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Academic performance
Graduate academic standards
| Grades | Cumulative
rating | Subject
credits and designations | Grade
reports and transcripts
Graduate academic standards
Continuing registration of graduate students is contingent
upon satisfactory academic performance. It is the responsibility
of the Committee on Graduate Programs (CGP) to monitor
academic standards for graduate students and special graduate
students in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of
the Faculty. It is the department's responsibility to inform students about individual
department requirements and expectations concerning academic
performance. The Graduate Academic Performance Group reviews the academic records of
all graduate students at the end of each term (including the
summer session), giving particular attention to students with
cumulative ratings below 3.5 to 4.0, and students with U grades in thesis. Consideration is given
to low grades and factors affecting a student's ability to
meet the requirements for the degree program in which he or
she is enrolled.
Recommendations for action by the GAPG are made by departmental
graduate committees. Unless extenuating circumstances are
found, students who are not making satisfactory progress towards
a degree may be denied permission to continue or may be warned
that without substantial improvement the following term, they
may be refused further registration. In addition, departmental
graduate committees may recommend to the GAPG that a student
be allowed to register only for a less advanced degree.
All such recommendations shall be acted upon by the Graduate Academic Performance Group no later than its last regular
meeting in the term during which the deficiency in the student’s
performance is recognized. The vote of the committee in each
case shall be transmitted in writing by the Dean for Graduate
Education to the student, the student’s department, and
the Registrar.
Warnings and refusals approved by the committee are recorded
by the Registrar for Institute purposes, but are not reported
on transcripts issued to other institutions and employers.
In order to receive federal financial aid under Title IV
purposes, a graduate student is considered to be making satisfactory
progress as long as his or her cumulative grade point average
exceeds 4.0, and if the number of terms of enrollment does
not exceed five for a master's candidate or ten for a Ph.D.
or Sc.D. candidate. Graduate students whose performance falls
below this standard will be considered, for Title IV purposes,
to be under GAPG review during the subsequent term. A student
under GAPG review will be considered to be making satisfactory
progress if the GAPG does not withdraw permission for the
student to continue.
Grades
Grades at MIT are not rigidly related to any numerical scores
or distribution functions, that is, grades are not awarded
solely according to predetermined percentages. As can be seen
from the following grade descriptions, a student's grade in
a subject is related more directly to the student's mastery
of the material than to the relative performance of his or
her peers. In determining a student's grade, consideration
is given for elegance of presentation, creativity, imagination,
and originality, where these may appropriately be called for.
Note that the MIT internal grading system includes plus (+)
and minus (-) modifiers for use with the letter grades A,
B, and C for all academic subjects (except advanced standing
exams). These modifiers are included on internal grade reports.
However, they are not officially part of student's grades,
they do not appear on MIT transcripts, and they do not affect
internally or externally reported grade-point averages.
Passing grades Graduate students who satisfactorily
complete the work of a subject by the end of the term receive
one of the following grades. Note that in most departments and graduate programs, grades below B are normally considered to be unacceptable as a measure of progress towards degree objectives.
A Exceptionally good performance demonstrating a superior
understanding of the subject matter, a foundation of extensive
knowledge, and a skillful use of concepts and/or materials.
B Good performance demonstrating capacity to use the
appropriate concepts, a good understanding of the subject
matter, and an ability to handle the problems and materials
encountered in the subject.
C Minimally acceptable performance for graduate work,
demonstrating partial familiarity with the subject matter
and some capacity to deal with relatively simple problems,
but also demonstrating deficiencies serious enough to make
it inadvisable to proceed further in the field without additional
work.
P When the use of the passing grade P is authorized, it reflects performance at the level A, B, or C, with the student graded on a P/D/F basis. There is no pass/fail option for graduate students.
Non-passing grades The grades and notations used for
subjects not passed or not completed by the end of the term
are as follows.
F Failed. This grade also signifies that the student
must repeat the subject to receive credit.
O Absent. This grade indicates that the student was
progressing satisfactorily during the term but was absent
from the final examination, did not turn in the final paper
or project, and/or was absent during the last two weeks of
the term. Like an F grade, an O grade carries no credit for
the subject, but the O grade can be converted to a grade of
OX. Unsatisfactory performance because of absence throughout
the term should be recorded as F. The process to change O to OX requires a graduate student petition and confirmation from an appropriate provider at MIT Medical verifying that the student's condition warrants the change.
