Incomplete Grade Policy - Graduate Students
Students who have successfully completed a majority of course requirements (as determined by instructor) but are unable to complete all requirements due to extenuating circumstances may request a temporary grade of “I” (incomplete). The course instructor will determine whether a student is eligible for an Incomplete. Incomplete grades are not guaranteed.
An incomplete grade request must be 1) initiated by the student before the end of the semester/ term in which the course is taken or by a date set by the instructor in the course syllabus, 2) agreed to by the instructor, and 3) committed to in writing by completing, signing, and filing a Contract for Completion of Incomplete Coursework (Incomplete Contract). Students should be prepared to provide documentation of their circumstances when submitting a request. Incomplete Contracts are available online through the Office of the Registrar forms webpage.
Remaining course requirements must be completed in accordance with the Incomplete Contract. Course instructors will set deadlines for the completion and submission of outstanding course requirements. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all work is completed and submitted within the deadlines set by the instructor which may be earlier than the University’s semester end deadline.
In all cases, the incomplete grade must be changed no later than the grading deadline for the subsequent semester/term (e.g., fall 2023 incomplete grades must be changed by the posted grading deadline in the Academic Calendar for spring 2024 courses; fall term 1 incomplete grades must be changed by the posted grading deadline in the Academic Calendar for fall term 2 courses.) The changing of an “I” to an academic grade is relayed from the instructor to the Office of the Registrar by submitting the change of grade form available to faculty on the Provost's SharePoint site.
An “I” grade that is not resolved within the time frames indicated above will automatically become a grade of “F” (Failing), with the exception of incomplete grades assigned to PhD Educational Studies, PhD Counseling Psychology, and PhD Expressive Therapies students, which will remain “I” unless completed.
If the course is a requirement and a passing grade was not earned, the student must repeat the course at the current tuition rate to earn a passing grade. The policy regarding incomplete grades remains in effect regardless of the student’s withdrawal or leave of absence status. No grade changes are accepted after graduation. Students who receive two or more successive incomplete grades may be subject to an academic review to determine eligibility for continued enrollment.
In those exceptional cases in which a student wishes to request an extension of the incomplete course contract beyond the original time frame, the student must submit an Incomplete Course Contract Extension form. The extension request must be submitted before the due date on the original incomplete course contract. Extensions are not guaranteed and extension requests submitted after the original deadline will not be reviewed. Further extensions will not be considered.
The only exception to this policy may be made in regard to a course or set of courses offered in an unusually designed program that requires a unique treatment of “incomplete” grades for the success of the program. In such cases, the Vice Provost of the academic area in which the course resides, must submit a written petition to the Provost justifying an exception to this policy and offering a proposal for resolving the “incomplete” grade. The petition must be submitted to the Provost prior to the scheduling of the course or courses.