Academic Policies and Procedures

Students are responsible for full knowledge of the provisions and regulations pertaining to their program contained in this catalog and elsewhere. Students have final responsibility for completing the requirements for a degree and are urged to seek advising. Students should never assume that they have approval to deviate from a stated requirement without a properly signed statement to that effect.

For information regarding MSU Denver’s academic policies, click on a link to be taken to the entry below.

• Academic Standing Policy
• Best Grade Stands
• Catalog Selection
• Classification of Student Status
• Computing GPA
• Course Count and Limits
• Course Credit
• Course Load
• Declaring or Changing a Major or Certificate
• Degree for Students with Terminal Illness
• Fresh Start
• Grade Appeal
• Grade Change
• Grades and Notations
• Honors and Awards
• Last Date of Attendance
• Pass/Fail Option
• Posthumously Awarded Degrees
• Repeated Courses

Academic Standing Policy

Good Academic Standing

A student is deemed to be in Good Academic Standing if they maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. Other academic standards may apply to specific programs. A student must satisfy those other academic standards to remain in Good Academic Standing with their program. See specific programs’ policies to determine whether alternative or additional standards apply.

Academic Notice/Recovery/Suspension Standing

Academic Notice Standing

A student in Good Academic standing whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 will be on Academic Notice standing with the university during their next semester. A student will be removed from Academic Notice standing and updated to Good Academic standing if they achieve a cumulative GPA of a 2.0 or higher at the end of their semester on Academic Notice standing. More restrictive standards may apply to certain programs, colleges, or schools.  See information on program of interest.

Academic Recovery Standing

A student whose cumulative GPA drops below a 2.0 by the end of their semester on Academic Notice standing will be placed on Academic Recovery standing with the university during their next semester at MSU Denver. A student will be placed on Academic Recovery standing as long as they have a cumulative GPA below 2.0, but are making academic progress toward Good Academic standing, as explained in the guidelines below. Other conditions may apply to given programs, colleges, or schools. See information on the program of interest.

A student is removed from Academic Recovery standing and is updated to Good Academic standing the semester after achieving a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0.  During any semester that a student is on Academic Recovery standing, the student must make academic progress toward returning to Good Academic standing with the university by meeting the following guidelines:

• Achieve a required semester GPA of 2.2 or higher during each semester while under Academic Recovery standing.
• Are allowed to register for up to 13-credit hours in the Fall and Spring semesters and up to 7-credit hours for Summer semester while on Academic Recovery standing.
• Complete recommended actions as discussed with Student Intervention Services and the student’s academic advisor (action items may include taking or repeating certain classes, using academic policies, utilizing the Tutoring Center, Writing Center, and/or other university resources).
• Demonstrate understanding the University’s Academic Standing policy.

While on Academic Recovery standing, a student must meet with an academic advisor to discuss an academic success plan before they can register for the subsequent semester).

If a 2.2 semester GPA is not obtained, while on Academic Recovery standing, the student will be placed on Academic Suspension standing.

Only semesters in which the student received a grade will be counted towards the number of semesters below a cumulative 2.0 GPA.

Academic Suspension Standing

A student on Academic Recovery standing who is not making academic progress toward Good Academic standing will be prohibited from registering for classes at MSU Denver for three-consecutive semesters from the date of suspension (end of term).

Students on Academic Suspension standing who intend to continue taking classes during the next semester must first submit an appeal of their academic standing to the Associate Director, Advising Systems & Intervention Services by the prescribed semester deadline.  Students who do not submit an appeal by the deadline who have registered for the anticipated semester will be dropped from their courses.

The Associate Director will deliver the appeal materials to the Student Academic Review Committee, which will review the appeals and notify the student of its decision. The Student Academic Review Committee’s appeal review decision is final.

Any student returning to the university after three consecutive semesters of academic suspension must reapply and will be re-admitted on Academic Recovery standing with the university. For these students, all Academic Recovery standing guidelines outlined above will apply.

Contact Student Intervention Services by email at sis@msudenver.edu or by calling 303-605-5644 for further information about the Academic Standing policy at MSU Denver.

Best Grade Stands

A student’s grades for repeated courses will be removed from GPA calculations, regardless of the original grade earned. Only the best grade and its associated credit will be calculated in the GPA and earned hours totals. Other attempts for the course will appear on the official academic record but will be annotated to indicate they do not count for academic credit or GPA calculation. This policy applies only to courses taken at MSU Denver, and it does not apply to courses designated as repeatable toward degree requirements.

To qualify for this policy, a repeated course must carry the same title, course number, and semester hours as the original course. Officially recognized course equivalencies will apply, excluding transfer course equivalencies. The determination of course equivalency will be made by the Office of the Registrar in consultation with the Office of Academic Affairs and the academic department offering the course.

A grade will not be removed from GPA calculations once a degree has been conferred if the course was required for the degree conferred. Students who have earned a degree at MSU Denver and subsequently take additional courses or work toward a second degree may use this policy for courses in which they are enrolled after the first degree is awarded.

A permanent “F” assigned as a result of academic dishonesty will not be removed from GPA calculations.

A student may be awarded financial aid funds for one retake of a passed course. All repeated courses will count towards Satisfactory Academic Progress calculations and could impact financial aid eligibility. Please see the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships for additional information on how repeating courses may impact your financial aid eligibility. All credit hours earned for initial and repeated courses will be deducted from a student’s remaining COF (College Opportunity Fund) stipend eligible hours. For details on how repeated courses might impact Veteran Education benefits, please visit with the Veteran and Military Benefits office.

