Course Numbering
The course number indicates the level of academic maturity expected of students enrolled in the course.
Non-credit special courses have numbers of 099 or lower. Courses numbered 100 through 199 are introductory courses open to all. Courses numbered 200 through 299 are open to sophomores and higher; 300 through 399 to juniors and higher; and 400 through 499 to seniors. (See course prerequisites for exceptions.)
Courses numbered 500 through 599 are offered for graduate credit to students with bachelor’s degrees and other designated prerequisites. Courses numbered 600 through 699 are open only to students admitted to one of the graduate degree programs, MBA certificate program, or Reading Specialist program.
Prerequisites
Students should not select courses for which they have not completed the prerequisites stated in the catalog. Exceptions may be granted in writing only by the appropriate instructor or department chair.
Course Cancellation
The University reserves the right to withdraw any course that fails to meet minimum enrollment criteria.
Course Syllabus
In each class students should receive a course syllabus that provides information on the objectives, methods, standards, assignments, schedule, and attendance plus grading policies for that course.
Attendance Policy
Course instructors determine attendance policies for their classes. They should explain their attendance policy on the first day of each class, and should include the attendance policy in the course syllabus.
Instructors may notify Student Administrative Services (SAS) of students who are absent excessively. SAS will inform those students that additional absences will result in their being dropped from the course. If the students continue to be absent from class, the instructor notifies SAS, which informs the students that they have been removed from the course. (Grades of “W” will be assigned if students are dropped before the term’s published withdrawal date; if students are dropped after the withdrawal deadline, grades of “F” will be assigned.)
Grading Practices
Rockford University uses a 4.0 grading system, with specific numeric values assigned to each grade for calculating grade point averages:
| A |
4.0 |
Excellent |
| A– |
3.7 |
|
| B+ |
3.3 |
|
| B |
3.0 |
Good |
| B– |
2.7 |
|
| C+ |
2.3 |
|
| C |
2.0 |
Passing |
| C– |
1.7 |
Failure for required coursework |
| D+ |
1.3 |
|
| D |
1.0 |
|
| F |
0.0 |
|
| W |
0.0 |
Withdrawal |
| I |
0.0 |
Incomplete |
| IM |
0.0 |
Medical Incomplete |
| MW |
0.0 |
Medical Withdrawal |
| NG |
0.0 |
No Grade – (labs/clinicals with lectures; lecture grade covers both) |
Note: Not all faculty members award plus and minus grades. The course syllabus provided at the beginning of the course will indicate the grading used in the course.
Mid-Semester/Mid-Term and Final Grades
Faculty members must report mid-semester letter grades for all students. Pass (“P”) or fail (“F”) may be given in any course that does not lend itself to a letter grade at mid-semester. Generally, mid-semester and final grades must be reported 48 hours after each examination. In some cases, grades (notably those for exams given on the last day of the examination schedule and for seniors) may be requested in less than 48 hours.
Students may check their mid-semester and final grades through Self-Service, where grades will appear as soon as the faculty members submit them.