Grading Policy (DNAP Practice Doctorate)

Advancement of each student to the next semester is made by the Progressions Committee, with faculty recommendation, at the end of each semester.

Students can view their final grades for each semester anytime by visiting the transcript section of the CAMS Student Portal https://student.mtsa.edu/.

The MTSA Grading Scale is based on the following 4.0 grading system:

(There is no grade of “D” in the program)

No grades, including final course grades, will be rounded up. 

Academic Grades

MTSA expects that all graduate level coursework should result in a minimum earned grade of “B”. The first earned grade between less than 80% will require a scheduled meeting with the Program Administrator to discuss the student’s performance. A grade of “C” will also lead to an automatic academic probation. The second earned “C” in a course will result in dismissal from the program.

MTSA requires students to maintain a minimum overall academic cumulative GPA of 3.0 for both graduation and good academic standing. A student who falls below an academic cumulative GPA of 3.0 will be placed on academic/clinical probation. The student will have one (1) semester to improve the academic cumulative GPA to 3.0 or greater to be removed from probation. If the student fails to improve his or her GPA to 3.0 or greater during the following semester, they will be dismissed from the program.

Students will automatically be dismissed from the program for receiving a failing course grade in any course. Failing is defined as any grade below 70%.

Students have the right to appeal decisions of the Progressions Committee by filing an appeal with the Appeals Committee.

Clinical Grades

Clinical grades are recorded from each of the MTSA approved Clinical Coordinators. The grade for each semester is an average of all of the grades from the clinical sites attended for that semester.

MTSA requires completion of 75% of student daily clinical evaluations (as described in MTSA Clinical Standards Policy). Failure to submit at least 75% will result in a 5-point deduction from the final clinical grade.

Any student who earns a C for a single clinical rotation of 4 weeks or longer will be required to meet with the Program Administrator for determination of a performance review plan and will be placed on clinical probation for a length of time determined by the Program Administrator. The student will also be referred to the Progressions Committee for further review. A second clinical disciplinary event will lead to immediate dismissal from the program. 

Any student who earns a C for the semester clinical grade will be placed on Academic Probation. The length of the probation will be determined by the Program Administrator, as well as any performance improvement plan.

Any failure of a clinical rotation will be reviewed by the Program Administrator or Progressions Committee for determination of remediation, or up to and including dismissal from the program. If the student remains in the program, the student will be placed on clinical probation for a length determined by the Program Administrator. Any failed clinical rotation will be repeated and must be successfully completed (grade of B or greater) prior to degree conferral.

Notice of Placement on Academic/Clinical Probation

If it is deemed by the Program Administrator or the Progressions Council that the student will be on probation due to clinical or academic issues, the student will be notified in the following ways:

1. The student will have a face-to-face meeting with the Program Administrator or Executive Vice President;
2. An e-mail with “read-receipt” will be sent to the student’s @mtsa.edu e-mail address documenting the probation decision

Grade of Incomplete (I)

If a student is unable to meet all the requirements of a course by the end of the semester, a temporary grade of Incomplete (I) may be awarded by an instructor, at the instructor’s discretion. An incomplete grade requires written understanding between the instructor and student acknowledging when the course will be completed, in the form of the completed Incomplete Contract.

To be awarded an Incomplete grade, the Incomplete Contract must be signed by the student, instructor, and Program Director and submitted to the Registrar’s office by the last day of the semester. The maximum time limit for submission of all course work necessary for removal of an incomplete is the end of the last day of classes of the following semester in which the incomplete was incurred (i.e. an incomplete awarded in the 2^nd semester must be converted by the last day of classes in the 3^rd semester). If the time limit passes and the course is not completed, an unremoved grade of incomplete is changed automatically to a failing grade. Any failing grade will result in termination from the program. A grade of incomplete is not calculated in the grade point average. No student may graduate with an Incomplete on their transcript.

Extension of Incomplete Grade

For justifiable reasons, students may petition to extend the ‘I’ grade past the end of the deadline listed on the contract. Extensions require a new Incomplete Contract. Requests for extensions must be approved prior to the deadline, and the extension cannot be made retroactively.

Grade of Not Reported (NR)

This designation of “Not Reported” is given at the end of the semester to courses only when no other grade has been reported. This grade is not included in a student’s GPA calculations.

If an instructor does not enter grades for a student before the grade entry deadline, the Registrar’s office will post a temporary grade of NR (Not Reported). Once a letter grade is entered, the NR grade will be replaced with the corrected grade as submitted by the instructor.

Withdrawing from a Course

Students may drop a course within the first 5 MTSA business days of the semester with no grade.

Grade of Withdrew (W)

Students wishing to withdraw from a course after the first 5 MTSA business days will either receive a grade of “W” or “WF.” To receive a W grade, a student must drop didactic the course within the first 60% of the semester, or 60% of the clinical semester. A “W” grade does not impact a student’s GPA.

Grade of Withdrew Failing (WF)

Students wishing to withdraw from a clinical or didactic course after the deadline to withdraw with a “W” grade (see above) will receive a grade of “WF.” A WF grade is calculated into a student’s GPA as a failing grade (F).

Terminated (T)

An administratively terminated student is issued a final grade of "T" for all courses in which he/she is currently enrolled, and the termination is noted on the student's transcript.