Policies and Regulations

From admission to graduation there are academic regulations to guide you. It is important to be aware of and regularly consult academic regulations. By educating yourself about university regulations you will be aware of your available options, existing restrictions, and university requirements. Your academic advisor can be a great resource for talking through academic regulations and making sure you meet them.

Some academic regulations afford you the opportunity to request certain actions be taken. In these instances the university provides structured general university policies and procedures by which requests can be submitted, reviewed, and decisions rendered.

Child Attending School

Students who are attending OSU and who are receiving child support payments from a parent or guardian may be required to provide proof of school attendance. Students must complete the student portion of a Oregon Department of Justice Child Attending School Confirmation Form (ORS 107.108) and bring it to the OSU Office of the Registrar for completion and verification of enrollment.

The Office of the Registrar will confirm a student’s enrollment for the current term. If OSU is between terms at the time of the request, attendance will be based on the previous term. A Verification of Enrollment form may be attached in that situation.

Oregon State University evaluates a student’s ability to work toward their degree in multiple ways. When responding to a Child Attending School Confirmation Form pursuant to ORS 107.108, Oregon State University will use the following definitions in ORS 107.108:

“Attending at least half time” means the student is registered for 6 or more quarter credit hours. Please note that it is the responsibility of the student to request a modified form if registered as a Degree Partnership Program student and is taking credits at both OSU and a community college partner.

“Maintaining satisfactory academic progress” means the student has one of the following standings:

  • Good Standing, including by default of meeting admissions standards if no formal standing has been determined from grading yet;
  • Academic Warning if the student is enrolled at least half time and working toward their degree; or
  • Academic Probation if the student is enrolled at least half time and working toward their degree.

Digital Signatures and Digital Workflows Policy

OSU Policy on Digital Workflows and Digital Signatures related to Student Data

To meet federal obligations guided by FERPA, student privacy and information security must be observed on any form containing, or related to, student information at Oregon State University (OSU). To that end, as of July 1, 2021, all forms-based activities1 which gather student data and digital signatures are only allowable under the following circumstances.

  • The template or form requires OSU authentication prior to the user accessing the form

or

  • The template or form is launched from a platform that requires OSU authentication (e.g., MyOregonState, Banner Self-Service, Salesforce) and limits the workflow to OSU email addresses only

 

FERPA-protected information includes any information personally identifiable to a student that is maintained by OSU once the student has matriculated at OSU2. This includes but is not limited to information related to student employment, student health services, students’ financial accounts, students’ academic records, etc.

Any form or template which collects, or grants access to, students’ FERPA-protected information must first be approved by the Office of the Registrar3 and required training4 must be completed by that form’s originating owners and/or senders. All OSU employees are expected to adhere to the tenets of this policy with regards to current and/or future digitalized forms and digital signatures.

1. Including, but not limited to: DocuSign, OnBase, Banner Self-Service, etc. Note, this includes internal homegrown tools.
2. Matriculated is defined as being registered for an OSU course or an OSU orientation program.
3. For review and approval, please contact OtR at: [email protected]
4. Required training can be found at: https://is.oregonstate.edu/docusign/resources/designers; https://is.oregonstate.edu/onbase/training

Student-related forms/templates protocol:
  • Requestors will review and complete required training.
  • Requestors will design their template(s) in development environment.
 
  • Once complete, a member of the DocuSign Operations Team (and the Office of the Registrar if it contains student content), will need to approve your template.
  • If FERPA-compliant, the DocuSign Operations Team will move form(s) to the production environment and notify the requestor.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Yes. However, you will need to follow the protocol above if the form is related to student data.

Students who are marked confidential cannot use DocuSign. This is because OSU is unable to send their information to DocuSign to create an account due to their confidentiality restriction.

If status as a student is a participation eligibility criterion and you wish to obtain consent digitally, you might consider building an authenticated consent form through Qualtrics. If this does not suit your needs and you wish to obtain consent through a digital signature, you will need to go through the form approval process.

The Office of the Registrar will release forms as we prepare them for DocuSign capabilities. If DocuSign has not yet been implemented on a form, we will not permit a digital signature on the form.  

The Office of the Registrar only accepts the paper version of those forms loaded into DocuSign if there is an extenuating circumstance (e.g. students with account holds) and certain populations (e.g. students with a confidentiality restriction). If a student submits a paper form that does not require a paper form submission, the Office of the Registrar will re-direct the student back to the DocuSign form. If you have questions or concerns about this, please contact [email protected].

