Grading System

Calculation of Grade Point Average

Grades A, B, C, D, and F and the associated semester credit hours will be used to calculate grade point averages. The designations I, W, CR, and NC and the associated semester credit hours will not be used. Only grades and associated semester credit hours for courses taken in residence at UT Tyler will be used in the calculation of grade point averages.

If a student repeats a course and requests grade forgiveness, only the last grade earned and the last semester credit hours attempted are used to compute the grade point average. If grade forgiveness is not requested, then both grades will be calculated and used to compute the grade point average (See Repeating Courses and Grade Forgiveness Policy). If the student receives a W or I in the repeated course, then the previous grade continues to be used to compute the grade point average.

Undergraduate courses (numbered 4999 and below), including required prerequisite or leveling courses, will not be counted toward academic program requirements, will not satisfy minimum graduate credits required to be taken at UT Tyler, and will not be entered into the student's graduate grade point average.

Credit/No Credit Option

Certain courses in the curriculum may be taken only on a credit/no-credit basis. Pre-professional students should note that many professional schools, e.g. law, count CR as a "C" and NC as an "F" in computing grade point averages. The following provisions apply to courses taken on a credit/no-credit basis:

1. Special form requiring the signature of the student’s advisor.
2. The designation CR will not be changed to a grade of A, B, C, or D.
3. The designation of CR and NC will not be used in calculating the grade point average.
4. The designation CR will be counted toward the total number of hours passed.

Incomplete Policy ("I" Grade)

If a student, because of extenuating circumstances, is unable to complete all of the requirements for a course by the end of the semester, then the instructor may recommend an Incomplete (I) for the course. The "I" may be assigned in lieu of a grade only when all of the following conditions are met: (a) the student has been making satisfactory progress in the course; (b) the student is unable to complete all course work or final exam due to unusual circumstances that are beyond personal control and are acceptable to the instructor; and (c) the student presents these reasons prior to the time that the final grade roster is due. The semester credit hours for an Incomplete will not be used to calculate the grade point average for a student.

The student and the instructor must submit an Incomplete Form detailing the work required and the time by which the work must be completed to their respective department chair or college dean for approval. The time limit established must not exceed one year. Should the student fail to complete all of the work for the course within the time limit, then the instructor may assign zeros to the unfinished work, compute the course average for the student, and assign the appropriate grade. If a grade has not been assigned within one year, then the Incomplete will be changed to an F.

Repeating Courses

A student may repeat any course previously taken at UT Tyler that would not normally be repeatable for credit if the last grade received in the course meets the criteria for their career level, which is “D” or “F” for undergraduate students and “C”, “D” or “F” for master's and Ph.D. students. Repeated courses may not be taken on a CR/NC basis. Students repeating a single course more than two times may be billed at a higher tuition rate. All grades will appear on the student’s official transcript. Once the degree has been awarded by UT Tyler, a student may repeat a course taken prior to graduation, but the repeated course will not be used to recalculate the grade point average. 

Students who repeat a course in which they previously earned credit hours based on a grade of “D” or higher, and earn an additional grade of “D” or higher, without using the grade replacement option may only apply earned credit hours from one course completion toward a master’s or Ph.D. degree.

Students cannot enroll in repeated courses through the myUTTyler Student Center; submission of a Course Repeat / Grade Replacement Enrollment Form to the Enrollment Services Center is required for all course repeats. See the Grade Replacement policy for additional details.

Grade Replacement

A student may request grade replacement only for three course repeats (See Repeating Courses policy) during his/her undergraduate career, and two during their master's career, at UT Tyler; Ph.D. students are ineligible for grade replacement. Grade replacement means that only the last grade earned is used to compute the grade point average. However, all grades will appear on the student’s official transcript. Students must complete a Course Repeat / Grade Replacement Enrollment Form and note the repeated course as “For Grade Replacement” at the time of enrollment. 

