Academic Policies and Grading

Class attendance is a necessary part of the learning process. You are responsible for anything covered in class during an absence. At the beginning of a course, faculty members often present the procedure to follow when absent or include it in the syllabus.

If You Miss a Class

For minor illness when absence may be one or several days (such as cold, flu, sore throat):

• Inform the professor of the illness and make arrangements for making up missed work.
• Visit the Wellness Center in Winslow Hall for assessment and treatment.
• If you wish, you may indicate in writing that the Wellness Center may verify to the professors that you have visited them. You are still responsible for meeting academic and attendance requirements for each course.

If a serious medical condition or accident is verified by the Wellness Center staff, and it requires missing five consecutive days of class or more, the Academic Affairs Office will notify your professors about the anticipated length of your absence.

After recovery, it is your responsibility to meet with each professor to make arrangements for making up missed assignments and tests. If you are called home for a family emergency, such as a death or a personal issue:

• Notify the Office of Academic Affairs at ext. 2790 or 410/857-2790.
• Your professor will be notified about your absence, but it is your responsibility to satisfy any missed work and to provide documentation if requested.

The College assigns students’ class levels according to the following credit criteria:

Students, in consultation with an academic (faculty) advisor, decide the number of credit hours (the academic load) that they will carry. The normal student load is 16 credit hours per semester. There is an extra fee for students carrying more than 22 credit hours per semester. Within the limits described below, the student should develop a schedule based on demonstrated academic ability.

1. Students who wish to graduate within a four-year period are advised to register for the normal student load, which is 16 credit hours during the fall and spring terms and two credit hours during at least one January Term.
2. The minimum number of semester hours that may be carried by a full-time student is 12. Students may carry fewer hours only with permission from the Office of Academic Affairs. Among the consequences of dropping below a full time load are:
   1. Loss of athletic eligibility for the semester;
   2. Loss of financial aid from some sources;
   3. Possible loss of room privileges.
3. Second semester seniors may apply to the Associate Dean of Student Academic Life to enroll in a graduate school course if they have a 3.2 grade point average. A maximum of two courses may be taken, and they will count towards the undergraduate degree.
4. Students may reside in college housing during the January Term only if they are registered for a standard January Term course, participate in a winter intercollegiate sport, or are given permission to do so by the Director of Residence Life.
5. All residential students (those living in College-owned housing) will pay full tuition rates.

First-year students are assigned to the professor teaching their first-year seminar. New transfers are assigned to a professor teaching a course in their declared major or if they are undecided about a major, to the Assistant Dean for First Year Students. As students declare a major (no later than registration for junior year), they select or are assigned an academic advisor who assists in planning for the completion of a program of study, selecting courses to satisfy a major, discussing career opportunities, and referring students to appropriate campus resources. Declaration of Major and Change of Advisor forms are available in the Registrar’s Office.

Each semester, students must meet with their advisor to discuss their course selections for the following semester.

Changing Advisor

When students select or change a major, they should seek an advisor in the appropriate department. To process this change, students should obtain a Declaration of Major and Change of Advisor form from the Registrar’s Office, secure signatures from the Department Chair and both the new and former advisors, and return the form to the Registrar’s Office for processing. 

 To be official, course registrations and subsequent changes must be recorded in the Registrar’s Office before specified dates. Add/Drop forms are available in the Registrar’s Office.

1. Registration takes place once during each semester for the next semester. In November, students will register for the spring semester and in April for the fall semester. Prior to registration week students will meet with their advisor to assist with the student’s course choices for registration. Advisors then clear students for registration.
2. During the first part of a semester (see calendar for the exact add/drop dates), students may add courses with permission from the instructor(s) of the course(s) being entered and from their academic advisor. During this period, students may drop courses via the Archway, and the courses that the students drop will not be included on the permanent record.
3. After the add deadline, a student will normally not be allowed to add additional classes. An exception will be allowed only after the student consults with his/her advisor and receives permission both from the instructor(s) involved and the Office of Academic Affairs.
4. After the deadline date for dropping a class, a student may withdraw from a course only after consultation with the advisor. The withdrawn course will appear on the student’s permanent record with a grade of “W.” In order for the withdrawal to become official, both the advisor’s and the instructor’s signatures must be on the withdrawal form. A student must get permission from the Office of Academic Affairs if hours should fall below the minimum full-time load because of this action (see “Academic Load”). Signatures from Financial Aid and housing officers are also required.
5. A student may drop/withdraw from courses only in accordance with the published College Calendar. A student who stops attending a course and does not officially drop that course will receive a grade of “F.” If a student cannot, because of extenuating circumstances, complete the requirements for a course, the student may request the instructor to grant a grade of “I” for the course (see “Grading System” for more information). 

