Grades and GPA Calculations

GPA Calculator

After grades have been submitted electronically, the registrar’s office will process them. Students can view grades on the web. They are used to determine the student's eligibility to attend the next semester or term, to continue in a sequential course, to recommend for graduation or teaching certificate, for a transcript, or other purposes.

Grades for Course Withdrawals

Students who withdraw from courses during the web withdrawal period for that course will receive a W final grade assignment. Students who withdraw from courses during the extended withdrawal period for that course may receive a W, F, or NC final grade assignment depending on the grade mode of the course.

Grade Submissions Deadlines

It is essential that faculty submit all grades within the period they are due. Failure to submit the final grade to the registrar’s office by the specified due date and time will result in the instructor submitting grades on the Supplemental Change of Grade Form for each student to the registrar’s office.

Incomplete (I) Grades

Students are graded in accordance with the system described in the catalog. The student's work in a course is to be regarded as finished by the close of the semester or term. If the work is not completed by the close of the semester or term, the student can be given an I grade.

Students whose work at the end of the semester or term is incomplete because of illness or some circumstances beyond their control receive an I, as well as the opportunity to complete the work at a later time.

The department chairperson must approve the granting of an I at the end of the semester by using a Memorandum of Incomplete form. The department head or chairperson retains one copy and sends a copy to the student. Removal of an I should be limited to as short a period as possible. If an I grade is not removed within the time agreed upon, it becomes an F.

Request Extension for an Incomplete "I" Grade

FS and FN Grades

Ball State added two letter grades in spring 2015: FS and FN. The FS grade indicates that the student received a failing grade because they stopped attending the class before the course end date. The FN grade indicates that the student received a failing grade because they never attended the course.

GPA Calculator

Grade Point Definitions

A–F Grades

The university reports and records grades using the plus/minus letter system. Quality points are allocated to each recorded grade according to the following scale:

A - F Grades

A = 4.000	B+ = 3.333	C+ = 2.333	D+ = 1.333	F = 0.000
A- = 3.667	B = 3.000	C = 2.000	D = 1.000
	B- = 2.667	C- = 1.667	D- = 0.667

Programs requiring C or better grades will not accept a C- grade (unless specified otherwise). A student's grade point average (GPA) is calculated by dividing the total number of quality points by the total number of GPA hours.

A grade of F is recorded when a student fails a course or withdraws from a course after the second withdrawal period, unless, in the judgment of the dean of the instructor's college, the reasons for withdrawing a course warrant a W. Students who quit attending classes for which they are registered will receive Fs unless they officially withdraw from the courses by obtaining the appropriate signatures.

Other Types of Grades

W - Withdraw
Represents an official withdrawal from a course.

I - Incomplete
Represents incomplete work and is given only when it is determined that the student should be given an opportunity to finish the work. The instructor, along with the department chairperson, decides whether to award an incomplete grade in a course and outlines the requirements and time limit for completing the work. It is most important that the conditions for removing the I be as specific as possible. An I grade will expire to become an F. Unless an earlier completion date is specified by the instructor, an I grade awarded for an undergraduate course will expire as follows: for fall enrollment, by May 1 of the following year; for spring and/or summer enrollment, by Dec. 1 of the same year. An exception is made when an extension on the timeline has been recommended by a department chairperson and approved by the appropriate dean. Graduate courses will expire one year from the time of issuance. Students should not reregister in any course where they currently have a pending I grade. Instructors should note it is normal for a student completing the requirements for an incomplete to not show up on a class list.  Emails to remind a student and instructor of incomplete work are sent on or about the 15th of every month.  

An instructor must provide justification to extend an I grade.  As such, they are responsible for submission of the I Extension Form for a student.

Request Extension for an Incomplete "I" Grade

CR - Credit
CR is recorded for students registered under credit/no-credit provisions who do work that is average or above average.

NC - No Credit
NC is recorded for a student registered under credit/no-credit provisions who do work that is below average.

EC - Represents continued enrollment in a course that runs beyond two or more grading periods.

FS - Represents that a student has stopped attending classes.

FN - Represents that a student registered for courses but never attended.

Questions regarding "I" grades can be directed to the Office of the Registrar at 765-285-1722 or emailed.

How to View Final Grades

1. Go to https://myballstate.bsu.edu. 
2. Enter BSU username and password.
3. Select “Self Service” (SSB).
4. Select “Student.”
5. Select “Student Records.”
6. Select “View Final Grades.”
7. Select the term for grades.
8. Select “Submit.” This will populate your final grades.

The credit/no credit option for taking courses applies in situations when receiving credit for a course without the grade seems beneficial to a student and normally if the course is a general elective. Typically with a course that is taken as a credit/no credit course, the student will not receive a grade for the class that impacts GPA (grade point average) but will receive credit if the class is “passed.”

You may choose to earn up to 15 credits under the credit/no-credit option. If a course is offered only for credit/no-credit, it will not be counted in the 15-credit allowance. If you have taken a course for a grade, you cannot take it again on a credit/no credit basis.

Courses taken on a credit/no credit basis will not count toward the academic major, minor, or any University Core Curriculum requirements, except for student teaching, internships, and courses offered only for credit/no credit. If you have taken courses in a particular subject for credit/no credit and then decide to major or minor in that subject, not more than two of the courses will count toward the major or minor requirements.

If you are on academic probation, you may not use the credit/no credit option. With these exceptions, departments must allow students to take courses for credit/no credit.

An undergraduate student is named to the dean's list when the student has earned at least a 3.5 grade point average (GPA) for:

• 12 or more credits of graded course work during a semester
• 6 or more credits of graded course work during a summer term

Dean’s list designation will appear on your academic transcript.

View the dean's list.