OX Absence satisfactorily explained to and excused
by the Dean for Graduate Education. The faculty member in charge
of the subject will be notified when an O is changed to an
OX. An OX carries no credit for the subject. However, the
faculty member in charge must provide the student the opportunity
to receive a credit-carrying grade. This may be done with
or without the instructor requiring a make-up final examination
or other additional evaluation procedure.
I Incomplete. The grade I indicates that a minor part
(less than one-fifth) of the subject requirements has not
been fulfilled and that a passing grade is expected when the
work is completed. The work is to be completed before Add
Date of the succeeding term of the regular academic year;
however, the faculty member in charge, in negotiation with
the student, has the right to set an earlier or later date
for pedagogical reasons or extenuating circumstances. The
grade I for the term remains permanently on the student's
record even when the subject is completed. A typical example
of a "minor portion of the work required" might
be a paper or a laboratory report.
If the work is not completed, the grade I will not be converted
to any other grade. The student can petition the departmental
graduate officer and the Dean for Graduate Education for an extension of the
deadline. Such a petition is approved only under extenuating
circumstances. When completion of the subject requires facilities
that are normally but not continuously available, the work
must be completed in the earliest term in which the facilities
are available. Grades for completion of incompletes are not
usually recorded for individuals who are no longer registered,
though students receiving degrees have three months to complete
an incomplete received in their final term.
J A notation assigned by the instructor for thesis
work that has progressed satisfactorily, but has not been
completed. The grade given upon completion of the work in
a later term also covers this term. The grade assigned on
the completion of a master’s or engineer’s degree
thesis of at least 24 units is given a weight of 24 units
in the cumulative rating. The J grade may also be used for
satisfactory completion of work in the first term of a subject
that is to be continued into the following term. The use of
the J grade for such subjects requires prior approval by the
Committee on Graduate Programs.
T Temporary notation. The grade T is used for subjects
that cover the equivalent of one term's work, but are scheduled
over parts of two normal grading periods. Prior approval must
have been obtained from the Committee on Graduate Programs
for graduate subjects. This notation is recorded only on the
student's internal record. A permanent grade must be assigned
when the subject is finished.
U A notation for thesis work that has not been completed
and in which progress has been unsatisfactory. Grade given
upon completion of the work in a later term also covers this
term. Unless a student's progress improves significantly,
the student may expect that grade to be failing. Such performance may lead to a dean's warning or, if not corrected, denial of permission to continue.
Other notations The following notations are also used
on the academic record.
S Notation for credit awarded for work done elsewhere.
SA Notation for satisfactorily completed doctoral
thesis. Doctoral theses are not graded.
DR A notation to be used only on the student's internal
record for a subject dropped after the fifth week of the regular
term.
Cumulative rating
To be recommended for an advanced degree, a student must meet
the minimum requirements of graduate study and research, including
a high cumulative rating. The cumulative rating of graduate
students is computed from grades received in all subjects
(excluding doctoral thesis) taken for credit as part of the
student's graduate program (including registration as a special
student). For a masters's thesis, up to a maximum of 24 units is used in the computation of the cumulative rating.
The cumulative rating is computed by multiplying the grade
points received in each subject by the total units assigned
to that subject and dividing the sum by the total units. Grade
points are as follows: A = 5; B = 4; C = 3; D = 2; F = 0;
O = 0. Grades of I, P, S, SA, OX, T, and DR are not used in computation
of a graduate student's cumulative rating, and the grades
of J and U not until final grades are received.
Subject credits and designations
Credit units, which indicate a subject’s time distribution,
are represented by three numbers separated by dashes in the
"Subject
Listings" of the MIT Bulletin, (for example,
2-0-10). The number of units assigned for recitation and lecture
appears first; for laboratory, design, or fieldwork second;
and for preparation, third. All of the units added together
represent the total credit for the subject.
One unit represents approximately 14 hours of work. "Units
arranged" indicates that units are specially arranged
by the instructor.
In the list of subject descriptions, the year classification
is indicated as "U" for an undergraduate subject
and "G" for a subject offered primarily for graduate
students. The "H" designation indicates an approved
subject with higher graduate-level degree credit.
Grade reports and transcripts
Students may view their grade reports on WebSIS. Students
may order transcripts of their academic record at the Student
Services Center, Room 11-120, for a fee. Transcript fees for
currently registered students are charged to their student
account.
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