Grading Prior to Fall 2004

Grading Policies for students who matriculated at Oberlin College prior to Fall 2004.

For Students in the College of Arts and Sciences:

Two grading options are offered: letter grades or Credit/No Entry (CR/NE). Each semester undergraduate students may choose to have some or all of their courses evaluated Credit/No Entry. To exercise this option, students must file a card, signed by the advisor, in the Office of the Registrar by the end of the eighth week of semester classes or the end of the fourth week of module classes. (NOTE: this deadline is later than in previous years; it is now coordinated with the deadline for P/NP in the new grading system. See the back cover of the catalog for the entire academic calendar.) Once the deadline has passed, no change in the grading option may be made. This means that students must elect the CR/NE grading option by the deadline. Similarly, CR/NE grading will not be reversed to letter grading after the deadline. If no option card is submitted, letter grades will be recorded. In courses in which the instructor declares credit/no entry grading, the student has no option.

Letter Grades. The grades recorded and their equivalents in quality points (used in computing grade-point averages) are as follows:

A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- W NE (No Entry)

4.33 4.00 3.67 3.33 3.0 2.67 2.33 2.00 1.67 0.0 0.0

To obtain the quality points earned in a course, the numerical equivalent of the grade is multiplied by the number of hours for which the course was taken. The grade-point average is computed by dividing the total quality points by the total number of hours for which letter grades are recorded.

Credit/No Entry (CR/NE). All passing work (A+ to C-) is given the uniform grade of CR (Credit). Work below C- is considered not passing, and is given a grade of NE (No Entry).

Withdrawal Grades. A student may withdraw from a class between the end of the Add/Drop period and the last day of the eighth week of classes (last day of the fourth week of classes for modules). If a student withdraws from a class, the notation W (Withdrawn; no indication of passing or failing) will be entered on the student’s transcript. After the end of the eighth week of classes (fourth week for a module course), a letter grade or CR/NE will be awarded. The number of registered hours is not reduced by withdrawing from a course. Thus, students must remain with the maximum hours allowed (16 for the Bachelor of Arts, 17 for the Bachelor of Music and Double Degree programs) if there is consideration of withdrawing from one course and adding another during the semester.
No Entry. Whether a course is taken for letter grades or Credit/No Entry, work below the C level is considered not passing and No Entry is made on the student’s permanent record. Thus, if a student does not pass a course, there is no indication on the official transcript that the course was attempted.

Policies Regarding Incompletes, Asterisk Grades, and Grade Reports
The following grading policies apply to all students regardless of matriculation term.
Incomplete Grades. An incomplete grade is a temporary grade, assigned at the end of a semester, to permit students additional time to complete work in a course. There are two kinds of incompletes:

While at Oberlin a student in the College of Arts and Sciences is allowed up to two incompletes authorized by course instructors for educational reasons, such as a desire by the student to spend additional time on a particular course. A request for such an educational incomplete must be submitted to the Office of the Dean of Studies in advance of the scheduled final exam in that course. Course work must be finished by the end of the first week of Winter Term for first semester incompletes, and by three weeks after the end of the semester for second semester incompletes. Additional educational incompletes beyond the first two may be authorized by the Dean of Studies, but only in very exceptional circumstances.

Emergency incompletes may be authorized by the Dean of Studies due to circumstances beyond the student’s control. Normally such incompletes are for medical or life crisis reasons. The due date for course work will depend on how much time was lost due to the emergency, up to a maximum of three weeks.

The due date for either an educational or emergency incomplete may be extended only for emergency reasons. If work is not completed within the specified time, a grade will be recorded based on the extent to which the course requirements have been met. All requests for incompletes must be made through the Office of the Dean of Studies for courses offered in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Asterisk Grade. An asterisk grade is used at the end of the first semester to indicate that the work of a course covers two semesters and that no grade can be recorded yet. When the final grade is given at the end of the second semester the asterisk is removed and the grade earned is recorded for both semesters.

Grade Reports. Semester grade reports are available to students via the online student record system. Federal law prohibits student grade reports from being sent to parents unless the student signs a form releasing this information. If a student opts to release grades to his or her parents, either the student or the parents must request a copy of the grades each semester from the Office of the Registrar.