Catalog Selection for Degree and Certificate Requirements

In determining degree and certificate requirements, students are governed by the catalog in effect for the semester of acceptance to MSU Denver. Students may elect to follow any later qualifying catalog edition that is put into effect while they are continuously enrolled at MSU Denver. A qualifying catalog must contain the student’s complete program of study, including, but not limited to, major, minor, concentration, and other graduation requirements. If the student’s complete program of study is no longer offered, the student cannot elect to follow that catalog. All degree and certificate requirements must adhere to current policies at MSU Denver. Students who do not enroll in classes for three or more consecutive semesters (Fall, Spring, and Summer, in any order) must be readmitted to the university and are governed by the catalog in effect upon their re-acceptance. Students who are readmitted to the university may at any point elect to follow degree requirements under an earlier MSU Denver catalog, subject to the following conditions:

• The student must select a degree catalog that does not predate the current catalog by more than 10 academic years at the time of request.
• To complete a degree program under an earlier, qualifying catalog, the student must obtain authorization from the academic department offering the degree program.
• To complete a degree or certificate program under an earlier, qualifying catalog, the student must obtain authorization per the degree exception process.
• In order for the selected qualifying catalog edition to remain in effect, the student must maintain continuous enrollment at the university.

Students transferring to MSU Denver from a regionally accredited, Colorado community college may complete degree requirements under an MSU Denver catalog in effect while they were enrolled at the community college, subject to the following conditions:

• The student must select a degree catalog that does not predate the current catalog by more than three academic years.
• To complete a degree program under an earlier, qualifying catalog, the student must obtain authorization from the academic department offering the degree program.
• In order for the selected catalog edition to remain in effect, the student must maintain continuous enrollment at the community college and subsequent continuous enrollment at the university until the student completes the degree program at MSU Denver.

Classification of Student Status

Students are classified according to the number of semester hours of credit earned: freshman status equals fewer than 30; sophomore status equals 30 or more, but fewer than 60; junior status equals 60 or more, but fewer than 90; senior status equals 90 or more.

Computing Grade Point Average/Quality Points

The number of quality points awarded for a course is determined by multiplying the number of semester hours for that course by the quality point value of the grade received. The cumulative GPA is calculated by dividing the total number of quality points by the number of semester hours attempted.

To be eligible for a degree, a candidate must have a minimum number of quality points equal to twice the number of semester hours attempted in addition to meeting other prescribed requirements. The following notations have no effect on the GPA: AP, AU, AW, CC, CL, EX, I, NR, P, PL, PP, S, S#, SA, SE, SN, U#, W.

Course Count and Limits

Courses are allowed to count as meeting requirements in multiple areas. This means a course may count multiple times in a student’s degree plan. The credit hours for the course fulfill the credit hours in each area that the course is listed (major, minor, General Studies, etc.), but still only count once in the 120-credit hour minimum requirement for the awarding of a degree.

To ensure a well-rounded higher education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences, student course selections cannot be confined solely to their major. Within each degree a student must take at least 33 credit hours outside of their major’s most recurrent prefix in order to graduate. For the purpose of this rule courses taken in a minor, a second or double major, ancillary course work or other academic program that does not carry the student’s most recurrent major prefix would count toward the 33 -credit hour total necessary to graduate.

In an interdisciplinary major, the academic prefix that comprises a majority of the credit hours in the major would be considered the most recurrent prefix. If there is not an academic prefix with a majority of credit hours, then the prefix that has the largest fraction of credit hours would be considered the most recurrent prefix for the purpose of this rule. In programs where there is a tie in the number of credit hours required per prefix, the department that owns the major for the purposes of the curriculum manual will be treated as the owner of the most recurrent prefix.

This rule means students may fulfill many degree requirements but still not have the necessary total 120 credit hours to complete a bachelor’s degree. Students are encouraged to meet with professors or academic advisors to consider coursework outside of General Studies and a major such as a minor, a double major, or coursework in other interest areas, to ensure degree completion in a timely manner.

Course Credit (Semester Hours)

Course credit is based on units designated as semester hours. One semester hour or one base contact hour equals a minimum of 750 minutes; this equation translates to a minimum of 15, 50-minute class hours per semester. Time required for class preparation is not a consideration in the calculation of course credit. A three semester hour course will require approximately six to nine hours of work each week outside of class. Omnibus courses involving laboratory work give one semester hour of credit for each two, three or four hours of scheduled work in the laboratory during a week, depending on the course. Internships require a minimum of 2,250 minutes for each hour of credit.

Course Load

The average course load for a 16-week semester is 15 or 16 semester hours; 18 semester hours is the maximum load for fall and spring semesters, with a maximum of 12 semester hours for summer semester. The maximum load for a two-week Winterim or Maymester term is 3 semester hours, excluding short-term study abroad courses. During fall and spring semesters, students with cumulative MSU Denver grade point averages (GPAs) of 3.25 or higher may take 19 or 20 semester hours for the fall and spring semesters or 13 or 14 semester hours for the summer semester, and those students with GPAs of 3.50 or higher may take 21 or more semester hours for the fall and spring semesters or 15 or more semester hours for the summer semester. Students must have completed at least 15 semester hours at MSU Denver to qualify. All students should complete the Undergraduate Petition for Overload Exception form which is available from the Office of the Registrar. Note that signatures by the student’s major department chair and the appropriate dean are required for students petitioning for 21 or more credit hours, or those not meeting the minimum qualifications. 

