"Incomplete" Grade. This grade is given to a student who satisfactorily completes the majority of course work (i.e., material amounting to more than 50% of the course grade as outlined in the course syllabus) and whose work averaged "D" or better, but who has been unavoidably prevented from completing the remaining work of the course. This grade is considered temporary. When the instructor specifies the conditions the student must fulfill in order to complete the course, he or she will also specify the grade the student would receive based on total course requirements and evaluation of completed work, and assign a composite incomplete grade. This temporary grade ("IB,” "IC," "ID," or "IF") will reflect the percentage of work completed by the student as well as the grade earned on the completed work. This will be the projected grade if the student received a zero for the remaining course work, with the "I" representing the incomplete status of the course. Neither a grade of "IA," nor a condition that the student must repeat the course, is permitted.
The "composite incomplete" grade ("IB," "IC," "ID" or "IF") will be recorded on the online grade form and on the unofficial transcript until the final grade is assigned. The official academic transcript will reflect an "I" grade for the course until the final grade is assigned.
The maximum time allowed for a student to complete the course is one calendar year after the end of the semester for which the incomplete grade was awarded. The dean of the student’s college (for graduate students, this is the Graduate Dean) may recommend to the Office
of the Registrar an adjustment of this period in exceptional circumstances, which must be clearly documented with supporting evidence when deemed appropriate. Instructors have the prerogative to require a shorter period of time to complete the remaining requirements.
It is the responsibility of the student to satisfy the requirements stipulated by the instructor at the time the incomplete grade is assigned; it is the responsibility of the instructor to initiate action to have any new permanent grade entered as soon as possible after the student completes the course or, after one year, partially fulfills the remaining requirements.
Upon completion of any or all of the remaining requirements, or at the end of the one-year period (whichever occurs first), the temporary grade on the transcript is changed to reflect the final grade for the course (e.g., "IC" is changed to "B" on the unofficial transcript, and "I" is changed to "B" on the official transcript). Any course in which none of the remaining requirements are fulfilled will, after one year, have the incomplete grade changed to the default grade (e.g., "IC" or "I" is changed to "C"). If the student opts to graduate prior to the end of the one year period and if the course is required for graduation, the remaining course requirements must be completed and the final grade assigned y the deadline for course work completion for his or her final graduating semester. If the course is not required for graduation, the standard completion time limits apply. When the temporary incomplete grade is replaced with the permanent grade, this action is not considered a violation of the policy that states a grade will not be lowered after graduation.
An incomplete grade that was assigned prior to the Fall 2008 semester and is not changed within the designated time limit remains a permanent "I" grade on the transcript.
Notes from your advisor on incompletes:
Things you should know if you cannot complete a course on schedule:
- Communication with your instructor is essential.
- Incompletes are not automatically assigned by instructors because no work has been received. (If no work is completed the appropriate grade is an “F”)
- Students should be in direct contact with the instructor if circumstances exist that will prevent them from completing the course requirements on time.
- The instructor will determine what conditions must exist for an incomplete to be assigned (i.e. has the student completed 50% percent of the required work or met other criteria for consideration?*). This is especially important in short courses where the majority of the course work may be due near the end of the course.
*may vary by instructor and course
