Grading and the Credit Point System
Op3.04-31 Grading and the Credit Point System
Note: This version of the policy is effective Fall, 2023. View the transcript legend for previous grading and credit point systems.
Faculty are required to provide final grades for all classes and mid-semester grades for 100 and 200 level full-semester courses each semester. Faculty have the option of providing mid-semester grades for other full-semester courses as well. Grade reports are available to students online. Grades are awarded to indicate the quality of a student’s work and are assigned as follows. Transfer grades begin with a “T” and are listed next to the MSU equivalent grade in the chart below.
Undergraduate Course Grades (100-500 level)
| Grade MSU / Transfer Equivalent |
Interpretation | Counts in Credit Hours Earned | Grade or Quality Points Per Credit Hour | Counts in GPA Hours (used to calculate GPA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A / TA | Outstanding work. Outstanding achievement relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements. Performance was of the highest level. Excellence while meeting course objectives was sustained throughout the course. Not only was the student’s performance clearly and significantly above satisfactory, it was also of an independent and creative nature. | Yes | 4.00 | Yes |
| A- / TA- | Excellent work. Excellent achievement relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements. Performance was clearly and significantly above satisfactory, and was creative and independent. | Yes | 3.70 | Yes |
| B+ / TB+ | Near excellent work. Achievement was significantly above the level necessary to meet course requirements. Performance was clearly and significantly above satisfactory, and was creative and independent. | Yes | 3.30 | Yes |
| B / TB | Very good work. Achievement significantly above the level necessary to meet course requirements. Performance was very good, although not of the highest level. Performance was clearly and significantly above satisfactory fulfillment of course requirements. | Yes | 3.00 | Yes |
| B- / TB- | Good work. Achievement at a level just above that necessary to meet course requirements. Performance was notable. | Yes | 2.70 | Yes |
| C+ / TC+ | Slightly above satisfactory work. Achievement that meets the course requirements. Performance was slightly more than adequate. | Yes | 2.30 | Yes |
| C / TC | Satisfactory work. Achievement that meets the course requirements. Performance was adequate, although marginal in quality | Yes | 2.00 | Yes |
| C- / TC- | Slightly below satisfactory work. Achievement that barely meets the course requirements. Performance has been slightly below satisfactory and was marginal in quality. A C- will not fulfill a prerequisite of a C or better on any course, nor will it meet a C or better requirement on a major. | Yes | 1.70 | Yes |
| CR / TE | Credit by Prior Learning Assessment. Student receives credit for the course from credit by assessment or examination. Prior to fall 2017 such credit was recorded with a grade of P or TP. | Yes | 0.00 | No |
| D+ / TD+ | Passing work. Achievement below satisfactory in meeting course requirements. Student demonstrated below satisfactory achievement in meeting course objectives, yet fulfilled a sufficient enough portion of the course objectives that repeating the course is not necessary unless required by the academic unit. | Yes | 1.30 | Yes |
| D / TD | Minimum passing work. Achievement barely worthy of credit. Student demonstrated unsatisfactory achievement in meeting course objectives, yet fulfilled a sufficient enough portion of the course objectives that repeating the course is not necessary unless required by the academic unit. | Yes | 1.00 | Yes |
| F / TF | Failed – no credit. A failure to meet course requirements. The work of course objectives were either: 1) completed but not at a level of achievement that is worthy of credit, or 2) have not been completed and there was no agreement between the instructor and the student that the student would be awarded an “I” (incomplete). | No | 0.00 | Yes |
| I | Incomplete. Grade assigned when due to unusual circumstances a small portion of a course, such as a term paper or final examination, has not been completed. (Refer to Incomplete Grade policy for more information.) | No | 0.00 | No |
| IP | In Progress course. | No | 0.00 | No |
| NG | Grade Not Yet Available/Extended Course. Grade assigned for extended course which has not yet ended. | No | 0.00 | No |
| NP / TT | Not Pass. Student did not pass the course under the Pass/Not Pass policy. | No | 0.00 | No |
| NR | Grade Not Yet Reported. Grade not submitted by instructor on time. | No | 0.00 | No |
| P / TP | Pass. Student passed the course under the Pass/Not Pass policy. Prior to fall 2017, credit by prior learning assessment was recorded as P or TP. Credit by prior learning assessment awarded after fall 2017 is recorded with a grade of CR or TE. | Yes | 0.00 | No |
