Academic Policies

Grade Point Average (GPA) Calculation

The term or cumulative GPA is calculated by dividing the total number of quality points by the total number of credit hours attempted during a specific time period.  Pass/Fail grades, Clinical grades, Incomplete grades, and In Progress grades are not used in the calculation of the GPA.

A course that is taught over the span of two or three terms and for which only one grade is given is recorded as “IP” (In Progress), “WIP” (Work In Progress) or a blank space for the first or second term.  When the final grade is received, it is recorded for each term of the course.  An interim grade, which reflects a student’s progress in a course that is in progress, especially “D” or “F”, will be used for the evaluation of academic standing and progress.

Quality points are awarded per credit hour as follows:
A =            4.00
B =            3.00
C =            2.00
D or FD = 1.00
F =             0.00

For students who started their degree program before February 24, 2011:
              One credit hour is equivalent to:
                              10 hours of lecture per term
                              20-30 hours of laboratory per term
                              20-30 hours of on-line interactive training per term
                              20 hours of clinic per term

Course load for first professional degrees:
              Fall Term and/or Spring Term is defined as:
                          Full time: usually 24 or more credit hours
                          Half time: at least 12 and up to 23.99 credit hours
                          Part time: less than 12 credit hours

               Each term in the final year, March Term and Summer Term is defined as:
                          Full time: 16 or more credit hours
                          Half time: at least 8 and up to 15.99 credit hours
                          Part time: less than 8 credit hours

Course load for stand-alone graduate degrees per term:
              Full time:  10 or more credit hours
              Half time:  at least 5 and up to 9.99 credit hours
              Part time:  less than 5 credit hours

For students who started their degree program after February 24, 2011:
              One credit hour is equivalent to:
                          15 hours of lecture per term
                          ( and a minimum of 30 hours of out of class student work per term)
                          30 hours of laboratory per term
                          30 hours of on-line interactive training per term
                          30 hours of clinic per term
                          (and a minimum of 15 hours of out of class student work per term) 

Course load for first professional degrees:
              Fall Term and/or Spring Term is defined as:
                          Full time: usually 16 or more credit hours
                          Half time: at least 8 and up to 15.99 credit hours
                          Part time: less than 8 credit hours

            Each term in the final year, March Term and Summer Term is defined as:
                          Full time: 9 or more credit hours
                          Half time: at least 4.50 and up to 8.99 credit hours
                          Part time: less than 4.50 credit hours

Course load for stand-alone graduate degrees per term:
              Full time:  10 or more credit hours
              Half time:  at least 5 and up to 9.99 credit hours
              Part time:  less than 5 credit hours

A student who attends and completes all required courses offered to his/her class for the term or academic year will be considered to be full time. These course load designations are used for student classification status only. (For policies relating to tuition see ‘Tuition, Fees and Payment Policy’ section.)