In addition to classes taken at the College, students can accumulate credits in other ways.

Advanced Placement

CEEB Advanced Placement Test (APT) scores are normally accepted by the College from entering students for placement and credit on the following basis:

Test Score

• 5 or 4: Student may receive up to four credit hours.
• 3, 2, 1: No advanced placement or credit is given.

The Registrar,  in conjunction with the appropriate academic department chair, does the assessment and granting of credit.

Advanced Placement (AP) Credit may be applied to fulfill both major requirements and the general education requirements as appropriate. The number of Advanced Placement credits awarded is subject to change depending on changes in the tests and at the discretion of the department chair.

CLEP

CEEB College Level Examination Program (CLEP) scores in liberal arts subject area examinations will be accepted by the College. Placement and credit will be granted to students whose scores are equal to or above the American Council of Education’s recommended minimum scores. These scores are listed in the College Board publication College Placement and Credit by Examination, copies of which are located in the Admissions Office and the Registrar’s Office.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma

The College recognizes IB-level work and grants a maximum of one year of credits (32 hours) for examinations in higher-level courses only. Credits are awarded as follows:

• Score of 5 or higher: Student will receive four hours credit.
• 4: Student will receive credit at the discretion of the appropriate department.
• 3 or lower: Student will not receive credit.

IB credits may be counted toward general education requirements, major or minor requirements, or electives in the same manner as Advanced Placement credits. Students should confer directly with departments to determine exact placement in departmental courses.

Summer School

McDaniel College offers an array of undergraduate courses, some of which are online. If a student wants to take a course at another school during the summer, he or she must complete a Transfer Credit Request form and submit it to the Registrar’s Office before registering at the off-campus location. Approval from the appropriate department chair/academic dean also may be required.

Transfer Credit

The College grants transfer credit for courses that are standard liberal arts courses or that compare to the offerings of the College, from accredited institutions where the accrediting agencies are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Students entering McDaniel College from high school who seek credit for courses taken at a college while still attending high school will be notified by the Office of Admissions of transfer credits after they are accepted for admission and once the final college/high school transcript is received.

Students applying to McDaniel should request that an official college transcript be sent to the Admissions Office for review. Matriculated McDaniel students should request that a transcript be sent to the Registrar’s Office.   Note that many schools charge a nominal fee for forwarding transcripts.

Students wishing to transfer credit from Maryland 2-year institutions are encouraged to use ARTSYS, an electronic course-by-course evaluation system to determine the transferability of courses. Students should also consult with the Transfer Coordinator at their current institution for guidance on the use of ARTSYS and/or any questions about transferring. 

Credit will be awarded when the grade from the sending institution is a “C-” or better, with the exception of ENG 1101, where the grade must be a “C” or better.  (The grade of “CR”, “P” or the equivalent is transferable for elective courses provided there is proof the letter grade would have been a C- or better.)

Transfer credit that is more than 10 years old may be accepted as elective credit but will be reviewed on a case-by-base to meet general education, major and/or minor requirements. 

Grades from transfer courses are not used in the calculation of the student’s McDaniel College grade point average. Students may not replace a grade earned at McDaniel College with an equivalent transfer course grade.

