Grading System

Calculation of Grade Point Average

UT Tyler calculates students’ grade point average (GPA) using only coursework completed in residence, and truncates all GPA values at two decimal places, without rounding. The GPA calculation uses only grade points and attempted semester credit hours from courses with grades of A, B, C, D, and F. 

The following categories of courses are not applicable to the GPA:

1. Courses with grades of I, IP, W, P, CR, NC, and AU 
2. Courses completed at other institutions 
3. Undergraduate courses (numbered 4999 and below), including required prerequisite or leveling courses. Additionally, these courses will not be counted toward academic program requirements and will not satisfy minimum graduate credits required to be completed at UT Tyler.

When a student repeats a course, the calculation of their GPA will be impacted depending on whether the repeat was for grade replacement or not (See Repeating Courses and Grade Replacement Policy). 

• If a grade replacement is used, the grade points and attempted semester credit hours from the prior attempt are excluded from GPA calculations, and only those from the most recent attempt will apply. 
• If a grade replacement is not used (non-replacement), the grade points and attempted semester credit hours from all attempts will apply to GPA calculations.

If the student receives a W in the repeated course, only the grade points and attempted semester credit hours from the prior attempt will apply to GPA calculations. If the student receives a grade of I or IP in the repeated course, only the grade points and attempted semester credit hours from the prior attempt will apply to GPA calculations until a final letter grade is assigned to the most recent attempt, at which point the applicable rules (replacement or non-replacement) will be applied.

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, or to NC if the course was originally taken under the CR/NC grading basis.

IP Grade

The IP “in progress” grade is used for pre-defined courses such as internship or supervised practice in a public school setting that normally extend past the grading period deadline. It may also be used for a sequence of courses where a final grade is not recorded until the sequence is completed.

Courses that use the “IP” grade are designated as such during the course approval process or grandfathered in on approval of the Office of Academic Affairs. The “IP” grade can only be applied to such courses and does not substitute for the “I” grade. An IP grade remains on the transcript until the final grade is changed via the Change of Grade electronic process.

Courses graded IP are not used in calculating a student’s grade point average.

Pass/Fail Policy

To register for a class on a Pass/Fall basis, a student must have the signatures of his/her advisor and the instructor for the course.

1. Students may take only one course per semester for P/F credit.
2. Students may take only three courses on a pass/fail basis during their graduate career at UT Tyler.
3. If you are on academic probation, you may not enroll in a course on a P/F basis.
4. A course cannot be changed from a P/F basis to letter grade or vice versa after the first five class days.
5. A final grade of P will not be changed to a grade of A, B, C, or D.
6. A final grade of P will be counted in the total number of hours passed.

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 was a “C”, “D” or “F” for master's and Ph.D. students. Repeated courses may not be taken on a CR/NC or P/F 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 One-Stop Services Center is required for all course repeats. See the Grade Replacement policy for additional details.

With the approval of their department chair, dean, and the Dean of the Graduate School, students may retake courses originally completed with a grade of “B” or better, provided those courses were completed more than six years prior to the student’s expected term of graduation. Any such repeats will be noted on the student’s transcripts as having been repeated “Not for Grade Replacement”.

Grade Replacement

A student may request grade replacement for only two course repeats (See Repeating Courses policy) during their master's career at UT Tyler; Ph.D. students are ineligible for grade replacement. When a course is repeated for grade replacement, only grade points and attempted semester credit hours from the most recent attempt are used to calculate the GPA. However, all grades will appear on the student’s official transcript. Students must complete a Course Repeat / Grade Replacement Enrollment Form (found on the Registrar’s Form Library) 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 “W,” the attempt counts against the grade replacement limit and the original grade remains. In cases where a student is granted a "W" based on administrative review, as part of completely withdrawing from a semester, or under the Withdrawal for Active Military Service policy, the course will be administratively reclassified as repeated "Not for Grade Replacement", the attempt will not count 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 One-Stop 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.

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; this is separate from the Application for Appeal form submitted to the Student Appeals Committee, which does not rule on grade disputes as described in this policy. If the student is not satisfied with the decision, the student may appeal in writing to the Chairperson of the department from which the grade was issued. In situations where there is an allegation of capricious grading, discrimination, or unlawful actions, appeals may go beyond the Chairperson to the Dean of the college from which the grade was issued with that decision being final.

Non-Grade Academic Student Complaints

Students wishing to formally file an academic complaint, other than a grade appeal, may do so at https://www.uttyler.edu/academic-affairs/student-complaint. All complaints will be directed to the appropriate source for resolution within 10 work-days of being received.

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 One-Stop Services Center (STE 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.

Students who feel their ability to withdraw was negatively impacted by circumstances beyond their control may submit an appeal to the Student Appeals Committee. 

Withdrawals as part of a Swap

Students seeking to swap courses (add one course to replace another) during the period from the first day of classes through the Census Date of any session should not submit a withdrawal request for the course being dropped as part of their swap. Doing so will result in the student remaining enrolled in the course being dropped until the drop request has been processed and may result in the student being dropped for non-payment if arrangements have not been made to cover charges for both courses.

Students completing a swap during this period should do so by either submitting a Registration Form to the One-Stop Services Center (STE 230), or sending an email containing detailed information about the courses to be added/dropped from their UT Tyler student email account to Enroll@uttyler.edu. In the case of emailed requests, the swap will be processed effective the date the email was received.

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 One-Stop Services Center:

Phone:  903-566-7180

Email:  enroll@uttyler.edu

Medical Withdrawal/Course Load Reduction

Students who experience a significant medical or mental health issue 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 apply for and submit the 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 who is in the Reserves or National Guard withdraws due to being ordered to active duty for purposes other than training, the university, 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. as determined by the instructor, assign an appropriate final grade or credit 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)

Students must provide a copy of their official orders, or a statement from their commanding officer to the Military and Veteran Success Center (MVSC) as part of exercising a withdrawal under this policy.

Active-duty students who deploy in the normal course of their duties for a period of more than 30 days should contact the MVSC to discuss their options for continuing their classes or withdrawing under the above policy.

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

A student who is in the Reserves or National Guard and receives orders to active duty for training (ADT) after a semester begins should immediately inform their professors of their activation and provide the Military and Veterans Success Center (MVSC) a copy of the military orders. An active-duty student who anticipates difficulty in completing their classes after a semester begins due to military duty should immediately inform the MVSC to discuss options for continuing their classes. 

Such students will be 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 Military and Veterans Success Center 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 contact the MVSC for an informal resolution with the academic department. 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 Success section of this catalog.

Student Records

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

Probation/Suspension for Master's Degree 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

The following information on probation and suspension does not apply to doctoral students. Each doctoral program has its own guidelines for probation and suspension.

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 One-Stop 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 from all grades earned during the student's prior enrollment at the University. Thus, the student who re-enrolls under the Graduate Restart option 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 the Graduate Restart option, 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 meet with the advisor of the graduate program in which they seek their degree and provide a compelling justification for reinstatement. The advisor will submit a Graduate Restart Request Petition available at uttyler.edu/graduate/forms/. 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.

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.