Declaring or Changing a Major or Certificate

New students indicate their intended major on the MSU Denver Application for Admission. While students may select “Exploratory” as a major at the time of admission, all degree-seeking students must declare a major before completion of 45 credits. Degree-seeking students who transfer in more than 45 credits must declare a major before registering for a second semester. Students who wish to change a major and students pursuing a certificate program must complete a Declaration/Change of Major form, which is available from the Office of the Registrar.

Degrees for Students with Terminal Illness

A student in good standing who is diagnosed with a terminal illness while attending Metropolitan State University of Denver may be awarded a degree without fulfilling all degree requirements.

The criteria for the award of a degree under these circumstances are:

• The student is in good academic standing
• The student is otherwise eligible for continued enrollment
• Documentation from the treating physician is received by the university

Any party interested in seeking a degree for a student with a terminal illness will contact the Dean of the College or School in which the student’s program resides or the Dean of Students. Upon final approval of the President and/or the Board of Trustees, a diploma will be given to the student, or a person designated by the family. The name of the student may be announced at the commencement directly following the conferring of the degree.

If it is determined that the student was enrolled in their final courses sufficient to meet the university’s graduation requirements, and therefore would have earned their degree had they successfully completed the remaining program requirements in their last semester of enrollment, the degree will be counted as an earned degree within university completion counts. If it is determined that the student recovers from the terminal illness, the Office of the Registrar will expunge the degree.

If it is determined that the student was not enrolled in their final courses sufficient to meet the university’s graduation requirements, and therefore would not have been granted a degree if they successfully completed the last semester of enrollment, the degree will not be counted as an earned degree within university completion counts and will not be listed on the student’s transcript.

In instances in which the criteria for the award of a degree have not been met, college or department faculty may present collegiate or departmental awards of recognition at ceremonies other than commencement.

Fresh Start

Students returning from a period of absence seeking to re-enroll at MSU Denver may request that credit and grades from designated semesters previously attempted at MSU Denver not be calculated in GPA or total earned hours.

If such a “Fresh Start” is approved, all courses from designated semesters will appear on the official academic record but will be annotated to indicate they do not count for academic credit or GPA calculation.

This Fresh Start will be granted once, for a period of at least one semester, with a maximum of 54 credit hours, under the following conditions:

• The student must have not been enrolled at MSU Denver for at least one year (three consecutive semesters, including summer). This policy shall only apply to designated semesters in which the student earned a GPA of 2.0 or below, which have not been applied to the completion of an MSU Denver degree or certificate, and which were attempted prior to the one year absence.
• The student must be in good financial standing with MSU Denver at the time of application.
• The Fresh Start policy may only be used once in a student’s entire MSU Denver career and is only applicable to undergraduate students pursuing a degree at MSU Denver.
• An approved Fresh Start shall not be reversed.

• A notation will be recorded on the student’s official transcript that a Fresh Start was applied.

• Students who are declared as non-degree seeking are not eligible (can be seeking a certificate, be undeclared, etc.).

• The student must re-enroll at MSU Denver and complete a minimum of 6 credit hours with a C+ or higher before the fresh start will be applied to the student’s academic record.

• Fresh start students who re-enter under academic probation status are required to meet with an advisor and discuss pathways to success, including available university resources.

• If a student becomes inactive due to non-enrollment, their timeline for eligibility will start over.

Grade Appeal

If students have reason to question the validity of a grade received in a course, they must make their request for a change before the end of the fourth week of the semester following the completion of the course (the following fall semester if the course was completed in the spring semester). It is the responsibility of the student to initiate a grade appeal within the time limit, and to follow the procedures for grade appeals specified below. All decisions of the Grade Review Committee are final.

Student Grade Appeals

The university supports open communication as the best means to resolve concerns about grades. If a student believes that the grade they received for a course does not reflect the quality of their work, the first step is to meet with the instructor for the course on an informal basis. The following will be the only acceptable grounds for formal grade appeals:

1. The course grade was assigned on a basis other than performance in the course.
2. The instructor used standards that were different from those allowed for other students in the same class, or different from those allowed in departmental/college/school policies if specific departmental/college/school grading policies exist.
3. A substantial and unannounced departure from the instructor’s previously articulated standards was used in assigning the grade.
4. A permanent “F” has been assigned and the student wishes to appeal.

Only grade appeals based on one or more of the above criteria will be considered. Outside the regular grade change procedure, only the chair of the Grade Review Committee, with proper written authorization from that committee, may initiate the grade exception process.

Exceptions to the Grade Appeal Policy and Procedure

The Grade Appeal Procedure shall constitute the sole internal administrative remedy for a change in grade, except when a grade dispute involves an Office of Equal Opportunity discrimination complaint. If a grade dispute arises from an issue that is covered under the university’s Equal Opportunity policies, which address discrimination on the basis of race, color, disability, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age or status, such as Vietnam-era disabled veteran, the student should contact the Office of Equal Opportunity. The Office of Equal Opportunity process for resolution takes precedence over the university’s grade appeal process.

Grade Appeal Procedure

The Grade Appeal Procedure shall have both an informal and a formal resolution process. The student must attempt informal resolution prior to filing a formal grade appeal.

Informal Resolution Process

Step 1

The informal resolution process must take place before the last day of the fourth week of the semester following the assignment of the grade. The student must meet with the instructor prior to meeting with the chair or proceeding to the formal appeal process.

