The minimum semester load for a full-time student is 12 semester hours; the maximum load is 20 hours. Students with less than a 3.0 cumulative GPA must petition the Provost to register for more than 17 hours no later than the second week of classes. Full-time status is determined at the end of the add/drop period, after which time course withdrawals have no effect on full-time status with regard to charges for tuition and fees. Full-time status is required, however, for participation in a sport. Other areas of extra-curricular and co-curricular activities may also be impacted.

Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty are serious offenses at Muskingum University, and the faculty member has the prerogative of invoking the severest penalty for an initial offense. Each department is responsible for developing its definition of plagiarism, but in general, plagiarism is the verbal, written, graphic, or three-dimensional presentation of borrowed material without citing its source. Students must cite the source for quotations, paraphrases, borrowed ideas, models, information, or organization of material.

The student is responsible for meeting all appropriate course, major, and graduation requirements as stated in this catalog. Although a student and an advisor are partners, the student needs to be knowledgeable about academic requirements and take the initiative in planning his or her own program, in setting goals, and in monitoring progress toward completing such goals.

Grades are assigned on a scale ranging from A, excellent, to F, failing. The grades’ equivalent quality points are: A, 4.00; A-, 3.67; B+, 3.33; B, 3.00; B-, 2.67; C+, 2.33; C, 2.00; C-, 1.67; D+, 1.33; D, 1.00; D-, 0.67; and F, 0.00. Other grades are WIP, for work in progress; I, incomplete; S, satisfactory (C- or above); U, unsatisfactory (D+ or below); W, withdrawn; L, audit; and NR, not reported.

Students may withdraw from full semester courses through the 60th day of the semester, and from partial semester offerings until the course is three-fourths completed. Withdrawals are not permitted after the specified time.

The process for course withdrawal is initiated in the Registrar’s office.

*Adult undergraduate degree completers should refer to the MAP Guidebook.

Your semester grade point average (GPA) is calculated by dividing the total amount of grade points earned (grade equivalent quality points times credit hours for the course) that semester by the total amount of graded credit hours attempted that semester. Your grade point average may range from 0.0 to a 4.0. P/NP (Pass/No Pass) courses are not factored in the GPA. The following marks do not receive grade points and do not have an effect on the GPA: I, WIP, S, U, W, L, and NR.

A student may repeat a course once if the original grade is a C- or lower and provided it is repeated at the next offering, or provided that no more than one intervening course has been taken in the discipline offering the course. A course may be repeated only one time. When a course is repeated, both grades remain on the record but only the most recent grade is used in computing the grade point average unless the most recent grade is I, WIP, or W.

Faculty members are responsible for outlining grading policies to students at the beginning of each course. If students believe they have received a wrong grade on an examination or for a course, the initial step is to discuss the grade directly with the faculty member teaching the course. If that step does not result in a satisfactory explanation or resolution of the perceived problem, the student may bring the matter to the attention of the department chair.

Official copies of Muskingum University transcripts bearing the University seal and the Registrar’s signature are sent directly to schools or organizations upon the request of students or alumni. Individuals may also receive official copies of the transcript (which are stamped “Issued to Student”) following the same ordering process. Students may request transcripts by going to: https://www.muskingum.edu/registrar/transcript-information.

Auditing is subject to space availability. For full-time traditional students, there is no charge to audit, but permission must be received from the Registrar, the faculty advisor, and the course instructor. The decision to audit a class must be on file with the Registrar by the end of the add/drop period and cannot be changed. Non-attendance results in a grade of W. Those over 62 years of age may audit a course under the same regulations. Part-time students are charged a fee to audit.

*Adult undergraduate degree completers should refer to the MAP Guidebook.