OSU has implemented data security protocols and oversight with DocuSign. This allows for authentication, validating the recipient and signer identity through one’s ONID username.  

You may find DocuSign support resources here.

Exams and More

Exams

Finals Week is governed by Academic Regulation 16.

Students who wish to pursue an exam for course credit or waiver should review the rules in Academic Regulation 23, Special Examination for Credit. Academic Regulation 24 addresses Special Examination for Waiver requirements. To request an exam for credit or waiver, students must complete the Examination for Credit or Waiver form and return it to the Office of the Registrar.

& more…

General University Policies

OSU has policies to govern the operation of the university. They are published by the administering offices for easy reference.

OSU’s President and the President’s Cabinet have established general university policies to apply to faculty, staff, and students at Oregon State University. Be aware of these policies and where they reside should you find need to refer to them during the course of your career at OSU. 

Computing Resources

Policies regulating use of computing resources

OSU's Acceptable Use of University Computing Resources policy ensures that computing resources are used in a manner befitting the standards of the OSU community. Educate yourself regarding the policy and use resources responsibly.

Examination Policies

Guidelines for Release of Email Addresses

The following guidelines, defined by the vice provost for information services and the university registrar, apply to the release of email addresses in compliance with FERPA and OSU’s policy, Acceptable Use of University Computing Facilities, which states, "The electronic mail system shall not be used for "broadcasting" of unsolicited mail (unless authorized by the department chair or unit head) or for sending chain letters. (Broadcast means more than one person as recipient; Unsolicited means without authorization.)

The communication system "shall not be used for sending of material that reasonably would be considered obscene, offensive, or threatening by the recipient or another viewer of the material." See Acceptable Use of University Computing Resources.

Authorizing Agents:
  • Unit heads can authorize unsolicited broadcast emails to recipients within the unit.
  • The special assistant to the provost can authorize unsolicited broadcast emails to faculty and staff.
  • The Registrar's Office can authorize unsolicited broadcast requests to the entire student body or to subsets of students.
Criteria for Authorization of Student Email Messages:
  • The purpose of the email must be related to the university's educational mission with specific relationship to the students being contacted.
  • The email must be memo style, not promotional, and must not appear to be advertising.
  • Parameters used for selecting the student recipients should be so defined that only students who possibly might be interested will be contacted.
  • Student surveys may be approved if the survey will provide data that will improve the unit's services or offerings to students.
Prohibited Messages:
  • Sales of any kind.
  • Anything for profit.
  • Anything viewed as advertising, even for academic or university business, even if there is no fee.

If a request is denied, the requestor will be encouraged to use postal mail.

OSU Discrimination and Harassment Policies

Records Retention & Statistics

Student Information

Learn more about alert notification, directory information, registration information, and more at Student Information.

Records Retention

What records do we retain? How long do we keep them? Refer to the General Records Retention Schedule that govern the maintenance of Curriculum and Instruction Records, Financial Aid Records, Students Records, and more. [Note: This link may not work in IE. Try Firefox and Google Chrome.]

Statistical & Historical Data (Institutional Research)

Enrollment rates, graduation rates, and other data are provided by Institutional Research.

Student Bereavement

Academic Advising Council Guidelines for
Students, Faculty and Professional Staff Regarding Student Bereavement

Oregon State University (OSU) recognizes students may experience times of grief and bereavement due to the loss of someone close. The development of the Student Bereavement Guidelines was a collaborative effort of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee and Academic Advising Council, Academic Affairs and the Office of Student Life. The guidelines are intended to help students and faculty navigate a difficult situation while supporting academic success.

Students: In the unfortunate event that you experience the loss of a parent, guardian, sibling, spouse, roommate, or other person close to you, please notify or have a friend or family member notify your instructor(s) and academic advisor(s) if an absence is needed. Should you need to be absent from classes, please remember that you are responsible for providing documentation of the death or funeral services attended to your academic advisor(s). Documentation may include, but is not limited to a memorial service program or newspaper/website obituary notice.

If you are absent, upon your return to OSU please arrange to meet with your instructor(s) and advisor(s) to discuss options and strategies for catching up with missed academic work and for completing the term successfully, if possible. Consideration for academic assistance and the opportunity to complete the course are at the discretion of your instructor(s) and dependent on the nature of the course. Your advisor(s) can also help you access support resources in the OSU community, such as the staff of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and Spiritual Life @ OSU. OSU recognizes that in the immediate aftermath of a tragic loss, the farthest thing from your mind may be your academic situation. However, when you are ready and able to resume your studies or to take appropriate steps affecting your academic future, we in the OSU community are available to help you.

