Definition: An Incomplete grade (“I”) is exceptional and granted at the instructor’s discretion only when students are unable to complete course requirements due to illness or other circumstances beyond their control. This applies to all gradable courses, including pass/fail (S/U).

Students may only be eligible for an “I” when:

• the majority of the student’s work for a course has been completed before the end of the semester
the work that has been completed must be qualitatively satisfactory
• the student has requested consideration for an “I” grade as soon as possible but no later than the last day of finals week.

The student must request consideration for an Incomplete grade and obtain an “I” Grade Contract from the instructor of record. Even though the student may meet the eligibility requirements for this grade, the course instructor retains the right to make the final decision on granting a student's request for an Incomplete. The course instructor and student must complete and sign the “I” Grade Contract Form that describes the work to be completed, the date it is due, and the grade the student would earn factoring in a zero for all incomplete assignments. The due date can be negotiated and extended by student/instructor as long as it does not exceed one semester from the original date grades were due for that course.

The instructor must file a copy of the “I” Grade Contract in the department that offered the course and the Graduate School by the date grades are due. The instructor must not require students to either re-register for the course or audit the course in order to complete the “I” grade. Students may register to audit the course, with the instructor’s approval, but cannot re-take the course for credit until the I grade is cleared.

An I grade not cleared within the next academic semester (including summer semester) will revert to the grade noted on the contract. I grades are not computed in the GPA, but the grade noted on the contract will be computed in the GPA, retroactive to the semester the course was taken, if the contract is not fulfilled by the specified date. When the final grade is assigned, if applicable, the student will be placed on academic probation or academically dismissed (refer to Automated Academic Probation Procedures for information). Students cannot be admitted to doctoral candidacy or certified for graduation with an “I” grade.

Example:

•   student has a “B” in the course, not including the grade for the missing assignment, therefore is eligible for an “I”

•   student’s grade, including a zero for the missed work, would be an “D”

•   student and instructor complete the “I” Grade Contract, assigning an “ID” (Incomplete +D grade)

Deadline Agreed Upon in Contract (e.g. two weeks):*

If the student completes the work as agreed upon in the Contract by the noted deadline

•   instructor submits a change of grade

•   student earns final grade comprised of all completed course work

If the student does not complete the work as agreed upon in the Contract by the noted deadline

•   “I” automatically drops off and the grade of “D” remains.

•   GPA is recalculated for the current semester and retroactively recalculated for the semester in which the “I” was granted.

*Although the instructor establishes the deadline for completion of the work, the deadline may only extend through the end of the subsequent semester.

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