Grading Policies

Dean of Students & Vice President of Student Life to be held in the student’s official file until graduation.

Addendum for Gateway, Driscoll Scholars, and Navy ROTC Prep (NPP) Programs

Gateway, Driscoll, and NPP students are expected to uphold the Academic Integrity Policy while enrolled at Holy Cross College. Any Formal Sanction letter regarding such a student will be shared proactively with the University of Notre Dame. Other information is kept on file for one month after the student leaves and College, and it will be made available if Notre Dame requests information about the student’s academic integrity. All academic integrity information will be noted on the student’s College Official Report completed by the Dean of Students & Vice President for Student Life and shared with Notre Dame’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

GRADING POLICIES

GRADING SCALE

The following grade and grade point values (in parentheses) are used for all courses: A (4.0), A- (3.67), B+ (3.33), B (3.0), B (2.67), C+ (2.33), C (2.0), C- (1.67, usually not transferable), D (1.0, not transferable), F (0.0, no credit), I (0.0), AD (audit), S (satisfactory), U (unsatisfactory), W (withdrawal). Courses in which a grade of “F” have been assigned are counted among the attempted semester hours and are computed into the GPA for the semester. Incomplete grades are granted only with the approval of the Dean of the College. Incomplete grades are not part of the GPA calculation.

Courses in which the grades of "AD", "S", and "W" have been assigned are listed on the semester report but are not computed into the GPA.

CALCULATING GRADE POINT AVERAGE (GPA)

Two GPAs are computed for each student each semester: a semester GPA and a cumulative GPA. The grade points of the letter grades earned in each course are multiplied by the semester hours of credit per course to determine the quality points earned in the course. The sum of the quality points earned divided by the sum of the credit hours attempted during the semester determines the semester GPA. The cumulative GPA utilizes the total quality points earned divided by the total number of credit hours attempted. Courses numbered under 100 level are not included in the computation of averages.

All credit hours attempted to which grade points are assigned are included in the computation of averages. In addition to the credits and quality points earned at Holy Cross, credits and quality points earned in courses pursued at N.I.C.E. institutions are included in computations. Credits earned at other institutions are considered transferred credits and are not included in computations.

ACADEMIC STANDING

A student who has earned both a semester GPA and a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better is considered to be in good academic standing.

MIDSEMESTER GRADES

Approximately halfway through each semester, a mid-semester grade is issued for each course in which the student is enrolled. The student should view the midsemester grade as a suggestion of the quality of work performed up to that point. Mid-semester grades do not become a part of the permanent record.

FINAL EXAMS

Each academic course includes a final examination (or equivalent graded academic exercise). Students must be physically present for the final examination at the date and time stated in the course syllabus. A student in a distance learning course is not required to be physically present for the final examination but must follow the instructions for the final examination stated in the course syllabus.

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