For additional information regarding absences from classes or Academic Regulations, please refer to the Office of Student Life FAQs page: http://studentlife.oregonstate.edu/main/student-faq

Faculty: The student is responsible for providing academic advisor(s) with documentation of the death or funeral service attended. The advisor(s) will notify instructors of the receipt of documentation. Documentation may include, but is not limited to, a memorial service program or newspaper/website obituary notice. Given proper documentation, the instructor may choose to excuse the student from class absences and provide the opportunity to earn equivalent credit and to demonstrate evidence of meeting the learning outcomes for missed assignments or assessments. Consideration for academic assistance and the opportunity to complete the course through alternate arrangements are at the discretion of the instructor and dependent on the nature of the course.

In support of these guidelines, it is hoped that OSU instructors will not penalize students who have provided verification of their bereavement needs. Additionally, OSU instructors are asked to offer reasonable compensatory experiences if appropriate, to ensure that students’ academic progress in the course will not be unduly compromised. These might include extending deadlines, allowing make-up exams, recalculating the weighting of scores from other course assignments or exams, or offering an incomplete, to name a few. The Center for Teaching and Learning is available to consult with instructors about options for designing compensatory experiences (541-737-2816, [email protected]). It is up to the instructor to determine what constitutes a reasonable compensatory experience in a given course.

Student Conduct and Community Standards

Student Jury Duty Service

Guidelines for Faculty and Professional Staff Regarding Student Jury Duty Service

Oregon State University supports students’ civic and legal responsibilities if called to serve on a jury while enrolled at OSU. Within this context, students who are called to serve on a jury should consult with their faculty and academic advisors about the impact of their jury service on their academic progress. In appropriate cases, students may ask the court to defer their service to a later term. In the event a student serves on a jury, the student is responsible for reporting her/his service and expected absences to instructors as soon as possible.

In support of this service, OSU faculty should not penalize students who have provided verification of their jury duty assignment under course attendance policies. Additionally, OSU faculty are expected to offer reasonable compensatory experiences to ensure that students’ academic progress in the course will not be unduly compromised. These might include extending deadlines, allowing make-up exams, or recalculating the weighting of scores from other course assignments or exams, to name a few. The Center for Teaching and Learning is available to consult with faculty about options for designing compensatory experiences, 541-737-2804; [email protected]. It is up to the instructor to determine what constitutes a reasonable compensatory experience in a given course.

If a student is forced to withdraw from a course or a term due to a prolonged term of service on a jury, the university will work with the student to mitigate any potential institutional academic and/or financial hardship. Under these guidelines, university offices may consider jury duty among the legitimate reasons to consider granting an exception to policies regarding student financial obligations. Again, it will be up to the student to initiate changes in her/his enrollment in consultation with academic advisors, the Office of the Registrar, Business Affairs, Housing and Dining Services, and the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.

Faculty may contact Kate Peterson, Associate Provost for Enrollment Management, with questions, 541-737-0759.

Unauthorized Peer-to-Peer File Sharing and Other Copyright Infringement

The university takes copyright infringement seriously. As set forth in the Acceptable Use of University Computing Resources Policy, all students must abide by federal and state copyright laws when using university computing or network resources. The unauthorized publishing or use of copyrighted material on the university computer network is strictly prohibited and users are personally liable for the consequences of such unauthorized use. This specifically applies to Peer-to-Peer or P2P file-sharing of copyrighted music and movies. Students should be aware that by engaging in unauthorized sharing of copyrighted material, they not only violate university policy, but they may also be held criminally and civilly liable by federal and/or state authorities.

Under current copyright law, criminal cases of copyright violation carry a penalty of up to five (5) years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Civil penalties for copyright infringement include a minimum fine of $750 for each work. Oregon State University will subject students who violate this policy to discipline as appropriate. For a first-time violation of this copyright policy, students are required to pass a copyright quiz within 72 hours or else their network access is disabled. Repeated infringement is subject to disciplinary action by the office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, up to and including expulsion from the university.

Click to see the entire policy regarding Unauthorized Peer-to-Peer (P2P) File Sharing and Other Copyright Infringement.