In cases where a student repeats an eligible course without requesting grade replacement, or has exhausted their available number of “For Grade Replacement” repeats, the student must note the course as repeated “Not For Grade Replacement” on a Course Repeat / Grade Replacement Enrollment Form at the time of enrollment. If a student selects “For Grade Replacement” after exhausting their available grade replacements, the form will be processed as if “Not For Grade Replacement” were selected. For all course repeats using the “Not For Grade Replacement” option, both the original and last grade earned in the course will be used to calculate the overall grade point average. 

If a student attempts to repeat a course but withdraws and receives an automatic “Q” or “W,” the attempt counts against the grade replacement limit and the original grade remains. Students may, on or prior to the Census Date, request in writing to change their “For Grade Replacement” / “Not For Grade Replacement” selection for a repeated course by contacting the Enrollment Services Center.

A student may not exercise grade replacement for courses taken at UT Tyler and repeated at another college or university, nor may grade replacement be used when a course taken elsewhere is repeated at UT Tyler. The grade replacement option may not be exercised to remove a grade awarded in a case of academic dishonesty. Once a degree has been awarded by UT Tyler, grade replacement may not be used to replace a grade taken before that degree was awarded.

Implementation

The grade forgiveness limit is not retroactive regarding grades already forgiven. The policy affects all students enrolled in Fall 2006 and thereafter, no matter when the course being repeated was originally taken. 

Grade Appeals

Disputes regarding grades, must be initiated within sixty (60) days from the date of receiving the final course grade by filing a Grade Appeal Form with the instructor who assigned the grade. If the student is not satisfied with the decision, the student may appeal in writing to the appropriate Chairperson of the department from which the grade was issued. Grievances may then be appealed to the Academic Dean and the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Grade Appeal Forms are available in each academic dean’s office.

Withdrawals

Withdrawals for All Students 

Prior to the first day of classes, students should conduct all drops online via their Student Center in the myUTTyler system. This functionality is disabled once classes begin for each term. 

Partial and Complete Withdrawals

From the first day of classes through the Last Day to Withdraw, students may process a partial withdrawal (dropping from one or more but not all of their classes) or complete withdrawal (all classes in a term) via the online Course Drop or Withdrawal Request Form, available here, and processed fully online. During the first three days of each Fall and Spring semester only, students may also complete a paper Course Drop or Withdrawal Request form, which is available at the Enrollment Services Center (ADM 230).

Drops/withdrawals after Census Date and before the Last Day to Withdraw will result in a grade of W. Courses dropped prior to Census Date won’t appear on the student’s record or the transcript.  Emailed, mailed, or faxed requests will not be processed.  

All drops/withdrawals are final once processed. Students should take care to complete their web-form accurately prior to submission for processing.

• All drop/withdrawal requests will be processed as of the date the request is submitted via the web-form.
• If more than one form is submitted, each submission will be processed as of the date submitted.
• Students may not officially withdraw from a course after the "Last Day to Withdraw," as listed on the Academic Calendar. Late submissions will not be processed. Students who miss the withdrawal deadline or cease to complete work toward their courses after this point will automatically receive an F, or whatever grade they would earn based on their already completed work in the course.
• After the Last Day to Withdraw, students should complete the Unofficial Withdrawal Form for Financial Aid to notify the University of their intent to cease attendance for any course or for the entire term.  The date on which a student submits an Unofficial Withdrawal Form for Financial Aid will serve as the official date for Title IV purposes.

Dropping or withdrawing from classes may affect financial aid eligibility, veteran's benefits, athletic eligibility, housing, or international student status. Students must consult with those departments prior to dropping or withdrawing.

All partial withdrawals by undergraduate students seeking their first baccalaureate degree are subject to the provisions of the 6-Drop Rule, except as noted here; students who have exceeded the number of allowed non-exempt drops under the 6-Drop Rule will be ineligible to complete partial withdrawals. Complete withdrawals for undergraduate students seeking their first baccalaureate degree, and all withdrawals by other student populations, are exempt from the 6-Drop Rule. 

