Academic and Grading Policies

Class Attendance

Texas State expects students to attend every scheduled class meeting. General requirements for class attendance are as follows:

1. Faculty are encouraged to establish mandatory attendance requirements in each course.
2. Each faculty member will inform students of the course attendance policy at the initial class meeting.
3. Students are responsible for understanding the attendance policy for each course in which they enroll and for meeting the attendance requirements.
4. Failure to meet the attendance requirements in a course may lower a grade.
5. Students who do not begin attendance will be administratively dropped from the course during the roster certification period.

Religious Holy Days

"Religious holy day" means a holy day observed by a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property taxation under Section 11.20, Tax Code. In accordance with Texas Education Code Section 51.911, if a student notifies the instructor(s) of each class from which they will be absent due to the observance of a religious holy day, the student will be allowed to take an examination or complete an assignment scheduled for that absent day within a reasonable time after the absence. The Education Code includes excused absences for travel to and from the religious holy day observance. The student may make up class assignments or examinations without penalty within a reasonable time after the absence. A student who is excused under this section shall not be penalized for the absence, but the instructor may appropriately respond if the student fails to satisfactorily complete the assignment or examination within a reasonable time. Each instructor may establish additional procedures to accommodate the needs of students who are absent from classes to observe a religious holy day. These procedures must not conflict with the state law.

Coordinating Board rules provide for an appeal of a disagreement between the student and a faculty member over an absence related to a religious holy day. If a student and an instructor disagree about the nature of the absence being for the observance of a religious holy day, or if there is a disagreement about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a ruling from the president or the president’s designee. The president or the president’s designee must consider the legislative intent of Education Code Section 51.911. The student and instructor shall abide by the decision of the president or the president’s designee. The academic dean of each college serves as the president’s designee to hear requests for decisions on these matters from either the faculty member or the student. Any questions concerning this policy should be directed to the Dean of Students Office.

Course Grades

Grade Symbols

Texas State grades are assigned as follows “A,” excellent; “B,” good; “C,” passing (not at the doctoral level); “D,” passing (not at the graduate level); “F,” failure; “I,” incomplete; “U,” unearned “F" (student was not academically engaged until end of term) or withdrawn failing; “DA” (Dropped administratively due to never attended); and “W,” withdrawn passing. A grade of “PR,” in most instances may be temporary and non-punitive, but may be assigned in selected courses where the required clock hours needed to complete requirements extend beyond the regular term or summer session. A grade of “CR” is assigned when credit only is given for a course, as, for example, in a thesis course after completion of the thesis. A grade of EP (emergency passing) may be used during significant disruptions to academic operations credited by health pandemics or natural disasters. The EP grades indicates passing credit given and counts toward attempted hours, excess hours and repeat calculations. The EP grade does not count in GPA calculations. For a complete list of grades currently and previously used at Texas State visit the Office of the University Registrar's website at http://www.registrar.txstate.edu/our-services/grades.html

Incomplete Grade

The “I” grade may be assigned when a student, for non-academic reasons beyond their control, has not completed a portion of the course. If a student needs to repeat a course or a significant portion of a course, a “W ”, “F”, or “U” grade should be assigned according to regulations governing the assignments of such grades. An “I” grade from Texas State will not count as hours completed until another grade is assigned.

One year from the semester in which a Texas State “I” grade is assigned, or a time period specified by the instructor, whichever is shorter, the I grade will automatically be changed to an “F” if the coursework has not been completed. The grade of "I" may be changed only to another letter grade and may not be extended beyond one year from term in which the original grade was assigned. A grade of "I", once changed to an "F" or another letter grade, may not be changed back to a grade of "I".

Once the grade of "I" has been changed to another letter grade, it will be computed in the student's grade point average (GPA). An “I” grade transferred from another institution remains as “I” on the Texas State record until an updated transcript is received from the other institution.

A graduate student cannot graduate with an "I" grade on their record. If the student wishes to graduate and if the course is not needed for the degree requirement, the "I" grade will have to be converted to an "F" regardless of whether the one-year time period has passed or not. A grade change request may be submitted by no later than the end of the final examination period before the student's graduation. If no grade change request is received, the grade of "I" will convert to an "F" and will be computed in the student's overall GPA.

Withdrawal Grade

A "W" grade cannot be assigned if the student has not officially dropped the course within the semester deadline. A grade of “W ” is assigned if a student drops a course by the Automatic “W ” Drop/Withdrawal Deadline (see University Calendar in this catalog ). After the Automatic “W ” Drop/Withdrawal Deadline, a “U” or “W ” will be assigned depending on whether the student is passing (“W ”) or failing (“U”) the course at the time the drop/withdrawal action is officially completed. For a complete list of grades currently and previously used at Texas State visit the Office of the University Registrar's website at www.registrar.txst.edu/our-services/grades.html.

Change of Grade

An individual course grade may be changed when the involved faculty member certifies to the Office of the University Registrar that an error was made in computing the original grade. The grade change must be approved by the department chair/school director and the appropriate college dean. Students who wish to protest a grade earned in a course should first discuss the grade with the instructor. If no resolution is reached, the student may appeal the grade to the department chair. If no satisfactory conclusion can be reached at this level, the student may appeal to the college dean in which the course is offered, whose decision is final. In accordance with Texas State’s records retention policies, a student appeal for a change of grade must be filed no later than two years after the grade is issued.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

Texas State utilizes the four-point system. The GPA is the total number of grade points earned divided by the number of semester hours attempted. Semester grade symbols have the following values: “A” = 4 points; “B” = 3 points; “C” = 2 points; “D” = 1 point; “F” and “U” = 0 points. Neither hours nor grades are calculated for "I", "CR", "PR", "NC", or "W".  

Student Indebtedness

All University property in a student’s possession must be returned and all debts to Texas State, including past due indebtedness to loan funds, must be satisfactorily adjusted before the student is eligible to receive a statement of good standing, an official transcript of credit, graduation, or re-admission to Texas State. Moreover, continued failure to adjust such debt may result in the student’s losing the privilege of attending class.