Unit of Credit

The University offers instruction and grants credit on the semester system, with the academic year on the Clarksville Campus including Fall and Spring semesters, and Summer term.  For students that have earned prior credit on the quarter system, one semester hour of credit is equivalent to 1.5 quarter hours credit or one quarter hour of credit is equivalent to two-thirds of a semester hour credit.

Classification of Courses

Courses of instruction for degree credit in the curriculum of the University are divided into three categories: lower division courses (typically regarded as freshman and sophomore level) are numbered 1000-2999; upper division courses (junior and senior level courses) are numbered 3000-4999. Graduate courses are numbered 5000 and above. Undergraduate students may enroll in graduate courses only if they meet minimum requirements as listed in the GRADUATE BULLETIN and receive prior approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies. Courses numbered below 1000 do not count for degree credit, but do count for determining fees, enrollment status and grade point average (GPA).

Full-Time Load

The basic unit of all college work is the “semester credit hours.” For undergraduate students, twelve (12) semester hours for Fall, Spring, or Summer is a full-time load in determining such things as veteran status, financial aid, and insurance eligibility. To determine your eligibility for Clarksville campus and our Fort Campbell campus, please visit the Financial Aid website at www.apsu.edu/financialaid.  However, the usual load for a full-time undergraduate student is at least 15 semester hours. Because the summer term is approximately one-third the length of the semester, the workload for one course is three times as heavy. APSU strongly recommends students register for no more than six (6) semester hours in each summer term.

Grading System

At the end of each semester, the student’s quality of work is graded by the instructor. The grades are indicated by letters on a four-point system being used:

*Not calculated in GPA

Grades of “A”, “B”, “C”, “D” carry the appropriate quantity and quality credits, and all grades calculated in the GPA affect the student’s academic standing. Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 APSU, Major, Minor and overall GPA in order to graduate.  Effective Summer 2015 and after, any coursework transferred to APSU, regardless of when it was earned, will not be included in the overall GPA calculation.  It will also not be included in the major or minor calculation. However, transferred GPA will count towards graduation honor status such as Cum Laude.

NOTE: All grades of “F” will require faculty to indicate the last date of attendance.
 

Quality Points and Grade-Point Average (GPA)
Students must obtain a degree of excellence higher than is indicated by a minimum passing grade. For determining the qualitative standing of a student, quality credits are used. To graduate, a student must make a “C” (2.00) average on all credits attempted—that is, earn twice as many quality points as quality hours attempted. In determining the academic standing and grade-point average of a student, the following two factors are used:

1. Total quality hours of credit the student has attempted. (In the case of a repeated course, the course is counted as attempted one time only, except as stated under the “Course Repeats” section.) Courses taken on a Pass-Fail basis, “NR”, “I” and “IP” grades are not included in the hours attempted.

2. Total quality points earned in courses. (In the case of a repeated course, only the quality points earned the last time the student receives a grade in the course are included, except as stated under the “Course Repeats” section.) Quality points are not earned in courses taken on a Pass-Fail basis.
    

Graduation GPA

The Grade-Point Average (GPA) is determined by dividing the total quality points earned by the total quality hours attempted, including all courses attempted at APSU and at other institutions (transfer coursework).  Effective Summer 2015 and after, any coursework transferred to APSU, regardless of when it was earned, will not be included in the overall GPA calculation.  It will also not be included in the major or minor calculation. However, transferred GPA will count towards graduation honor status such as Cum Laude.
 

Academic Standing GPA (Overall Combined)

The Grade Point Average (GPA) for Academic Standing (Overall Combined) is determined by dividing the total quality points earned by the total quality hours attempted, including all courses attempted at APSU and other institutions (transfer work).

*Note–Effective Summer 2015 and forward: This GPA will not include transfer work for any new student enrolling Summer 2015 and forward.  Also, any returning student who attended another institution during his/her absence from APSU, will not have that transfer work included in his/her overall /overall inclusive GPA.  Previously included transfer work remain included.
 

