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Understanding Your Grades

Final and midterm grades are not mailed to students. Grades are available in MyCharleston beginning with the date set by the Registrar's Office on the academic calendar for the term specified. For a complete academic record of their grades, students may request an official academic transcript from the Office of the Registrar or they may view their unofficial transcript on the Academic Services tab of MyCharleston.

Current Undergraduate Grading System

Students receive a grade or status indicator for every course in which they enroll, regardless of the location of the course or the mode of delivery. Each letter grade has a numerical "quality point value" as shown below. Please contact the Office of the Registrar for information regarding all grades or status indicators that have been used in the past. 

An "AU" indicates that the student is auditing. Audited coursework carries attempted hours but no quality points, no quality hours, and no earned hours, and carries full fees and tuition (tuition does not apply to 60+ Tuition Exemption Program students). Please see the "Auditing Courses" section of the undergraduate catalog.

A "CP" indicates that a student has completed a program such as international study or cross-registration. The grade status indicator of "CP" carries no quality points, quality hours, or earned hours.

A "PR" indicates that no grade has been reported because the student has just registered for a future semester or the coursework is actually in progress.

The designation “I” indicates that only a small part of the semester’s work remains to be done, that the student is otherwise doing satisfactory work in the course, and that an extension of time is warranted to complete the course. The “I” also signifies that an agreement has been established between professor and student as to the quantity of work remaining to be done, the deadlines established for its completion, and a schedule of meeting times. It is recommended that this agreement be made in writing with both professor and student having a copy. The faculty determines the time allowable for completion of coursework, up to 60 days from the date of the last scheduled examination of the semester in which the “I” is received. If the student does not complete the work within 60 days, the “I” is automatically changed to an “F.”

A "P" carries only earned hours; does not carry quality hours or quality points.

A "PR" indicates that no grade has been reported because the student has just registered for a future semester or the coursework is actually in progress.

A "PT" may indicate that a student is enrolled in a program such as international study or cross registration with another institution for which the attempted hours may be applied toward those required for financial aid or insurance coverage. "PT" indicates Pending Transcript and serves as a placeholder until the official transcript arrives and transfer credit is applied for courses earning a grade of "C" (2.000 on a 4.000 scale) or better. The "PT" is then changed to a "CP." 

A "PT" can also indicate a course in progress at another college/university or a transfer credit evaluation completed from an unofficial transcript. "PT" indicates Pending Transcript and serves as a placeholder until the official, final transcript arrives and transfer credit is evaluated for courses earning a grade of "C" (2.000 on a 4.000 scale) or better. Courses approved for transfer credit would then be changed to the grade status of "TR" which carries no quality points or quality hours, but may be awarded earned hours.

An "S" or "U" may be assigned in certain courses that do not count toward earned hours for graduation.

A “VP” indicates a course that a student plans to enroll in at another college/university. “VP” indicates Visiting Permission and serves as a status indicator until the official, final transcript arrives and transfer credit is evaluated for courses earning a grade of “C” (2.000 on a 4.000 scale) or better. Courses approved for transfer credit would then be changed to the grade status of “TR” which carries no quality points or quality hours, but may be awarded earned hours.  This status indicator is only used within a student's degree audit.  It does not appear on a transcript.

A “W” is not a grade. A “W” indicates that a course was started but not completed.

The status indicator of "XX" added to a grade of "F" indicates that a student failed a course due to academic dishonesty. 

Courses with missing grades remain in the "In Progress" section of the transcript and degree audit. They are converted to "F's" at the end of 60 days if the instructor does not turn in a grade change form indicating the correct earned grade.

*RA-RF see Course Repetition Policy

*GA-GC and XC- through XF see Three Year Option for Readmits (Academic Forgiveness Policy)

Check out the GPA Calculators available on the Center for Academic Performance and Persistence website.

Statute of Limitations for Grade Changes

The statute of limitations for grade changes is two calendar years from the original grade submission deadline. After this period of time has elapsed, no grade issued to a student may be changed. Requests for any change of grade should be initiated by the faculty member who assigned the grade. All requests must be adequately documented. Grades will not be changed for a student, once that student has graduated and the degree has been posted.  In cases of submitted grade dispute grievances that extend beyond the posting of the degree date, the Provost (or the Provost’s designee) may make exceptions to this policy.  The decision of the Provost is final.

Midterm Grades

While midterm grades are an important tool for monitoring academic progress, students and faculty should make use of a variety of metrics in continuously assessing academic performance in a course. Students are responsible for knowing their grades and for communicating regularly with each instructor about their performance. Faculty should assign early and varied assessments of academic performance sufficient in number to reasonably determine a midterm grade. Midterm grades are submitted and visible to students one week prior to the deadline to withdraw from a course. Deadlines can be found on the academic calendar for each semester. Faculty must enter midterm grades for all students in all undergraduate sections enrolling more than one student. These grades are for advising purposes and not recorded on the student’s official transcript. Faculty should be aware that once the midterm grade entry deadline has passed, late submissions or changes to midterm grades are not possible.

The Graduate Grading System

Students receive letter grades for every course in which they enroll. Each letter grade and its equivalent numerical quality point value are listed below. This grading system is determined by the level of the student, not the course.

The statute of limitations for grade changes is two calendar years from the original grade submission deadline. After this period of time has elapsed, no grade issued to a student may be changed. Requests for any change of grade should be initiated by the faculty member who assigned the grade. All requests must be adequately documented. Grades will not be changed for a student, once that student has graduated and the degree has been posted.  In cases of submitted grade dispute grievances that extend beyond the posting of the degree date, the Provost (or the Provost’s designee) may make exceptions to this policy.  The decision of the Provost is final.

A "CP" indicates that a student has completed a program such as international study or cross-registration. The grade status indicator of "CP" carries no quality points, quality hours, or earned hours.

A “PR” indicates that no grade has been reported because the student has just registered for a future semester or the coursework is actually in progress.

The designation “I” indicates that only a small part of the semester’s work remains to be done, that the student is otherwise doing satisfactory work in the course, and that an extension of time is warranted to complete the course. The designation of “I” also signifies that an agreement has been established between professor and student as to the quantity of work remaining to be done, the deadlines established for its completion, and a schedule of meeting times. It is recommended that this agreement be made in writing with both professor and student having a copy. All work for completion of the course requirements must be submitted by the end of exams in the next major term (Fall or Spring). One additional extension may be granted to the student using the Course Completion Agreement form with signatures of approval by both the professor and the Dean of the Graduate School. If the student does not complete the work within the prescribed time period, the “I” is changed to an “F” and the student will be dismissed from the Graduate School and will not be allowed to reapply to his or her program or to enroll in any graduate coursework counting toward any graduate degree or graduate certificate at the College of Charleston for one calendar year.

A “W” is not a grade. A “W” indicates that a course was started but not completed.

A “P” carries only earned hours; does not carry quality hours or quality points.

An “AU” indicates that the student is auditing. Audited coursework carries attempted hours but no quality points, no quality hours, and no earned hours, and carries full fees and tuition. Please see the “Auditing Courses” section of the catalog.

The status indicator of "XX" added to a grade of "F" indicates that a student failed a course due to academic dishonesty.

*RA-RF see the Course Repetition Policy