Academic Residence: Students must be in residence for at least 24 of the last 30 hours of graded credit (exclusive of courses graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis), except under unusual circumstances, to be decided by the dean.

Graduation: Students must file a degree application form with their respective dean's office at least one year before the expected graduation date. The dean's office makes a final check to determine that all graduation requirements have been met. Students should check with the dean's office or an adviser to be sure their program fulfills the requirements of the department and college or school, as well as the university general requirements.  To assure graduating at the end of a specific semester, all work for that semester and any delayed grades from previous semesters must be completed with the grades sent to the Office of Admissions no later than the official date for submission of final semester grades.

Three times during the year, a Schedule of Courses is published, listing the specific courses offered that semester and their meeting times and locations. This Schedule is available as follows:

    Fall Semester Schedule: in the preceding March.
    Winter Semester Schedule: in the preceding October.
    Summer Session Schedule: in the preceding March. 

The schedule is also on the UM-St. Louis web site: http://www.umsl.edu  The University reserves the right to cancel without notice any course listed in the Bulletin or the course schedules for any semester or to withdraw any course which does not have adequate enrollment at the close of registration.

Credit Hours:  The university credit unit is the semester hour, which represents a subject pursued one period weekly for one semester of  approximately 16 weeks or for a total of approximately 16 periods for one term. Generally, a course valued at 3 semester hours meets for three periods weekly for one semester, a 2credit course two periods a week for a semester, and so on. Normally, the lecture or recitation period is 50 minutes long and the laboratory period one hour and 50 minutes.

The number of credit hours is in parentheses after each course title. If the credit is variable, to be fixed in consultation with the instructor, it is shown by (credit arranged) or by minimum and maximum credit, such as research (2-8).

Grading System: The grading system available to all faculty in all schools, colleges, and other parallel units at UMSt. Louis consists of:

 

A = 4.0

A = 3.7

B+ = 3.3

B = 3.0

B = 2.7

C+ = 2.3

C = 2.0

C = 1.7

D+ = 1.3

D = 1.0

D = 0.7

F = 0

    

S/U = Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (applied when a student has formally requested this option for a course—see information below)
EX = Excused          DL = Delayed
Y = No basis for a grade

Faculty have full discretion in using full letter grades, plus/minus grades, or any combination of full letter and plus/minus grades.

The student's grade point average is computed by dividing the total quality points (number of credit hours for a course, multiplied by the grade value received) by the number of hours taken (excluding grademodified hours).

At the end of each semester and summer session, the Registrar informs students of their grades. A copy will be mailed to parents at the student's request.

Attention Education Majors: Professional Education courses must be completed with a grade point average of 2.50 and no grade lower than a "C" (2.0). A "C-" grade is not acceptable.

Delayed Grade:  A student whose work is incomplete at the end of any semester and who has, in the instructor's judgment, sufficient reasons for failing to complete the work, may, with the approval of the instructor and department chairperson, be assigned a delayed grade. Such work must be made up no later than one semester after the incomplete grade is given or the grade automatically becomes F. The dean may, in unusual circumstances, extend this time limitation (Summer Session is not counted as a semester.)

Notice of change in a delayed grade shall be given to the Registrar on a special form.

Y Grade:  When, in the instructor's judgment, there is no basis for evaluating the work of students who do not officially drop a course or officially withdraw from the university, a mark of Y (unauthorized withdrawal—no basis for evaluation) is given.

Examinations:
Examinations may be given only at regular class meeting times or as designated by the Senate Committee on Curriculum and Instruction.

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Option:Undergraduate students may elect to take up to 18 credit hours during their academic careers at UMSt. Louis on a satisfactory/ unsatisfactory (S/U) grading basis. This includes courses taken as electives or those which satisfy the general education requirements. Most courses required for a specific degree may not be taken on a satisfactory/ unsatisfactory basis, and academic departments may designate other courses within their jurisdiction which may not be taken under the option.

Students register for courses in the normal manner and may exercise the satisfactory/unsatisfactory option before the end of the first four weeks of a regular semester (or the first two weeks of a summer session). Requests for this option are made through the proper dean's office. Instructors are not informed of students taking courses on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

A satisfactory grade—S—is recorded when an instructor assigns the grade of A, A, B+, B, B, C+, C,or C, and has no numerical value in computing one's cumulative grade point average; however, it does satisfy credithour graduation requirements. An unsatisfactory grade—U—is recorded when an instructor assigns the grades of D+, D, D, or F, and has no numerical value in computing one's cumulative grade point average, nor does it satisfy any credithour graduation requirements. Grades will be recorded on transcripts as S or U.

Repeating Courses: Students may not repeat for grade point average or credit hour purposes courses in which grades of A, A B+, B, B, C+, C, or C have been earned. If a student earns a D+, D, D, or F, the course may be repeated. All grades earned will affect the calculation of one's cumulative grade point average; the course hours, however, will be counted only once in calculating hours towards one's degree. (See Grade Modification.)

Grade Modification: When the grade received in an initial attempt in a course at UMSt. Louis is a D+, D, D, or F, the grade may be replaced in the calculation of the GPA by the grade received in a second or subsequent attempt of the same course at UMSt. Louis. All grades received in second and subsequent attempts will be included in GPA calculations. A maximum of 15 hours may be dropped from the calculation of the student's GPA. All attempts of a given course will appear on the official transcript with the grade(s) earned. The transcript will have an explanation which states that the GPA is calculated using all grades earned in a course except the initial attempt when a course has been repeated and grade modified.

Note:  Grade modification is not automatic. After completing the second or subsequent attempt of the course to be modified, students must process the necessary paperwork with an academic adviser in the academic unit in which the student is currently enrolled.