Section 6. Academic Progress and Grading Policies:

Grading: Course-Based

Letter grade A (Superior)

Point value: 4.0

Student met all participation requirements; completed all assignments, group projects, and papers; met the evaluation criteria for the course as specified in the syllabus; and submitted superior quality work.

Letter grade B (Above Average)

Point value: 3.0

Student met all participation requirements; completed all assignments, group projects, and papers; met the evaluation criteria for the course as specified in the syllabus; and submitted satisfactory quality work.

Letter grade C (Average)

Point value: 2.0

Student met the majority of participation requirements; completed most assignments, group projects, and papers; and met the majority of evaluation criteria for the course as specified in the syllabus.

Letter grade D (Marginal)

Point value: 1.0

Student met the majority of participation requirements; completed most assignments, group projects, and papers; and met the majority of evaluation criteria for the course as specified in the syllabus.

Letter grade F (Fail)

Point value: 0.0

Student did not meet the criteria for a passing grade.

Letter grade I (Incomplete)

Incomplete grades can be granted only to students who have already met the minimum criteria for active weekly participation in a course (including weekly postings in online courses) and have completed the majority of the coursework. Incompletes can be awarded where, due to extenuating circumstances, a student has not been able to complete all course requirements within the term, including but not limited to written assignments, group projects, and research papers, as applicable. All incomplete grades are awarded at the discretion of the course instructor.

 

Students are eligible for graduation when they meet the requirements listed in the Walden University Catalog in effect when they entered the university, unless a prior request to follow a different catalog was approved. Semester- and quarter-based students are only eligible for conferral at the end of the final academic term for which they are registered.

Students obtaining a certificate or graduate degree embedded in a higher degree must apply for conferral of the embedded credential prior to award of the higher degree. Students obtaining an embedded certificate or graduate degree are only eligible for conferral at the end of their registered academic term in which the embedded credential requirements have been satisfied. Separate graduation applications are required for each degree type.

Students must be in their final academic term to student submit a Graduation Application, which is required in order to be conferred. Students can find the application on the myWalden university portal. Students are responsible for ensuring that all personal information is correct on the graduation application. Students will be charged a fee of $25 to reprint a corrected hard-copy diploma or certificate and $10 for an electronic-only copy.

Upon receiving the Graduation Application, the Office of the Registrar will conduct a preliminary review of the student’s record and validate the degree requirements, ensuring that the student is nearing degree completion. Degrees will not be conferred until the Office of the Registrar has completed a final review of the degree audit and has validated that the following requirements have been successfully met:

• All grades are posted.
• All program requirements are completed.
• Required GPA is obtained.
• Dissertation or doctoral study is submitted, approved by the CAO, and published.

Upon conferral of the degree, the student will receive email confirmation via their Walden email address. The email will provide instructions on requesting an official transcript and attending the commencement ceremony, for those eligible. Please note: Only students earning a degree are eligible to attend the commencement ceremony. Students earning a certificate only are not eligible to attend. Diplomas or certificates will be mailed to the student’s address as requested on the Graduation Application approximately 4–6 weeks after the degree conferral has been processed. Electronic diplomas or certificates will be sent within 10 business days of degree conferral.

The diploma indicates the student’s degree and major field of study but not the concentration or specialization. However, the concentration or specialization is indicated on the official transcript. Diplomas are 11” x 14”. Certificates are 8½” x 11”.

If a student has an outstanding financial obligation to the university, his or her transcripts and diploma or certificate will not be released, either to the student or to a third party.

For questions regarding graduation or diplomas or certificates, please email graduation@mail.waldenu.edu.

For questions regarding graduation applications, please email gradapp@mail.waldenu.edu.

Second Graduate Degree

The university will not award a graduate degree with the same major or discipline more than once regardless if the original degree was from Walden or a non-related institution. This includes courses taken toward a different specialization within the degree for which a student was previously awarded. For graduate degrees, two degrees are understood to be the same if they are the same degree or contain a majority of the same core or required courses. An award from a previous non-related institution with the same degree name and major or discipline as the one being sought at Walden is presumed to be the same degree. Appeals for exceptions to this policy must demonstrate that the first degree differs significantly in the core or required curricula from the second degree being sought.

