UNDERGRADUATE GRADE MODES

NTC & SoPA Undergraduate credit-bearing courses typically have the following grade modes assigned to each course:

The S “Standard” grade mode is used for the undergraduate credit-bearing courses that fall under the Newcomb-Tulane College (NTC) affiliated schools (Architecture, Business, Liberal Arts, Public Health, Science & Engineering) as well as the School of Professional Advancement’s (SoPA) undergraduate courses ; in this grade mode, D- is the minimum threshold for passing.

Undergraduate credit-bearing courses in these schools and programs typically should have the following grade modes assigned to their courses:

Grade mode	Default/Alternate	Threshold for passing
S/Standard	Default	D-
A/Audit	Alternate	n/a
U/Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory	Alternate	S
Z/Administrative	Alternate	n/a

Note: Year-long courses at the undergraduate level will use the Y (Year-Long grade type) for the first half of the course. This is the grade mode that should be used for 4990 and 4991 courses, the first-semester courses of the year-long honors project or thesis. This grade modes assigns an IP (In Progress) grade at the end of the first term and the grade must be updated after the completion of the second semester of the honors project or thesis.

Undergraduate Nursing courses typically have the following grade modes assigned to each course:

The H “Standard C Passing” grade mode is used for the nursing (NRSG) courses; in this grade mode, C is the minimum threshold for passing.

Undergraduate credit-bearing NRSG courses should have the following grade modes assigned to their courses:

Grade mode	Default/Alternate	Threshold for passing
H/Standard C Passing	Default	C
Z/Administrative	Alternate	n/a

GRADUATE GRADE MODES

Graduate grade modes vary by school and sometimes within a school they vary by degree type or program.

Architecture, Business (PhD only), Liberal Arts, Medicine (Master’s and PhD programs in the Biomedical Sciences program in the Medical School), Professional Advancement, Science and Engineering:

The E “Standard 3” grade mode is used for these schools’ credit-bearing courses; in this grade mode, B- is the minimum threshold for passing.

Graduate credit-bearing courses in these schools and programs typically should have the following grade modes assigned to their courses:

Grade mode	Default/Alternate	Threshold for passing
E/Standard 3	Default	B-
A/Audit	Alternate	n/a
P/Pass/Fail	Alternate	P
Z/Administrative	Alternate	n/a

Note: Year-long courses at these schools and programs level will use the F (Year-Long 3 grade type) This is the grade mode that should be year-long project courses in the first-semester component. This grade modes assigns an IP (In Progress) grade at the end of the first term and the grade must be updated after the completion of the corresponding second semester course.

Public Health & Tropical Medicine and Social Work:

The 6 “Standard 2” grade mode is used for these schools’ credit-bearing courses; in this grade mode, C is the minimum threshold for passing.

Graduate courses in these schools and programs typically should have the following grade modes assigned to their courses:

Grade mode	Default/Alternate	Threshold for passing
6/Standard 2	Default	C
A/Audit	Alternate	n/a
P/Pass/Fail	Alternate	P
Z/Administrative	Alternate	n/a

Note: Year-long courses at these schools and programs level will use the 5 (Year-Long 2 grade type). This is the grade mode that should be year-long project courses in the first-semester component. This grade modes assigns an IP (In Progress) grade at the end of the first term and the grade must be updated after the completion of the corresponding second semester course.

Business Master’s-level programs, excluding Executive MBA:

The S “Standard” grade mode at the graduate level is used by the A.B. Freeman School of Business for their master’s-level programs in accordance with the Freeman School policies; in this grade mode, D- is the threshold for passing.

Graduate courses in this school and affiliated master’s programs typically should have the following grade modes assigned to their courses:

Grade mode	Default/Alternate	Threshold for passing
S/Standard	Default	D-
A/Audit	Alternate	n/a
U/Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory	Alternate	S
Z/Administrative	Alternate	n/a

Executive MBA program:

The B “Executive MBA EB” grade mode is used by the A.B. Freeman School of Business’ Executive MBA program; in this grade mode, the P is the threshold for passing.

Graduate courses in the EMBA program should have the following grade modes assigned to their courses:

Grade mode	Default/Alternate	Threshold for passing
B, Executive MBA EB	Default	P
A/Audit	Alternate	n/a
P/Pass/Fail	Alternate	P
Z/Administrative	Alternate	n/a

Other graduate grade-types available for all graduate programs:

· Research Grade modes:

7 (Research zero credit; results in R grade at end of term)

K (Research for credit; options of P (Passing) or F (Failing) and must be assessed by faculty advisor at end of term).

§ See Understanding graduate research course grade modes (9970, 9980, 9990) for more details.

A NOTE ABOUT UNDERGRADUATE/GRADUATE COURSE GRADE MODES (Typically 6000-level courses)

In some cases, either by design of the undergraduate program or due to a combined, joint, or 4+1 program, graduate-level coursework is offered to both undergraduate and graduate students. In these cases, the undergraduate and graduate grade modes should be available on the course to accommodate variations in the grade mode on a case-by-case basis at the individual student-level for enrolled students, depending on their primary degree program.

A NOTE ABOUT 0-CREDIT COURSES

NG, P, U, Z are the grade modes that should be associated with courses that do not carry credit. Letter-grades should not be among the grading options for 0-credit courses.

Minimum passing thresholds for graduate programs in this article were reviewed and approved by Michael Cunningham, Associate Provost for Graduate Studies and Research on 8/12/2024.

Understanding Grade Modes- Tulane University Faculty & Staff Use