NIU Graduate School Policies

Grading System

The Graduate School grading system applies to all graduate students taking courses for graduate credit. The graduate grade point average (GPA) is computed by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number of credit hours that a student has taken in NIU courses earning grade points. In no case are NIU courses taken for undergraduate or law credit or transfer courses included in the computation of the graduate GPA. Grades and their grade point values are as follows.

Other transcript entries, with their definition, include the following.

I–Incomplete (see also following section on “Incompletes”)

IP–In Progress

WP–Passing at time of withdrawal

WF–Failing at time of withdrawal

O–Audit; no grade and no credit

Students doing less than satisfactory work will be assigned the grade of C-, D, F or U. Graduate credit is given only for those courses in which a grade of S or C or better, is earned. A grade of S indicates that the student has performed at a level equivalent to at least a B.

Academic Good Standing

MBA students must maintain a 3.0 or better overall graduate grade point average and a minimum 3.0 grade point average for Phase Two courses.

Grades for Phase One corresponding equivalents completed at another school and transfer credit for Phase Two course will not be included in the NIU GPA calculations. If your GPA drops below 3.0, you will be placed on academic probation with opportunity within the next 9 semester credit hours to improve your GPA to 3.0 or better to regain academic good standing. Please contact your advisor immediately to discuss your options and prepare plan for successful degree completion.

Please note that a grade of I = “Incomplete” will automatically become a grade of “F” if the course requirements are not satisfied within 120 days from the last day of the course term.

A graduate-level student who has accumulated 6 or more semester hours of grades of C-, D, F, U or WF in graduate coursework at NIU will be academically dismissed from the Graduate School, regardless of the student’s GPA. If a course is repeated, whether under the special repeat option or otherwise, the grades in both attempts will be considered in determining whether this 6-semester-hour total has been reached.

Phase Two Time Limitation

You have six consecutive years in which to complete your program once you have enrolled in a Phase Two course (at NIU or elsewhere). Transfer courses falling outside the limitation of time may not be used in a graduate program. Please be aware that the student must demonstrate currency by examination if the NIU course taken to complete the requirements for Phase Two does not fall within the consecutive six-year period allowed for the degree; otherwise, another course must be completed in lieu of the expired course.

Phase Two Time Limitation Chart

Degree Progress Report

The degree progress report is a listing of those courses you are required to take as part of your graduate program in business and must conform with the requirements of your major. A copy of the courses you need to complete your MBA degree was sent in your admission packet from the MBA Office. You are able to view your degree progress report through your MyNIU account.

Regardless of major, please discuss your intended course of study with your academic advisor no later than the first term of enrollment. It is particularly important to do this if you expect to use transfer coursework in Phase Two. (See section on “Transferability of Phase II Coursework” for additional information.)

You are able to view your degree progress report through your MyNIU account. In the Self-Service Center of your MyNIU account, open the “Academic Progress” tile.

Your degree progress report is considered to be “official” when it has been approved by your MBA advisor and the Graduate School. Following Graduate School approval, they will e-mail you a letter to your NIU student account for your reference. Any subsequent changes to an approved degree progress report must be made in consultation with your advisor and must also be submitted to and approved by the Graduate School.

Quarter-to-Semester-Hour Conversion

NIU is on a semester-hour system; whereas some universities are on a quarter-hour system. If you plan to use transfer work, it is important to note that this difference can be critical when computing the total number of hours required to graduate (see “Conversion Table”). Please note that the Graduate School does not round hours; thus, a four-quarter-hour course will transfer in as 2 2/3 semester hours. If transferability of coursework is an issue in your case, please talk with your advisor regarding the number of semester hours in Phase Two which are required to graduate in your program.