Academic Standards and Regulations
The policy and procedures concerning the privacy of student records maintained by Southern New Hampshire University are in large measure governed by the Federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. The university’s policy and procedures regarding this subject are posted by the Office of the Registrar.
Except when requested by a student or required by federal or state regulations, an educational record will not include information concerning race, religion, nationality, political or social views or memberships in organizations. Directory information (name, address, telephone number, major, etc.) may be released or published without a student’s consent unless the student notifies the university that this information is not to be released.
Only members of the university staff with a need to know, certain federal or state agencies and other education agencies completing surveys and studies for the university will ordinarily have access to a student’s record without the written consent of the student concerned.
A student has the right to waive his or her right of access concerning recommendations from personnel at his or her former school and from others regarding admission to the university and recommendations for employment on file with the university and recommendations for some honor or honor society. The university may not require a student to waive this right nor may the student’s status at the university depend upon his or her waiving this right.
Students have the privilege of receiving their course grade averages prior to final exams and discussing their grades with their instructors. To do this, a student must request an appointment with the instructor at least two weeks prior to the first day of final exams. Grades will not be released over the telephone or over fax lines.
Instructors are responsible for all grade changes. Concerns about incompletes, make-ups and grades should be directed to them.
In determining grades at the university, the following grade system is used:
| Grade |
Quality Points (per credit hour) | |
| A | Excellent | 4.00 |
| A- | 3.67 | |
| B+ | 3.33 | |
| B | Good | 3.00 |
| B- | 2.67 | |
| C+ | 2.33 | |
| C | Average | 2.00 |
| C- | 1.67 | |
| D+ | 1.33 | |
| D | Passing | 1.00 |
| F | Fail | 0.00 |
| IF | Incomplete/Fail | 0.00 |
| N | No grade received from instructor | 0.00 |
| I | Incomplete | |
| S | Satisfactory | |
| U | Unsatisfactory | |
| CR | Credit | |
| AU | Audit | |
| W | Withdraw | |
| WP | Withdraw Passing | |
| WF | Withdraw Failing | |
| T | Transfer Credit | |
| X | Course in Progress |
The grade-point average (GPA) is determined by dividing the sum of the quality points (QP) by the sum of the attempted credit hours (CR). An example of a student’s grades and grade-point average is as follows:
| ENG 103 | 3 Credits x A(4)= | 12 QP |
| SNHU 101 | 3 Credits x B(3)= | 9 QP |
| MAT 120 | 3 Credits x C(2)= | 6 QP |
| PSY 108 | 3 Credits x D(1)= | 3 QP |
| IT 100 | 3 Credits x F(0)= | 0 QP |
| 15 | 30 QP |
30 QP divided by 15 CR = 2.00 GPA
Faculty may give a student a grade of incomplete (“I”) in a course. Any student requesting an “I” grade must complete a Student Petition & Contract for a Grade of Incomplete and submit it to the proper offices prior to the final day of the term/semester. The petition will specify a deadline by which the course work must be completed, typically six calendar weeks after the end of the semester or term. The incomplete automatically becomes an “IF” if work has not been completed and a grade has not been submitted by the specific deadline.
If an instructor accepts student work after the deadline, and wishes to change a grade of “IF” to a letter grade, such a change requires the instructor’s rationale documenting significant extenuating circumstances and the written approval of the Dean under whose aegis the course was offered.
Any student wishing to audit a course must sign up for that course as an audit prior to the end of the add/drop period. Once the add/drop period has passed, no student may change any of his or her courses to an audit status. Students are to use the add/drop form to establish the intent to audit a course. Tuition is charged at the prevailing rate.
A student will be deemed to be making satisfactory progress either by specific action of the Scholastic Standing Committee or when on schedule to complete his or her:
Baccalaureate Degree:
within four years if full time
within six years if 3/4 time
within eight years if half time
Associate Degree:
within two years if full time
within three years if 3/4 time
within four years if half time
A student in good standing is defined by SNHU as a student who has a total grade-point average of 2.0 or better or who has been approved for matriculation by the Scholastic Standing Committee. Students receiving financial assistance are required to complete at least 75 percent of all credits attempted at SNHU and must maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative grade-point average.
At the end of each semester and at any other time, the records of all students may be reviewed by the Scholastic Standing Committee. A student whose cumulative gradepoint average (GPA) is less than 2.0 will be placed on scholastic warning. Students on scholastic warning are subject to suspension or dismissal by the Scholastic Standing Committee. The deans and the Vice president for Student Affairs will be responsible for working with students having academic difficulties.
Students may repeat courses for credit. Students who fail courses will want or need to repeat the same courses at Southern New Hampshire University. In such instances, the first course grade will not be computed into the total gradepoint average (GPA); instead, the most recent course grade will be used. All prior grades will appear on students’ transcripts.
Except as provided by the Federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act and in instances in which a student consents consents to release his or her transcript to another party, the Office of the Registrar will not furnish a transcript to any person other than to the person identified by name on the transcript.
Transcripts will not be furnished to students or former students whose financial obligations to the university have not been satisfied. Transcript requests may be processed at the Office of the Registrar by mail. Transcripts will not be released over fax lines.
There is a charge of $5 per transcript that must accompany the request.