Grading Policy
Note: Approved by the SPH Governing Council, 4/7/11
Note: This policy applies to students matriculating AFTER Spring 2011
School of Public Health Grading Policy
Most credit-bearing courses at Boston University School of Public Health (SPH) are graded on an A–F scale, or notated with the special symbols described below. The only approved exceptions to the A–F scale for courses are the practicum courses (PH 970, 971, and 975), which are graded pass/fail.
| Letter Grade | Honor Points | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| A | 4.0 | |
| A- | 3.7 | |
| B+ | 3.3 | |
| B | 3.0 | |
| B- | 2.7 | |
| C+ | 2.3 | |
| C | 2.0 | |
| C- | 1.7 | |
| D | 1.0 | |
| F | 0.0 | Fail, no credit |
| P | Not applicable | Pass (used for PH 970, 971, 975 practicum sections) |
| AU | Not applicable | Audit, no credit |
| I | Not applicable | Incomplete |
| MG | Not applicable | Missing grade, grade not assigned |
| W | Not applicable | Withdrew from course after withdrawal deadline |
All SPH candidates must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA each semester to be in good academic standing. All SPH candidates must have a minimum 3.0 GPA at SPH to graduate.
Calculating Grade Point Average (GPA)
- To compute the total honor points for a desired timeframe, multiply the credits per course by the honor points associated with the grade for a course (displayed in chart above). Sum the product for all courses in the desired timeframe.
- Divide the sum total by the number of credits attempted during that timeframe; the result is the grade point average (GPA) for the timeframe.
- The grades and credits of all courses are considered in the overall GPA.
- The following grade symbols are never associated with honor points and are therefore not used in the calculation of the GPA: AU, P, W, and MG.
- “I” (incomplete) grades are not computed in the GPA until all required work is completed and an appropriate letter grade assigned.
Failure to Meet the Minimum 3.0 Grade Point Average
Academic Probation
Any SPH candidate with a GPA of less than 3.0 after completing 8 academic credits of coursework is automatically placed on academic probation. A student will remain on academic probation until he or she achieves a 3.0 or higher GPA. The SPH registrar will notify the student of his or her probation status by sending the student a notification letter or email that is copied to the student’s academic advisor. A copy of the correspondence is placed in the student’s academic record. Such correspondence is not part of the permanent academic record unless the student is subsequently dismissed from SPH for academic reasons.
If deemed necessary by the SPH registrar’s office, a student on academic probation will work with his or her academic advisor to devise a learning plan prior to registration for upcoming semesters. The learning plan should describe a semester-by-semester educational plan to make degree progress while improving the student’s GPA. The plan must be signed by the student and his or her academic advisor and be submitted to the SPH registrar.
A student on probation must exhibit satisfactory academic progress each semester. Satisfactory academic progress is defined as steady upward progress toward a 3.0 GPA, completing all courses with required minimum grades, and adhering to the learning plan, as established, unless all parties agree to changes.
Failure to Maintain a Satisfactory Academic Record
Boston University School of Public Health reserves the discretionary right to suspend or dismiss any student for failure to maintain a satisfactory academic record. A suspended student may not make progress toward degree requirements during the period of academic suspension. SPH will not accept transfer credit for courses taken by a suspended SPH student at another school within Boston University or another academic institution during the student’s period of suspension.
Below Minimum GPA at the End of the Degree Program
If a student does not attain a 3.0 GPA after he or she has met all other graduation requirements of his or her degree program, then the student is not eligible to graduate. In this case, the student may register for 8 or fewer additional credits of coursework in order to raise his or her GPA to the minimum 3.0 standard. If it is not mathematically possible for a student to increase his or her GPA to 3.0 by earning an “A” grade in up to 8 additional credits, the student will be dismissed from SPH without possibility of reinstatement. If the student could mathematically achieve a 3.0 GPA by registering for less than 8 additional credits, the following guidelines apply:
- The additional credits must be graduate-level SPH courses and cannot include a practicum or a course outside of SPH.
- The credits must be attempted beginning the next available semester of registration available after the failed graduation.
- If a student attempts 8 additional credits and does not attain a GPA of 3.0, he or she will be dismissed from SPH without possibility of reinstatement.
Minimum Grade Requirements
Although the grade range for courses is A–F, students earn no academic credit for a grade below D. Some SPH degree programs have specific courses with higher minimum grade requirements. Students registered in these courses do not earn degree credit for courses if they attain lower than the minimum grade. These courses are:
Master of Public Health Degree
- Master of Public Health (MPH) students must earn a B- or better in the core courses for the MPH degree. Students may select only one course from each concentration as the core course. The MPH core courses are BS 701, BS 703, EH 708, EH 765, EP 713, IH 704, IH 720, LW 707, LW 751, PM 702, and SB 721. The following courses are considered curricular equivalents: BS 701 and BS 703; EH 708 and EH 765; IH 704 and PM 702; IH 720 and SB 721; LW 707 and LW 751.
