Harvard Chan School Grading System

Only courses that have the Audit grading option allow auditors.  This information appears on individual listings in the my.harvard Course Search. There is a limit of 5 credits per term of audited coursework allowed while registered as a full- or part-time student fulfilling degree requirements. Students do not receive credit for audited courses, but audited courses do count towards the semester’s attempted credits. Audited courses will appear on transcripts with the grade of AU. This grade will not be calculated in the G.P.A. Students who do not meet the instructors’ expectations of an auditor will receive the grade of WDA. This grade will not be calculated in the G.P.A. Summer courses may not be audited.

Non-degree students are not permitted to audit any courses under any circumstances with the exception of Special Fellows.

Students who petition and receive approval for withdrawing from a course after the period’s add/drop deadline for any course at the Harvard Chan School will receive a grade of WD. The withdrawal will be a part of their permanent academic record. Withdrawn course credits will not count towards attempted nor earned credits. Tuition is not refunded for withdrawn courses.

A student who cannot attend a regularly scheduled examination must request permission for an alternate examination from the instructor in advance of the examination. At the discretion of the instructor, and in the case of significant medical or personal reasons, an alternate examination may be permitted. Ordinarily, the instructor will consult with the director for student affairs concerning medical and personal problems. An excuse for absence from an examination and permission for an alternate examination must be recorded on the Absence from Examination Form from the Registrar’s Office. In the case of an unexcused absence, the instructor will give a grade of “F” for this examination. (CEP 2/89)

Students failing any course at the School will receive a grade of F. The failure will be a part of their permanent academic record. Students who fail a course other than a core course have the opportunity to repeat the course for a new grade. Graduation dates will not be extended in order to repeat courses. A new grade will be given for the repeated course, but the F previously received will remain on the student’s record and will continue to be calculated into the GPA.

Students who fail one of the core requirements (listed in this handbook under Core Course Requirements (pg. 43) or any required departmental or program courses must follow procedures established by the CAD:

The following procedures apply if the student has failed a core requirement:

• The student must register for one of the following independent studies corresponding to the failed course (BST 201R, BST 202R, EPI 201R, EPI 202R, etc.). These independent studies are each 2.5 credits and will remain on the student’s
• The faculty member who taught the failed core course must supervise the makeup independent
• The makeup independent study must have a final examination.
• At the successful completion of the makeup independent study, the department chair/program director must certify in writing that the student has met the minimum departmental/program requirements for the subject matter of the failed course. The makeup independent study does not replace the original failure on the student’s official academic transcript.

The following procedures apply if the student has failed a department/program requirement:

• The student is required to take the independent study for the same number of credits as the failed The CAD recommends a minimum of 2.5 credits to be awarded upon the successful completion of the independent study.
• The makeup independent study must have a final examination.
• At the successful completion of the makeup independent study, the department chair/program director must certify in writing that the student has met the minimum departmental/program requirements for the subject matter of the failed course. The makeup independent study does not replace the original failure on the student’s official academic transcript.
• A student who fails two or more core or departmental/program requirements will not be awarded the degree for which they are a candidate. A student who has extenuating circumstances and who has the approval of their chair and of the chair in whose department they failed the course may petition for permission to retake each failed course in its entirety. Makeup independent studies will not be allowed.

Instructors may grant an extension to students who fail to submit an assignment by a deadline date. The penalty for missing a deadline ordinarily is a lowering of the student’s grade on the assignment by one letter (e.g., from A- to B-); however, the instructor may decide that a lesser or greater penalty is required. Instructors should set policy at the beginning of the course concerning the impact of missed deadlines on students’ grades.

Students who do not complete course work will receive a grade on the work completed to date or will receive an Incomplete, represented by the grade of INC, at the discretion of the instructor. Students who need additional time to complete course requirements, must meet and discuss the issue with the course instructor. Both parties agree to the work to be performed, the completion deadline, and the penalty, if any, to assigned if the work is not completed. When assigning an INC grade, an instructor will also determine a Lapse-To grade, the grade assigned if the student does not complete additional work the by the Incomplete grade deadline.

When the incomplete grade has been assigned, students will receive a notification that they have an Incomplete Grade Contract in my.harvard. In my.harvard, the student will be prompted to read the contract details and electronically acknowledge the contract if they agree with its contents. The “Formerly Incomplete Grade” is added to the transcript beneath any grade that was changed from INC.

Policy on the grade of Incomplete: The deadline for making up incomplete course work should be no later than one term after the term in which the course was taken, and may be earlier, at the discretion of the instructor. If the instructor will not be present when the deadline arrives, a designated surrogate must be appointed by the instructor to receive and evaluate the completed course work. If the completed work is submitted by the deadline date, the instructor (or surrogate) will evaluate it, and the grade given will be added to the incomplete (“IN”) on the student’s record, so that the final grade will be “the final grade”, with a notation on the student’s transcript. If the incomplete work is not made up by the deadline date, a grade of “INC” will be given for the work not completed. If this work accounts for the whole grade, the final grade given will be an “INC.” (CEP 7/2016)