Step 2

If the instructor is not available to meet with the student or does not respond to the student’s request to meet and/or the student is not satisfied with the result of the informal meeting with the instructor, the student must meet with the chair of the department to attempt to resolve the grade concern prior to filing a formal grade appeal.

During the informal resolution process, the student may meet with the dean or the dean’s designee to clarify the grade appeal policy and process. The student may also access Student Conflict Resolution Services for assistance in the process. Students are encouraged to use the informal resolution process to clarify any miscommunications with the instructor or confusion about course expectations.

Formal Resolution Process

Step 1: File Petition with the Dean

After meeting with the instructor and the chair and failing to resolve the grade concerns, the student may initiate a formal resolution process. The student must file a Petition for Grade Appeal with the dean of the instructor’s school by the last day of the fifth week of the semester following the course for which the grade was assigned. Deans may designate an associate or assistant dean to act in their places for the purposes of the Grade Appeal Procedure.

Timeline: A Petition for Grade Appeal for a grade assigned in fall term shall be filed in the spring term. A Petition for Grade Appeal for a grade assigned in spring or summer term shall be filed in the following fall term. If the dean determines that it is academically necessary for the grade appeal to be processed during a summer term, they will facilitate the process by developing an appropriate timeline and submitting a copy of the timeline to the chair and the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs or their designee. With the exception of the deadline set for filing the Petition for Grade Appeal, the timelines for the process may be extended by written agreement of the student and dean or by the Office of Academic Affairs if good cause is shown.

Process: It is the student’s responsibility to obtain and file the Petition for Grade Appeal form and to follow the procedural rules for the appeal process. The student is advised to keep a copy of all documents submitted. The Petition for Grade Appeal form is available through each academic dean’s office and the Office of the Registrar. A separate Petition for Grade Appeal must be filed for each course in which a grade is disputed. Access to all documents submitted is restricted to those involved in the grade appeal process or otherwise having a need to know.

The student must provide the dean with a completed Petition for Grade Appeal and all material that relates to the disputed grade at the time that the formal Petition for Grade Appeal is submitted. The petition must include:

1. A statement addressing how the appeal meets one or more of the four criteria necessary for a formal grade appeal.
2. A description of what occurred during the informal resolution process.
3. Copies of all graded materials from the course that are in the student’s possession.
4. Any relevant documents the student would like to be reviewed as part of the appeal process.
5. A copy of the course syllabus/class policies (if the student has a copy).

The dean will forward a copy of the Petition for Grade Appeal to the chair of the department to notify the chair that a formal procedure has been initiated. The chair will be responsible for passing materials regarding the grade appeal on to the instructor. Within 15 working days of receiving the formal appeal, the dean will assess whether one or more of the criteria have been met in the Petition for Grade Appeal. The dean may contact the student, instructor or chair to ask questions and/or request further information or documents in the process of assessing whether the appeal meets the criteria. The dean may request that the instructor provide a written response to the student’s Petition for Grade Appeal and may request any additional documentation necessary to assess the Petition for Grade Appeal at this point in the process. Additional documentation may include graded materials in the instructor’s possession. If any of the material provided by the instructor is confidential, e.g., examinations that may be used in subsequent terms, such materials shall be made available for review but shall not be made part of the Petition for Grade Appeal. The instructor has five working days to provide the response and materials requested by the dean to the dean and chair. A copy of the written response will be provided for the student. In their decision, the dean may:

1. Deny the appeal and send a letter or email to inform the student, the instructor and the chair of the instructor’s department within five working days.
2. Decide that one or more of the criteria may have been met, and continue the formal appeal process. If the dean has not already requested a written response to the Petition for Grade Appeal from the instructor, the dean will make that request. The instructor has five working days to provide the written response and any additional materials requested to the student, chair, and dean. The dean will contact the student, instructor and chair within 15 working days of receiving the Petition for Grade Appeal to convene a meeting of all parties. The purpose of the meeting is to seek resolution of the appeal. Minutes shall be taken at the meeting.

If the appeal is resolved through the process of the meeting, the formal appeal process will end. The dean will write a report summarizing the resolution.

If the appeal is not resolved at the meeting, the dean shall send a copy of the minutes from the meeting, with a written recommendation, to the student, the instructor and the chair within five working days after the conclusion of the meeting.

The dean will send a copy of all materials relating to the Petition for Grade Appeal to the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs or their designee for record-keeping purposes within five working days after the conclusion of the meeting or after sending a letter stating the appeal does not meet the criteria.

Step 2: File the Petition with the Grade Review Committee

If the appeal is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction at the dean’s level and the student wants the formal process to continue, the student must send a written request to the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs or their designee within five working days of receiving either a letter stating that the appeal does not meet the criteria or the recommendation based on the meeting from the dean. The Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs or designee will inform the dean, chair and instructor that the Grade Review Committee (GRC) will review the appeal.

The members of the GRC shall review all documents submitted by the dean and meet to discuss whether to hear the appeal or not within 20 working days. The GRC will not conduct a re-evaluation of the student’s work and will not change the grade of an individual assignment. The GRC will hold a hearing for the Petition for Grade Appeal only if the appeal meets one of the four criteria necessary for a formal appeal.

The GRC may decide that they will not hear the appeal because no criterion has been met, or the petition is substantially incomplete. The GRC shall send written notification of their decision not to hear the appeal within five working days to the student, instructor, chair and dean, and the formal appeal process is over.

If the appeal is heard, the GRC shall notify the student, instructor, chair and dean, and will request their presence at the hearing meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to have all parties to the grade dispute provide answers and clarifications that members of the GRC may need in order to make a sound decision on the case.

