Grading in Graduate School

In the graduate program at Boise State University, traditional undergraduate grades take on slightly new meanings.  Whereas as an undergraduate, you could probably receive a “C,” “D,” or “F” grade without unbearable consequences, in the graduate program they can be catastrophic.

• An “A,” as always, indicates excellent work and excellent academic progress. A “B” indicates good work and good academic progress.
• If you are only taking one course in a semester, you need to earn a “B” or better so as not to fall below the Graduate College’s required semester GPA of a 3.0.
• “C” grades have negative consequences, because you cannot graduate with a GPA below 3.0. Both the Graduate College and the History Department monitor your GPA. If your semester GPA falls below 3.0 twice, or you receive two “Cs” in required courses listed on the AAC during your tenure, you will be withdrawn from the program. One “C” will result in probation. For students accepted provisionally, and already in a probationary state, one “C” could mean dismissal from the program.
• “D” grades are worse, of course. You may retake a course in which you received a “D” at the next available opportunity (which may not come for two or more years).  If you do not raise your grade to a “B” or better during the first retake attempt, you will be removed from the program.
• Receipt of an “F” in any graduate course will result in your immediate removal from the program.
• Incompletes are not given to graduate students except in extreme cases. If you receive an incomplete, you might not be allowed to register for courses for the following semester; the incomplete must be then replaced with a letter grade for you to continue graduate work.