This policy does not apply to certificates.

Commencement

The university honors its graduates twice a year, at summer and winter commencement ceremonies. Graduates are encouraged to invite guests to share in the celebration of their accomplishments.

Students are responsible for ensuring they meet the eligibility requirements to attend the commencement ceremony prior to making arrangements to attend. There are no exceptions to the eligibility requirements to attend the commencement ceremony. Students who have their degrees conferred in the first half of the year are eligible to attend the summer ceremony; students who have their degrees conferred in the second half of the year are eligible to attend the winter ceremony. For exact dates of eligibility and upcoming commencement locations, please find more information on Walden’s Commencement website. Invitations to the ceremony are sent via email to eligible graduates during an open registration period; the student’s degree must be conferred to complete the online registration process.

Graduates attending commencement are responsible for purchasing their regalia for the ceremony. All graduates may purchase regalia and graduation merchandise from Jostens online Walden page or by calling their dedicated Walden line at 1-800-854-7464.

For more information, students can send an email to commencement@mail.waldenu.edu.

A grade appeal is an appeal that is limited to reconsideration of a final grade in a course. The criteria for reconsideration are limited to one of the following:

• There was a mathematical error in the calculation of the final grade.
• The grade was determined in a manner that differed from the grade calculation formula in the course syllabus.
• The grade was determined in a manner sufficiently egregious to warrant review by others (rare).

If students believe a grade has been assigned in error, they must first contact the course instructor to attempt to resolve the matter informally. If the matter is not resolved, then students may submit an online petition for grade review.

Petitions must be filed within 30 calendar days of the award of the original grade to be considered for grade review.

All changes of grade, regardless of circumstance, require the course instructor to complete and submit a Change of Grade request form online. If the grade being changed is currently an “I” (Incomplete), the instructor submits the request form electronically. The Office of the Registrar then posts the grade change to the student’s record.

If the grade being changed is not currently an I (Incomplete), regardless of circumstance, the appropriate dean or executive director, or designee, must also send approval of the change for all major courses to the Office of the Registrar. This approval is required in addition to the Change of Grade form.

Electronically submitted written petitions and related documentation are reviewed by the dean or executive director, or designee, who consults the appropriate parties as necessary. The dean or executive director, or designee, may render a decision or appoint a committee to investigate the matter further concerning major courses. The associate dean of the School of Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Studies, or designee, may render a decision or appoint a committee to investigate the matter further concerning general education courses. The decision of the dean or executive director or their designees is final and is not subject to appeal. The dean or executive director or their designee notifies the student, instructor, and registrar of that decision.

Walden strongly discourages grades of “I” (Incomplete). However, Walden understands that there are certain circumstances under which a grade of “I” is appropriate.

Grades of “I” are given at the discretion of the course instructor. Normally, they are granted only if students have already met the minimum criteria for active weekly participation in a course (including weekly postings in online courses) and have acceptably completed the majority of the coursework, including discussions and assignments, prior to the last day of classes.

Students must request a grade of “I” prior to the last day of classes. The request should list missing assignments and say when students plan to turn them in, no later than 80 calendar days from the last day of classes. Discussion assignments may not be made up after the last day of classes. Coursework submitted within the allowed time period, not to exceed 80 calendar days from the last day of classes, will be graded and included in computation of an overall course grade that will replace the “I” grade. Failure to complete the specified coursework within the allowed time will cause the grade of “I” to default to an “F” (Fail) or “U” (Unsatisfactory), depending on the course grading scheme.

Graduate Students

Students in graduate programs must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above to graduate. The GPA is calculated according to the point values in the grading scale.

Grades of “W” (Withdraw) are nonpunitive and do not figure into the GPA. Withdrawals, however, may be counted toward credits attempted for financial aid academic progress requirements.

RN-Entry MSN students completing undergraduate provisional coursework must also earn a “C” or better in each course and an overall GPA of 3.0. 

Undergraduate Students

Students in undergraduate programs must maintain a grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or above to graduate. The grade point average is calculated according to the point values in the grading scale.

Grades “W” (Withdraw) do not figure into the GPA. Withdrawals, however, may be counted toward credits attempted for financial aid academic progress requirements.