The following limitations will be placed on the total number of hours allowable towards graduation by transfer:

1.      A maximum of 96 hours will be allowed from a four-year institution.

2.      A maximum of 64 hours will be allowed from a two-year institution. 

3.      A total combined maximum of 96 hours from both two and four-year institutions will be allowed.

Transfer students must meet the graduation and residence requirements current at the time they matriculate.   Please note:  Only grades earned at McDaniel College and affiliated programs are calculated in the grade point average. In addition, a student must complete 64 credit hours at McDaniel College in order to qualify for general honors. Credits earned in affiliated study abroad programs, AP, IB and CLEP will be counted toward the 64-semester hour total.

Courses meeting general education, major or minor requirements may be fulfilled by courses taken at another institution. However students who have matriculated at McDaniel should obtain prior approval on a “Transfer Credit” form obtained online or from the Registrar’s Office.

Courses comparable to those offered by the College may not be taken elsewhere for transferable credit during either semester of the regular academic year except with permission of the Associate Dean of Student Academic Life; while such permission is not usually granted, it may be granted in the event of an irresolvable schedule conflict.

Occupational/Life Experience Credit

Students who have done occupational or volunteer work, or have had life experience (including travel or extensive reading) which they feel might be worth college credit, may submit a portfolio to the Registrar.

A student should document his or her experience in detail and provide an endorsement signed by the former employer or by the head of the volunteer organization. The Registrar and appropriate department chairperson will review the student portfolio for course analysis and approval, and credit hour determination.

A maximum of 32 nontraditional credit hours can be awarded.

Study Abroad Credits

Students who attend one of the affiliated institutions/programs (e.g., Budapest) will have their grades, as well as credits, transferred to McDaniel College. Courses taken at an affiliate are considered McDaniel College courses. Students who attend study abroad programs not affiliated with the College must request a leave of absence from the Provost. Only credits (no grades) transfer from non-affiliated programs.  See below for more information on Study Aboard.  

Appropriate final examinations are given at the conclusion of the semester’s classes. The times of final examinations may be changed only for medical reasons or to relieve students who have exams scheduled in three or more consecutive half-day periods. Examinations will not be rescheduled to facilitate social, travel, or employment arrangements. Changes to the examination program must be authorized by the Provost.

For each course, the instructor determines the progress of the individual and the class by means of class work, tests, special assignments, papers, projects, conferences, and other procedures that might prove valuable.

The scholastic standing of students is indicated by a system of grades designated by the letters A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F, CR, NR, and I. A, B, C, and D are passing grades, A+ indicating work of the highest rank, D- of the lowest. Students receiving the grade of F must repeat the course if they wish to receive credit for it.

If, due to extenuating circumstances, a student is unable to complete the requirements of a course, the instructor and the student together may agree to a temporary grade of Incomplete (I) for the course. The instructor will stipulate the terms and deadline for completion of the requirements on an Incomplete Grade Request Form. The deadline may not extend beyond the end of the following semester. The instructor determines in advance what the course grade will be if the required work is not completed by the deadline.  The instructor submits the form to the Registrar’s Office, provides a copy to the student, and keeps a copy on file.  

An Incomplete (I) grade is not a substitute for a failing grade (F), but is rather an indication that the coursework could not be completed by the end of the semester. Extenuating circumstances include, but are not limited to, a family emergency, a documented illness, or the unavailability of needed materials to complete an assignment.

NR (Not Reported) is given when no grade is reported for the student by the instructor. These grades will be changed to an “F” if they are not resolved within one academic year.

Grade Point Average

Grade point average (GPA) is calculated on a 4.00scale, with the point values per grade as follows:

A student’s grade point average is calculated by dividing the number of quality points by the number of semester hours attempted (exclusive of courses graded “incomplete” or “CR”).

Grades from transfer courses are not calculated into the McDaniel College grade point average. The courses accepted from other institutions will be recorded on the McDaniel College transcript. Only grades earned at McDaniel College or its affiliated programs will be calculated in the student’s grade point average. 

