Skip to main content

Grade Definitions

Go to Full Page:

The University's marking system defines the standards for letter grades. Attendance should not be used in the computation of grades; instructors can, however, grade students on class participation. Assignment of a course grade on some basis other than performance in the course is prohibited by University policy. Students have the option to grieve a final course grade if they have evidence that the final course grade was assigned on some basis other than performance, or that the grade was assigned according to standards different from those applied to other students in the course, or that the grade was assigned in a manner that was a substantial, unreasonable, or unannounced departure from the instructor's previously articulated standards.

See: III-1.20(B) University of Maryland Procedures for Review of Alleged Arbitrary and Capricious Grading (Undergraduate Students)

Faculty are required to include in the course syllabus the basis for determining final grades, including if plus/minus grading will be used and the relationship between in-class participation and the final course grade.

  • The following symbols are used on the student's permanent record for all courses in which the student is enrolled after the initial registration and schedule adjustment period: A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F, XF, I, P, S, W, and AU. These marks remain as part of the student's permanent record and may be changed only by the original instructor on certification, approved by the department chair and the dean, that an actual mistake was made in determining or recording the grade.
  • A+, A, A- denotes excellent mastery of the subject and outstanding scholarship. In computations of cumulative or semester averages, a grade of A+ or A will be assigned a value of 4.0 quality points per credit hour. A grade of A- will be assigned 3.7 quality points per credit hour.
  • B+, B, B- denotes good mastery of the subject and good scholarship. A grade of B+ is assigned a value of 3.3 quality points per hour. A grade of B is assigned a value of 3.0 quality points per credit hour. A grade of B- is assigned a value of 2.7 quality points per hour.
  • C+, C, C- denotes acceptable mastery of the subject. A grade of C+ is assigned a value of 2.3 quality points per hour. A grade of C is assigned a value of 2.0 points per credit hour. A grade of C- is assigned a value of 1.7 quality points per credit hour.
  • D+, D, D- denotes borderline understanding of the subject and marginal performance. It does not represent satisfactory progress toward a degree. A grade of D+ is assigned 1.3 points per credit hour. A grade of D is assigned a value of 1.0 quality point per credit hour. A grade of D- is assigned 0.7 quality points per credit.
  • F denotes failure to understand the subject and unsatisfactory performance. A grade of F is assigned a value of 0.0 quality points per credit hour.
  • XF denotes failure due to academic dishonesty. An XF is treated in the same way as F for the purposes of cumulative average.
  • The mark of 'I' is an exceptional mark that is an instructor option. It is only given to a student whose work has been qualitatively satisfactory, when, because of illness or other circumstances beyond the student's control, he or she has been unable to complete some small portion of the work of the course. In no case will the mark 'I' be recorded for a student who has not completed the major portion of the work of the course. For further explanation see "Incompletes" below.
  • The mark of P is a student option mark, equivalent to a grade of C- or better. This grade is not used in any computation of quality points or cumulative average totals at the end of the semester. The student must inform the Office of the Registrar of the selection of this option by the end of the schedule adjustment period. For a full explanation see "Pass-Fail Policy" below.
  • S is a department option mark that may be used to denote satisfactory performance by a student in progressing thesis projects, orientation courses, practice teaching, and the like. In computation of cumulative averages a mark of S will not be included.
  • W is used to indicate withdrawal from a course after the end of the schedule adjustment period. For information and completeness, the grade of W is placed on the student's permanent record by the Office of the Registrar. The instructor will be notified that the student has withdrawn from the course. This grade is not used in any computation of quality points or cumulative average totals at the end of the semester.
  • AU denotes a student registering to audit a course or courses which have been designated as available under the audit option and in which space is available. The notation AU will be placed on the transcript for each course audited. A notation to the effect that this symbol does not imply attendance or any other effort in the course will be included on the transcript in the explanation of the grading system.