Students who feel their ability to withdraw was negatively impacted by circumstances beyond their control, or those who believe they may qualify for an exception under the 6-drop Rule, may submit an appeal to the Student Appeals Committee. 

Withdrawals for Pharmacy Students 

Pharmacy students must follow the procedures outlined by the College of Pharmacy Office of Academic Affairs.

Withdrawals for International Students, Veterans, Student Athletes, Scholarship Recipients, and Students with Financial Aid Awards

International students, veterans receiving VA benefits, student athletes, scholarship recipients, and any students who have been awarded financial aid wishing to submit any withdrawal form must obtain the appropriate approval during the online processing of the form.  Housing and Student Business Services will be notified after the withdrawal has been processed.

Students in these groups must consult with the appropriate advisor before any schedule changes are made, as changes may negatively impact their status, benefits or eligibility. 

For Information about submitting the online Course Drop or Withdrawal Request Form, please contact the Enrollment Services Center:

Phone:  903-566-7180

Email:  enroll@uttyler.edu

Medical Withdrawal/Course Load Reduction

Students who experience a significant medical or mental health issues may request withdrawal or a reduction in their course loads without unnecessary academic penalty. All requests will require documentation from a medical/mental health professional. 

A medical withdrawal/course load reduction from the university can be granted only for the current or immediately preceding semester.

Dropping or withdrawing from classes may affect financial aid eligibility, veteran's benefits, athletic eligibility, housing, or international student status. Students must consult with those departments prior to dropping or withdrawing.  All drops or withdrawals approved for undergraduate students will result in grades of “Q” that are exempt from the 6-Drop Rule.

Request Procedures

To request a medical withdrawal/course load reduction a student may submit an Application for Medical Withdrawal/ Course Load Reduction document, with the Medical Withdrawal/Course Load Reduction option selected, to the Student Counseling Center (UC 3170) either in-person or via their Patriot email to Meddrop@uttyler.edu. The following required documentation must be provided for all appeals:

• A typewritten request with an explanation of why the student is requesting a withdrawal or course load reduction, including the dates of when the problem started and specifically regarding how the problem affected the student’s ability to complete the semester in question.
• The class(es) you wish to drop, and the last date of attendance/participation in each.
• Official supporting documentation from a licensed doctor, physician, medical professional, or mental health professional who has provided long-term care to, or recently evaluated, the student.  Documentation from a recent hospitalization, if relevant, should also be provided. The application and all associated documents will be forwarded to the Medical Withdrawal Committee, which consists of licensed professionals from the Student Counseling Center and the Student Accessibility and Resources office, for review. Applications submitted without appropriate documentation may be subject to automatic denial.

Students will receive an email notification at their Patriot email regarding the outcome of their appeal after the Committee has reached its decision. Students may also be contacted by the Committee to request additional documentation or information prior to a decision being rendered.

Students whose requests are not approved by the Committee may contact the Associate Dean of Students (903.566.7197) directly to discuss additional resources and options. 

Confidentiality 

Any supporting documentation will be considered confidential and treated as such by the Committee and will not be shared outside the Committee unless a special request has been made by the Provost or Provost’s designee on a need-to-know basis. The student’s written request for the withdrawal, all supporting documentation, and the committee’s recommendation will remain the responsibility of the Associate Dean of Students and will be stored securely in the Student Counseling Center. For each approved application, the final recommendation will be forwarded to each office that must be involved in its processing, where related records will be retained as necessary. These offices may include the Office of the Registrar, Financial Aid, Enrollment Services, Student Business Services, International Programs, and the Veteran’s Resource Center. If false information or documentation is provided as part of the application process the documentation will be provided to appropriate University officials.

Dropping Courses Late

No course may be dropped after the published “Last Day to Withdraw” unless the Student Appeals Committee approves a late drop (see the Academic Grievances policy). The appeal must provide justification of extenuating circumstances that go beyond academic progress in the course.

