Current students: question regarding minimum grades in your classes

[NerdDoc]

Hello all,

So I'm headed into my 5th of 8 semesters in my DNP program and we've just received our summer syllabus that's got a pretty significant change to grade requirements. While our college has required that students maintain at least an 80% in a class to pass, there hasn't been any requirement on specific assignments. My current class is requiring that we receive an 80% on each assignment, including forum posts and attendance.

According to this new policy, I would have failed all 4 classes which I received A's in last semester, because I failed to post a discussion on time (2% of my grade), or received a C on an assignment. Has anyone else heard of similar policy? I'm not sure what my rights are as a student, but I'm hoping this is something I'd be able to appeal if I had high marks on all of my other assignments.

Thanks for any feedback!

[TashaLPN2006RN2012, ASN, RN]

Not sure you have any say, as the syllabus is what guides each class. For my school we need a cumulative 83% = B to pass the class, however, we are graded by percentages so it gives at least a little leeway to get that 83%. My patho class is 15% weekly quiz grades and 85% test grades...i messed up and got under an 83% on two tests and it dropped my overall % down heavily. In another class I had several pass/fail assignments plus a % for participation in the online webcam class times, and % for papers, quiz and tests. Id say since this is a DNP program and you are more than 1/2 way through it is not suprising that the grading has gotten harder! =(

[NerdDoc]

I agree that I shouldn't be surprised that things have gotten harder, but I find it odd to require that each assignment score at least an 80% or better - that's what the cumulative grade is for. I've had classes where certain evaluations, such as an OSCE, have been required in order to pass the entire class, but I haven't heard of such a requirement on each assignment in a class before. I'm just wondering if anyone else out there has similar expectations. I've got a 5-semester cumulative GPA of 3.7 and find it a little insulting that this class would fail me for scoring a 79% on a single assignment... just doesn't seem like a fair assessment of my understanding of the content.

[sadiemae1123]

Our final grades had to be above a 75, but the only requirement for a specific assignment were the comprehensive final exams. You had to make a 75 on those no matter what in order to pass the class. My last year of my DNP most classes were pass/fail. This may be your school's version of this but you still get a letter grade to go towards your final GPA.

What will be the policy if you make below 80 on an assignment? Will it be an automatic failure or will you have a chance to redo it?

[TashaLPN2006RN2012, ASN, RN]

I wonder if the individual assignment grades are weighted so heavily that if you were to get less than an 80% on any one assignment it would actually make your cummulative for the class less than 80% maybe??? Just throwing out ideas. Not a math wiz and terrible with the weighted grade calculations LOL

[musingmom]

Have you confirmed that there was a policy change? Perhaps this professor has inappropriately applied the 80% minimum. My school has a similar rule, there's a minimum GPA and a minimum per class of 80%. I think there may also be a test average minimum also, but nothing that applies to every assignment.