Academic Regulations on Grades & GPA

Credit Hours

A credit hour is the unit by which academic work is measured. Each course is assigned a number of credit hours and these are specified in the section of this catalog titled Courses. A student enrolled in a face-to-face course should expect approximately 15 hours of instruction for each credit hour. 

Hours Attempted and Earned

Hours attempted means the total number of credit hours in all the credit courses (numbered 100-299) for which students receive one of the letter grades listed under Grade Point Average and Quality Point Total.

Hours earned means the total number of credit hours in all the credit courses (numbered 100-299) for which students receive a letter grade of D or higher. No credit hours are earned with a grade of F or FX or a grade designator of W, WP or WF.

Each grade report shows the credit hours attempted and earned for the term. Grade reports can be accessed in MyAACC Self Services.

Developmental Courses/Equivalent Hours

Courses numbered 000-099 are equivalent hour courses designed to support success in college-level work. Academic credit is not awarded, the grade earned is not calculated in the GPA, and the courses cannot be used towards graduation. Hours spent in equivalent hour courses are not included in hours attempted or hours earned.  Equivalent hour courses are counted in computing enrollment load and tuition. This means that students who are limited to a maximum number of credits may take only that total of combined credit and equivalent hours.

Grade Point Average (GPA) and Quality Point Total

The grade point average and credit calculations on the Anne Arundel Community College transcript include only credit courses taken at Anne Arundel Community College. A letter grade is assigned for each course in which students are enrolled at the end of the term. A grade submitted by the faculty member can be viewed in a student’s MyAACC account.

• Quality point total is the number of quality points a student earns. Each grade report shows the student’s quality point total for the term and the cumulative quality point total since admission.
• Grade point average (GPA) is calculated by dividing the total quality points by the total credit hours attempted.
• Total cumulative grade point average includes all attempts in all credit courses for which students receive letter grades of A, B, C, D, F or FX.
• Adjusted cumulative grade point average does not include the previous grade(s) earned in a course when the course has been repeated (R), forgiven (Y), or which has been granted academic clemency (Q). See the grade calculations not included in the GPA table below.

Each grade report in MyAACC shows the student’s total quality points for the term and the cumulative quality point total since admission. The number of quality points earned for each credit course is the product of the course credit hours multiplied by the quality point value of the letter grade assigned. For example, students who complete a three-hour credit course with a C grade earn three times two, or six quality points; those who complete a four-hour credit course with a B earn four times three, or 12 quality points.

GPA Calculation

Total cumulative grade point average includes all attempts in all credit courses for which students receive letter grades of A, B, C, D, F or FX. Grade point average (GPA) is calculated by dividing the total quality points by the total credit hours attempted. Adjusted cumulative grade point average does not include the previous grade(s) earned in a course when the course has been repeated (R), forgiven (Y), or which has been granted academic clemency (Q). See the grade designations not included in the calculation of the GPA table below. See an academic advisor with questions.

Good Academic Standing

Students who have an adjusted grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 or higher are in good standing. 

Dean’s List/Honors List

The dean’s list includes full-time students earning at least 12 credits with a GPA of 3.40 or higher in the previous term. The honors list includes part-time students earning at least six credit hours with a GPA of 3.40 or higher in the previous term.

Pass/Fail Grades

The PA grade represents a grade of C or better in courses with the Pass/Fail (PA/F) grading designation. Students with a PA grade earn the stated number of credit hours, but a PA grade has no quality point value and is not computed in the grade point average (GPA).

Grade Changes

The instructor of a course is the only individual authorized to assign a grade or to change a grade. Once a grade has been assigned and entered into a student’s record, an instructor may request the registrar to make a grade change only if there has been an error in the determination of the grade. Otherwise, final grades on an official transcript shall not be changed. Should a student have a grievance about an assigned grade or evaluation rating, the student should follow the grievance about academic assessment procedure.

If a student can unequivocally demonstrate that it was physically or emotionally impossible to withdraw from a class by the deadline, the student may petition the Committee on Academic Standards to request that the instructor change the grade to WP (withdraw passing) or WF (withdraw failing).

Incomplete Work (Grades)

The grade designator of I (incomplete) is assigned only in exceptional circumstances and is a temporary grade indicator. An incomplete must be requested by the student and may be taken only with permission and cooperation of the instructor. A grade indicator of I will be given only to students who cannot complete the work of a course on schedule because of illness or other circumstances beyond their control. Unless the work is completed by the date approved by the instructor in the course, but not later than 30 days after the beginning of the next 15-week term, a grade of F will be recorded for the course.

Interim Grades

Faculty submit interim grades for every student on the current class roster for sessions of 10 weeks or longer. Interim grades are due after one third of the session has been completed.