The decision of the GRC shall be in the form of a motion, duly made and seconded, and adopted by a majority of the GRC members present and voting, assuming a quorum is met. In its decision, the GRC may:

1. Deny the appeal on its merits, with the effect that the disputed grade will remain on the student’s academic record.
2. Grant the appeal and change the final grade to a grade or grade equivalent that is determined appropriate by the GRC.

The GRC will inform the student, instructor, chair and dean of its decision in writing within five working days of the hearing.

The decision of the GRC is final and cannot be appealed.

If the GRC finds in favor of the student’s appeal, then the chair of the GRC acquires the authority to initiate the grade exception process. The chair of the GRC has five working days to notify the instructor of the decision and to initiate the grade exception process.

The Petition for Grade Appeal and all attachments will be kept in the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs for a minimum period of three years.

Grade Review Committee Membership and Policies

1. The GRC shall consist of nine members as follows:
   • Two members shall be elected by and from the faculty from the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.
   • One member shall be elected by and from the faculty from the College of Health and Human Sciences.
   • One member shall be elected by and from the faculty from the College of Aerospace, Computing, Engineering, and Design.
   • One member shall be elected by and from the faculty from the College of Business.
   • One member shall be elected by and from the faculty from the School of Education.
   • One member shall be elective by and from the faculty from the School of Hospitality.
   • Two student members shall be appointed by the Student Government: The Student Advocacy Council.
   • One non-voting ex-officio member from the Office of Academic Affairs shall be appointed by the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. Responsibilities of this member shall include staff assistance and record keeping.
2. The term of membership on the GRC shall be two years, with terms staggered, except that the term of the student members shall be one year. Terms shall begin on the first day of classes of the fall semester.
3. Members may serve successive terms.
4. Elections of faculty from each school or college shall occur in the spring, and members shall take office on the first day of classes of the fall semester.
   • The representative from the Office of Academic Affairs shall convene the first meeting of the GRC in the fall, at which time the members shall elect a chair.
5. A meeting of the GRC to consider and vote on a Petition for Grade Appeal must have a quorum of voting members.
6. The GRC shall prepare a written summary of the committee’s decisions, the rationale for its decisions and the vote tally on the appeal. The summary shall be added to all existing documentation of the appeal.
7. All documentation in a grade appeal shall be maintained in the Office of the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs for a three-year period.
8. The Chair of the GRC shall provide a yearly report of appeal activities, including recommendations for amending the Student Grade Appeal Policy, to the Office of Academic Affairs by the last day in June. Copies will be sent to all academic deans.

Definitions

1. Informal Resolution means informal discussions that lead to the resolution of a grade dispute the student may have with the instructor, the chair of a department and/or the dean of a school.
2. Grade appeal procedure means the formal resolution procedure.
3. The time limits refer to weeks, not days of weeks.
4. The end of day means 5 p.m. on the designated day (i.e., end of a working day).
5. The last day of the week means the Friday of a calendar week.
6. Week ordinarily means Monday-Friday. If, for example, classes are not in session on a Monday, the designated week still ends on Friday.
7. Working day means any day classes or examinations are scheduled, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
8. Assigned grade means a letter grade (e.g., A, B, C, D or F), grade equivalent (e.g. S/U), or the temporary grade of I (Incomplete).

Grade Change

Grade changes must be submitted within the first seven weeks of the semester following the completion of the class. Spring semester grades can be changed through the seventh week of the following fall semester. Faculty may submit a grade change online to the Office of the Registrar via the Faculty and Staff portal.

1. Incomplete (I)

The incomplete notation is composed of an “I” (noted on the student’s transcript) as well as the student’s default grade (A, A-, B+, B, etc.), the grade the student has earned when they leave the class out of the total points of the class (the grade the student will earn if no additional work is submitted). Incomplete work must be completed within the subsequent long semester (fall or spring) or earlier, at the discretion of the faculty member. In the event of extended extenuating circumstances, the completion date for incomplete work may be extended for an additional long semester, at the discretion of faculty member.

2. Other grade changes

Grades may only be changed on the basis of an error in evaluation, computation, or transcription.

Grades may NOT be changed on the basis of revised standards of evaluation, new examinations, or additional work undertaken or completed after grades are submitted to the Office of the Registrar.

Grades and Notations

Faculty must assign a grade or notation for each student enrolled in a particular course. Faculty may, at their discretion, use the plus/minus system but are not required to do so. Faculty are required to notify students of the grading system used for an individual course via the course syllabus.

Certain grades and notations may impact a student’s financial aid or other benefits. Students who request a grade or notation that impacts their financial aid or benefits are encouraged to speak with a counselor in the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships or the benefits provider prior to submitting the request.

AP - Advanced Placement

The Advanced Placement (AP) notation is assigned when a student transfers credit for an Advanced Placement Examination conducted by the College Entrance Examination Board. The examination appears on the academic record with an “AP” notation. Credit for the examination does not count toward the student’s attempted hours, counts toward earned hours, and is not calculated in the GPA or quality points.

AU - Audited Course

The Audited Course (AU) notation is assigned when a student audits a course for informational purposes only. If space is available, students who meet MSU Denver admission requirements and are formally admitted to the university may audit a class with the permission of the instructor. Academic credit is not awarded for an audited course. The cost for auditing a course is based on applicable tuition and fees. The course appears on the academic record with an “AU” notation and does not count toward the student’s attempted hours. The course is not calculated in the GPA or quality points. Audit approval forms are available from the Office of the Registrar.

