MBA/MAcc/MSCM: Grading Scales & Distribution

Grading Policy for coursework taken in the Business School

Stephen M. Ross School of Business uses a five-level grading scale for all MBA, MAcc and MSCM students:

• Excellent (EX): Performance that is of superior quality. No more than 25% of the students in a core course shall receive this grade.
• Good (GD): Performance that exceeds all the standard requirements of the course. Approximately 35% of the students in a core course shall receive this grade.
• Pass (PS): Performance that meets all the standard requirements of the course. Approximately 35% of the students in a core course shall receive this grade.
• Low Pass (LP): Performance that minimally meets the standard requirements of the course. Approximately 5% of the students in a core course will receive LP or F.
• Fail (F): Performance that does not satisfy the minimal requirements of the course and is deficient on significant dimensions. No credit toward the degree will be granted for the grade of "Fail," but the grade will be used to evaluate academic standing. These grading standards differ slightly for elective classes.

In elective classes, a maximum of 35% of students will receive a grade of “excellent”, and grades of “excellent” and “good” combined will be no greater than 75%. There are no honor points associated with the grade designations and no grade point averages appear on transcripts. Some courses may be graded under other University school or college guidelines and some may be graded on a mandatory Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory, Pass/Fail, or Credit/No Credit basis.

Grades for Coursework taken in other University Units

Grades appear on the transcript in accordance with the grading system designated for that course. The grading systems used in the University and accepted for Business Administration graduate level students are letter ("A" through "E"), mandatory Pass/Fail, and mandatory Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (refer to the Grade Modification Policy for more details). For the purpose of evaluating academic standing, graduate-level grades from Rackham and other University of Michigan schools will be treated as follows:

• A+, A = Excellent
• A- = Good
• B+, B = Pass
• B-, C+, C, C- = Low Pass
• D, E, ED, NR = Fail

International Exchange Program

Students who participate in the Ross Business School Exchange Programs register for the Business School course STRATEGY 689, which has a mandatory Pass/Fail grading basis. Courses at the host school must be taken for grades in order for us to evaluate and translate into our mandatory P/F table. Grades are issued based on performance at their host institution. Definitions of passing and failing performance depend on the standards of the respective foreign institutions. Pass/Fail grades do not count when calculating academic honors.

Incomplete (I), No Report (NR), or Blank Grades

When part of the work of a particular course is not completed at the end of a term, a mark of “I” may be recorded, provided the quality of the work actually completed is at least of PS quality or better. This includes instances when a faculty member may approve delaying a final project or paper, or when an instructor may allow a later final exam. This also includes instances where the student provides documentation (medical or other)of the reason for the incomplete. The "I" grade simply denotes that the course was finished later than the normal class deadline. In all instances, once the work is complete and evaluated, the "I" will remain on the student's record with the final grade appended (ex. "IGD").

Grades of “I” must be resolved and corrected within four weeks following the last day of classes of the term in which they were earned. If the grades are not corrected within this period, they are automatically lapsed to fail ("ILF"). These failing grades will stand unless the instructor allows the student to complete all requirements at a later time.  When the instructor submits a final grade for an incomplete course, the “I” will remain on the transcript.

If not replaced by a passing grade, “NR” (no report) notations will also lapse to “ED” (fail) four weeks after the end of the term. A notation of “I” or “NR” is calculated in academic honors as a failing grade. A notation of “Y”, “##”, or a missing grade will lapse to “ED” one year after the end of the term, at which point it will be computed into academic standing as a failing grade.

Dispute of Final Grades

After a faculty member determines a final grade, a student may feel it is necessary or appropriate to dispute that grade. Students should review the Ross procedures for student disputes with an instructor, and proceed to the first step: discussing the issue with the instructor (in person).