Withdrawal for Active Military Service

If a student withdraws from an institution of higher education because the student is called to active military service, the institution, at the student’s option, shall:

1. refund the tuition and fees paid by the student for the semester in which the student withdraws;
2. grant a student, who is eligible under the institution’s guidelines, an incomplete grade in all courses by designating “withdrawn-military” on the student’s transcript; or
3. assign an appropriate final grade or credit, as determined by the instructor, to a student who has satisfactorily completed a substantial amount of coursework and who has demonstrated sufficient mastery of the course material. (See Excused Absences for Active Military Service)

A graduate or professional student who withdraws from or defers admission to perform active military service in a combative operation will be readmitted to their program; previously earned coursework will be applied toward the program; and any standardized test score previously submitted will be accepted. Texas Education Code, Section 51.844.

Readmission

A formal request for readmission is required whenever a student fails to register for three consecutive semesters or has an approved leave of absence for twelve or more months. To resume studies, students must submit a new graduate school application at http://www.uttyler.edu/graduate.

Readmission is not automatic and will be reviewed carefully by the Office of Graduate Admissions and the academic program prior to making a recommendation.

If a student is readmitted, the applicable catalog is the one in effect at the time of readmission unless an exception is granted by the Dean of the Graduate School.

Excused Absences

Excused Absence for Religious Holy Days

An institution of higher education shall excuse a student from attending classes or other required activities, including examinations, for the observance of a religious holy day, including travel for that purpose. A student whose absence is excused under this subsection may not be penalized for that absence and shall be allowed to take an examination or complete an assignment from which the student is excused within a reasonable time after the absence.

Any student seeking to be excused for religious observance, must provide written notification to the instructors at least two weeks* prior to the date of the planned absence. At that time the instructor will set a date and time with the student when any make-up assignment or equivalent work will be completed. Make-up work will be mutually arranged; however, availability of the instructor will be given priority in setting the arrangements.

It is expected that students will not abuse the privilege of being absent from class for religious observance.

*Events scheduled within the first month of an academic term may require a shortened lead time.

Excused Absence for Active Military Service

Any student who has been called up for military service after a semester begins should immediately provide the Registrar’s Office and course instructors a copy of the military orders. Such students are excused from attending classes, turning in assignments, taking examinations or participating in any other required activity if the absence is for no more than 25% of the total number of class meetings (excluding final examination period). If the absence is for more than 25% of the class meetings, please refer to the policy on Withdrawal for Military Service.

Within 5 days of the student returning to UT Tyler from active service, he or she shall notify the Registrar’s Office and course instructors. The student will be allowed to complete all assignments and examinations within a reasonable time as agreed upon by the course instructors and under the same requirements in effect when the student enrolled in the course.

Should any dispute arise as to the student’s inability to complete assignments or examinations within a reasonable time after the absence, the student should first seek informal resolution with the faculty member, the department chair and then the dean of the college in which the course or courses are located. If an informal process is not successful, the student may institute a grade grievance process after the final course grade is recorded.

Discrimination Complaints

Please see the Complaints and Grievances Process in the Student Affairs section of this catalog.

Student Records

Please see the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) policy in the Undergraduate Policies Section of this catalog.

Probation/Suspension for Master's Students

The policy below is the minimum policy for graduate students at the University of Texas at Tyler. Individual programs may have stricter criteria for probation and/or suspension from a program.

Graduate Academic Probation

A graduate student who has a cumulative grade point average of less than 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. For the purposes of determining compliance with the policies of academic probation, all summer sessions are treated as one semester.

Students placed on probation will automatically be dropped from the subsequent semester. Students will need to meet with their advisor, in-person or via Patriot email, and secure approval on the Graduate Student Probation Petition for Readmission form. Non-degree seeking students must obtain the signature of the Dean of the Graduate School in the place of the academic advisor. Students must submit the form to the Enrollment Services Center before they can be re-enrolled, and should not register for more than nine hours (or fewer, at the discretion of the academic department.)

