Grading System

Academic performance in courses at Wesleyan is evaluated using either letter grades (A–F) or the designations Credit (CR) and Unsatisfactory (U). Instructors may require a single grading mode for all students in a course or may allow students to select their preferred mode (“student option”). Grading options for each course are published with course descriptions. The Academic Calendar posts official deadlines to change grading mode.

Letter Grades

Letter grades are defined as follows: 

A: Excellent
B: Good
C: Fair
D: Passing but unsatisfactory
E: Failure
F: Bad failure

Letter grades (except F) may be modified with plus (+) or minus (-) designations. 

GPA Conversion

The following scale shows how final course grades are converted to Wesleyan GPA. This chart does not dictate how faculty assign grades; instructors maintain discretion in determining grades within their courses.

Submission of Grades

Grades for each course may be submitted only by the instructor of record. If an instructor is no longer employed by the University or has become unavailable, the department chair—or a faculty member designated by the chair—will review the student’s work and submit the grade. 

Grades are assigned only for work submitted during the academic term. Exceptions apply to students who have requested and received approval for an incomplete. 

Grade Changes

Instructors may request a change to a submitted grade for the following reasons: 

• Administrative error

• Error in calculation of grade

• Lost work submitted during the academic term was found

• Submission of overdue work from an incomplete whereby the final grade is not lower than the provisional grade

Incomplete Grades 

All coursework must be submitted by the last day of classes, except for final exams and major assignments in courses without a registrar-scheduled exam, which may be due during the official exam period. 

Students who are unable to meet these deadlines may request an extension of up to 30 days from the instructor. Requests must be submitted no later than the date of the final exam. Instructors may require documentation of illness, family emergency, or other exceptional circumstances and are not obligated to approve the request. 

If an extension is granted, the instructor assigns an “Incomplete” (IN) along with a provisional grade. The provisional grade is the grade the student will receive if no further work is submitted. The final grade cannot be lower than the provisional grade. All remaining coursework must be submitted by the deadline set by the instructor, which may not exceed 30 days after the last day of the exam period, or the first day of Summer or Winter Session if the student is participating in that session. If the instructor has not submitted a revised grade within 37 days of the exam period’s end (i.e., one week after the missing coursework was due), the Office of the Registrar will convert the “Incomplete” to the provisional grade. For students enrolling in an upcoming winter or summer session, all incomplete grades must be resolved prior to the first day of classes of that session, even if this requires the grade to be resolved in fewer than 37 days after the last day of the exam period. 

Faculty Initiated Exceptions: In exceptional cases where either the mode of examination or the nature of the missing work makes a 30-day window impractical, an alternative deadline may be arranged by the instructor in consultation with the class dean. Such exceptions are suitable only for situations where remote assessment or submission is difficult or impossible, not in cases where a student requests longer than 30 days to resolve an incomplete.

Student Initiated Exceptions: Students may receive up to two incompletes per semester with instructor approval. Requests for (1) more than two incompletes in a semester or (2) an extension beyond the deadline set by the instructor or the 30-day maximum require a petition to the class dean. Student requests for extensions beyond 30 days will be decided in consultation with the Vice President for Student Affairs and the instructor.

Students on strict probation must obtain prior approval from their class dean before requesting an incomplete.

Incomplete grades are not usually granted for summer or winter sessions; exceptions may be made only by special petition to the class dean in cases of emergency. 

Unsatisfactory Progress Reports

• Faculty are expected to promptly submit an Unsatisfactory Progress Report (UPR) to the class dean for any student performing below expectations. Early notification enables timely intervention and support. 

• UPRs should be submitted for:

  • Students earning below a C-) or demonstrating patterns likely to result in unsatisfactory performance.

  • Students showing substantial difficulty with course requirements, regardless of current grade.

  • Students on strict probation (deans will notify instructors if such students are enrolled).

Student Grievance Procedure and Grade Appeal

Students may appeal a grade or contest any aspect of a course (including class and exam scheduling) using the following process:

1. Discuss the concern with the course instructor.

2. If unresolved, appeal to the department or program chair.

3. If still unresolved, appeal to the academic dean of the relevant division (Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, or Natural Science and Mathematics), or the Director of Graduate Studies, or the Director of Continuing Studies, as applicable.

4. As a final step, appeal to the provost.

Grade appeals for fall or winter courses must be initiated before the end of the following spring term. Appeals for spring or summer courses must be initiated before the end of the following fall term. 

Under normal circumstances, grade appeals beyond the instructor require the instructor’s consent. In cases where the instructor has become unavailable or an official investigative proceeding determines discriminatory conduct, however, the department chair or their designee will resolve the appeal.