AW - Administrative Withdrawal

The Administrative Withdrawal (AW) notation is assigned when a student, or representative, requests to be withdrawn from a course due to unforeseen or extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control. When the “AW” notation is assigned, no academic credit is awarded. The course remains on the student’s academic record with an “AW” notation and counts toward the student’s attempted hours. The course is not calculated in the student’s GPA.

Students may request an administrative withdrawal from the Office of the Registrar after the withdrawal deadline posted in the Academic Calendar . Deadlines differ proportionally for courses offered during part of a semester, including late-start and weekend courses. Students should refer to the Part-of-term dates published by the Office of the Registrar to review withdrawal deadlines for individual courses.

Although requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, examples include the death of an immediate family member, serious illness or medical emergency, or other life-altering event. The student must provide supporting documentation to substantiate the request.

Students who request an administrative withdrawal may also request a tuition refund by filing an Undergraduate Tuition and Fees Appeal through the Office of the Bursar.

CC - Continuing Correspondence Course

The Continuing Correspondence Course (CC) notation is assigned when a student does not complete a correspondence course within a given semester. No academic credit is awarded. The course counts toward the student’s attempted hours, does not count toward earned hours, and is not calculated in the GPA or quality points. If the course is not completed within the course’s designated timeframe, the “CC” notation will convert to a grade of “F.”

CL - College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

The College Level Examination Program (CL) notation is assigned when a student transfers credit for an examination completed through CLEP. Credit for the examination does not count toward the student’s attempted hours, counts toward earned hours, and is not calculated in the GPA or quality points.

EX - Departmental Credit by Examination

The Credit by Examination (EX) notation is assigned when an academic department grants a student credit for an existing MSU Denver course for which the student requests and passes an appropriate examination. Credit for the examination does not count toward the student’s attempted hours, counts toward earned hours, and is not calculated in the GPA or quality points.

I - Incomplete

The Incomplete notation indicates that a student is achieving satisfactory progress in a course but is unable to complete all class assignments due to extenuating circumstances, such as documented illness, military leave, disability, internships that fall outside traditional semester timeframes, or circumstances beyond their control. The Incomplete notation is composed of an “I” (noted on the student’s transcript) and the student’s default grade (A, A-, B+, B, etc.), which is the grade the student has earned at the time course grades are first entered for the course. 

An Incomplete notation may be assigned only if the student meets all these minimum requirements: 

• The student has participated in an academically-related activity after the 60% mark of the course’s part of term. Academically-related activity involves active participation by a student in an instructional activity related to the student’s course of study as defined by the last date of attendance.  
• The student has completed more than 50% coursework and/or course contact hours, as determined by the faculty member or department chair if the faculty member is not available. 

Incomplete grade notations are offered at the faculty member’s discretion, or at the discretion of the department chair if the faculty member is not available. Satisfying the minimum university requirements for an Incomplete notation does not guarantee that one will be awarded. Departments and programs may establish higher minimum standards for awarding Incomplete notations. Incomplete notations based upon accommodations related to a student’s documented disability should be determined in consultation with the Director of the Access Center or their designee.  

When an Incomplete notation is awarded, the following process applies: 

• When entering final course grades, the faculty member registers the Incomplete notation, the student’s default grade, and the student’s last date of attendance. 
• The faculty member and student submit the Incomplete Agreement Form to the Office of the Registrar. This form establishes the outstanding work that the student may/should submit within a designated timeframe. 
• The faculty member and student finalize additional Incomplete notation requirements established by their department or program, if any exist. 
•  The maximum timeframe for a student to submit remaining coursework is the end of the subsequent full term (i.e., the end of the next Fall or Spring semester). However, faculty members may require a shorter timeframe for submission of incomplete coursework, which will be documented on the Incomplete Agreement Form. 
• When all remaining course work has been submitted and evaluated, when the student indicates that they have submitted all work they will be able to within the timeframe the faculty member will enter a change of grade form. 
• If the work designated on the Incomplete Agreement Form is not completed within the established timeframe, the “I” notation will convert to the default grade submitted by the faculty member. 

Deadlines vary according to course’s formal schedule, also known as “part of term.” Students should refer to the Part of Term dates published by the Office of the Registrar to review part of term date ranges, withdrawal deadlines, and such.

Students may not graduate with an “I” on their MSU Denver academic record if: 

• The course in which the “I” was assigned is required for graduation, or 
• The default grade assigned for that course would result in an overall GPA less than 2.00. 

The Incomplete notation may not be given for self-paced courses. If a student does not complete a self-paced course within the semester that they enrolled in the course, they must re-enroll in the course in order to complete it. Students pay tuition and fees for each semester they are enrolled in self-paced courses. 

NR - Not Reported

The Not Reported (NR) notation indicates that no grade was reported by the faculty by the deadline to submit grades. Student must see faculty for an explanation or assignment of grade. Courses taken through interinstitutional registration are normally assigned the “NR” notation until grades are received and posted to the academic record. Students who receive an “NR” notation on their final grade report may be severely impacted. Financial aid, enrollment status, veterans’ status and probation/suspension depend on students receiving all of their grades. The course counts toward the student’s attempted hours, does not count toward earned hours, and is not calculated in the GPA or quality points.

P - Pass

The Pass (P) notation is assigned when a student successfully completes a course for which the Pass/Fail Option has been requested. Course credit counts toward the student’s attempted and earned hours but is not calculated in the GPA or quality points.

