Overview

Office of the Registrar maintains transcripts and registration history for all students, former students and graduates of UMBC. In addition, the office maintains transfer credit information and academic progress reports for undergraduate students.

Grade Processing

Grade processing for all academic courses at UMBC is managed by the Office of the Registrar. Grade rosters are provided to departmental representatives, who distribute them to faculty. Departments are notified of the due date for grades when the rosters are distributed each semester. Grade rosters are completed by faculty members and returned to the Office of the Registrar by the due date. Grades are scanned and posted to student transcripts immediately after the submission deadline. Grades which have not been submitted show on student transcripts as “NG.”

Grading System
UMBC’s regular grading method is as follows:

A - indicates superior achievement
B – good performance
C- adequate perfomance
D- minimal acceptable achievement
F – failure
I – incomplete work
W – indicates a course dropped after the end of the fourth week of the semester

In addition to the regular grading system, some courses are also offered Pass/Fail or Audit. Grading methods for a particular course are determined during the development of the Schedule of Classes for that semester.

Grade Changes
An instructor may change a grade already submitted to Office of the Registrar on written certification and approval by the department chairperson and the appropriate dean. Once degrees are awarded, however, no changes will be made to a student’s record. Grade changes must be submitted on grade change forms which are generally available in the academic departments and Office of the Registrar.

Incomplete Grades:
Faculty may choose to give a grade of “I” under exceptional circumstances for course work that is qualitatively satisfactory but, for reasons beyond the student’s control, cannot be completed. Faculty members do not initiate the awarding of an “incomplete” grade, but may agree to this option if discussed with the student.

All work for courses in which a grade of “I” is earned must be completed before a date specified by the instructor, which, under no circumstances, will be later than the last day scheduled for final examinations during the next regular semester. The course work must be completed under the guidance of the original instructor by the date specified, even if the course is not offered, the instructor is not in residence, or the student is not enrolled in the university. A grade of “F” is automatically awarded when these requirements are not met.

Instructors notify Office of the Registrar of a change in the status of an “I” grade by submitting a Change of Grade form.

Pass/Fail
Students who have completed 30 or more credits and are in good academic standing at UMBC may enroll for one pass/fail (P/F) course per semester for a total of 12 credits towards graduation. Any course may be designated P/F except those explicitly excluded by the department or those used to fulfill general education or major/minor/certificate requirements.

More on Pass/Fail (link to catalog).

Audit
If a student wishes to show that he or she has attended a course but does not seek academic credit, he or she may register in a course as an auditor. The notation “AU” is listed for audited courses for which no credits are attempted or earned.

More on Audit (link to catalog).

Repeat Policy
Any course may be repeated, but if a grade of A, B, C, D or P already has been earned for that course, the subsequent attempt does not increase the total credits earned towards the degree. The highest grade will be used in the computation of the cumulative grade point average for undergraduate students. The grade received in the last attempt of a course, whether higher or lower than the first grade, will be used in the computation of the cumulative grade point average for graduate students. All grades earned remain on the permanent record.

Students may not register for a course more than three times, and they may not repeat a course for a higher grade once they have successfully completed any subsequent course of a higher level in an academic sequence.

Permission to repeat a course elsewhere may be granted by Office of the Registrar upon recommendation by a student’s faculty advisor.

Additional Records Policies and Resources:
The Faculty Handbook (includes policies on Academic Misconduct and Arbitrary and Capricious Grading)
Disclosure of Records

Faculty Access to Academic Records
Authorized faculty and staff are provided with access to student academic information for the purpose of academic advising. This information is provided via My Academic Profile (MAP), an online advising resource available through the MyUMBC accounts of authorized users.

In addition to transcripts, authorized users can access advising profiles, transfer course data, course histories, and undergraduate progress reports via MAP.

Transfer Credits
Courses from other institutions or external examinations which have been awarded transfer credit at UMBC are recorded on student transcripts. Detailed information on how these courses have been applied to requirements at UMBC is available via MAP.

More information on transfer credit

Resources for students
Faculty may be asked about obtaining records services by students in their course or advisees. Students should be directed to their myUMBC accounts to request the following:

• transcripts
• enrollment verification letters
• address changes
• graduation application

Students should be directed to obtain the appropriate paperwork in Office of the Registrar for the following:

• declaration or change of major
• name changes
• permission to enroll in excess credits
• verification of transferability

For more information about UMBC’s records policy and services visit Student Records.