Undergraduate Planned Educational Leave Program

This program is for a one-time, voluntary, temporary, planned pause in a student's education. It should only be used if the student plans on being away from the university for more than four terms. Students who may be suspended or required to take an involuntary leave from OSU for academic and/or conduct reasons are not eligible for this program. See Academic Regulation 13c. 

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE APPLYING:

 
One Time Only

PELP may only be requested one time in the course of a student's academic career. (Military deployments are an exception to this limitation. All military personnel who are deployed for military service may submit a voluntary leave request for each deployment.)

Withdraw From Your Courses

Submitting a petition for PELP does not withdraw a student from their courses for the current or future terms.

Application Fee

There is a $25 nonrefundable processing fee for approved petitions. 

Transcript Notation

A notation of the dates of any approved leave will be indicated on the student’s official transcript.

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid need to contact the Financial Aid Office.

Work with Your Advisor

International students and student athletes should work with their respective advisors prior to filing for PELP.

Not Returning

Any student who utilizes PELP and does not return by the specified term will be inactivated and required to file for readmission, resulting in the appropriate adjustment to their catalog term in effect at the time they return to OSU. This will change their baccalaureate core, degree, and major requirements.

HOW TO APPLY:

  • Complete the PELP petition. 
  • Your petition will be routed to request all required approvals.
  • Petitions are due before the end of the next regular academic term (fall, winter, spring) after the last term attended. 

Grades, Honor Roll and Academic Standing

Grades

Academic Regulations 17–19 describe the OSU grading system. The available grades and their associated point values are explained. Here you can also learn about the alternative grading system and the rules associated with these systems.

Attendance

Instructors may consider attendance in the calculation of students’ grades. Refer to Academic Regulation 14 for more details.

Also on this Page: 

Honor Roll

  • As stated in Academic Regulation 21 each term a list is published containing the names of undergraduate or postbaccalaureate students that completed at least 6 graded undergraduate credits hours with a 3.5 or higher GPA.
  • OSU News and Research Communications sends the Honor Roll to newspapers each term.
  • Term-by-term honor rolls are posted OSU Honor Roll by Term. 
  • Academic Regulation 21 was changed for the 2022-23 academic year to reduce the number of credits required from 12 to 6. The new regulation will be used to calculate honor roll beginning with the Summer 2022 term.

Academic Standing

OSU expects students to maintain satisfactory academic progress towards degree completion set out in Academic Regulation 22.  At the conclusion of each term, grade point averages are calculated and academic standings are determined for students seeking a baccalaureate degree. There are four possible academic standing statuses.

Satisfactory Academic Standing (AR 22) is defined as either: Good Standing, Academic Warning, Academic Probation, or Academic Suspension. Academic Standing is based on a student’s OSU cumulative and term GPA.

Academic standing is an end-of-term status, which means a student must complete at least one term of coursework before having an OSU-calculated academic standing. Academic standing is determined after final grades have been posted.

More detailed information is available on the Academic Suspension and Reinstatement page.

 

GOOD STANDING
Students with a term and cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above are in good academic standing.

ACADEMIC WARNING
Students with a term GPA below 2.0 will be placed on Academic Warning.

ACADEMIC PROBATION
Students who have attempted1 24 or more credits at OSU and have an OSU cumulative GPA below 2.0 will be placed on Academic Probation. Students who attain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better are removed from Academic Probation.

ACADEMIC SUSPENSION
Students on Academic Probation who have a subsequent term GPA of below 2.0.

1 An attempt comprises a final grade in a course where the grade is: A, A–, B+, B, B–, C+, C, C–, D+, D, D–, F, S, U, P, NP, I/Alternate Grade (where the Alternate Grade is one of these grades), W, or Y.