| V | Visitor. Student completed the course under the Auditing a Course policy. No hours or points assigned. | No | 0.00 | No |
| W | Withdrew. Student withdrew from course without academic penalty. Prior to fall 2009 grade was recorded as an N. | No | 0.00 | No |
| XF/TXF | Failure due to academic dishonesty. | No | 0.00 | Yes |
| XM / XT | Academic Renewal. Grades and hours have been removed from GPA calculation. | No | 0.00 | No |
Graduate Course Grades (600 and above levels)
| Grade MSU / Transfer Equivalent |
Interpretation | May count toward a degree or certificate | Counts in Credit Hours Earned | Grade or Quality Points Per Credit Hour | Counts in GPA Hours (used to calculate GPA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A / TA | Outstanding work. Outstanding achievement relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements. Performance was of the highest level and was creative and independent. | Yes | Yes | 4.00 | Yes |
| A- / TA- | Excellent work. Excellent achievement relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements. Performance was clearly and significantly above satisfactory. | Yes | Yes | 3.70 | Yes |
| B+ / TB+ | Good work. Achievement was above the level necessary to meet course requirements. Performance was notable. | Yes | Yes | 3.30 | Yes |
| B / TB | Satisfactory work. Achievement meets course requirements. Performance was adequate. | Yes | Yes | 3.00 | Yes |
| B- / TB- | Slightly below satisfactory work. Achievement meets course requirements but is marginal in quality. Performance was slightly less than adequate. | Yes | Yes | 2.70 | Yes |
| C+ / TC+ | Below satisfactory work. Achievement does not fully meet the course requirements and was not at the level expected for graduate courses, but fulfilled a sufficient enough portion of the course objectives that repeating the course is not necessary unless required by the academic unit. | Yes | Yes | 2.30 | Yes |
| C / TC | Passing work. Achievement does not fully meet the course requirements. Performance was below satisfactory and marginal in quality but fulfilled a sufficient enough portion of the course objectives that repeating the course is not necessary unless required by the academic unit. | Yes | Yes | 2.00 | Yes |
| C- / TC- | Minimally passing work. Achievement barely worthy of credit. Student demonstrated unsatisfactory achievement in meeting course objectives, yet fulfilled a sufficient enough portion of the course objectives that repeating the course is not necessary unless required by the academic unit. | Yes | Yes | 1.70 | Yes |
| CR / TE | Credit by Prior Learning Assessment. Student receives credit for the course from credit by assessment or examination. Prior to fall 2017 such credit was recorded with a grade of P or TP. | Yes | Yes | 0.00 | No |
| D+ / TD+ |
Failed – no credit. Failure to meet course requirements. The work of course objectives was either: 1) completed but not at a level of achievement that is worthy of credit, or 2) was not completed and there was no agreement between the instructor and the student that the student would be awarded an “I” (incomplete). |
No |
Yes |
1.30 | Yes |
| D / TD | No | Yes | 1.00 | Yes | |
| F / TF | No | No | 0.00 | Yes | |
| I | Incomplete. Grade assigned when due to unusual circumstances a small portion of a course, such as a term paper or final examination, has not been completed. (Refer to Incomplete Grade policy for more information.) |
No |
No | 0.00 | No |
| IP | In Progress course. | No | No | 0.00 | No |
| NG | Grade Not Yet Available/Extended Course. Grade assigned for extended course which has not yet ended. | No | No | 0.00 | No |
| NP / TT | Not Pass. Student did not pass the course under the Pass/Not Pass policy. | No | No | 0.00 | No |
| NR | Grade Not Yet Reported. Grade not submitted by instructor on time. | No | No | 0.00 | No |
| P / TP | Pass. Student passed the course under the Pass/Not Pass policy. Prior to fall 2017, credit by prior learning assessment was recorded as P or TP. Credit by prior learning assessment awarded after fall 2017 is recorded with a grade of CR or TE. | Yes | Yes | 0.00 | No |
| V | Visitor. Student completed the course under the Auditing a Course policy. No hours or points assigned. | No | No | 0.00 | No |
| W | Withdrew. Student withdrew from course without academic penalty. Prior to fall 2009 grade was recorded as an N. | No | No | 0.00 | No |
| XF/TXF | Failure due to academic dishonesty. | No | No | 0.00 | Yes |
| XM / XT | Academic Renewal. Grades and hours have been removed from GPA calculation. | No | No | 0.00 | No |
| Z | Deferred grade. Assigned only to students enrolled in 600-level or higher courses, restricted to graduate theses, graduate problem courses, or graduate seminars that might not be completed within a semester. Z grades not removed within four calendar years will be changed to a W. | No | No | 0.00 | No |