Grade-Point Average
The grade-point average (GPA) is determined by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number of hours attempted, including any on which the student earned a grade of F. All attempts in a course will be counted. The student will earn credit hours for a course only once, unless otherwise noted. The following example illustrates a grade point average of 2.85 obtained by dividing 39.9 by 14:
| Course | Semester Hours Attempted | Grade Received | Quality Points Earned | Grade Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIO 111 | 4 | B- | 2.7 | 10.8 |
| RHW 102 | 3 | B- | 2.7 | 8.1 |
| KIN 101 | 1 | B | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| HIS 154 | 3 | A- | 3.7 | 11.1 |
| PSY 101 | 3 | C+ | 2.3 | 6.9 |
| Total | 14 | 39.9 |
Grade Appeals
A grade appeal will only be considered if at least one of the following conditions applies:
- Evidence that the final grade was affected by the student’s opinion or conduct in matters unrelated to academic standards,
- Evidence of discrimination based upon matters unrelated to academic standards,
- Or the failure of the instructor to follow their own stated policies or College policies.
Note: Perceived or actual differences in grading policies or standards between instructors, which are not a violation of College policies, are not a basis for further appeal.
Study at another Institution
A student who wishes to take courses at another institution must request permission to do so in advance from the Registrar. This is done by taking a signed transient-student permission form to one’s advisor, the relevant Department Chair and the Dean for each course for approval, and then to the Registrar, with a list of the desired courses and the institution the student will be attending. Each department sets policies for transient coursework equivalencies. Please be aware that deadlines at the host school may vary; students should apply for transient permission well in advance of the host school’s deadlines. Students must request that official transcripts be sent to the Registrar when the courses have been completed. Students must earn a C or better in any course to be transferred to Berry. Students who have completed 60 hours or more may not be transient students at two-year (lower division) institutions.
Academic Appeal Process
This appeal must be made prior to the end of the semester following the conclusion of the course. Grade appeals for fall semester grades must be submitted by the end of the subsequent spring semester, while spring and summer grade appeals must submitted by the end of the subsequent fall semester.
Students wishing to appeal a grade will first consult with the instructor to determine whether an error has been made or if the instructor wishes to reconsider the grade. If this is the case, the instructor submits a grade change request to the School Dean as per normal protocol.
If the student is dissatisfied with the results of that consultation and wishes to pursue the matter further, they will meet with the chair of the department. The Department Chair acts as a mediator to attempt to resolve any disagreements and consults with the instructor about the grading process. Only the course instructor has the authority to change the grade at this point. (Should the instructor be the chair of the department, a tenured member of the department will be selected by the School Dean to serve as mediator. If this is not possible, the School Dean will appoint a tenured faculty member from the school to mediate.)
If there is not a resolution at the level of the department chair and the student wishes to continue, the appeal moves to the next stage.
- The student appealing the grade decision must write a formal appeal letter to the Dean of Academic Services stating their grounds for appeal.
- The Dean of Academic Services will convene a meeting of the Council of Deans and provide the materials related to the appeal. In order for the appeal to continue on to Academic Council, a majority of the deans of the three schools not involved in the appeal must agree that it can be plausibly argued that there is sufficient evidence that meets one of the conditions listed above. If a majority of Deans from the other three schools do not think there may be plausible evidence that the appeal meets the conditions listed above, the appeal process ends here. The Dean of the school from which the appeal comes forward does not participate at this stage since they will serve as the final arbiter of the appeal should it continue to its final stage.
The final stage of the appeal is consideration by a grade appeal subcommittee of Academic Council, convened by the School Dean. The subcommittee shall be comprised of three faculty members of Academic Council.
- The Dean gathers all appropriate documentation pertinent to the appeal and provides it to the grade appeal subcommittee. The subcommittee will seek input from the faculty member involved.
- The grade appeal subcommittee recommends a resolution to the Dean.
- The Dean reviews the recommendation made by the grade appeal subcommittee and makes additional inquiries, if necessary, before reaching a decision on the appeal, either denying the appeal or overriding the original grade assigned by the instructor. After such review, the decision of the Dean is final and cannot be appealed further.
