Subject: Standard University of Maine System Grading Designations
Effective: 9/2000
Procedures for Standard Grading Designations
Standard grading designations were adopted in September 1999. The following menu of common designations is available to all faculty and will simplify implementation of a single academic record throughout the University of Maine System. A single academic record with standard designations will be easy to interpret by academic advisors, especially for multi-campus distance students or those who attend more than one UMS institution. Faculty prerogatives in assigning grades are not affected by these standard designations, although faculty now have more options than previously.
Individual institutions may use and publish a subset of the standard grading designations listed below, but they may not change the meaning of the grades or add additional grades unless they are formally added to the designations by the Chief Academic Officers. The standard designations are effective with the Fall 2000 semester grading.
| Grade Definition | Grade | Quality Points |
| A | 4.0 | |
| A- | 3.67 | |
| B+ | 3.33 | |
| B | 3.0 | |
| B- | 2.67 | |
| C+ | 2.33 | |
| C | 2.0 | |
| C- | 1.67 | |
| D+ | 1.33 | |
| D | 1.0 | |
| D- | 0.67 | |
| fail | F | 0.0 |
| audit | AU | None |
| deferred grade – multi-semester course | DG | None |
| dropout – punitive | L | 0.0 |
| honors – pass/fail course | H | None |
| incomplete – temporary | I | None |
| incomplete – permanent non-punitive | INC | None |
| incomplete – permanent punitive | *I | 0.0 |
| laboratory | LAB | None |
| low pass (UM School of Law) | LP | None |
| missing grade | MG | None |
| missing grade – permanent punitive | *M | 0.0 |
| pass/fail course – pass | P | None |
| pass/fail course – fail | *F | None |
| undergraduate thesis – deferred | T | None |
| withdraw passing | W | None |
| withdraw failing – punitive | WF | 0.0 |
| graduate thesis – acceptable | ACC | None |
| graduate thesis – deferred | R | None |
Symbols used to address non-traditional functionality of grading
When the symbols listed below precede any of the grades above, they are used when grades are not treated in the traditional method of grading. They include, but are not limited to, grading for developmental courses, academic “forgiveness” of previous grades, and special circumstances where a student on academic suspension is readmitted. (Example: *A – the grade is used to determine quality points and is computed into the grade point average but no degree hours are earned for the course).*Grade counts in GPA; no credits are earned.~Grade does not count in GPA; credits are earned.#Grade does not count in GPA; no credits are earned.