Grading and Instructional Policies

Incomplete Letter Grades

A grade of “incomplete (I)” may be assigned at the discretion of the instructor of the course to allow an extension of time to satisfy final exam requirements or other final course requirements. The period of time allowed to finish remaining course requirements will be set by the instructor and communicated to the student upon assignment of the I grade. The instructor may authorize such extension of time for a graduate student regardless of the level of the course. If no final grade is assigned by the deadlines described below, the grade becomes an F (or U) by rule, depending on grading mode of the course. Reasonable extensions of time are granted by the Graduate College for justifiable reasons. A degree or graduate certificate cannot be certified or conferred with an Incomplete grade in the academic record.

  • I grades assigned in Fall will become an F (or U) by rule after Reading Day in the Spring.
  • I grades assigned in Spring will become an F (or U) by rule after the 10th day of Instruction in the following Fall semester.
  • I grades assigned in the Summer will become an F (or U) by rule after Reading Day in the Fall.

Grade Appeal

When a student believes a final grade is improper due to capricious or arbitrary grading, the University’s process encourages an initial discussion with the course instructor. If the instructor is unavailable, you may speak with the department’s Executive Officer (EO). If those discussions do not result in a satisfactory resolution, you may file a formal written appeal following the guidelines found in the Student Code (Article 3, Part 1, Section 3-107).

Grade appeal statements must address at least one of the following criteria:

  • A grade assigned on a basis other than performance in the course.
  • A grade assigned using more exacting or demanding standards than were applied to other students in the same course.
  • A grade that represents a substantial departure from the instructor’s previously announced standards.

Your written appeal should:

Clearly identify which capricious grading criterion (or criteria) you believe apply

Provide a factual explanation and any supporting documentation or evidence

Be focused on the basis for the allegation rather than general dissatisfaction with the outcome

Once received, your statement will be shared with the course instructor, who will be asked to provide a written response. The appeal will then be reviewed by the department’s Capricious Grading Committee.

The appeal must be filed within 30 business days after the start of the next semester. Please submit to Gies Graduate Programs through i-support@illinois.edu.

Credit/No Credit

Credit/No Credit is a grading option that allows learners to receive a designation of “Credit” or “No Credit” instead of a letter grade. While permitted by the University, this option is not available to Gies Online learners. Any requests submitted via the Graduate College Student Portal will be denied.

Independent Study

Gies Online does not offer Independent Study. Learners are welcome to collaborate with faculty on additional projects, but no credit hours can be earned to use for their degree program.

Auditing a Course

Gies College of Business does not permit learners to audit online courses. To engage with the content of a Gies Online course, you must enroll in the for-credit section of the course.

Employer Reimbursement

The grade release deadline is set by the University of Illinois. Grade release dates are published by semester in the University’s Academic Calendar. Requests for unofficial grade statements are not permitted. Learners are encouraged to review the course dates and grade release dates with their employers at the beginning of the semester. Should a learner need a grade before the official grade release date, they should share their course progress from Canvas with their employer.