First-Year Experience Academic Standing and Advising
  • First-year students at Corvallis Campus (Cascades Campus and Ecampus students are excluded) that encounter academic difficulty during their first year at Oregon State University will be provided additional guidance from Academic Advisors in their respective college.
    • This guidance is to help students transition to the requirements of the Oregon State University academic standards.
  • Students in Academic Warning or Academic Probation within their first year will receive a registration hold placed on their account. The hold can be removed after meeting with an advisor in their respective college and developing a personalized plan for improving their academic success.
Changes to Academic Standing for Completed Terms
  • After each term concludes, academic standing for the prior three terms is recalculated to account for repeated courses and grade changes such as Change of Final Grade or Removal of Incomplete Grade.
  • Final grades may be changed by the instructor up to one year after the original grading deadline for the course or Petitions for Late Change of Registration (late drop, late withdrawal from term).
  • Student petitions for a late drop in a course(s) after the term concludes which alters their term GPA. This recalculation ensures that the academic standing for the current term is based on the most current, and the most accurate, academic standing. Current term academic standing runs after the prior three terms are recalculated.
P/N and S/U Grades in Academic Standing Calculations
  • Grades of P, N, S, and U are not counted in GPA calculations, and electing these alternate grading options will not impact a student’s GPA.
  • Although performance in these courses do not produce a GPA, students should be aware that taking any or all courses using Pass/No Credit (P/N) or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grade modes may have an impact on academic standing calculations and demonstration of academic improvement based on performance of an S vs U or P vs N.
Term Withdrawal and Alternative Grading in Academic Standing
  • Grades of W, P or S are not counted in GPA calculations.
  • Students who are placed on Academic Suspension with a term withdrawal for the current (same) term or completed classes for the term with grades of P or S have their academic standing manually adjusted as part of end of term processing because the student showed progression.
  • Withdrawal from the term or completing at least 50% or more credits with grades of P or S allows a student to continue on probation status.
  • There is no academic standing to calculate for the current term, therefore, it defaults to the previous term’s academic standing, which will be overridden by a manual review at the end of the term looking for progress or complete term withdrawal.

Review of Academic Standing for Students on Academic Suspension

  • Academic standing does not change automatically due to a grade change or approved petition.
  • Students who are placed on Academic Suspension at the end of a given term may have their academic standing reviewed and recalculated due to a grade change or petition for late change of registration in limited circumstances.
  • In the case of a student who is on academic suspension from the immediately preceding term and either has a grade change or there was an approved petition for late change of registration, this option will only be considered if a request is submitted prior to the add deadline for the immediately following term.

 

 

  • If a student qualifies, they (or advisor on behalf of the student) may email [email protected] to request, on an individual basis, to have their academic standing reviewed by the Office of the Registrar within the limited time listed above.
  • All other changes, such as a grade change for a prior term or change in academic status (e.g., Academic Warning to Good Standing) are handled during end of term processing and follow the academic standing calculation protocol.
Academic Fresh Start Policy

Students may petition once with the Registrar to exclude OSU courses from the calculation of institutional requirements, credits, and grade-point average, under the conditions defined in Academic Regulation 31 (Academic Fresh Start Policy).

Grades and Your GPA

OSU Grading System

Academic Regulations 17–19 describe the OSU grading system. Grades, their associated point values, and the alternative grading system are explained.

GPA Calculation

Academic Regulation 19 describes how GPA’s are calculated at OSU. Each grade is assigned a point value to be used in the student’s GPA calculation. A GPA calculator is available in this website and in MyDegrees.

Incomplete Grades

As stated in Academic Regulation 17, if circumstances exist which are acceptable to the instructor and the rest of the student's academic work is passing, an incomplete grade may be assigned and additional time granted for completion of course work. At the time the incomplete is submitted, an alternate grade representing the grade the student would receive in the course if no further course work is completed, will also be submitted. If the incomplete is not removed within the one year deadline, the alternate grade will become the grade of record.

Do not enroll again in a course for which you have received an incomplete grade.

FAQs: Assigning Incomplete Grades

Typically, it is within a time period established by the instructor. If the instructor has not established a deadline, then the student has until the last day of Dead Week before finals begin, to submit the required work to the faculty a year after the term in which the student received the incomplete. For example, if a student received an “I/Alternate Grade” in Fall 2016 without any specified deadline by an instructor, they have until the last day of Dead Week of Fall 2017 to turn in the completed work to the instructor to complete the “Incomplete”. The instructor has until the last day of term (normally Friday of Finals Week) to submit the removal of an incomplete to whatever grade the student earned to the Office of the Registrar.

The student should meet with the department chair who offered the course to reinstate the expectations of what would need to be completed (and by when it needs to be completed) for the incomplete to reflect the earned grade for that course.

The student should know whether the Alternate/Default Grade will impact their ability to graduate that same term. If it does, the student should withdraw the request to graduate at the Office of the Registrar before the last day of final exams for that term, until the incomplete has been resolved at some future date/term and an earned grade has been recorded. Subsequent to the earned grade replacing the incomplete, the student can then re-file to graduate.

