Exams and Grades
Learn more about Summer Sessions course examinations, grades, grading options, and grade policies.
Examinations
All examinations will be held in their regularly scheduled classrooms or online, unless otherwise specified by your instructor. Your examination schedule is subject to change, as exams are occasionally rescheduled because of special circumstances.
Final exams are typically on the last day of your Summer Sessions course, however, dates are at the discretion of the instructor.
Learn more about requesting exam accommodations on the Accessibility page.
Grades
Grades reflect the quality and quantity of your work submitted throughout your Summer Sessions course. Each instructor determines the individual grade components for their course and their percentage value in the calculation of your final grade. You should check the course syllabus for more information on your instructor's grading policies.
Grading scheme
Undergraduate students who complete the requirements of an undergraduate Summer Sessions course may earn one of the following grades:
| Letter grade | Performance level and details |
|---|---|
| A | Excellent |
| A- | |
| B+ | |
| B | Above average |
| B- | |
| C+ | |
| C | Minimum satisfactory grade |
| C- | |
| D+ | Not used by faculty in the Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences |
| D | |
| D- | Minimum passing grade (not used by faculty in the Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences) |
| E | Failure |
| XE | Failure: academic dishonesty |
| I | Incomplete: given only when there are circumstances beyond the student’s control, such as illness or personal emergency, that prevented the student from finishing the coursework on time |
| W | Withdrawal: a permanent final grade assigned to credit students who officially withdraw from courses by the withdrawal deadline. W grades may not be changed to letter grades and do not result in any tuition refund. |
| N | No grade reported: signals that the student never appeared in class or that the student attended but did not complete the course and did not arrange for an incomplete grade. |
Graduate students (including those who have already completed a bachelor's degree at another institution) who complete the requirements of a graduate Summer Sessions course may earn one of the following grades:
| Letter grade | Performance level and details |
|---|---|
| A | Excellent |
| A- | |
| B+ | |
| B | Good |
| B- | |
| C | Poor |
| E | Failure |
| XE | Failure: academic dishonesty |
| I | Incomplete: given only when there are circumstances beyond the student’s control, such as illness or personal emergency, that prevented the student from finishing the coursework on time |
| IE | Incomplete and failure |
| W | Withdrawal: a permanent final grade assigned to credit students who officially withdraw from courses by the withdrawal deadline. W grades may not be changed to letter grades and do not result in any tuition refund. |
| N | No grade reported: signals that the student never appeared in class or that the student attended but did not complete the course and did not arrange for an incomplete grade. |
Grading options
Incompletes
If you are a current undergraduate student, enrolled in a degree-seeking program at the University, you may request an incomplete grade when there are circumstances beyond your control, such as illness or personal emergency, that prevent you from finishing your Summer Sessions coursework on time. Learn how to request an incomplete on the College Center for Advising Services' website.
Please note: If an incomplete grade is awarded in a Summer Sessions course, you are not permitted to audit the course and complete the work the following summer. Additionally, if you earn an incomplete grade during the fall or spring semesters, and wish to complete the work by registering for the course over the summer, permission of the instructor is required and additional charges to audit the course will apply.
Non-matriculated (visiting) students are NOT allowed to request incomplete grades for University of Rochester courses in any semester, including Summer Sessions.
Satisfactory/fail option
The satisfactory/fail (S/F) option, which allows current undergraduate students enrolled in a degree-seeking program to take a course so that the only grade appearing on the transcript will be either an S (satisfactory) or an F (fail) during the fall and spring semesters, is not available for Summer Sessions courses.
Grade reports
All students can view and print their grades through UR Student. Official transcripts can also be requested online. Grades are no longer mailed to students.
Missing grades
If you are missing a grade, contact your course instructor. If there is no grade listed in UR Student, it is most likely that the grade has not been received. If your instructor replies that your grade has been submitted, contact the Office of the University Registrar.
Grade appeal procedure
If you believe that an error in grading has been made, you should follow the guidelines provided in the syllabus or by the course instructor for a grade appeal. If specific guidelines are not provided, we encourage you to approach the faculty member as soon as possible after the grade is received to discuss the matter.
If the instructor determines that a grading error was made, they will be responsible for correcting the error. If a grade change is not applicable, the instructor is encouraged to provide you with sufficient information to help you understand the decision. Most concerns about grading are resolved in this way.
In the event that a satisfactory resolution cannot be reached, you have the option to request a formal review of the matter by submitting a complaint form.