Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA)
Needles Hall, second floor, room 2201
Instructors must submit final grades to Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA) 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.
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 a failure to complete (FTC). 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 Vice-President, Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs. Such a petition is granted only in exceptional circumstances.
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 |
Designation | Description |
---|---|
ACC | Accepted (thesis) |
AEG [1] | Aegrotat, credit granted due to illness or extenuating circumstances |
AUD | Audit only, no credit granted |
CR [2] | Credit granted |
DNW | Did not write examination, no credit granted (value 0) |
FTC | Failure to complete course requirements in a course with a grade of INC, no credit granted (value 0) |
INC | Incomplete course work, no credit granted |
NAC | Not Accepted (thesis) |
NCR [2] | 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 failure to complete (FTC) after two terms following the term in which the course was taken. Students may petition for an extension of incomplete status.
1The aegrotat designation signifies the granting of credit for a course when some coursework has been completed but no further assessment is possible because of illness or other extenuating circumstances. The aegrotat designation is used only in exceptional circumstances and must be approved by the Faculty Associate Dean.
2Departments 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.
Needles Hall, second floor, room 2201
The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.