Grade Reporting
Students are assigned a grade in a course at the end of the semester or term. A mid-term grade must be awarded in all courses numbered 1000 - 2999 and may be awarded in upper division courses; they do not affect University GPA. 
 

Grade of Incomplete
A grade of incomplete (I) must be changed within one calendar year or the grade of “I” will automatically convert to a grade of “F.” After the grade of “F” is recorded, the student will have one calendar year to appeal the “F” grade through the instructor of the course. If approved, an official grade change must be submitted by the instructor through AP OneStop for the dean of the college for his/her approval no later than one calendar year after the grade of “F” was recorded.
 

In-Progress 
Undergraduate courses which allow a student to participate in research, conduct a study, complete a music recital or complete an internship may allow a grade of In-Progress (IP) to be earned.  The IP grade will be utilized while the student is completing the remaining required coursework beyond the original semester of enrollment.  The I Grade will roll to a grade of “F” if not completed within one year of the original I assignment.  The degree cannot be awarded with an In-Progress grade on the student’s records.
 

Pass-Fail Grading
Students, except those on academic probation, will be permitted to take some courses, excluding core courses, in which they may receive a grade of Pass or Fail. These courses are identified in the Course Descriptions section. In order to be eligible for this program, the student must have satisfactorily completed 24 semester hours at APSU, must be enrolled full-time (12 hours) in letter-grade courses, and may take only one such course. Other than for the exceptions listed in certain programs, no student will be permitted to apply toward a degree more than 12 semester hours of traditional credit graded with Pass.

Participating students will be awarded a grade of “P” if the required coursework was judged by the instructor to be at a level of “C” or above. Such courses do not impact grade-point averages for graduation or for honors. Students must have the permission of the instructor to enroll on a pass/fail basis unless the course is designated as a pass/fail course. A student may change to a pass/fail basis only during the normal drop/add period.
 

Not Recorded (NR) Grade
A grade of “NR” will be recorded for all courses in which an instructor fails to enter a final grade. Students should contact the instructor immediately if a grade of “NR” has been recorded.
 

Grade Changes
Errors in grades must be reported to the instructor of the course immediately to be processed for a grade change.
 

Grade Appeal
Students may appeal final course grades entered in the fall semester by end of the spring semester. Students may appeal final course grades entered in the spring, maymester, and summer semesters no by the end of the fall semester Please see Policy Number 2:040, Student Course Grade Appeal Policy, for detailed information.  Once a degree has been posted to the transcript, the academic record is deemed complete, and changes will not be made on grades prior to the posted degree.
 

Access to Grades
Students may obtain their mid-term and final grades through AP OneStop for students (http://onestop.apsu.edu).  

Auditing

Auditing (no credit awarded) of courses will be permitted for regularly enrolled students who have obtained the permission of the instructor. Such courses count at full value in computing the student’s course load and fees, and the student’s name appears on the official class roll and should appear on the student’s approved schedule of classes. Students who wish to audit a course must complete and submit an Audit Card to the Office of the Registrar before the end of late registration. Once the card has been submitted, the student may not change audit status. The grade awarded is AU and has no effect on the student’s grade-point average; it cannot be changed at a future time. Students may not receive financial aid for audited courses.

Course Repeats

Approval to repeat a course with a “B” or better must complete a Request to Repeat Course(s) with Previous Grade(s) of “B” or Better form located on the Office of the Registrar website under Student Resources at https://www.apsu.edu/registrar/resources/rsr/RepeatCoursewithPreviousGradeofBorBetter.pdf, and may only be granted by the Dean and Assistant Provost for Enrollment Management.

If a course taken at another school is repeated at APSU, the course at the other institution will be marked as a repeat.

The last grade received in a repeated course will be used in the computation of the GPA. However, in cases where the course is attempted three times, including transfer work, the third and all future grades for the course will be included in the computation of the GPA. Repeating a course already passed will result in the last grade received and credits earned from the last grade. There are no exceptions to this policy.

Note:  Coursework transferred to APSU after Summer 2015 may be used for a repeat and to exclude a previous earned grade, but will not be used in the GPA calculation.