Grading System  

Grades are awarded on the following basis:  

Degrees Awarded with Distinction

The school recognizes outstanding performance in course work by awarding the Bachelor of Arts in Journalism degree with three levels of distinction: Distinction, 3.7 cumulative grade point average; High Distinction, 3.8 cumulative grade point average; and Highest Distinction, 3.9 cumulative grade point average. Students must have a minimum of 60 graded credit hours at Indiana University to be considered for distinction degrees.

Class Standing  

Class standing is based on the number of credit hours completed:
Freshman, fewer than 26 credits
Sophomore, 26 to 55 credits
Junior, 56 to 85 credits
Senior, 86 or more credits

Extended-X Policy  

The School of Journalism will not use the Extended-X policy in calculating grade point averages for internal purposes and degree requirements. For example, a grade of FX will be calculated as F, and a grade of DX will be calculated as D. This calculation will apply to all categories of academic standing: good, probation and dismissal, class rank, and all grade point average requirements in the degree, including cumulative, semester, major, and second concentration.

A student may use the Extended-X option for purposes of the university transcript. An undergraduate student who has repeated a course for which he or she received a grade below an A may request to have only the last grade in that course counted in the student's grade point average as entered on the student's transcript. A student may exercise this option for no more than three courses, totaling no more than 10 credit hours. A student may use the Extended-X option on the transcript only once for a given course. Requests for approval of Extended-X courses must be made to the school's recorder prior to graduation.

Good Standing

Students are in good academic standing when their semester, cumulative, and major grade point averages are 2.00 (C) or above. Students must be in good academic standing to graduate.

Students' eligibility to continue as journalism majors is subject to a periodic review of their progress toward a degree.

Academic Probation

Students are on academic probation when any one or more of the following conditions occur:

1. Students are on academic probation when their cumulative grade point average is below 2.00 (C).
2. Students are on academic probation for the duration of the regular semester following one in which they failed to attain a 2.00 (C) grade point average.
3. Students are on academic probation when they receive a D+ or lower in any one journalism course.

Students on academic probation must comply with such restrictions as the Office of the Dean of Students or the dean of the School of Journalism deems necessary.

Dismissal

Students are dismissed from the school when, in the judgment of the dean, they have ceased to make progress toward their degree. When students have failed to attain a 2.00 (C) grade point average in any two semesters, and when their cumulative grade point average is below 2.00 (C), they are automatically considered to be making insufficient progress toward their degree.

Students whose record reveals failing or near-failing performance or lack of clear progress in any semester, regardless of their previous cumulative grade point average, or whose cumulative grade point average falls below 2.00 (C) are always carefully evaluated with a possibility of dismissal.

Readmission

The dean considers petitions for readmission from students who have been dismissed. A student dismissed for the first time may petition for readmission to any division of the university.

Students dismissed for the first time may petition the School of Journalism for readmission within the deadlines stated in the dismissal letter. Students dismissed for the second time may not be admitted for the next regular semester but are eligible to submit a petition for readmission after a period of at least one regular semester.

For petitions for readmission after a second dismissal to be considered and accepted by the dean, students eligible to submit them must do so before August 1 for fall semester, December 1 for spring semester, and April 15 for summer sessions.

Academic Dishonesty

Indiana University and the School of Journalism expect that students will follow the fundamental principles of academic and professional integrity in the pursuit of learning and of professional practice. Academic and professional integrity requires that students take credit only for their own work and ideas. Violation of these principles is considered an act of academic dishonesty.

Academic dishonesty is defined in the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct, the student handbook given to all Indiana University students. The School of Journalism follows strictly the handbook's guidelines and the Policy on Academic Dishonesty printed each semester in the Bloomington Enrollment and Student Academic Information bulletin, which can be found at the Office of the Registrar.

Transcripts  

Complete information on transcripts can be found at the Office of the Registrar. Requests for transcripts can be made online, by fax, by mail, or in person in the Office of the Registrar, Franklin Hall 100.