Grade Policy

Policy Number: 04.0001

Purpose

This policy articulates the grading structure at The New School.

Scope

This policy applies to all New School students and faculty.

Definitions

Grade Point Average (GPA): The GPA is determined by dividing the total number of grade points earned (quality points) by the total number of graded hours attempted (GPA hours).

Responsibilities

Registrar’s Office: Policy owner

Academic deans and department chairs: responsible for ensuring faculty submit grades in a timely manner in accordance with the institution’s grading processes.

Faculty and instructors: responsible for submitting the appropriate grade for students, in accordance with the Faculty Handbook and the university’s grading processes.

Policy

The New School Grading System

Grades Not Included in GPA

Exceptions

*For Mannes School of Music performance classes, any grade lower than a B- is considered failing.

**For School of Drama undergraduate courses stipulated for degree requirement, any grade below C- is considered failing.

***For graduate students, the Grade of D is not assigned.

Timeline

For fall, spring, and summer terms, unreported grades convert to a GM one week after the last day of the full term (part of term 1). For the winter session (part of term 40), unreported grades convert to a GM one week after the end of the winter session.

Incompletes

It is the expectation that students will complete all coursework on time. Students may be assigned a grade of incomplete in the case of extraordinary circumstances at the discretion of the course instructor.

For undergraduate students, all circumstances leading to the request of an incomplete must have clear documentation (e.g. medical note, obituary notice, employer’s note) which must be reviewed and approved by the instructor. If approved, the documentation must be included with the Incomplete Grade Request Form which must be signed by the student, the instructor, and the program or department chair, and then submitted to the University Registrar’s Office to post the incomplete grade. For graduate students requesting an incomplete, this form is not required; however, it is the expectation that the graduate student and their faculty member have agreed to the necessity of the incomplete and a pathway towards completing it.

Conversion of I and GM to F and N

Unless the instructor submits a regular letter grade within the period of time required by the student's academic program, a grade of I or GM will permanently convert to F or N, as described below.

For undergraduate students, grades of I and GM convert to F at the end of the seventh week of the spring semester for fall courses and at the end of the seventh week of the following fall semester for spring and summer courses.

For graduate students, grades of I and GM convert to N one year after the end date of the course. PhD students at The New School for Social Research should consult their school's catalog for additional policy information about grades of Incomplete. Graduate students who are permitted to retake a class to make up a grade of Incomplete must register for the course and pay tuition as an auditor.

Policy Administration

Responsible University Official: Vice Provost for Academic Operations

Responsible Office: Registrar’s Office

Contact Information: registrar@newschool.edu

Policy History

Effective Date: Fall 2024

Last Reviewed Date: July 23, 2024

Next Review Date: July 24, 2027

Revision History: N/A

See also Grades in the Academic Catalog.