings

ACC Accepted (thesis)
AEG Aegrotat, credit granted due to illness
AUD Audit only, no credit granted
CR [1] Credit granted
DNW Did not write examination, no credit granted (value 0)
FTC Failure to complete incomplete course work, no credit granted (value 0)
INC Incomplete course work, no credit granted
NAC Not Accepted (thesis)
NCR [1] No credit granted
NMR No mark reported, no credit granted (value 0) 
UR Under review, no credit granted
WD Withdrawn, no credit granted

Students must obtain an average of at least 70% in the set of courses which they present in fulfilment of course requirements for any graduate degree. Some departments may require higher program averages or course grades for graduate degrees.

If a graduate student takes an undergraduate course for graduate credit the above grading scheme will apply. Undergraduate courses taken for graduate credit or to meet probationary or transitional requirements for a graduate program are subject to the same regulations as graduate courses, i.e., interim grades may not be assigned, once a grade has been assigned it may not be changed; incomplete grade status (INC) converts to FTC after two terms following the term in which the course was taken. Students may petition for an extension of incomplete status.


1 Departments may offer, for graduate credit, courses that carry no grades, and satisfactory work in such courses will be indicated on the transcript by CR. CR/NCR courses are so designated in the calendar. No degree candidate can fulfil more than half of the minimum department course requirements by courses of this type.


Religious Holidays/Examination Scheduling

The University acknowledges that, due to the pluralistic nature of the University community, some students may on religious grounds require alternative times to write examinations and tests. Accordingly, a student who requires an alternative examination or test time on religious grounds should consult with the Associate Dean of the Faculty offering the course regarding alternative arrangements. Such a request should be made within one week of the announcement of the test or examination date. For students in courses taught at the Federated University or affiliated Colleges, the responsibilities of the Associate Dean in these procedures are exercised by the Dean of the Federated University or affiliated Colleges (or Head in cases where there is no Dean).


Graduate Studies Office
Needles Hall, Room 2201
University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
519 888 4567 x35411
contact us | http://www.uwaterloo.ca/ | powered by InterGlobal Solutions