Grading System
The following grading system applies to all graduate students.
| Letter Grade |
Honor Point Equivalent per Credit |
| A |
4.0 |
| A- |
3.7 |
| B+ |
3.3 |
| B |
3.0 |
| B- |
2.7 |
| C+ |
2.3 |
| C |
2.0 |
"A," "A – ," "B+," and "B" represent satisfactory work.
"B-", "C+", and "C", represent passing but unsatisfactory work.
"F" is a failing grade. It indicates that the student has not completed all course requirements in a satisfactory manner. Students who stop attending a course without having complied with the official withdrawal procedure can anticipate receiving a grade of "F." The "F" grade becomes a permanent part of a student’s record and cannot be expunged even if the course is successfully retaken.
"I" (Incomplete) indicates a student has done passing work in a course but has not yet submitted all the outstanding work required for a formal evaluation. The "I" is awarded at the instructor’s discretion, only if the student has completed at least half of the course requirements satisfactorily at the end of the semester, and there is a reasonable expectation that all course requirements can be completed in one academic year. An "I" must be formally re-evaluated by the instructor within one academic year, resulting in an evaluation grade or an extension of the "I," or it automatically converts to an "F*."
Students must complete coursework with the original instructor. The change in the "I" grade must be made by the original instructor, or in his or her absence, by the department chair. If this is not possible, arrangements must be made through the department chair in concurrence with an assigned instructor.
F* indicates that the student has not completed all the course requirements in a satisfactory manner in a course where they originally received an Incomplete grade. Incomplete grades expire to an F* grade one year after the Incomplete grade was assigned. An F* grade operates in the same manner as an F grade.
"IP" (In Progress) can be issued where by nature of the course content the course may not be complete by the end of the term. IP grades automatically convert to an "F*" after one academic year.
"W" signifies official withdrawal from a course. A "W" is assigned administratively if a student:
- Drops a course, following proper University procedure, between the end of the drop/add period and the withdrawal deadline of the semester, or
- Drops a course or withdraws from school after the deadline of the semester with the written approval of the Students Affairs Office. Permission is given only for valid cause such as debilitating illness, relocation, serious family crisis, or other circumstances beyond the student’s control.
"AU" (Audit): In an audited course, a student will not receive credit or honor points; however, a student must pay the same tuition as if taking the course for credit. It is the student’s responsibility to inform the instructor that he/she is auditing the course during the first two weeks of classes. Under no circumstances may a student change from the evaluative letter grade system to audit or vice versa after the first two weeks of classes.
A student who audits a course is responsible for attending classes and completing required coursework.
"P" or "F" (Pass/Fail): Selected graduate thesis, internship, and practicum courses may be graded on a pass/fail basis. A Pass (“P”) grade may be applied toward fulfilling degree credits, but it will not be applied toward the cumulative GPA.
"PC" (Pass/Credit) Up until spring 2024 “PC” grades were awarded in courses successfully completed with a grade of "C" or better at an affiliated study abroad program or approved coursework at a consortium institution after matriculation at Suffolk University. "PC" grades may be applied toward fulfilling degree credits, but they may not be applied toward the cumulative grade point average.
“T” (Transfer): Awarded in transfer credit courses successfully completed with a grade of “C” or better at an outside institution prior to matriculation at Suffolk University. As of summer 2024, “T” grades are also awarded in courses successfully completed with a grade of "C" or better at an affiliated study abroad program or approved coursework at a consortium institution after matriculation at Suffolk University. “T” grades may be applied toward fulfilling degree credits, but they are not applied towards the cumulative grade point average.
"(F)": is an “F” grade that is not included in the GPA.
Courses officially dropped during the add/drop period will not appear on the student’s record.