17. Academic Standing

Students’ academic standing is normally assessed at the end of each term.

17.1 Grade Scale and Definitions

The official grading system at the University is a letter-grade system.

The following table explains and defines Dalhousie's grading system for undergraduate courses and shows the GPA value that corresponds with each letter Grade.

Grade	Grade Point Value	%	Definition
A+ A A-	4.30 4.00 3.70	90-100 85-89 80-84	Excellent	Considerable evidence of original thinking; demonstrated outstanding capacity to analyze and synthesize; outstanding grasp of subject matter; evidence of extensive knowledge base.
B+ B B-	3.30 3.00 2.70	77-79 73-76 70-72	Good	Evidence of grasp of subject matter, some evidence of critical capacity and analytical ability; reasonable understanding of relevant issues; evidence of familiarity with the literature.
C+ C C-	2.30 2.00 1.70	65-69 60-64 55-59	Satisfactory	Evidence of some understanding of the subject matter; ability to develop solutions to simple problems; benefitting from his/her university experience.
D	1.00	50-54	Marginal Pass	Evidence of minimally acceptable familiarity with subject matter, critical and analytical skills (except in programs where a minimum grade of ‘C’ or 'C+' is required).
FM	0.00		Marginal Failure	Available only for Engineering, Health Professions and Commerce.
F	0.00	0-49	Inadequate	Insufficient evidence of understanding of the subject matter; weakness in critical and analytical skills; limited or irrelevant use of the literature.
INC	0.00		Incomplete
W	Neutral and no credit obtained		Withdrew after deadline
ILL	Neutral and no credit obtained		Compassionate reasons, illness
P	Neutral		Pass
TR	Neutral		Transfer credit on admission
Pending	Neutral		Grade not reported
MT	Neutral		Not Graded: Part of Multi-Term Course	The grade assigned temporarily within a single academic year until all requirements of the multi-term course are complete. The final grade obtained in the multi-term course will replace the MT grade in each term.
CR	Neutral		GPA neutral grading option due to extenuating circumstances	Credit obtained (requires a minimun passing grade in the course)
NCR	Neutral		GPA neutral grading option due to extenuating circumstances	No credit obtained

17.1.1 Grade Point Average (GPA)

The Grade Point Average is calculated by summing the values obtained by multiplying the grade points obtained in each course in accordance with the scale in 17.1, by the number of credit hours of each course then dividing that sum by the total credit hours attempted. A Term GPA includes only those courses attempted in a single term and the Cumulative GPA includes all courses attempted while registered in a level of study (see Definitions). If a course has been repeated, only the highest grade awarded is included.

17.2 Grade Points on Admission

Transfer credits on admission count as credits without grade points, e.g. they are neutral in the calculation of the GPA.

17.3 Grade Points on Letter of Permission

Courses taken on a Letter of Permission at a Canadian university, where a letter grade system is used, the appropriate Dalhousie letter grade and corresponding grade points will be assigned. For institutions not using letter grades, the grade will be translated into a Dalhousie grade and corresponding grade points assigned. For institutions outside of Canada, a grade of P (pass) or F (fail), as appropriate, will be recorded.

17.4 Repeating Courses for which a Passing Grade has been Awarded

With the permission of the department/school/college concerned, a student may repeat any course for which a passing grade has previously been awarded. The original passing grade will nevertheless remain on the transcript and a second entry will be recorded with the new grade and the notation “repeated course”. No additional credit will be given for such a repeated course, and only the highest grade will be included in the calculation of the GPA.

17.5 Credit/No Credit Grading Option

Credit-No Credit (CR/NCR) grading option is designed to provide a GPA-neutral grade for students experiencing exceptional extenuating circumstances when other solutions are not appropriate. To be considered an extenuating circumstance, the situation must be unforeseen or unpredictable, and result in a significant personal crisis for the student, demonstrably impacting their academic performance. Students wishing to appeal for this grading option must apply for an 'Academic Waiver' through DalOnline. The arguments and expectations of the petitioner must be clearly stated.

17.6 Repeat Course Exclusions Impacting Academic Standing

Occasionally, the exclusion of an earlier occurrence of a course grade in the GPA may result in a term or cumulative GPA that no longer corresponds with the academic standing that was assigned. In all cases, the original academic standing remains on the transcript.