Student progress to date will be indicated by the following grade indicators:

Repeat/Repetition of Courses

Students may repeat a class one time only, regardless of the grade earned, unless otherwise stated in the course description. When a student repeats a course at Anne Arundel Community College, the most recent grade from Anne Arundel Community College is used to compute the adjusted GPA. However, grades for each attempt remain on the student record and transcript. Students who wish to repeat a course must repeat the course at Anne Arundel Community College for the repeat policy to apply. Grades earned at other institutions in courses for which grades were earned at Anne Arundel Community College do not adjust the grades earned at Anne Arundel Community College, nor do they alter the grade point average. To request to repeat a class more than one time, a student must meet with an academic advisor to petition the Committee on Academic Standards. Students may repeat developmental ENG and ACL courses until successful completion, with no limitation on the number of attempts and without filing a petition. Students should be aware that federal financial aid regulations limit the number of times a student can receive federal financial aid for a graded class.

Forgiveness of Courses

Students who have demonstrated academic progress in a new program of study may petition the Committee on Academic Standards to request academic forgiveness of courses that cannot be applied to meet a program requirement in their new program of study. If the Committee on Academic Standards approves the request for academic forgiveness, the courses will still appear on the student’s transcript, but are marked as forgiven and are not included in the adjusted grade point average. It is important to note that all courses not applicable to the new program of study will be forgiven, regardless of grade earned. In some cases, this procedure will have a negative effect on the student’s adjusted grade point average. All requests must be carefully reviewed with an academic advisor before submitting a petition.

Some courses restrict award of credit based on overlap of content as noted in the course description. Students who take two courses for which they cannot receive credit for both will have one of the courses marked as forgiven. However, both grades remain on the student’s record and transcript.

Courses cannot be forgiven after a degree or certificate has been awarded. However, a student who has demonstrated progress toward a new program of study may request course forgiveness for courses that could not be applied to a previously awarded degree or certificate.

Please note: Having courses forgiven will usually not resolve any Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) violations caused by the forgiven courses. If courses are forgiven, the Financial Aid SAP Policy will use the new adjusted grade point average, but the forgiven course credits will still be counted as attempted credits. See Financial Aid webpage for more information.

Academic Clemency

Academic Clemency is designed to provide former Anne Arundel Community College credit students, who have not been enrolled at the college for a minimum of five years, an opportunity to return to Anne Arundel Community College without the burden of previous poor academic performance (i.e., grades of D, F or FX). Upon re-enrollment at Anne Arundel Community College after at least a 5 year absence, students who have demonstrated academic progress by completion of a minimum of 12 credits with a minimum grade of “C” in all courses attempted, may petition the Committee on Academic Standards for Academic Clemency.  If the Committee on Academic Standards approves the request for Academic Clemency, the student may choose a maximum of 15 credits be forgiven based on Academic Clemency. The 15-credit clemency is intended as a one time use regulation per student. The courses will still appear on the student’s transcript, but are marked as forgiven based on Academic Clemency and not included in the adjusted grade point average.  Courses that are forgiven for Academic Clemency cannot be applied towards a degree or certificate.  Academic Clemency may only be granted to courses taken at Anne Arundel Community College and only to students currently enrolled at the college. The request for Academic Clemency must be approved prior to the student being awarded a degree or certificate and may be granted one time only. Developmental courses will not be considered for Academic Clemency.

Regardless of whether classes and grades are forgiven by AACC, all attempted classes and grades will be included in the calculation of Satisfactory Academic Progress and used to confirm eligibility for Financial Aid. The calculation utilizing all grades for required courses is consistent with the U.S. Department of Education Regulations. Students should consult with the Financial Aid Office regarding individual circumstances.

Military Deployment (Accommodations, Withdrawals & Incompletes)

Reasonable accommodation will be granted to students showing satisfactory academic progress who are called to military service (appropriate documentation is required). All active duty and reserve military students should check with instructors on or before the first day of class to determine course policy with regard to short term deployment (e.g. the attendance policy for the course). Most courses are structured such that a single deployment of one to two weeks during a term allow for the student to complete the work missed upon return or take an incomplete. Incompletes may be taken only with permission and cooperation of the instructor and must be requested by the student. It is the responsibility of the student to complete all work missed whether taking an incomplete or completing the work in a timely manner within the term enrolled. Students taking an incomplete should refer to the Incomplete Work section. Student communication with the instructor is key.

However, a few courses have internal or external requirements such that make-up work cannot be accommodated. Students deployed while taking such a course must withdraw (see below). Students showing satisfactory academic progress and having to leave a program due to military service requirements must withdraw from the course(s) and will be allowed to re-enter the program by retaking the course or courses from which they had to withdraw. There are courses in some programs in which the student may be able to take an “incomplete” and finish the course in cooperation with the instructor, even with deployments that extend beyond one to two weeks of time. Military students suspending studies in courses with required lab components, clinical components, and/or competency requirements will be allowed re-entry provided the student meets standard departmental and/or program entry requirements. The student will be re-entered into an open seat in the next available class cycle.