The general quality of students’ work is determined numerically and is called the grade point average (GPA). The GPA is calculated in two steps. First, letter grades are converted to numerical values on the following scale: A+=4.00; A=4.00; A-=3.70; B+=3.30; B=3.00; B-=2.70; C+=2.30; C=2.00; C-=1.70; D+=1.30; D=1.00; D-=0.70; and F=0.00. A student earns quality points for each course completed equal to the number of credit hours for the course multiplied by the point value for the grade. Then, the semester grade point average is calculated by dividing the total quality points achieved by the number of credit hours attempted in letter-graded courses. Thus, a student taking four, four-hour courses (totaling 16 hours) who received one A, one B, and two Cs would have earned a GPA of 2.75 for the semester. (4 X 4.00) + (4 X 3.00) + (8 X 2.00) = 44.0 ÷ 16 = 2.75.

Similarly, an overall GPA for all work attempted at the College is calculated by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total number of credit hours attempted. Affiliated Study Abroad Programs and certain Special Off-Campus Programs will be used in the calculation of a student’s grade point average. However, transfer credit, AP credit, CLEP credit, and “credit” grades are not calculated in the College’s GPA.

To maintain class standing, students must successfully complete the normal program of credit hours with at least a 2.00, or C, average. The Admissions, Retention, and Standards Committee will review any student’s record whose cumulative grade point average is less than 2.00.

The standard course load is 32 credit hours a year, but students should undertake programs they can handle successfully, no matter what the credit hour totals. The number of credit hours that each course carries is stated in the Schedule of Classes and McDaniel College catalog.

The recommended first semester schedule normally consists of four regular (four semester hour) courses, totaling sixteen semester hours, with the possible addition of one or more courses with lesser credit (0.5-2 semester hours).

Twelve semester hours are the minimum you may carry in order to be considered full time. Failure to maintain full-time status may affect athletic participation, housing, health and automobile insurance, and financial aid.

Once a course grade has been reported to the Registrar’s Office, it may be changed only with the permission of the instructor and the Associate Dean of Student Academic Life, and generally only where there has been a recording or arithmetical error. If, however, a student believes that a semester grade has resulted from prejudicial or capricious evaluation, he or she should consult first with the professor of the course, if necessary with the head of the department, and ultimately with the Provost, whose approval is required for all grade changes of this nature.

If the Provost finds insufficient reason to support the student’s complaint, the appeals process is ended. Should the Provost find clear evidence of prejudicial or capricious evaluation, the Provost will recommend to the professor that the grade be changed. If the professor refuses to change the grade, the Provost will ask the Curriculum Committee to appoint an ad hoc faculty committee to consider the case. This committee will be composed of three faculty members, two of whom must come from the professor’s department or a related discipline. The Committee’s decision, which will be rendered within 30 days of the appeal’s submission, will be final.

The deadline for appealing a grade is the last day of classes of the semester following the term in which the course was taken. 

Qualified juniors and seniors may elect one course per semester under the Credit-Fail option. To receive credit (CR) for a course under this option, a student must attain a grade of C- or better, but the letter grade is not recorded on the student’s record. Grades of “D+” or lower are converted to “F” under this option. Any grades of “F” obtained under the “credit-fail” option will be used in the calculation of the student’s grade point average. Students signing up for courses under the Credit/Fail option should indicate a CR under the Grade Method column on an Add/Drop form. A student must declare the Credit/Fail option within the first two weeks of the semester and may not change from a graded basis to Credit/Fail later in the semester. A student may change from Credit/Fail to a graded basis by the last day of regularly scheduled classes in the semester. The instructor normally receives no formal notification of a student’s enrollment in a course under the Credit/Fail option. Students may not choose to take a course Credit/Fail if it fulfills requirements for a major, a minor, general education, or Honors Program requirement,  except for Physical Activity and Wellness classes. All internships and some January Term courses are graded on a Credit/Fail basis only, with the exceptions of student teaching and social work.

