Grade point average

Occasionally, a graduate student will be required to take coursework designed to remedy deficiencies in the preparation provided by his or her Bachelor's degree program. Such coursework is remedial or background in nature and does not fulfill specific content requirements of the Master's degree program. The student's department and the Graduate Studies committee are concerned that the student demonstrate satisfactory progress in the background coursework as well as in the coursework stipulated by his or her plan of study. Therefore, grades in both background coursework and coursework making up the specified plan of study will be examined in evaluating the student's progress.

A satisfactory background course grade point average (BGPA) is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for successful completion of the requirements for an MS degree program. The status of any student whose BGPA falls below 3.0 will be reviewed by his or her graduate program advisor and by the department head of the program in which he or she is enrolled. Upon recommendation of the department head, the Graduate Studies Committee can act to place such a student on probation or to drop him or her from the graduate program. However, the Graduate Studies Committee cannot unilaterally take such action.

The student's grade point average (GPA) will be computed on the basis of student achievement in all those courses completed at Rose-Hulman while a graduate student for which a grade is issued.  Thesis credit hours, which receive a satisfactory (S) or unsatisfactory (U) grade, will be excluded. The GPA will be the grade point average used by the Graduate Studies Committee to evaluate all questions related to satisfactory progress toward completion of the MS degree (e.g., probation, continued enrollment, financial assistance), unless it has received a recommendation from the department head as outlined in the preceding paragraph.

The procedure described in the preceding paragraph places a direct responsibility on the graduate student, his or her advisory committee, and his or her department to stipulate those courses which will make up the student's plan of study and thus will count toward the completion of the student's MS program.  Courses not on the plan of study, while not counting toward completion of the degree, will be included in the student's GPA.

Any questions concerning rules, procedures, etc., relating to graduate work should be directed to the Associate Dean of the Faculty.