7.1 How are my grades calculated?
Your course instructors determine how your course work – including assignments, tests, exams, labs, attendance, et cetera – is evaluated. Normally, your course outline will indicate how you will be graded.
Once you have successfully completed your course work, you will be assigned a letter grade for your work. The letter grade, in turn, carries a grade point value. For a comprehensive breakdown of how to interpret your grades, see Section 5.4 of the undergraduate calendar, which defines the system of grades in terms of Grade Points and Percentage Equivalents.
TIP: The grade point values in the undergraduate calendar are based on 1.0 credit courses. You earn one half of the points displayed for a 0.5 credit course.
7.2 How can I find out how well I did in my courses?
You’ll be able to check your final grades for the courses that you have taken at Carleton in Carleton Central as soon as they have been submitted by your course instructor, approved, and entered into Carleton’s Student Record Database. If you have transfer credits from another post-secondary institution, however, these grades will not be displayed.
Please note that if you have an active hold on your account, final grades may not be available.
See Standing in Courses/Grading System (Academic Regulation 5.4) in the undergraduate calendar for more information.
TIP: Check your grades online in Carleton Central, and once your grades are in, run an audit to review your progress towards graduation.
7.3 I don’t think my grade reflects my work. Is there anything I can do?
If you have any questions or concerns about the grade assigned to any piece of work you submitted for a course, it is within your right to request clarification by speaking with the instructor directly. This informal approach is often the best place to start.
If it is not possible to follow an informal process, or if this fails to address your concerns, you may request a Formal Appeal of Grade following the rules and deadlines outlined in Section 3.3.5 of the undergraduate calendar.
See Informal Appeal of Grade (Academic Regulation 3.3.4) in the undergraduate calendar for more information.
TIP: Be prepared – the outcome of an appeal of grade may raise, lower or leave your original grade unchanged.
7.4 Can I formally appeal my grade?
If your concerns have not been resolved after trying to address questions or concerns about your mark through an Informal Appeal of Grade, or if an Informal Appeal of Grade is not appropriate, you may be able to make an appeal to the Dean of the Faculty offering the course.
If you think that a more formal Appeal of Grade is appropriate, make sure to check the undergraduate calendar for important appeal rules and deadlines.
See Formal Appeal of Grade (Academic Regulation 3.3.5) in the undergraduate calendar for more information.
TIP: Check the undergraduate calendar to find out application deadlines for the Formal and Informal Appeal of Grade processes.
7.5 Can I request a breakdown of the courses I have taken?
Your academic transcript is a chronological record of grades received for all of the courses you’ve taken at Carleton. The transcript also lists your date of graduation from all completed degree programs, as well as your registration status for all terms. Thus, your transcript is the official record of your academic history at Carleton.
Similarly, you can request a Certificate of Enrolment (COE) confirming your registration information, including your student status, for a specific term of study. Transcripts and certificates are requested online through Carleton Central.
TIP: You can also request an unofficial transcript through Carleton Central. It will be mailed to your Carleton email account within 24 hours.