PL - Portfolio Assessment

The Portfolio Assessment (PL) notation is assigned when an academic department grants a student credit for an existing MSU Denver course for which the student submits a prior learning portfolio. Course credit does not count toward the student’s attempted hours, counts toward earned hours, and is not calculated in the GPA or quality points.

S/U - Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory

The Satisfactory (S) notation is equivalent to a grade of “C” or higher. Course credit counts toward the student’s attempted and earned hours but is not calculated in the GPA or quality points.

The Unsatisfactory (U) notation is equivalent to a grade of “F.” Course credit counts toward the student’s attempted hours, does not count toward earned hours, and is calculated in the GPA or quality points.

These notations are limited to internships, practica, field experience courses, and workshops.

SA/SN - Study Abroad/Study Abroad - No Credit

For the Study Abroad (SA) notation, course credit counts toward the student’s attempted and earned hours but is not calculated in the GPA or quality points.

For the Study Abroad - No Credit (SN) notation, course credit counts toward the student’s attempted hours, does not count toward earned hours, and is not calculated in the GPA or quality points.

SE/UE - Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory - Education or Music Recital

The Satisfactory Education (SE) notation is equivalent to a grade of “B” or higher. Course credit counts toward the student’s attempted and earned hours but is not calculated in the GPA or quality points.

The Unsatisfactory Education (UE) notation is equivalent to a grade of “F.” Course credit counts toward the student’s attempted hours, does not count toward earned hours, and is calculated in the GPA and quality points.

These notations are limited to the following courses: ECE 4390, EDS 4290, EDU 4190, EDU 4590, SED 4190 and SED 4500.

W - Withdrawal

The Withdrawal (W) notation is assigned when a student officially withdraws from a course via the Student Hub after the drop deadline (census date) and before the withdrawal deadline posted in the Academic Calendar . Deadlines differ proportionally for courses offered during part of a semester, including late-start and weekend courses. Students should refer to the Student Detail Schedule via the Student Hub to review drop and withdrawal deadlines for individual courses. When a student withdraws from a course, no academic credit is awarded. The course remains on the student’s academic record with a “W” notation and counts toward the student’s attempted hours. The course is not calculated in the student’s GPA or quality points. Please see the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships for additional information on how withdrawals may impact your financial aid eligibility. Students who withdraw from a course are responsible for the full tuition and fees for that course. After the withdrawal deadline, students may not withdraw from a course and will be assigned the grade earned based on the course syllabus. A student-initiated withdrawal will appear as an “F” on the student’s academic record in any case of academic misconduct resulting in a permanent “F”.

Honors and Awards

MSU Denver annually recognizes students who show outstanding leadership and service to the University and community, excellence in scholastic achievement, and outstanding personal character and integrity. Due to wide variation in definition and interpretation of class rank, the university does not (by policy) rank its students or graduates. Recognition of students includes: The President’s Award (one senior); The Provost’s Award (one senior); Special Service- Student Affairs Award (one senior); Outstanding Fall Graduate Award (one senior); Outstanding Student Awards (one senior from each College/School).

In addition to annual awards, students with outstanding academic achievements are recognized by being named on the university’s Honor Lists. The President’s Honor List contains the names of students who, at the time of computation, have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.85 or higher. The Provost’s Honor List contains the names of students who, at the time of computation, have achieved a cumulative GPA of between 3.50 and 3.84, inclusively. Computation will occur initially when the student has completed between 30 and 60 credits at MSU Denver, then again between 60 and 90 credits, and finally after more than 90 credits. Honors will only be computed three times in a student’s academic life at the university. Questions should be directed to the Office of Academic Affairs at 303-615-1900.

Graduation honors are awarded to students who have demonstrated superior academic ability in their baccalaureate degree while attending MSU Denver. Honors designations are determined according to the following criteria:

• Summa Cum Laude:
  • College of Aerospace, Computing, Engineering, and Design graduates with a cumulative GPA of no less than 3.90
  • College of Business graduates with a cumulative GPA of no less than 3.89
  • School of Education graduates with a cumulative GPA of no less than 3.93
  • College of Health and Human Sciences with a cumulative GPA of no less than 3.90
  • School of Hospitality graduates with a cumulative GPA of no less than 3.89
  • College of Letters, Arts and Sciences with a cumulative GPA of no less than 3.93.
• Magna Cum Laude
  • College of Aerospace, Computing, Engineering, and Design graduates with a cumulative GPA of no less than 3.80
  • College of Business graduates with a cumulative GPA of no less than 3.75
  • School of Education graduates with a cumulative GPA of no less than 3.83
  • College of Health and Human Sciences with a cumulative GPA of no less than 3.80
  • School of Hospitality graduates with a cumulative GPA of no less than 3.75
  • College of Letters, Arts and Sciences with a cumulative GPA of no less than 3.87.
• Cum Laude
  • All MSU graduates with a cumulative GPA of no less than 3.65.

The honors designation is calculated twice: once for the commencement ceremony; and again at the end of the final semester for the official designation. Students pursuing dual majors will have honors designation calculated for the primary major.

The required GPA for honors designation will be reviewed at least every five years.

Commencement Ceremony

To qualify for graduation honor recognition at the commencement ceremony, a student must have the specified GPA. UCD Pooled classes and other transfer credits are not considered when determining honors. Recognition at the commencement ceremony does not guarantee final honors designation on the official record. Honors announced at the commencement ceremony will be based upon a preliminary calculation not including grades from the term of graduation.