No. Academic Regulation 17 specifically states: “Under no circumstances shall a student who earns an A–F grade or an N or U grade have their grade changed retroactively to an I grade.” Students need to pay careful attention to “I/Alternate Grades” that are clearly displayed on all unofficial (and official) transcripts and the “Grade Term Report” via the Student On-Line Services web site where a student’s grades can be accessed by the student. If the student suspects or is informed by their academic advisor or the Office of the Registrar that the “I/Alternate Grade” will negatively impact their ability to graduate, they should go to the Office of the Registrar to withdraw their application to graduate. This request to withdraw the application to graduate must be made before all grades are processed for the term in which the student wishes to graduate.

Yes. While 99.7% of all grades are turned in by the required deadline for each term, if the instructor misses the cutoff for turning in grades the Office of the Registrar will be able to process these late grades (including the “I/Alternate Grade”) and ensure they are correctly attributed to the students affected.

All students are held to the same grading systems. Academic Regulation 17 applies equally to undergraduates, post-baccalaureates, graduate, non-degree seeking students, etc.

No. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grade options are converted after the submission of the “I/Alternate Grade” is determined by the instructor. For example, if the student has requested an incomplete and has opted for an S/U grade, the instructor will submit an “I/Normal Grade” (i.e., I/B+) at the end of the term. The Office of the Registrar will subsequently convert the “I/Normal Grade” to an “I/S” or “I/U” in accordance with the grading option chosen by the student.

According to Academic Regulation 20 (Repeated Courses), both courses would appear on the student’s academic record (transcript), but only the second grade would be counted in the cumulative GPA and toward graduation requirements. Even if the “I/Alternate Grade” were to subsequently default to the Alternate Grade, the second taking of the course would be the one that counts.

Possibly. The instructor must be willing to provide an extension. However, if the instructor does not agree to extend the timeline, it is unlikely anyone else would supersede that decision. If the instructor is willing to extend the timeline, the student can complete the Petition Extension of Time to Remove Incomplete Grade. The petition requires the signatures of the course instructor and department chair, and potentially, the approval of the Academic Requirements Committee to gain approval of the extension.

Incomplete Grades

Requesting an Incomplete

A student may request an incomplete grade for a course that has not been completed if:

  • Reasons for the incomplete are acceptable to the instructor;
  • Student is passing the course at the time of the request.

It is highly recommended that when an agreement is made to issue an incomplete grade, the instructor and student complete a Contract for Completion of I Grade to define the terms under which the outstanding course work will be completed. One original copy of the contract should go to the student, and one original copy should be on file with the instructor/department.

Academic Regulation 17 specifically states: “Under no circumstances shall a student who earns an A-F grade or an N or U grade have their grade changed retroactively to an I grade.”

Students should not enroll in the course again for which they have received an incomplete grade.

Incomplete/Alternate Grade

The incomplete grade that is filed by the instructor at the end of the term must include an alternate/default grade to which the incomplete grade defaults if the student does not make an effort to resolve the incomplete coursework within one year of recording the incomplete. Examples of incomplete grades are (I/A, I/A-, I/B+, I/B, I/B-, I/C+, I/C, I/C-, I/D+, I/D, I/D-, I/F, I/P, and I/N). Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grade options are converted after the “I/Alternate Grade” is determined by the instructor. For example, if the student has requested an incomplete and has opted for an S/U grade, the instructor will submit an “I/Normal Grade” (e.g., I/B+) at the end of the term. The Office of the Registrar will subsequently convert the “I/Normal Grade” to an “I/S” or “I/U” in accordance with the grading option chosen by the student.

Extension of Time to Remove Incomplete Grade

A student may petition via the Office of the Registrar for an extension of the one calendar year deadline with the agreement of the instructor. An approved petition will grant an extension of a single additional term, with a maximum of three total extensions being possible. An approved petition for an extension of time to remove an incomplete will be voided at the time of degree conferral. The petition must be submitted before the one-year deadline is reached by 5 p.m. on the last day of finals week.

To request an extension, complete and submit the Extension of Time to Remove Incomplete Grade Petition to the Office of the Registrar.

If the instructor and department approve and the student is eligible, an extension of a single term will be granted. To request an additional term extension, the process must be repeated.