- MPH biostatistics concentrators must earn a B or better in BS 723.
- MPH environmental health concentrators must earn a B- or better in EH 768.
Master of Science Degrees
- Master of Science in Environmental Health students must earn a B or better in BS 723, EH 710, EH 765, EH 768, EH 804, and EP 713.
- Master of Science in Epidemiology students must earn a B or better in BS 703, BS 723, EP 713, and EP 813.
- Master of Science in Health Services Research students must earn a B or better in BS 703, EP 713, PM 811, PM 814, PM 821, and either PM 826, PM 833, PM 842, CAS EC 581 or SED CT 750.
Doctoral Degrees
- Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Health students must earn a B or better in BS 723, EH 710, EH 765, EH 768, EH 804, EH 805, and EP 713.
- Doctor of Philosophy in Health Services Research students must earn a B or better in BS 703, EP 713, EP 813, LW 751, PM 811, PM 814, PM 821, PM 824, PM 842, and PM 826.
- Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) students must earn a B or better in PH 850, 851, 852, 853, 854, 856, 857, and 858.
Improving a Grade in a Course with a Minimum Grade Requirement
All faculty teaching a course with a minimum grade requirement may, at their discretion, give students who fail to attain the minimum grade at least one opportunity to improve their final course grade by revising a component of the grade as determined by the instructor. Faculty must enter the initial, below-minimum grade on the Faculty Link. Revised grades are processed via a paper grade change form submitted to the SPH registrar by the faculty member. The revised course grade cannot be higher than the minimum required grade.
The course instructor’s grade change policy must be explicitly stated in the course syllabus at the beginning of the semester. If a faculty member designates a mechanism to improve a grade in a course with a minimum grade requirement, a student must express his or her intention to improve the course grade within two weeks after the course grade is entered, and must submit the specified work before the start of the next academic semester. Exceptions to the two-week notification policy are granted only in extraordinary circumstances and can be approved only by the associate dean for education.
Repeating a Class Due to Failure to Attain the Minimum Grade Requirement
Students who do not meet a minimum grade requirement must register for the course, or its curricular equivalent, for a second time in the next semester the course is offered. For the purposes of this policy, the term “repeat” the class is used. Students may earn a grade higher than the minimum grade in a repeated course—they are eligible to be graded with the whole range of grades described above.
In all cases, a student must repeat the course in which he or she did not attain the minimum grade no later than one year from the initial registration, unless they are given specific written permission from the associate dean for education to exceed this timeframe. Students who do not repeat the course within one year and do not seek permission to do so may be subject to academic dismissal.
The option to improve a grade is not available in courses that do not have a minimum grade requirement. Students may not repeat such a course or its curricular equivalent. Should a student repeat the course or its curricular equivalent, the credits and grade associated with the second registration will not count toward degree requirements or the required GPA.
Conditions and Consequences of Repeating a Course
Grades for every course in which a student registers, including repeated courses, will appear on the student’s transcript. The credits from courses in which the student fails to achieve the minimum grade are not counted toward the credit requirement for graduation, although the grade is factored into the overall grade point average.
A student may not use institutional aid, SPH scholarship, or merit funds to pay for courses they are retaking in order to meet the minimum grade requirement. They may, however, use federal financial aid, such as loans. Students repeating courses are strongly encouraged to contact the Student Financial Services Office to verify their financial aid prior to the start of the semester.
Failure to Meet the Minimum Required Grade in a Repeated Class
A student will be subject to dismissal from Boston University if he or she does not achieve the minimum grade in a repeated course or its curricular equivalent. The student may petition the associate dean for education to repeat the course or its curricular equivalent. If the petition is rejected, the student will be dismissed from SPH. If the petition is granted and the student again does not achieve the minimum grade, the student will be dismissed with no option to appeal.
Failure to Meet the Minimum Required Grade in Multiple Courses
No student will be permitted to repeat more than two courses that have a minimum grade requirement during their tenure at SPH. A student who fails to achieve a minimum grade in three courses that have a minimum grade requirement will be subject to dismissal from SPH. A student who wishes to appeal his or her dismissal may do so by petitioning the associate dean for education in writing. The student should provide evidence of any extenuating circumstances to the associate dean, whose decision will be final.
Incomplete Grades
A student may request an incomplete grade if a course has met for at least 75 percent of its course meetings and has not yet met for the last time. An incomplete grade is a transitional grade that is granted when a student cannot complete course requirements on time due to serious extenuating circumstances for which the student is not responsible. Examples of such extenuating circumstances include serious illness of the student, military service, extended jury duty, or death of a family member. A student may be required to provide proof of the circumstances, such as a note from a physician.
Conditions for Approving a Request for an Incomplete Grade
Except in cases of severe extenuating circumstances, a student may not request an incomplete grade when the “drop without a ‘W’ grade” or the “drop with a ‘W’ grade” options are available for the course in question. The drop dates for standard, full-semester courses are on the SPH Academic Calendar. The dates for non-standard courses are customized and viewable on the Boston University Course Schedule.
