Program Overview
5 Grading Policies and Procedures
Grading Practices
To receive credit for ENGL 1010 and ENGL 1020, students must receive a C- or higher. Students in ENGL 2020 or ENGL 2030 may pass with a D-.
Due to a combination of Degree Requirements, Prerequisite Requirements, and Financial Aid concerns, students receiving a final grade lower than C- in ENGL 1010 or ENGL 1020 are required to retake the course before they can graduate. Though the D option is available, we strongly discourage using it because it will negatively affect students’ financial aid.
Please note: “N” grades are no longer an option in General Education English courses.
Visit university guidelines for more information and the university grading scale.
Alternative Assessment Practices
The Gen Ed English Program recognizes that there are numerous ways to effectively assess student work. In particular, the program recommends alternative assessment practices that value the time, effort, thinking, and engagement dedicated to a class, rather than just subjective valuations of quality. Such an approach to assessment helps students to focus on learning and development as a writer rather than on guessing how a specific instructor wants them to write. For more information, please visit Evaluation.
If you are interested in alternative assessment, consider our curated Assessment Practices Annotated Bibliography to consider which method might be appropriate for you.
Drop/Add Classes
Registration period: During official registration, students may independently drop a course with no penalty through PipelineMT or with their advisor. This period ends after the first week of classes. Visit the MTSU Registration Guide for more information, and keep an eye on emails from the department regarding important dates and deadlines.
Drop/Add period: After the official registration period is over, students may add or drop courses by obtaining the approval of the appropriate administrators. The last date for students to add or drop a course without a penalty is indicated in the MTSU catalog.
Withdraw: After the Drop/Add period, and not later than two-thirds (2/3) into the semester, a student may officially drop a course on Pipeline and receive a “W” (for “Withdraw”). After that point, students may still obtain a “W” by filling out a Late Registration Form (found in PH 324) to be considered for a “W.” If this form is not submitted and approved, the student will receive an “F.”
If for any reason a student does not officially drop, the student will receive an “F” for each course involved.
Appeals
Student appeals typically begin with a conference between the student and the instructor who assigned the grade before the 11th business day of the next term. Grades earned in fall or winter term are appealed in the spring term; grades earned in spring or summer term are appealed in the fall term.
Appealing students will create a file to present at each level of appeal, including the following: MTSU Student Grade Appeal Form; complete course syllabus; a written statement addressing the specific reasons, alleged unethical/unprofessional actions, or grading inequities that justify the grade appeal; special circumstances or considerations; course requirements that have been completed, including documentation; and written documentation of each step in the appeal with appropriate signatures testifying to each meeting.
For more information, please visit the official university Grade Appeals website here: https://www.mtsu.edu/policies/academic-affairs-students/313.php.
Additional Resources
