Grades and Academic Standards

From time to time, the College may require students to take tests or to provide other evidence to allow the College or parts of the College to assess student progress and to evaluate academic programs. Such requirements may be departmentally based or they may be more broadly based. Students may be required to take specific tests as part of their academic requirements, and they may be required to achieve certain levels on the tests. The College may change such requirements as it believes appropriate. Part of the purpose of the assessment program may be to generate information in order to assist students in planning their educational careers by understanding their academic abilities, aspirations, and career preferences.

The College has certain minimum requirements for semester and cumulative grade point averages (GPA), in order to align with graduation requirements. Students who do not meet certain GPA parameters will be subject to Academic Standing. For details on the current Academic Standing Policy, procedures, and support, please view the full policy in the Academic Catalog.

When auditing a course, you participate in a course without receiving credit or affecting your GPA. To audit a course, you need to obtain a Course Audit Form. The form needs approval from the instructor and the respective department chair. You are required to pay for the credits associated with the audited course.

A course may be audited only if registration for it has not been closed. Preference must go to those enrolling for credit. During the first two weeks of a semester, a course may be added for audit—and no late registration fee charged—or changed from audit to credit through the regular Add/Drop procedures. After that time and up to midterm, a course may be changed from credit to audit. In the latter instance, the course must be dropped for credit and added for audit. Full-time undergraduate students may register as auditors without paying additional fees. Part-time students pay the usual per-credit fee. Any refunds will be made only at the student's request and according to the standard College refund schedules. Under no circumstances will audited courses be counted for credit toward a degree.

The term Credit/No Credit is used where CR is given to students who achieve a grade between A and D-.  NCR is given to students who earn an F. Courses graded with CR/NCR are not factored into the GPA average. Courses with CR count towards graduation while NCR grades do not. You are entitled to choose to take a course for CR/NCR with the following limitations:

• No one can take more than one course per semester under this option.
• The total number of courses taken for credit/no credit and counted toward graduation shall not exceed six.
• A course in a student’s major, concentration, minor or cognate cannot be taken for credit/no credit.
• No course taken as a general education requirement may be taken for credit/no credit.

The Credit/No Credit Option Contract is due on the last day to withdraw from classes without permission.

• Add/Drop Period: The first two weeks of the semester when a student may add new courses to their schedule, or remove courses without penalty. 
• Capstone: means "culminating" or "crowning"; it is used to describe a course that is the culminating experience for a program of study.
• Cognates: are required courses in disciplines related to the major. Cognates are intended to broaden and enhance the major.
• Concentration: is the area of specialization. Courses in the concentration are a group of courses that relate specifically to the student's area of study.
• Content major: refers to the disciplinary course work taken by students in elementary education.
• Course Withdrawal: after the add/drop period has ended, students may withdraw from a course through the end of the course withdrawal period. No refund of tuition and fees is given and no credits are earned. However, the course will still appear on the transcript with a "W" and counts towards attempted credit.
• Electives: are courses which the student may choose beyond the specifically required courses, in order to fulfill the degree requirements.
• Enrolled: means a student has been admitted to the College and/or a program and has registered for courses.
• Full-Time Student: is a student taking 12 to 18 credit hours per semester.
• Major: is the discipline or academic area in which the student is studying in depth and normally requires a minimum of 30 credit hours.
• Matriculate: means to be admitted formally to a degree program.
• Minor: is a secondary specialization in a degree program and normally requires a minimum of 15 credit hours.
• Part-Time Student: is a student taking fewer than 12 credit hours per semester.
• Pre-Requisite: A course or series of courses that need to be completed prior to registering for a certain course. Example: students need to complete SPAN 101 before they can register for SPAN 102. 
• Program of Study: usually consists of the following: General Education, a major, cognates, and electives.
• Registration: the process of selecting your courses for the upcoming semester. This process occurs before each semester begins and the dates for registration can be found in the Academic Calendar. 
• Required Courses: are courses students must take to fulfill degree requirements.
• Retention Requirements: are requirements students must meet in order to remain enrolled at the College and/or in a program.
• Teacher preparation program: is a term used in the elementary education, secondary education, and pre-kindergarten to twelfth-grade programs to describe the major and other requirements needed to be eligible for certification as a teacher.
• Teaching concentration: in special education is a term used in the elementary education and secondary education curricula; it is a group of courses in special education taken in addition to required courses in elementary or secondary education.
• University Withdrawal: when a student chooses to withdraw from all of their courses and leave the college, whether to transfer to another school or to take a short leave of absence from the college. 

After failing a required course twice, a student is subject to dismissal from degree candidacy. Upon the second failure, the student will be notified that he/she will not be permitted to register in any program for which the course is a requirement and will be advised to choose an alternate major or curriculum. To avoid dismissal, a student must enroll in a new major or curriculum by the end of the late registration period of the succeeding semester. Should a student fail to complete this process within the designated time, dismissal will result, and the action will be recorded on the student's permanent record.