Students on academic probation must earn a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above in the subsequent semester. Failure to do so results in continued probation. Students on continued probation must earn a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above in the subsequent semester. Failure to do so results in a second term of continued probation. Continued probation status is allowed for only two terms, and failure to reach a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above following the second semester in this status will result in suspension (see Graduate Academic Suspension policy). Students placed on continued probation will also be dropped from the subsequent semester(s) and must follow the same procedure to re-enroll as described above for students placed on probation.

Grade points earned at other institutions are not used in computing the grade point average and may not be used to remove a deficiency. A student who leaves the University on academic probation or continued probation will be readmitted on academic probation or continued probation even if he or she has attended another institution in the interim.

Graduate Academic Suspension

A graduate student whose cumulative grade point average has not reached 3.0 or above following their second semester of continued probation will be suspended from the University for one semester or full summer for failure to meet the terms of continued probation. A student suspended from the University for the first time will be dropped from the subsequent semester(s) and must receive approval for readmission from the program advisor and the appropriate dean.

A student readmitted to the University after having been suspended must complete a Graduate Student Suspension Petition for Readmission form, with signatures from both their academic advisor and the appropriate college dean, to register. Non-degree seeking students must obtain the signature of the Dean of the Graduate School in the place of the academic advisor and college dean. The student will return on final probation.

Students returning from suspension and on final probation must earn a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above in the subsequent semester. Failure to do so will result in permanent dismissal from the graduate program and the University.

Graduate Restart

The Graduate Restart procedure is designed to allow returning students who performed poorly in their initial attempt at graduate studies to have a fresh start toward meeting graduation requirements for a degree or credit-granting certificate.

A graduate student who has not been enrolled at UT Tyler for at least 12 months prior to readmission may petition the Dean of the Graduate School to remove from his/her graduate cumulative grade point average all grades earned during the student's prior enrollment at the University. Thus, the student who re-enrolls under Graduate Restart automatically forfeits the right to use any of the previous graduate course work, including previously accrued transfer work, toward the current degree requirements. Only courses attempted following readmission either at the University or other institution after readmission will be applied to the degree requirements.

Restart petitions may be filed for readmission to a program in which a student was not previously successful or for admission to a different graduate program. Restart petitions must be approved by the graduate program advisor/coordinator or Chair of the program, the Dean of the college and the Dean of The Graduate School.

If readmission is granted under Graduate Restart, the following will apply:

1. Enroll within one year (12 months) of the granting of the petition.
2. Maintain good academic standing according to the current Graduate School policies.
   
3. Policies on probation and suspension apply differently to Graduate Restart students only in that suspension will result in dismissal from the University.

All hours attempted and all grades earned before and after Graduate Restart will remain on the student's official, permanent academic record (transcript). Graduate Restart affects only the cumulative graduate grade point average for the restarted program of study. The Graduate Restart process does not remove evidence/documentation of the student's overall academic history at the university such as grades previously received, even if a course is repeated in the process of Graduate Restart.

A student may exercise the Graduate Restart option only once in their graduate career at the University, regardless of the number of times the student enters/attends a graduate degree program at UT Tyler.

To be considered for Graduate Restart, students must submit a petition for reinstatement to the advisor of the graduate program in which they seek their degree and provide a compelling justification for reinstatement. Students should explain how circumstances that previously impeded one's success in graduate school have been addressed and how their likelihood for success has improved. Petition forms are available at http://uttyler.edu/graduate/forms/restart.pdf.

Students must submit all materials required for full admission to the program (GRE scores, recommendation letters, statement of purpose, etc.) To participate in Graduate Restart a student must meet all the requirements for Full Graduate Admission; no provisional or conditional admission is allowed.

A student should carefully review this information to make sure that the terms of the program are understood. If the student agrees to the provisions of Graduate Restart, s/he should sign the petition form and submit it to the advisor for the graduate program. All required documents to support the application for admission must be submitted as well. For the Graduate Restart applicant, the catalog in effect at the time of the Graduate Restart application is effective. The Graduate Restart option is tied to the admission process and may only be requested at the time of readmission.