Registrar

Registrar

Grades and Grading System

Grade reports

See your latest grade report with your Bronco NetID. Grade reports are usually available to view on the Wednesday after commencement. This grade report is a snapshot of latest term grades. Check with your instructor if your grade does not appear as expected on your unofficial transcript. Here is how you can view or print your unofficial transcript: follow these steps:

  • login to the GoWMU portal
  • select the Academic & Account Services channel on the homepage
  • select the linked text under the top center option labeled My Self-Service
  • select Student Self-Service
  • select Student Academic Services
  • select Unofficial Academic Transcript

Undergraduate class is determined by number of credit hours completed

Freshmen: 0-25 credit hours
Sophomore: 26-55 credit hours
Junior: 56-87 credit hours
Senior: 88 or more credit hours

Full-time/part-time Student Status

Full-time undergraduate students are defined by credit hours enrolled in a given semester or session as follows:

  • Fall/Spring semester: Undergraduates - 12 hours
  • Summer I/II sessions: Undergraduates - 6 hours

Dean's list

To gain a place on the Dean's List for a semester, an student must:

  • Have completed at least twelve (12) semester hours of work during the fall or spring semester for letter grade.
  • Have a grade point average of at least 3.50 for the semester

To gain a place on the Dean's list for a summer session, a student must:

  • Have completed at least six (6) semester hours of work during the Summer I or Summer II for letter grade.
  • Have a grade point average of at least 3.50 for the session.

Honors upon graduation

Honors are conferred upon graduating undergraduate students who have displayed a high level of performance during their university career.

Recipients of honors receive their degrees:

  • Cum laude - when their grade point average is 3.50 to 3.69, inclusive
  • Magna cum laude - when their grade point average is 3.70 to 3.89, inclusive
  • Summa cum laude - when their grade point average is 3.90 to 4.00, inclusive

In computing the grade point average for honors, the following rules will apply:

  • All credits and honor points earned at Western Michigan University will be counted.
  • Credits and honor points earned in correspondence and extension courses will be counted toward honors.
  • All students must have earned at least fifty-six (56) semester hours of credits at Western Michigan University, of which fifty (50) must be graded by a letter grade and computed into the final cumulative grade point average.

The graduation program will list as candidates for honors all undergraduate students who have earned a point-hour average of 3.50 through the next-to-last semester of residence (based on a minimum of forty-five (45) semester hours of credit earned at Western of which thirty-five (35) hours must be in courses with grades.) Final determination of honors and level of awards will be based upon all work and will appear on the final transcript.

The student receives one grade in each course taken. The grade combines the results of course work, tests, and final examinations. Grades are indicated by letters, to each of which is assigned a certain value in honor points per hour of credit, as shown in the table below. How to Figure GPA

Grade
earned

Honor
points

Significance
A 4.0 outstanding, exceptional, extraordinary:
BA 3.5  
B 3.0 very good, high pass
CB 2.5  
C 2.0 satisfactory, acceptable, adequate
DC 1.5  
D 1.0 poor
E 0.0 failing
X 0.0 failure (unofficial withdrawal)
W   official withdrawal
I   incomplete
CR   credit
NC   no credit
AD   audit (noncredit enrollment)

 

"I" incomplete

This is a temporary grade which the instructor may give to a student when illness, necessary absence, or other reasons beyond the control of the student prevent completion of course requirements by the end of the semester or session. This grade may not be given as a substitute for a failing grade.

A grade of "I"must be removed by the instructor who gave it or, in exceptional circumstances, by the department chairperson. If the unfinished work is not completed and the "I" grade removed within one calendar year of the assignment of the "I", the grade shall be converted to an "E" (failure). Students who receive an incomplete grade in a course must not reregister for the course in order to remove the "I".

Grade changes

A student who believes that an error has been made in the assignment of a grade must initiate contact with the faculty member involved within ninety days of the end of the semester for which the grade was assigned. Failure to act within the ninety day time period will disqualify the student from further consideration of the matter.

Honor points

The number of honor points earned in a course is the number of semester hour credits given by the course, multiplied by the number of honor points per hour of credit corresponding to the letter grade received as shown in the preceding table. For example, a grade of "B" in a 4-hour course gives 3 (numerical grade) x4 (credit hours), for 12 honor points.

Grade point average

Use our GPA calculator

A grade point average is obtained by dividing the total number of honor points earned by the total number of semester hours of work for which the student is officially enrolled during any period. For example, a total of 32 honor points earned in a semester by a student officially enrolled for 16 hours of work, gives a grade point of 32/16 or 2.0 for the semester.

Academic standards

A base overall grade point average for all students is necessary to satisfy degree requirements. See the academic standards

 

Office of the Registrar
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5256 USA
(269) 387-4300 | (269) 387-3545 Fax
registrar-info@wmich.edu