Academic standing is based on grade points, which are related to letter grades as indicated:

*Please Note: Included in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average W—Withdrawn with permission. No credit and no grade points. The grade is disregarded in computing grade point average (GPA). I—Incomplete. No grade points. CR—Passing grade in course taken with Credit/No Credit option. Credits counted toward graduation, but there is no effect on the GPA. NCR—Failing grade in course taken with Credit/No Credit option. No credits counted toward graduation and no effect on the GPA. The Credit/No Credit option may be chosen in certain elective courses. Students should discuss this option with their academic advisors before electing it. Z—Financial obligations outstanding. Not computed in GPA, no credits earned. NA—Not available. Instructor did not report grade. AUD—Notation for course which was audited. H—Honors. No grade points, no effect on GPA. Credits counted toward graduation. S—Satisfactory. No grade points, no effect on GPA. Credits counted toward graduation. U—Unsatisfactory. No grade points, no effect on GPA. No credits counted toward graduation.

A student may request an Incomplete if they have successfully completed at least two-thirds of the work of the course and only in those cases where it is mathematically possible to pass the class. An Incomplete should not serve as a mechanism to allow a failing student to earn a passing grade. 

In order to assign an Incomplete, the instructor must complete an "Agreement for Completion of Incomplete (I) Grade" form with the student, which clearly outlines the expectations for the unfinished work. Both the instructor and the student must sign the agreed-to conditions for completing the course. While an Incomplete is not counted in the determination of academic standing, it may have an impact on eligibility for financial aid, athletic participation and the satisfaction of pre-requisite credits.

Incompletes earned in the Spring or Summer must be completed no later than the second Friday in October.

Incompletes earned in the Fall must be completed no later than the second Friday in March. 

Further information is available in the Manual of Academic Policies and Procedures (MAPP).

Independent study, directed study, and certain research courses afford the student an opportunity to pursue concentrated study in a selected topic under the supervision of a faculty member. Students enrolled in independent study are expected to observe time limits corresponding to semester limits, unless specifically arranged by the instructor. A Request for Independent Study form, signed by the instructor, the department chair, and the appropriate divisional dean must be filed. Application forms may be obtained in the Registrar's Office. Normally, application for these courses must be made prior to registration for the following semester.

The College community is committed to the principles of academic integrity. A student who commits an academic integrity violation is subject to consequences ranging from an effect on a grade to dismissal, depending on the seriousness of the act. Academic integrity violations are adjudicated under the procedures developed by the Academic Integrity Board. The Board is composed of students, faculty, and administrators. 

A student may repeat any course taken for undergraduate credit that is not subject to restrictions within undergraduate programs. Courses may be repeated only once; however, a student who wishes to repeat a course a third time may request permission to do so from the Academic Standing Committee. The form for petitioning the Academic Standing Committee can be found in the below section.

The highest grade for a repeated course will be calculated in the cumulative grade point average and will appear on the student's transcript. The original course and grade will also appear on the transcript. Only grades for courses repeated at Rhode Island College will be adjusted.

Academic Standing Committee Appeals Form

In special instances, students may be permitted to take courses at other colleges, either during a summer or regular session, and have the credit transferred to Rhode Island College. Students must file an Authorization of Credit form with the Registrar's Office before pursuing credit and must obtain permission of the department chair involved, or in the case of interdisciplinary courses, permission of an academic dean. Upon completion of the course, students must arrange to send an official transcript to the Registrar's Office at RIC. Credit will not be posted until the official transcript is received. Students with financial aid awards should contact the Office of Student Financial Aid about their continued eligibility to receive aid while they take courses at other colleges.

After the add/drop period has ended, students may withdraw from a course through the end of the course withdrawal period (see deadline on the academic calendar).

Course withdrawals are not eligible for a refund of tuition and fees. After a course withdrawal is processed, a "W" will be entered for the course on the student's transcript. "W" grades do not affect the GPA, and no credits are earned, however it will count towards attempted credits.

Students are strongly urged to speak with their advisor and the course instructor before withdrawing from a course to ensure there are no unintended consequences, and ensure the withdrawal will not have a negative impact on enrollment status, academic standing and/or financial aid eligibility. 

When a student elects to leave RIC and transfer to another institution, the student will indicate to the college that they do not intend to return.

The student will be provided with the terms of the policy and the necessary steps should they wish to return to RIC in the future. The student will then meet or speak with Financial Aid to review the effects (if any) that the student's withdrawal has on their financial aid and loan repayment. 

Students who withdraw from the college, attend another institution and then wish to return to RIC will need to formally apply for readmission to the college through the Admissions Office.