Academic Freedom
Faculty and students are free to examine all pertinent data, question assumptions, be guided by the evidence of scholarly research and teach and study the substance of a given discipline.
Classification
Students are classified according to the number of hours of credit earned. The undergraduate student with fewer than 30 hours is classified as a freshman. One with as many as 30 hours but fewer than 60 is a sophomore. A junior is a student with at least 60 hours but fewer than 90, and a senior has 90 or more hours. While these hours mark student progress toward graduation, there is no implied requirement that a student earn 30 hours each year to make satisfactory progress toward graduation.
Academic Standards
Note: The authoritative source of this policy is the Berry College Undergraduate Catalog. It is produced here for convenience, but the official version is in the Catalog; see General Degree Requirements.
To earn a bachelor’s degree, a student must complete a minimum of 120 (starting in the Fall of 2020; 124 hours for students in previous catalog years) semester hours with at least a cumulative grade-point average of 2.0, at least a grade-point average of 2.0 for all hours undertaken at Berry College, and a minimum 2.0 grade-point average within the major field(s). For determining the cumulative grade-point average, all attempts in a course will be counted except as described in the Class Repeat Policy.
Good Academic Standing
Note: The authoritative source of this policy is the Berry College Undergraduate Catalog. It is produced here for convenience, but the official version is in the Catalog.
A student is in good Academic Standing at Berry College if his or her Berry cumulative grade point average is at or above 2.0.
Academic Probation and Suspension
Student appeals must be made in writing to the Provost within 10 days of the notification of the sanction by the Provost to the student.
Academic probation results when a student’s record calls into question his or her long-range chances for academic success and eventual graduation. At the end of any semester in which his or her Berry cumulative grade-point average is below 2.0, a student is placed on academic probation for the succeeding semester. Policies for academic suspension take into account the total number of hours that a student has attempted. See the Berry College Catalog for a complete description of the benchmarks for possible academic suspension. Multiple infractions of the Academic Integrity Policy may also result in a student being placed on academic probation or suspension.
Applications for Graduation
Note: The authoritative source of this policy is the Berry College Undergraduate Catalog. It is produced here for convenience, but the official version is in the Catalog.
Students who wish to be eligible as candidates for graduation must complete an online Application for Graduation two semesters prior to graduation (typically the second semester of the junior year). Before the beginning of the next term, the Registrar will provide a degree audit to the student and advisor indicating all requirements remaining to earn the degree. Students who fail to complete an application for graduation by the deadline may be withheld from graduation until the next term.
Study Abroad
To enrich the education of students and the life of the college as a whole, Berry offers a variety of study abroad options. Eligible students may attend semester and/or summer college-approved study abroad programs offered at a variety of institutions. Each year, Berry faculty lead Summer International Programs (SIPs) to various countries. Students may participate in service learning, internships, volunteering and/or teaching abroad. Institutional financial aid may be used toward studying abroad on affiliated programs, and additional scholarships are available to eligible students. Berry College does not support travel to countries with a level 4 travel advisory, according to the U.S. State Department. Students requesting to study abroad in a level 3 country will have additional review. Students may not use any institutional aid to cover any costs, including tuition, associated with activities taking place in a level 4 country.
All semester and summer participants in affiliated programs are required to hold a minimum grade point average of 2.50 and must have completed at least 2 semesters in residence at Berry College before studying abroad. Petitions for exceptions to these requirements are submitted to the Director of International Experiences. Many programs have higher GPA requirements, which students must meet. Berry does not specify a minimum GPA for its Summer International Programs, although other prerequisites may apply. Eligible students may participate in a summer program at any point during their college career. Students not in good disciplinary standing at the time of application to any program may reapply when they are no longer in this status.
For program and scholarship information, visit https://www.berry.edu/academics/international-experiences or contact the International Experiences Office at 706-368-6753 or internationalexperiences@berry.edu or stop by the office in Krannert 302.