BSN and BSN AIM students must earn a “C” or better in each nursing course and an overall GPA of 2.0. 

Calculating GPA

As of June 5, 2009, Walden University began calculating a Program GPA for all current students. All courses completed during a student’s program apply toward the Program GPA. This GPA is used to verify satisfactory academic progress, verify degree validation, and determine a student’s eligibility for financial aid. This includes students who may change concentrations or specializations, catalog versions, or modalities within a program. All courses taken in that program apply toward the student’s university Program GPA.

All courses attempted while a student is enrolled in a program will contribute to the Program GPA. Walden coursework completed under a previously awarded degree may fulfill program requirements of a future degree; however, these courses will not impact the Program GPA of the new program. That is, any course that counts toward the Program GPA for a completed degree will not count toward the Program GPA of a future degree. Certificates are excluded from this rule, whereas Walden courses taken as part of a completed certificate do impact the GPA of any future certificate or degree program which includes those courses already completed as part of the earned certificate.

The Program GPA will be included on a student’s transcript. The transcript reflects the student’s entire cumulative academic history in credit-bearing courses, and individual program-specific transcripts will not be provided for students whose academic history includes multiple programs or degree levels.

Prior to June 5, 2009, the GPA comprised all courses taken at the student degree level.

Exceptions: Students who graduated on or before May 24, 2009

• Will not have the Program GPA included on their transcripts. Graduates in this category may find their GPA below their final term of enrollment in the validated program.
• And who return to the university in a second program of the same level as the initial program will not have a separate Program GPA reflected on their transcript for the initial program.

Prior to August 28, 2017, courses completed under a previously awarded certificate did not impact the Program GPA of a future certificate or degree.

Please see the Financial Aid Programs section of this Walden University Student Handbook for additional information.

Grades Used to Calculate GPA and Included on Transcript

Grade: A, B, C, D, F

Used in GPA Calculation: Yes

Included on Transcript: Yes

 

Grade: S, U

Used in GPA Calculation: No

Included on Transcript: Yes

 

Grade: CIP

Used in GPA Calculation: No

Included on Transcript: Yes

 

Grade: XF

Used in GPA Calculation: Yes

Included on Transcript: Yes

 

Grade: XU

Used in GPA Calculation: No

Included on Transcript: Yes

 

Grade: I

Used in GPA Calculation: No

Included on Transcript: Yes, temporarily (see Grades of Incomplete section)

 

Grade: W

Used in GPA Calculation: No

Included on Transcript: Yes

 

Tempo Learning®

Students in Tempo programs should refer to Grading Tempo Learning®.

Doctoral students in a KAM-based or mixed-model program are continuously registered in a research forum (e.g., SBSF 7100, SBSF 7101/MGMT 9000, EDUC 8800/9001/9002, DISS 9000) for the duration of their program. Each course is assigned to a faculty mentor, who is responsible for submitting course grades. At the beginning of each quarter, the students, together with their mentors, make plans for the academic accomplishments and progress for that quarter. At the end of the quarter, the mentors provide students a grade for the course based on those plans. Students can receive a grade of “S” (Satisfactory) or “U” (Unsatisfactory).

Although a grade of “S” is considered to be equivalent to a letter grade of “B” or better, the university does not convert a grade of “S” to a letter grade.

Upon completion of an entire KAM, students receiving a grade of “S” are awarded the appropriate number of credits. While course grades are transcripted and 6 credit hours are earned each quarter, the credits do not count toward the total credits needed to graduate. Students receiving two consecutive Unsatisfactory grades for their research forum will be reviewed by the dean (or designee) for approval to continue in the program.

Repeating a KAM Demonstration

Students whose KAM demonstrations receive a grade of “U” (Unsatisfactory) are not awarded any credits. With permission from the dean, or designee, these students may repeat the KAM demonstration once.

Doctoral students at Walden University must complete a variety of courses, some of which are taken multiple times until a specific program requirement is completed (e.g., KAMs, the dissertation or doctoral study). Each term, students are graded on their progress: Satisfactory (“S”) or Unsatisfactory (“U”). Although the expectation is that students will make satisfactory progress, the following policies relate to instances where a student receives more than one “U” in these courses, indicating lack of adequate academic progress and possible dismissal.