An audit is entered on the record as “AU,” no credit hours attempted, and no grade or quality points awarded. The instructor sets the amount of participation required in the course. For a full-time student, there is no additional charge. For a part-time student, the charge is one-half the regular tuition. Although a student must declare the Audit option prior to the end of the second week of class, they can request a change from Audit to letter grade prior to the end of the semester. Students who choose this option must complete course requirements as assigned, must have the instructor’s approval to change from audit to credit, and must pay the price differential. While audited courses appear on student transcripts, they do not carry grades or credit. If the student does not meet the instructor’s requirements, the instructor has the right to delete the course from the student’s record.

A student has the option to repeat and pass a course previously failed in order to gain credit hours toward graduation. The student will receive the quality points for the new grade, and the original failing grade will no longer be used in the calculation of the grade point average. If a student repeats a course previously passed, they will not gain any new hours toward graduation. The higher of the two grades will be used in the calculation of the grade point average. All grades will remain on the student’s transcript. Transcripts will be marked indicating the repeated courses. There is no limit to the number of times a course may be repeated.

This policy does not apply to performance music courses (MUSIC 1001-1024, 1101-1105, 1110-1122). You will receive a grade and hours towards graduation each time you take one of these courses. In these courses both grades and credit toward graduation will accumulate each time a course is taken.

Likewise, First-Year Seminars can not be repeated.

1. While a student planning to graduate in four years should average 32 semester hours per year from courses taken during the fall and spring semesters, January Term, or summer school, there may be circumstances under which it may be necessary for a student to take fewer than this number of hours in one academic year. However, action may be taken regarding athletic eligibility, financial aid, and college housing because of underloads (fewer than 12 credit hours in a semester).
2. A student whose cumulative grade point average in courses taken at McDaniel College drops below 2.00 will receive a letter from the Office of Academic Affairs informing the student of deficiency status. This letter may contain certain requirements such as regular meetings with an Academic Dean or a required improvement in cumulative grade point average in order for the student to continue at the College.
3. A student whose grade point average in courses taken at the College falls below the limits listed in the following table may be dismissed from the College. (see chart below).

Successful completion of a course requires a letter grade of A+ through D- or CR for a non-letter-graded course. Students not making satisfactory progress will have their records reviewed by the Admissions, Retention, and Standards Committee.

To remain eligible for financial aid, a student must successfully complete at least 75 percent of credit hours attempted, earn the required total credits, and maintain the required GPA for the semesters listed below:

 In addition to Phi Beta Kappa, there are numerous other honorary societies on campus. Three societies oriented toward general accomplishment are Omicron Delta Kappa, a national society recognizing leadership qualities, Alpha Lambda Delta, a national honor society recognizing academic excellence in the first year of college, and the Trumpeters, a local society honoring senior students dedicated to service. National and international honor societies which recognize academic accomplishment in specific fields are Beta Beta Beta (Biology), Gamma Sigma Epsilon (Chemistry), Lambda Pi Eta (Communication), Omicron Delta Epsilon (Economics), Kappa Delta Pi (Education), Phi Alpha Theta (History), Lambda Iota Tau (Literature), Phi Sigma Iota (Foreign Languages), Kappa Mu Epsilon (Mathematics), Omicron Psi (Nontraditional Students), Phi Sigma Tau (Philosophy), Sigma Pi Sigma (Physics), Phi Sigma Alpha (Political Science), Psi Chi (Psychology), Pi Gamma Mu (Social Sciences), Phi Alpha (Social Work), and Alpha Psi Omega (Theatre Arts).

The College grants two types of honor citations at graduation, General Honors and Departmental Honors, and the Dean’s List at the close of each semester.

1. General Honors: Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Cum Laude. These honors are recorded on the diplomas and on the student’s permanent records. A cumulative grade point average of 3.90-4.30 is necessary for Summa Cum Laude, 3.70-3.89 for Magna Cum Laude, and 3.50-3.69 for Cum Laude.

Only grades earned at McDaniel College and affiliated programs are calculated in the grade point average. In addition, a student must complete 64 credit hours at McDaniel College in order to qualify for general honors. Credits earned in approved study abroad programs, AP, IB and CLEP will be counted toward the 64-semester hour total.

