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academics

Grades, Honors, Class Standing

The grade in any class is determined by the combined class standing and a written examination as explained in the class syllabus.

A represents superior work.
B represents above average achievement.
C represents a satisfactory level of achievement.
D represents a less than satisfactory level of achievement in the regularly prescribed work of the class.
F represents failure to do the regularly prescribed work of the class. All marks of D and above are passing marks, and F represents failure.
W

indicates that a student has withdrawn from a course or has received approval to withdraw from the College

I indicates that the work is incomplete and will be counted as a F if the incomplete is not removed by the end of the following semester.
IP indicates work in progress.
CR represents passing work in a non-graded course taken for credit.
NC represents no credit in a non-graded course taken for credit.
NR indicates no grade reported.
AU represents audit.

Grade Points
The completion of any academic course shall entitle a student to the following grade points for a semester hour:

A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D+
D
F
4
3.67
3.33
3
2.67
2.33
2
1.67
1.33
1
0

Grade points earned for a course are determined by multiplying the numerical value of the grade by the number of semester hours that the course carries. A grade point average is determined by dividing the total number of grade points by the number of semester hours taken.

The deadline for submitting grade changes to the Office of Records will be no later than the date that midterm grades are due in the semester following the one that contains the error. The same deadline will apply to changes in grades for students who have already graduated. No changes will be made in class rankings or graduation rankings based upon grade changes for students that have graduated. Any changes in distinction will be posted to the individual's record. If a change in distinction occurs, the student must return the original diploma to the Office of Records. Once the original diploma is received, another diploma will be ordered with the correct distinction on it.

It is the student's responsibility to inform the Office of Records of any possible errors and to work with the professor(s) involved.

This deadline does not apply to the grades of Incomplete or W which have separate policies.

Class Standing
The following number of courses is required:
For sophomore rating..........................................28 semester hours
For junior rating..................................................60 semester hours
For senior rating.................................................92 semester hours
A student's classification is determined at the beginning of the fall and spring semester.

Student Status
Degree-seeking students taking 12 or more semester hours will be classified as full-time students.
Degree-seeking students taking fewer than 12 semester hours will be classified as part-time students.
A nondegree student is a mature person of ability and seriousness of purpose who enrolls for limited academic work and does not plan to seek a degree. Nondegree students observe the same regulations concerning attendance, examination and proficiency as regular students.

Credit/No Credit Grade Option
With the approval of the instructor, some courses may be taken for credit/no credit. Students must indicate their intention to take a course for credit/no credit at the time of registration. Credit/ no credit grading requires full participation of the student in all class activities. Credit signifies work of passing quality or above, though it carries no grade points. Core courses and courses taken to meet additional degree requirements may not be taken for credit/no credit. Courses required for a student's major ordinarily may not be taken for credit/no credit. No more than eight semester hours graded credit/no credit may be included in the 128 semester hours required for graduation. Courses taken for credit/no credit will not affect a student's grade point average.

Auditing Courses
Courses may be audited if the instructor of the course gives written approval on the registration form. Students must indicate their intention to audit at the time of registration, and once a course has been registered for audit, it may not be changed. No credit is earned for courses that are audited, and the grade of audit does not affect the GPA. For information about fees associated with auditing courses, see the special fees section of the catalog (page 21).

Repeat Courses
A student may enroll in a course at Millsaps which has previously been taken. A course previously taken at Millsaps may also be repeated at another institution with the prior approval of the registrar in consultation with the appropriate department chair. When a course is repeated, no additional course credit is earned, but all grades are calculated into the cumulative grade point average. All grades reported for the course remain a part of the permanent academic record. Millsaps does not guarantee the availability of courses for repeat credit.

Graduation With Distinction
A student whose grade point average is 3.5 for the entire course shall be graduated Cum Laude; one whose grade point average is 3.7 shall be graduated Magna Cum Laude; and one whose grade point average is 3.9 and who has a rating of excellent on the comprehensive examination shall be graduated Summa Cum Laude. To be eligible for graduation Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude, a student must have passed at least 64 semester hours in Millsaps College.
In determining eligibility for distinction for students who have not done all their college work at Millsaps, the grade points earned on the basis of grades made at other institutions will be considered, but students will be considered eligible only if they have the required average both on the work done at Millsaps and on college courses as a whole.

Graduation With Honors
A student who successfully completes the Honors Program in a selected field of study, which need not be in the student's major, receives the designation with honors in that field at graduation.
A degree-seeking student with junior standing and a 3.3 grade point average may apply to a faculty member for permission to undertake an honors project. In the fall semester of the junior year, the student submits an honors project agreement to the Honors Program director. Upon approval of the director, the student enrolls for the spring semester in a directed study course, Honors Research I. For the fall semester of the senior year, the student enrolls in Honors Research II, but completes the bulk of the work before that time in order to be able to defend the thesis to the student's defense committee in the fall. A letter grade is assigned for each of these two courses. For the spring semester of the senior year, the student enrolls in the Honors Colloquium, designed to bring together all students in the program for intellectual exchange.
A student may voluntarily withdraw candidacy for honors at any time. Regular college regulations apply in the matter of dropping a course and receiving course credit.

Election to Phi Beta Kappa
The Phi Beta Kappa chapter at Millsaps elects members from the graduating class each spring. To be considered for election to membership in Phi Beta Kappa, a student must meet the following criteria:

  1. Completion of requirements for a BA or BS degree with a liberal arts or sciences major. (At least three-fourths of the work required for the degree must be in the liberal arts and sciences.)
  2. A minimum of one-half of the work required for graduation completed at Millsaps.
  3. One course in mathematics, calculus or above, and one course in a foreign language at the intermediate level or above.
  4. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.7 based on seven or more semesters. (Grades earned in applied or professional work are not counted in computing GPA for the purpose of election to Phi Beta Kappa.)

Transfer students must meet the required grade point average both on work done at Millsaps and on their college work as a whole. No more than 10 percent of the liberal arts and science graduates may be elected to membership from a graduating class.

Election to Beta Gamma Sigma
Beta Gamma Sigma is the national honor society for business programs accredited by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business. Students are elected each spring. To be considered for membership in Beta Gamma Sigma, an undergraduate must:

  1. pursue the Bachelor of Business Administration degree,
  2. be of high moral character,
  3. be in the upper seven percent of the junior class or upper ten percent of the senior class, and
  4. be approved by the nominating committee.

The cumulative grade point average is used to determine class rank. No more than 10 percent of the BBA graduates may be elected to membership from a graduating class.

Dean's Scholars
At the end of the fall and spring semester, the Dean's Scholars List is issued and consists of those students who for that semester:

(a) earned at least 12 semester hours.
(b) earned a grade point average of at least 3.5 for that semester.
> (c) earned grades of C or higher in each course.
> (d) met the standard, in the judgment of the dean, of being a good citizen of the College community.

President's Scholars
At the end of the fall and spring semester, the President's Scholars List is issued and consists of those students who for that semester:

(a) earned at least 12 semester hours.
(b) earned a grade point average of 3.85 for that semester.
> (c) earned grades of C or higher in each course.
> (d) met the standard, in the judgment of the Dean of the College, of being a good citizen of the College community.

Course Load
Sixteen semester hours per semester is considered the normal load for full-time students. In order to be classified as a full-time student, one must take no fewer than 12 semester hours.
Students are not encouraged to register for more than 18 hours of academic work unless they have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0. No student may register for more than 20 hours in a semester without a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 and permission of the Dean of the College. A student will ordinarily not be permitted to register for more than 22 hours in a semester.

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