Grading Guidelines

This document was approved as an official guideline for the CS department and its associated courses by vote of the CS faculty on 2019-02-18.

CS Grading Guidelines

The giving of grades is a well-established component of our educational system, but the meaning of those grades is not. In an effort to provide some clarity and consistency, the CS department provides the following guidelines. These guidelines are not a grading system, but rather definitions which resulting grades should approximate. Individual courses may establish different definitions in their beginning-of-course memo. Using the definitions in this document will help students understand which subsequent courses and experiences they are prepared to excel in and which they are not yet ready to undertake.

Course grading practice should be described in syllabi or beginning-of-course memos. Such descriptions should explain how the activities and assessments in the course contribute to student grades. Grading practices should result in final grades that approximate the definitions contained in this document.

It is traditional for grades to reflect a combination of several kinds of learning objectives, including but not limited to communication skills, creativity, learning, participation, professionalism, skill, teamwork, timeliness, understanding, etc. Each course may combine these learning objectives differently while still satisfying the following definitions.

“A” is used for students who demonstrate mastery of all learning objectives. An “A” should be seen as a recommendation that the student would likely do well in areas that depend on these objectives in the future.

“B” is used for students who demonstrate competence in all significant learning objectives. A “B” should be seen as an acknowledgement that the student would be able to do well in areas that depend on these objectives in the future, but that their learning was incomplete; they are encouraged to review and improve in this topical area if it is a significant part of their future plans.

“C” is used for students who demonstrate sufficient competence in enough of the learning objectives that subsequent work can be contemplated. A “C” should be seen as a caution that some aspects of the course seem to be missing or misunderstood and that future efforts in areas that depend on these objectives are likely to be challenging unless those gaps are first filled.

“D” is used for students who demonstrate minimal competence in learning objectives, but not enough to recommend further studies or activities in related areas. A “D” should be seen as a prediction that future efforts in areas that depend on these objectives are unlikely to be successful unless the course that gave the “D” is first retaken.

“F” is used for students who failed to demonstrate minimal competence in learning objectives. An “F” should be seen as indicating that future efforts in areas that depend on these objectives should not be undertaken without first retaking the course that gave the “F”.

Misconduct or lack of professionalism may result in a lower grade than demonstrated competence would otherwise indicate. The scope and nature of such reductions, if any, may be determined independently for each course offering.