Royal Open University

GRADE POINT SYSTEM

Final grades are reported for each student for every course undertaken according to the following grading system:

METHOD OF CALCULATION

Grade points earned for each course are determined by multiplying the number of points carried for each grade by the number of credit hours the course carries. Grades earned in basic skills and development courses are excluded from the calculation.

To receive credit for a course, a student must earn a semester grade of not less than D or must receive a grade of P/SA/SB/SC.

INCOMPLETE GRADES

A grade of “I” (incomplete) may be awarded to a student at the instructor’s discretion when an unforeseen, documented emergency or other documented extenuating circumstance the instructor deems appropriate prevents the students from completing the work in a course. Examples of extenuating circumstances include, but are not limited to:

• Severe Illness
• Death of a close relative
• Pregnancy
• Job related travel that could not be rescheduled
• Military Duty

In order to receive an “I” for the course, the student must have successfully completed at least 50% of the coursework with a passing grade. An Incomplete Grade Contract will be completed by the instructor, approved by the appropriate Dean, and signed by the student with documentation attached explaining the emergency. The contract will outline the coursework the student must accomplish in order to complete the course and receive a final grade. If the work required to remove the “I” grade is not completed by the last class day of the subsequent long semester following the semester in which the student received the grade of “I”, the “I” grade will become an “F” grade. Once the contract has been submitted, the student may not be withdrawn from the course. With the exception of the “I” grade, no grade may be changed 30 days after the close of a semester.

REPEATED COURSES

In computing cumulative grade point averages, only the highest grade earned in repeated courses shall be included. In cases where the student withdraws from a course that he or she is repeating, the cumulative grade point average shall be calculated by using the highest final grade in the same course.

GRADE REPORTING

Final course grades are posted electronically on the Web advisor portal located on the Royal Open University webpage. Paper or hard copies of grades are not issued to students. At the end of each semester, the Registrar’s Office shall transcript the student’s final course grades on each student’s transcript. Official transcripts shall be withheld if the student does not have all required student information on file in the registrar’s office or if any financial obligations to the college have not been paid.

SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS (SAP)

Acceptable performance, also known as good standing, is based upon student progress toward successful course and program completion. The two components used to compute academic standing are GPA and course completion. Academic standings are computed beginning with the first enrollment.

SCHOLASTIC STANDARDS

Scholastic standards are defined as follows:

Good standing: The good standing standard is awarded to students maintaining a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher and who complete at least one course each semester/session of enrollment.

Academic Probation: Failure to maintain a 2.0, “C” cumulative grade-point average, will result in the student being placed on scholastic probation for the next semester enrolled. A student may remove himself/herself from scholastic probation by bringing his/her cumulative grade-point average to a 2.0 or better.

Academic Suspension: Should the student earn less than a 2.0 grade-point average for two semesters of enrollment and have less than a 1.5 grade-point average for the most current semester, the student will be placed on scholastic suspension for one regular semester (fall or spring).

RIGHT OF APPEAL

A student who has been placed on scholastic suspension and who feels that his or her case deserves special consideration may appeal the decision in writing to and meet with the appropriate Dean who may reinstate the student for one additional semester. If readmission is granted, the student will remain on scholastic suspension for that one semester until end-of-course grades determine the student’s academic standing for the next semester.

CREDIT HOUR

Royal Open University utilizes the requirement of the Inter-University Council of East African definition of a Credit Hour. All courses taught at the college will be in compliance with these standards.

COURSE CREDIT FOR NON-CREDIT WORK

Royal Open University may grant credit hours for noncredit courses taken at the College, provided that the courses have equivalent course objectives and outcomes as Royal Open University credit courses in an approved Career and Technical Education Program.

Any student applying to receive academic credit for noncredit work must meet specific requirements. To receive credit at

A student must:

• have successfully completed the Royal Open University noncredit program with a grade of “CR”,
• have passed the corresponding certification/licensing exam,
• possess the current corresponding certification/license, and
• have completed 12 additional credit hours at Royal Open University with a minimum 2.0 grade point average.

Supporting documentation must be sent to the Director of Continuing Education, who reviews the documents, approves the request, signs the application, and advises the student. The application is then sent to the Registrar, who awards credit on the student’s transcript.

CREDIT HOUR

Royal Open University shall define a semester credit hour as a unit of measure of instruction consisting of sixty (60) minutes, of which fifty (50) minutes must be direct instruction, over a fifteen-week period in a semester system or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time.  

COURSE CREDIT

Royal Open University shall grant course credit according to the guidelines established by the university . Credit will be awarded for course work taken on a noncredit basis only when there is documentation that the noncredit course work is equivalent to a designated credit experience.
Procedures shall be published that include criteria for evaluating, awarding, and accepting credit for transfer, experiential learning, credit by examination, and advanced placement.