Grades for Postgraduate Courses

Students receive a grade for each course in which they are enrolled. Grades used in postgraduate courses are shown in the table below. For the purpose of calculating the grade averages, numerical grade points are assigned to each course grade, except HP/P/LP/U/Y, AU, I, P, PP, T and W which are not included in the calculation of the grade averages.

_Notes:

1. _{A failed course (graded F) will not be credited toward a degree. The “F” grade, including that under the P/F grading system, will be included in the calculation of the grade averages.}
2. _{The HP/P/LP/U/Y grade is for use exclusively on courses of the Doctor of Business Administration and Executive Master of Business Administration programs offered by the School of Business and Management.}
3. _{An Unsatisfactory (U) grade will not be credited toward a degree.}
4. _{An Incomplete (Y) grade is used when there is initial delay in coursework. This grade must be converted to a regular grade within a specified deadline; otherwise it will be converted to a “U” grade.}
5. _{The Audited (AU) grade will be assigned when an auditing student has completed, to the satisfaction of the instructor, any conditions established at registration as an auditor. If the conditions are not met, the course will be deleted from the student’s record.}
6. _{An Incomplete (I) grade is used when work is necessarily delayed through no fault of the student, such as a medical problem or an equipment breakdown. This grade must be converted to a regular grade at least one working day before the start of the following regular term; otherwise it is converted to an “F” grade. The “I” grade given to students on programs not following the regular term system must be converted to a regular grade within one month from the last day for grade reporting for courses, which is normally the sixth working day from the last day of examinations. Otherwise it is converted to an “F” grade.}
7. _{The Pass, Ungraded (P) grade is given only under the P/F grading system for courses that are indicated in the course description in the Course Catalog that they will be graded as such.}
8. _{When progress in thesis or project work is satisfactory but not scheduled for completion at the end of a regular term, the Permitted to Proceed (PP) grade is used.}
9. _{The Withdrawal without Penalty (W) grade is given when a student is granted special approval for withdrawal from a course after the add/drop period.}

Assignment of Course Grades

Grades with grade points assigned are the default grades for courses. Other grading scheme may only be used where this is approved for the course.

Grades given in each course are based on student performance in the final examination, tests, essays and reports, presentations and other forms of classroom participation, assignments, and laboratory exercises, although not all these elements may be present in each course. A failing grade in the laboratory component, if any, of a course may result in a failure in the whole course. The grading scheme for each course will be announced to the class at the beginning of the course.

Grade Announcement

After the examination period, students are required to check their own course grades which are available on the web-based Student Information System. Course grades will be posted on this web-based system as soon as they become available but not later than six working days from the last day of the examination period for the term.

Illness or Other Circumstances Affecting Assessment

If students wish the University to take into account medical reasons or some other extenuating circumstances beyond their control that have affected their performance in an examination, or ability to attend an examination, or to complete other assessment activities, they must report the circumstances of the case in writing and provide appropriate documentation to the Academic Registry within one week of the scheduled date of the assessment activity.

The Academic Registrar will review the case and make a recommendation to the relevant Dean or the Dean’s designee. The student will be notified of the result of the request within one week from the date the request is lodged with the Academic Registry. A make-up examination, if any, will be held within five weeks after the regular examination period. The format of the make-up examination will be decided by the course instructor concerned.

Grade Review

Students may apply for a grade review of a course in which they were enrolled in the term just completed. They should first discuss the matter with the course instructor as soon as the course grades are released. Where a clerical or administrative error has been made, the course offering department will report the revised grade to the Academic Registry.

If the student’s concern remains unresolved after this informal discussion, the student may submit a request for a grade review to the head of the course offering department in writing within two weeks from the day on which grades are released:

1. Stating the grounds for the request for review;
2. Describing the relevant facts; and
3. Providing supporting evidence.

If a review is granted, the Department Head will arrange for the review within three weeks after the release of the grade.

Requests for review of course grades should normally be resolved at the Department level. Students who wish to appeal against the decision of the Department must do so in writing to the Dean within two weeks of receiving the decision stating the grounds for the appeal. Upon receipt of the written appeal, the Dean will determine whether or not a further review of the grade should be granted and how the review will be conducted. The Dean’s decision is final.

Course Repeats

A course with a grade lower than C shall not be credited toward a program although it will be reflected in the student’s record. Only two courses (excluding audited courses) in a postgraduate program may be retaken, and unless otherwise specified, each may be repeated only once. The new grade obtained at the second attempt will replace the previous grade in the calculation of the grade averages.

Grade Averages

A grade average (GA) is the weighted average grade point obtained in a group of courses with letter grades where each course is given a weight equal to its credit value. Courses graded HP/P/LP/U/Y, AU, I, P, PP, T or W are not included in the calculation.

There are three grade averages. The term grade average (TGA) is the grade average covering all courses taken in a specific term. The cumulative grade average (CGA) is based on all the courses taken by the student up to the time of calculation. Students’ TGA and CGA will be calculated at the end of each of the four terms. At graduation, a graduation grade average (GGA) will be calculated from the courses that are presented for an academic award. The GGA for graduation for all postgraduate programs must at least be 2.850.