Grades, GPA, and Earned Credits

Grading System

The grading system and associated grade points per whole-credit are as follows:

At the conclusion of each semester, students receive a grade, a GPA credit, and a degree credit for each course.

A GPA credit indicates the weighting factor assigned to a grade for use in the GPA computation. A grade of A, B, C, D, F, or NC may be assigned a GPA credit of 0, 1/4, 1/2, or 1, depending on the course. Most Hendrix courses carry a GPA weight of 1. Study abroad credits, however, typically carry a GPA weight of 0, unless Hendrix is the originating institution for the grades. For example, Hendrix is the originating institution for the Costa Rica study abroad program. Applied physical and musical activity classes typically carry GPA weights of 1/4 or 1/2.

A grade of CR, I, NR, W,  or WE is always assigned a GPA credit of 0. To compute the grade point average, multiply each grade by its assigned GPA credit, sum the results, and divide by the sum of the GPA credits. A grade of WE is assigned to indicate that a student was withdrawn due to administrative action, including academic dismissal, disciplinary expulsion, academic suspension, and disciplinary suspension.

A degree credit indicates whether or not the received grade is assigned an earned credit towards graduation. A grade of A, B, C, D or CR is assigned a degree credit of 0 or 1, depending on the course. A grade of F, NC, I, NR, W, WE, or AU is assigned a degree credit of 0. To compute the number of earned credits, sum the total number of degree credits.

Grade I (Incomplete)

The I grade is assigned when, for reasons beyond the control of the student, they are unable to complete requirements of a course by the end of the semester. When an I grade is reported by an instructor, a form entitled “Report on Incomplete Grade” must be submitted by that instructor to the Registrar. This report stipulates the conditions and the deadline date that must be met for the removal of the Incomplete. Incomplete grades should be resolved by the conclusion of the following semester and may not extend beyond a calendar year. (The calendar year begins at the end of the semester in which the grade of Incomplete is assigned.) The student and the advisor will receive copies of this report. Removal of the I and the assigning of the course grade by the instructor occur once the student has successfully completed the remaining course requirements. The I grade will revert to the grade specified on the Report on Incomplete Grade form if the requirements are not met by the specified deadline date. Forms submitted without a grade specified will convert to an F after the deadline.

Grade NR (No Report)

The NR grade is a temporary one and indicates that, due to circumstances beyond the control of the student, the Office of the Registrar did not receive the grade. Instructors should replace the NR grade by a letter grade (A, B, C, D, F, I) for graded courses, or a credit/no credit grade (CR, NC) for non-graded courses, as soon as possible, but no later than graduation. For courses not expected to have a delayed grade because of an extended project or research, if the instructor has not replaced an NR grade by the end of the second semester following the initial NR grade, then the NR grade will be replaced by an F grade for graded courses and an NC for non-graded courses. For courses expected to have a delayed grade because of an extended project or research, if the instructor has not replaced an NR grade by the end of the second semester following the second NR grade, then the NR grade will be replaced by an F grade for graded courses and an NC for non-graded courses. In cases where the instructor assigns a grade of I, the I policy supersedes the NR policy at that point. 

Repeating a Course

A student may repeat a course for which a grade already exists on the transcript. When a student repeats a course at Hendrix, the highest earned grade factors into their Hendrix GPA, and the course receives an R designation. The lower grade, designated with an asterisk (*), remains on the Hendrix transcript, but it does not factor into the grade point calculation. A repeat grade of CR is only higher than previously earned grades of D, F, NC, W, and WE. Repeated courses count only once toward earned degree credits. A course transferred in as a repeat course cannot replace a grade earned in the original Hendrix course.

Courses Taken For Credit Only

To encourage selection of a broader range of courses, Hendrix permits students to take one course per year on a credit-only basis during their sophomore, junior, and senior years. In place of the letter grade of C or better, the student will receive the designation of CR. In place of the letter grade of D or F, the student will receive the designation of NC. Courses taken for credit-only must be at the 200 level or above. Courses taken for credit-only at Hendrix must be outside the student’s major or minor. Moreover, because of the centrality of the Learning Domain requirements to the liberal arts curriculum, these credit-only courses may not be used to complete Learning Domain requirements. These credit-only courses also may not be used to satisfy Collegiate Center requirements. The maximum number of credit-only courses counted toward graduation will be three. Intention to take a course under this option must be declared within the first month of the semester at the Office of the Registrar. A student may request that the CR designation be changed to the letter grade reported by the instructor if the course is later used to fulfill a major, minor, or Learning Domain requirement in existence at the beginning of the student’s senior year. Courses typically assigned a grade of CR, such as Physical Activity classes, senior seminars, and some internships, will not count toward a student’s limit of three credit-only courses. This policy also does not apply to graded music activity classes.

Activity Course Credits

Course credit for graduation may be earned with the completion of a specific number of activity courses with a grade of CR or C or higher in a given type of activity. Physical activity courses are offered only on a CR basis with no assigned grade. Some music activity courses are offered only on a CR basis while others are offered either on a CR or on a graded basis. Check Department of Music for details.

The following combinations of activity course credits are equivalent to one course credit:

* Any four different physical activity courses

* Four semesters of TARA A30 Dance Ensemble 

* Four activity courses at the 200-level (ensembles) or 300-level (thirty-minute per week applied music lessons)

* Two activity courses at the 400-level (sixty-minute per week applied music lessons)

* One activity course at the 400-level and two at the 200- or 300-level.

Physical activity course credits, dance ensemble credits, and music activity course credits may NOT be combined for whole course credits.

Grades earned in activity courses will appear on the college transcript and will count in the student’s grade point average. However, only whole credits (accrued as described above) will count toward the 32 course graduation requirement.

Any number of individual activity courses may be taken by a student; however, there are limitations on the number of whole course credits that a student may count toward graduation. Only one course credit in the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance may count toward graduation, and only two course credits in the Department of Music may count toward graduation. The exception to this rule is that music majors may earn up to two additional course credits toward graduation from music activity courses.

Activity classes are subject to the same registration, add, drop, and withdrawal deadlines as standard semester courses.

Course Audits

With the instructor’s permission, full-time students, employees, and employees’ dependents may audit a course without charge. Audited courses are not included in the calculation of course load, nor are they recorded on the permanent record. Part-time students or other individuals who are not matriculating at the college are required to pay the established fee per course. Courses with enrollments limited by space or equipment availability such as applied music, studio art, laboratory courses, etc., may not be audited.