Grading and Transcripts Policy

1. Purpose

Loyalist College is committed to recording student academic achievement in a way that is equitable, understandable, and transparent. This policy provides a consistent framework to communicate students’ satisfactory demonstration of course learning outcomes.

2. Application

This policy applies to all credit-level courses, including Apprenticeship courses.

3. Definitions

• Credential. The recognition of program completion of an Ontario College credential or a Loyalist College Certificate, under the Ontario Qualifications Framework.
• Credit-level. A course where credits are awarded on transcripts and are eligible to be considered towards the completion of an Ontario College credential or a Loyalist College Certificate and can be assessed for credit transfer at another post-secondary institution.
• Final Grade. A mark indicating the student’s cumulative understanding and demonstration of the course learning outcomes.
• Grade Point Average (GPA). The weighted average of all the numeric grades received. Pass/fail grades are not included in this calculation. If a course is repeated for any reason, the higher grade will be used in the calculation. Types of GPA calculations include:
  • Term GPA: the GPA earned in a specific academic term.
  • Program GPA: the GPA earned from all courses in a program of study, calculated at the time the credential is awarded.
  • Total Institution/Overall GPA: the GPA of all courses attempted at the College.
• Grading System. The framework by which a final grade in a course will be expressed (e.g., numeric percentage, letter grade, pass/fail).
• Program of Study. An official list of all the required courses and experiential learning components within all semesters of an approved graduate certificate, degree, advanced diploma, diploma, or certificate program, developed in compliance with standards established by the Ministry.
• Semester. A defined set of courses within a program of study that are intended to be taken together during a specific academic term.
• Term. A defined period of time within an academic year when courses are offered. The academic year is comprised of three 15-week terms – Fall, Winter, and Spring.
• Transcript. The official record which lists the student’s complete academic history, including courses attempted, courses completed, grades obtained, transfer credits awarded, and credentials conferred, as applicable.

4. Policy

Final grades are earned by students and represent a measure of their academic achievement. They serve a basis for decisions regarding progression, recognition of excellence, and graduation.

Each course has a defined grading system identified on the course outline and all sections and delivery formats of a course must follow the same grading system. Final grades are submitted to the Registrar’s Office according to the term grade submission deadlines established in the Academic Calendar.

5. Grading

• The College uses a percentage (no decimals) grading system for most credit-level courses. A final grade for each course is recorded on a student’s transcript in the form of a percentage grade.
• The following ranges apply:
  • Grades ranging from 50 – 100% represent successful completion of the course.
  • Grades ranging from 0 – 49% represent course failure.
• If a passing grade for a course is higher than 50%, this will be noted in the program of study and on the course outline. Higher passing grades are approved on an exceptional basis by the Senior Vice President Academic and are normally associated with accreditation/regulatory body requirements or degree programs.
• Credit-level courses may also use a pass/fail grading system. Pass/fail grading systems are often used in lab-based and experiential learning courses.
  • P (Pass): The “P” grade indicates successful completion of a course where a Pass/Fail evaluation system is used. The “P” grade has no numerical value and is not included in the calculation of GPA.
  • F (Fail): The “F” grade indicates an unsuccessful attempt to complete a course where a Pass/Fail evaluation system is used. The “F” grade has no numerical value and is not included in the calculation of GPA.
• Prior to Fall 2004, the official College grading system used letter grades. Letter grades can be mapped to numerical grades using the following framework:
  • A+ = 95 – 100%
  • A = 85 – 94%
  • B = 75 – 84%
  • C = 65 – 74%
  • D = 55 – 64%
  • F = 0 – 54%

6. Other Grading Designations

• Other grading designations may appear on the transcript. These designations do not carry a grade point value and are not included in the calculation of the GPA.
  • AG (Aegrotat): The “AG” grade applies to students whose performance over a significant proportion of the course has been more than satisfactory, but where due to very exceptional personal circumstances, the student is unable to complete the course. Credit is granted.
  • AU (Auditing): The “AU” grade is used for students who are approved to audit a course by the Dean and the Registrar. Auditing allows attendance without participation in assessments or evaluations. No credit is granted.
  • Course Vocational Elective Audit (Cn): The “Cn” grade (n = 0-8) is used for students enrolled in the Community Integration Through Co-operative Education program who are auditing credit-level courses. No credit is granted.
  • EX (Exemption): The “EX” grade represents a credit awarded in recognition of the successful completion of a similar course at Loyalist College or in recognition of other formal learning. Credit is granted.
  • IP (In-progress): The “IP” designation is used temporarily in exceptional cases when there is a known, time-bound delay in receiving the final grade for a student or group of students. The “IP” designation must be replaced by a numerical grade or another non-numerical grading designation in the subsequent term.
  • TC (Transfer Credit): The “TC” grade is associated with the course code and course description of the course approved for transfer credit. Credit is granted.
  • NC (Non-credit): The “NC” grade acknowledges completion of non-credit continuous professional learning, workforce development, and general interest courses. No credit is granted.
  • W (Withdrawal): A “W” is assigned when a student officially withdraws from a course before the “academic penalty” date, as published in the academic calendar. No credit is granted.
• Other non-numerical grading designations have been discontinued but may still appear on student transcripts. Discontinued grading designations include:
  • Academic Dishonesty (AD): An “AD” grade was previously assigned based on an academic integrity departure. The “AD” grade has a numerical value of 0 and is included in the GPA. No credit is granted.

7. Grade Point Average (GPA) Calculation

• 7.1. Credit Value
  • A credit is a unit of value that expresses the quantity of work required in a course. The number of credit hours of a course is usually determined by the number of hours of instruction per week multiplied by the number of weeks in a term. For example, a 42-hour course with 3 hours of instruction per week over 14-weeks has a credit value of 3.
• 7.2. Grade Point Average (GPA)
  • The GPA is calculated by multiplying the numeric grade achieved in the course by the credit value of the course. The GPA is calculated by totaling the courses with weighted averages and dividing by the number of credits.
  • For example, a student completes the following four courses in a term.

8. Transcripts

Final grades are not official until recorded and released by the Registrar’s Office. Following the release of final grades, all grades will be published on the student’s transcript. If a final grade needs to be changed after it has been officially released, due to an error, miscalculation, or successful academic appeal, a grade change form must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office within 25 business days of the term grade submission deadline. Grade changes after this period require Dean approval.

Official and unofficial transcripts are available upon request. Official transcripts, credentials, and other enrolment verification documentation will not be released if a student has an outstanding balance on their financial account.

9. Related Documents

• ACAD 202 Post-secondary Program Progression and Graduation Procedure
• ACAD 204 Fees, Withdrawal, and Refund Policy
• ACAD 205 Evaluation of Student Performance Policy
• ACAD 207 Academic Appeals
• AOP 221 Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition, Transfer Credit/Advanced Standing, Articulation Agreements and Exemption