For Students in the Conservatory of Music:
For specific information regarding deadlines for course and grade options, please see the academic dates and deadlines information at the events calendar at www.oberlin.edu or consult the registrar's academic calendar at www.oberlin.edu/regist.

General. Two grading options are offered: letter grades, or Credit/No Entry. Subject to limitations stated below, a student may choose which grading option he or she wishes to have apply for one or more courses.

Letter Grades. The grades recorded and their equivalents in quality points (used in computing grade-point averages) are listed here:

A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- W No Entry
4.33 4.00 3.67 3.33 3.00 2.67 2.33 2.00 1.67 0.0 0.0

Quality Points. To obtain the quality points earned in a course, multiply the numerical equivalent of the grade by the number of hours for which the course was taken.

Grade-Point Average. This is computed by dividing the total quality points by the total number of hours for which letter grades are recorded.

Credit/No Entry (CR/NE). To exercise the Credit/No Entry option, students must file a card, signed by the principal advisor, in the Office of the Registrar by the last day of the eighth week of classes for semester-long courses, or by the last day of the fourth week of classes for a module course. Once the deadline has passed no change in the grading option may be made.

All passing work (work otherwise graded A+ to C–) is given the uniform grade CR (Credit). Work below C– is considered not passing, and is given a grade of NE (No Entry). A student electing a course for Credit/No Entry may not later request a grade equivalent.

Limitations on Grading Options.
1) Conservatory majors must register for the following courses for letter grade only: Introduction to Music Theory, Music Theory I-IV, Introduction to Aural Skills, Aural Skills I-IV, Introduction to the History and Literature of Music, and any class taken to satisfy a requirement in secondary applied study.
2) Students required to take Aural Skills V must register for letter grade only.
3) All faculty-taught private applied study (including composition) is offered for letter grades only.
4) Voice lessons with supervised student teachers are offered for Credit/No Entry grading only. All other secondary private study with supervised student teachers may be taken for letter grades or Credit/No Entry.
5) Small ensembles are offered for Pass/No Pass only at the discretion of the individual coach.
6) Oberlin Orchestra, Oberlin Chamber Orchestra, Oberlin Wind Ensemble, and Contemporary Music Ensemble are offered for letter grades only.

No Entry (NE). Whether a course is taken for a letter grade or Credit/No Entry, work below a C– level is considered not passing, and no entry is made on the student’s permanent record. Thus, if a student does not pass a course, there is no indication on the official transcript that the course had been attempted.

Incomplete Grades. Students may request an incomplete grade when illness, personal emergency, or family emergency prevents the satisfactory completion of coursework. Unless otherwise specified, the outstanding work must be completed within three weeks of the end of the semester.
Regardless of the division in which a student is enrolled, incompletes in Conservatory courses are granted by the relevant faculty member and approved by the Associate Dean for Student Academic Affairs.
A Conservatory student may be authorized for no more than two incompletes for educational reasons in Arts and Sciences courses.

No incomplete grades will be given in private study or ensemble participation.

Asterisk Grade. An asterisk grade given at the end of the first semester indicates that coursework continues over two semesters; no grade can be recorded until the course is completed. The asterisk is removed when the final grade is given at the end of the second semester, and the earned grade is recorded for both semesters.

Grade Reports. Semester grade reports are available to students via the online student record system (PRESTO). Students who require paper copies of grade reports may arrange with the Office of the Registrar to obtain them. Federal law prohibits student grade reports from being sent to parents unless the student signs a form releasing this information. If a student opts to release grades to his or her parents, either the student or the parents must request a copy of the grades each semester from the Office of the Registrar.

Committee Exams. A copy of the faculty evaluations of a student’s departmental hearing and committee exam each semester is made available to him or her within a few days of the committee performance.

Auditing. Students may audit courses with a lecture or modified lecture format, with the consent of the instructor. Auditing is not permitted in courses that emphasize student participation and skill development (e.g., private applied or composition instruction, ensembles, aural skills courses).