Incomplete Grade & Degree Conferral

All pending applications for graduation will include a review of any incomplete grades with an alternate/default grade. If an “I/Alternate Grade” is currently outstanding at the time a pending graduate’s file is being reviewed for graduation (which happens after grades are processed for the term in which the student is graduating), that review will take into account the automatic default of the incomplete to the Alternate/Default Grade. This automatic default may impact a student’s ability to graduate if, by its inclusion, the student’s GPA (major GPA or institutional GPA) or other major/institutional requirements are altered. Students are encouraged to ensure that all “I/Alternate Grades” are resolved with their instructor prior to the last day of Dead Week for the term in which they are graduating.

For additional information, visit the Grades and Grading FAQs.

Institutional Degree Requirements

To receive a degree you must meet institutional, college, and departmental requirements for a baccalaureate degree.
How do I track my progress to my degree?

Maintaining regular contact with your academic advisor is key to ensuring you are making progress towards earning your degree. The university also provides online tools for students to track their degree requirements. Login to Beaver Hub and under Academics choose the MyDegrees link to check your degree progress.

Institutional Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees (Academic Regulation 25)

Institutional requirements for baccalaureate degrees are described in Academic Regulation 25. In addition to institutional requirements, students must meet college and departmental requirements for a baccalaureate degree.

Substitutions

Requests for substitutions should be submitted to the appropriate authority as stated in Academic Regulation 28.

Commencement

As stated in Academic Regulation 29, attendance at graduation exercises is optional and attending students are responsible for declaring whether or not they will attend commencement. For further details, visit the Graduation section of this website.

Concurrent/Subsequent Baccalaureate Degrees or Credentials

Academic regulations 26 and 27 govern the requirements for the awarding of additional baccalaureate degrees or credentials.

Name-in-Use policy

Oregon State University believes it is important that while attending the university, students are able to be referred to by the first name they choose to use, or their name-in-use, even if that chosen name is not the student’s legal name. It is the university’s policy to allow students to change their first name-in-use as they desire or need.

In keeping with the university’s commitment to help foster an inclusive community, Oregon State University reserves the right to revoke a requested name-in-use for the following reasons:

  • If a name is perceived to be derogatory, inflammatory, or slanderous.
  • If a name demeans an individual or community on the basis of race, class, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, national origin, religion, or other protected characteristics.
  • If a name references illegal activity.
  • If a name endorses commercial interests.

Oregon State University maintains the right to revoke a name-in-use request for reasons other than those listed if the name presents complications or issues not listed above. For more information—or for questions—regarding Oregon State’s name-in-use policy and procedures, please contact the Office of the Registrar by calling 541-737-4331 or visit http://registrar.oregonstate.edu/biographical-information-change-requests. 

OSU's Grading System

The OSU grading system is described by 3 academic regulations.

Academic Regulation 17 Lists and defines grades in the OSU grading system.

Academic Regulation 18 Describes the alternative grading system. Knowing how alternative grading is applied will help you make informed decisions regarding your academic record. 

Academic Regulation 19 describes the point system and provides an example of how to perform the calculation. You should understand how your GPA is calculated.

Grade

Grade Points

Notation

A

4.0 grade points per credit

Exceptional

A-

3.7 grade points per credit

 

B+

3.3 grade points per credit

 

B

3.0 grade points per credit

Superior

B-

2.7 grade points per credit

 

C+

2.3 grade points per credit

 

C

2.0 grade points per credit

Average

C-

1.7 grade points per credit

 

D+

1.3 grade points per credit

 

D

1.0 grade point per credit

Inferior

D-

0.7 grade point per credit

 

F

0.0 grade point per credit

Failure

G

No grade point per credit

Reserved for Graduate Credit*

I/Alt Grade

Incomplete, no grade points or credits

If not resolved after 12 months or degree conferral, the "I" reverts to the alternate grade.

N

No grade point per credit

No Credit
NG No credit or grade points No basis for grade

P

Credit given, no grade points

Pass

R

Credit given, no grade points

Thesis in Progress*

S

Credit given, no grade points

Satisfactory*

TR

 

Accepted Transfer Credit

U

No credit or grade points

Unsatisfactory*

W

No credit or grade points

Withdrawal (passing)*

Y

No credit or grade points

Grade yet to be determined*

AUD

No credit or grade points

Audit*

WAU

No credit or grade points

Withdrawal from Audit
WC No credit or grade points Complete withdrawal

* Grade mark not enterable by faculty. Entered by the Office of the Registrar.

Records Retention