SBSF 7100 and EDUC 8800: Students in KAM-based and some mixed-model programs are enrolled in SBSF 7100 or EDUC 8800 during their entire program, including the quarters when they are working on their dissertation. Students receiving two consecutive Unsatisfactory (“U”) grades in SBSF 7100 or EDUC 8800 are viewed as not making satisfactory academic progress. For students with an approved prospectus on file with Student Research Administration and who are in the process of completing their dissertations, two Unsatisfactory (“U”) grades at any point will be viewed as not making satisfactory academic progress. In either instance, the student will be reviewed by the associate dean or designee for approval to continue in the program.

Doctoral Companions are courses in which students in course-based and mixed-model programs work on the early stages of the capstone, such as the prospectus. Students must be enrolled in other doctoral coursework while in a companion course.

The following doctoral companion courses do not earn academic credit. These courses are exempt from the progress grading policy:

The following doctoral companion courses earn academic credit. Therefore, the progress grading policy is applicable to the following courses:

Capstone Courses are courses in which students in course-based and some mixed-model programs make progress toward completing their doctoral capstone (i.e., a dissertation, doctoral study, or project study). Students also earn academic credit toward their capstone in these courses, and they remain in the capstone course until completion of the capstone project. Students who receive an unsatisfactory grade in the capstone courses may be required by their program director to engage with specific university student support services, which may result in actions including, but not limited to, enrollment in a student success course. Students receiving two Unsatisfactory (“U”) grades at any point will be reviewed by the associate dean (or designee) for approval to continue in the program. Current capstone courses include:

Students who fail a course may be required to retake that course if it is a requirement for their program or if the failing grade endangers their academic progress. Students may also choose to repeat a course that was passed in order to earn a better grade. Regardless of why the course is being repeated, the highest grade earned will be used to compute the grade point average. Both course registrations and grades, however, remain on the transcript record. Students who repeat a course may apply the course credits to the completion of degree requirements only once.

In addition, consistent with Walden’s policy on Students’ Misuse of Their Own Scholarly Work in Code of Conduct, assignments submitted for the repeated courses are expected to reflect new approaches and insights into that topic and students may not merely copy and paste substantial sections from one assignment to be submitted again. Any use of prior work is at the discretion of the instructor and prior approval is required before submitting prior work.

Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate students who receive a grade of “D” or lower in a required course may repeat that course.

Undergraduate students may retake a required course only one time. Students who fail a required course twice will be dismissed from the university. A required course is an individual course that must be completed as part of specific university, program, specialization, or concentration requirements and cannot be substituted by other courses in the university. Students will not be dismissed for failing a non-required course twice unless their cumulative GPA falls below acceptable academic standards.

Graduate Students

Graduate students who receive a grade of “C” or lower or receive a “U” (Unsatisfactory) grade in a required or elective course may repeat that course.

Graduate students may retake a course only one time. Students who fail a required course twice will be dismissed from the university. A required course is an individual course that must be completed as part of specific university, program, specialization, or concentration requirements and cannot be substituted by other courses in the university. Students will not be dismissed for failing a non-required course twice unless their cumulative GPA falls below acceptable academic standards.

Students who fall into this situation should refer to Gaining Readmission and Readmission After Dismissal for Low GPA or Failing the Same Required Course Twice.

Requests for official transcripts must be submitted through Parchment Exchange. The student will need to create an account with Parchment to request his or her official transcript. Once an account is created, the student will follow the steps to have the official transcript sent via mail or electronically. Transcripts are $15 per copy.

Requests for unofficial transcripts must be submitted through the myWalden University Portal. There is no cost for unofficial transcripts.

Transcript requests are processed daily, however, please allow 5–7 business days for the mailed transcript to be processed, and 1–2 business days for the electronic transcript to be processed. Transcript requests cannot be held for grading or degree conferral.

The Program GPA will be included on a student’s transcript. The transcript reflects the student’s entire cumulative academic history in credit-bearing courses, and individual program-specific transcripts will not be provided for students whose academic history includes multiple programs or degree levels.