2. Departmental Honors: Honors in…(name of the major department). To receive departmental honors, students must:
   1. Have a grade point average of 3.50 in all courses taken in the major.
   2. Satisfy any departmental requirements, such as engaging in seminars or in self-directed study, submitting an essay or passing with distinction a comprehensive examination in the major field.
   3. Be recommended by the department.
3. The Dean’s List recognizes students for their academic performance during each semester in which they attain:
   1. Highest honors, requiring a semester term grade point average of 3.90 or higher;
   2. High honors, requiring a semester term grade point average of 3.70-3.89;
   3. Honors, requiring a semester term grade point average of 3.50-3.69.
   4. The record for the semester must constitute a normal load (12 credits or more) of letter graded courses and show no incompletes or NR grades.

 Students in good standing who wish to leave the College temporarily for personal or medical reasons may request an official Leave of Absence (LOA).  A LOA is temporary, and a student may request a LOA for up to two consecutive semesters. In exceptional circumstances, a third semester of LOA may be approved.

To request a Leave of Absence, a student must meet with an Academic Dean in the Office of Academic Affairs and complete the paperwork prior to the twelfth week of classes. If the request is for a medical LOA, the request must include medical documentation.  The Provost reviews the within two days of receipt and notifies the student in writing of the decision.

If the request is made prior to the deadline for the last day to drop with a grade of ‘W’ (normally in the eighth of the semester), the student will receive grades of ‘W.’

If the request for a LOA is submitted after the deadline for the last day to drop with a grade of ‘W,’ the student will receive grades of ‘WP’ or ‘WF’ based on academic performance at that point for the semester.  A ‘WF’ will be factored as an ‘F’ into the student’s GPA.  If the request is made after Week 12 of the semester, the student will need to arrange directly with the professors either to complete the course within the semester or for possible incomplete grades.

In order to return from a leave of absence, the student must contact the Office of Academic Affairs and then his or her advisor in order to register for classes. There are separate guidelines for students returning from a medical leave of absence; these are stated in the Student Handbook. Students are cleared to return from medical leaves by the Wellness Center.

Students who wish to withdraw officially from the College must make an appointment with an Academic Dean.   Residential students must also notify the Office of Residential Life about their decision to leave campus housing. Unofficial, unauthorized withdrawals during the academic year will result in grades of ‘F’ in all courses and forfeiture of rights to any refund.

If a student chooses to withdraw officially from the College before the deadline for the last day to drop with a grade of ‘W’ (normally in the eighth of the semester), the student will receive grades of ‘W’ for the semester.  No tuition or housing refund is given.

If the student withdraws officially after the deadline for the last day to drop with a grade of ‘W,’ the student will receive grades of ‘WP’ or ‘WF’ based on academic performance to that point of the semester.  (Note: A grade of ‘WF’ is factored into the GPA as an ‘F’.) 

Students who have formerly attended McDaniel College, officially withdrawn (not a leave of absence), and subsequently wish to return have a separate application process from new students and a separate application form, which may be obtained from the Office of Admissions. Transcripts must be submitted from any colleges attended since leaving McDaniel. A $50 application fee is required. Housing policies and residential requirements apply as they do for current students. Once a student is re-admitted to the College and commits to returning, it is then possible to talk to an advisor and discuss the course registration timetable for the next semester. 

Educational records are those records, files, documents, and other material directly related to a student and maintained by McDaniel College or any of its agents. The College assumes an implicit and justifiable trust as custodian of these records. Access to and release of student records are determined by College policy, which complies with Public Law 93-380 (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, often referred to as the Buckley Amendment). Copies of the College Policy on Release of Information About Students and of the U.S. Department of Education regulations implementing Public Law 93-380 are available in the Registrar’s Office. Students receive notification of the rights accorded them under the above documents at the beginning of each academic year. A more complete description of these policies appears in the Student Handbook.

Transcript records are permanently held by the Registrar’s Office. Documentation pertaining to the registration for each semester is held only for a period of one year. If any questions should arise regarding documentation of enrollment more than one year beyond registration for a course, it will be the student’s responsibility to produce proper documentation to support any claim for a change to their record.