Students who qualify for recognition at the ceremony will be sent a letter from the dean’s office of the college or school in which their major is located. This letter authorizes students to purchase honor cords at the time they rent their caps and gowns.

Graduates with an Individualized Degree Program major will be identified for honors purposes within the college of school most prominent in their major.

Official Honors Designation

Grades earned for the graduating term will affect honors. GPAs are not rounded up (for example: a GPA of 3.149 is not rounded to 3.15). The Official Honors designation will be calculated following the processing of final grades. This recalculation will take into consideration any grade changes submitted to the Registrar’s Office during a student’s graduating term. Only the official honors designation is added to the final transcript and diploma.  A student must maintain the specified GPA by the term of graduation. UCD Pooled classes and other transfer credits are not considered when determining honors.

Honors designations are added to the student’s official academic record; no other notification will be sent. For additional information regarding graduation honors, contact the Office of Academic Affairs at 303-615-1900.

Last Date of Attendance

Faculty who report a “U,” “UE,” or “F” grade to a student for any reason will report the student’s last date of attendance when entering grades online.

For reporting purposes, the last date of active participation in the class will be considered the last date of attendance, which must be one of the following:

1. Attending a synchronous class, lecture, recitation, or field or laboratory activity, physically or online, where there is an opportunity for interaction between the instructor and students;
2. Submitting an academic assignment;
3. Taking an assessment or an exam;
4. Participating in an interactive tutorial, webinar, or other interactive computer-assisted instruction;
5. Participating in a study group, group project, or an online discussion that is assigned by the institution;
6. Interacting with an instructor about academic matters.

Active participation does not include:

1. Living in institutional housing;
2. Participating in the school’s meal plan;
3. Logging into an online course or tutorial without any further  participation
4. Participating in academic counseling or advising; or
5. Participating in a student-organized study group.

If a student never  participated in class, the date of the first day of class will be reported as the last date of attendance/participation. Students may be dropped due to non-participation under the Mandatory Participation Policy.   

Pass/Fail Option

The pass/fail option encourages students to venture out of their major and minor fields and thereby broaden their educational experience. A student must declare interest in the pass/fail option no later than census date. For specific deadlines, see the Academic Calendar . Deadlines differ proportionally for courses offered during part of semester, including late-start and weekend courses. Students should refer to the Part-of-Term dates published by the Office of the Registrar to review drop deadlines for individual courses. Students must declare interest in the pass/fail option by contacting the Office of the Registrar and completing the Request for Pass/Fail Option. Once approved, the request for the pass/fail option is irrevocable. A student who requests the option and later is declared ineligible will receive written notification from the Office of the Registrar.

Students who have completed at least one MSU Denver course with at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA may choose to be evaluated for a certain course on a pass/fail basis rather than by a letter grade. Major, minor, General Studies and other courses required for a degree and courses for teacher licensure may NOT be taken on a pass/fail basis. Self-paced courses may NOT be taken under the pass/fail option. Maximum graduation credit for courses taken using the pass/fail option is 18 credit hours earned in no more than six courses and limited to one course per semester or part-of-term. Course work must be graded to determine if it is pass or fail.

The “pass” grade (P) is not computed in and will have no effect on the GPA; the “fail” grade is equivalent to the grade of “F” and is computed in and will have an effect on the student’s GPA. The “pass” grade (P) is equivalent to the grade of “D-” or better. Pass/fail courses fall under the same withdrawal guidelines and deadlines as other courses in the institution, whether those guidelines and deadlines are established university-wide or by individual schools or departments.

The instructor will assign and record the pass/fail grade on the final grade list that identifies students electing and eligible for pass/fail grading. Some institutions do not accept credit in transfer for courses in which a “pass” grade is given. Therefore, students who plan to transfer or take graduate work should determine whether the institution of their choice would accept the credit before registering for courses under the pass/fail option. Additionally, the student is responsible for ensuring that the course is not a major, minor or General Studies requirement.

Posthumously Awarded Degrees

Metropolitan State University of Denver will award a posthumous degree to a deceased student who had maintained good academic and financial standing without a significant disciplinary incident. Any party interested in seeking a posthumous degree will contact the Dean of the College or School in which the deceased student’s program resided. Upon final approval of the Provost, the name of the deceased student will be announced at commencement as a Posthumous Degree and a plaque will be given to a person designated by the family.

If it is determined that the student was enrolled in their final courses sufficient to meet the university’s graduation requirements, and therefore would have earned their degree had they successfully completed the last semester of enrollment, the degree will be counted as an earned degree within university completion counts.

If it is determined that the student was not enrolled in their final courses sufficient to meet the university’s graduation requirements, and therefore would not have been granted a degree had they successfully completed the last semester of enrollment, the Office of the Registrar will expunge the academic record during the semester of the student’s death.  

Repeated Courses

Students may enroll in an individual, MSU Denver course a maximum of two times, unless the course is designated as repeatable. The department offering the course may approve additional attempts. A course for which a student has received an administrative withdrawal (AW) does NOT count as an enrollment attempt. All other grades and notations count toward the maximum number of enrollment attempts.

A repeatable course is defined as a course taken for additional credit toward graduation requirements. Examples include field experiences, internships, music ensembles, and theater presentations. Some departments place limits on the total number of credits that students may earn in a repeatable course. If a limit applies, the maximum number of credits permitted is identified in the course notes in the catalog and class schedule.

Page modified on July 18, 2024.