An incomplete grade may be granted on the condition that the student will complete the coursework on his or her own and within a specific and mutually agreed-upon timeframe. In no case can that timeframe exceed more than four weeks into the next academic semester.
The completion period for the incomplete course does not necessarily apply to SPH IH 777, directed studies, directed research, or MPH practicum courses. These courses may be graded with an “I” grade at the discretion of the instructor, and the “I” grade in this case may extend past the first four weeks of the next academic semester. Instructors may reserve the right, however, to set a timeframe for completion of the work. The maximum timeframe in all cases and for all students is one year from the assignment of the “I” grade.
Faculty may not grant an incomplete grade as an alternative to submitting a poor or failing grade. In the event that a student does not complete coursework or make a timely request for an incomplete grade, the instructor must assign a grade based on the work the student has submitted to date in the course.
If the incomplete coursework is not completed by the required completion date, a final grade of “F” will be entered by the registrar. The only exception to the “F” grade being entered is made if the student successfully presents evidence to the associate dean for education that further time is warranted. The evidence must be presented prior to the required completion date.
Dispute Resolution Process
A concern or complaint from a SPH student should be directed to the persons whose actions or inactions have given rise to the concern or complaint. Whenever possible, every effort should be made to resolve the problem promptly at the level at which it occurred. The student may pursue the issue within the normal reporting structure of the academic or administrative department at SPH. If a student feels he or she has been unfairly treated by an instructor or teaching assistant of a SPH course, the student should contact the chair (or his/her designee) of the department in which course is taught. If the chair is the instructor, the student should seek assistance from the associate dean for education. Should the student need additional assistance, he or she may also see staff in the Boston University Ombudsman Office, located at 19 Deerfield Street.
Grievance Process
When a student has reason to believe that his or her rights have been denied by reason of discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, ethnic origin, age, sex, disability, sexual orientation, or other unlawful bias, he or she may file a formal written grievance with the dean of the School of Public Health, Talbot 3 Center, 715 Albany Street, or the dean of Students of Boston University, 775 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215. The grievance statement should be as specific as possible regarding the action(s) that precipitated the grievance: date, place, and people involved; efforts made to settle the matter informally; and the remedy sought. Full copies of the “Grievance Procedures in Cases of Alleged Discrimination” are available at the SPH Office for Student Services, Talbot 2 Center, or at the Office of the Vice President and Dean of Students, Boston University, 775 Commonwealth Avenue, Third Floor, Boston, MA 02215.
If a student’s grievance alleges discrimination based on disability, the director of the Disability Services Office, who is the University’s compliance officer for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, will also be provided with a copy of the grievance and will be involved in resolution of the grievance, as appropriate.
Courses with Minimum Grades
The policy applies to students who change degree programs or who are accepted after Spring 2011. It will also state that faculty must determine if they will allow students who fail to attain the minimum grade at least one opportunity to improve their final course grade by revising a component of the grade as determined by the instructor.
| Course | Must earn a B or better | Must earn a B- or better |
|---|---|---|
| Biostatistics | ||
| BS 701 | • All MPH students | |
| BS 703 | • MS EP students • MS HSR students • PhD HSR students |
• All MPH students |
| BS 723 | • MPH BS students • MS EH students • MS EP students • PhD EH students |
|
| Environmental Health | ||
| EH 708 | • All MPH students | |
| EH 765 | • MS EH students • PhD EH students |
• All MPH students |
| EH 768 | • MS EH students • PhD EH students |
• MPH EH students |
| EH 710 | • MS EH students • PhD EH students |
|
| EH 804 | • MS EH students • PhD EH students |
|
| EH 805 | • PhD EH students | |
| Epidemiology | ||
| EP 713 | • MS EH students • MS EP students • MS HSR students • PhD EH students • PhD HSR students |
• All MPH students |
| EP 813 | • MS EP students • PhD HSR students |
|
| International Health | ||
| IH 704 | • All MPH students | |
| IH 720 | • All MPH students | |
| Health Law, Bioethics & Human Rights | ||
| LW 707 | • All MPH students | |
| LW 751 | • PhD HSR students | • All MPH students |
| Health Policy and Management | ||
| PM 702 | • All MPH students | |
| PM 811 | • MS HSR students • PhD HSR students |
|
| PM 814 | • MS HSR students • PhD HSR students |
|
| PM 821 | • MS HSR students • PhD HSR students |
|
| PM 824 | • PhD HSR students | |
| PM 826 | • MS HSR students • PhD HSR students |
|
| PM 833 | • MS HSR students | |
| PM 842 | • MS HSR students • PhD HSR students |
|
| CAS EC 581 | • MS HSR students | |
| SED CT 750 | • MS HSR students | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences | ||
| SB 721 | • All MPH students | |
| DrPH Program | ||
| PH 8XX (850, 851, 852, 853, 854, 856, 857, 858) |
• DrPH students | |
