Grades and Academic Standing

Academic Standing

Students are expected to meet the following academic standards throughout the duration of their academic degree programs at the Gabelli School of Business:

  • A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 is required for graduation.
  • Students must earn grades of C or higher for all courses taken at the business school.
  • A maximum of two grades of D are accepted for a degree, and these must be offset by grades of B, B+, or A.
  • Any students who receive more than two grades of F will be dismissed from the program.
  • Students must repeat all required courses in which a grade of F is earned.
  • Students may elect to repeat an elective course in which a grade of F is earned, or alternatively may replace the failed credits with a new elective.
  • All grades of F remain on students' academic transcripts and are factored into the GPA, even when courses are repeated for improved grades.

Each semester, the academic advising team reviews every student's academic progress and standing. Students who meet the below criteria will be placed on academic probation for one full-time semester or the equivalent completion of nine credits over a period of terms. If, at the end of the probationary period, the student has not raised their index to the required level of 3.000, the student may be dismissed from the program. Criteria for academic probation are as follows:

  • Earn a cumulative and/or in-semester GPA below 3.000
  • Receive a grade of F
  • Earn 67% or less of their attempted credits (e.g., enrolled in 12 credits and withdraws from and/or receives grades of INC for 8 credits) 

Grading System

The grading system consists of the following grades; the numbers assigned to each grade appear on the student's transcript.

  • A 4.00
  • A- 3.67
  • B+ 3.33
  • B 3.00
  • B- 2.67
  • C+ 2.33
  • C 2.00
  • C- 1.67
  • D 1.00
  • F 0.00 Failure

Note: A failure is not removable from the record, though credit can be obtained by repeating the course with a passing grade.

The following symbols may also be entered on student records:

INC: Incomplete
Indicates that a course requirement has not been met. Changed to F unless resolved by the deadline specified in the academic calendar.

ABS: Absent from Final Examination
Indicates that the student was absent from the final examination. Changed to F unless resolved by the deadline specified in the academic calendar.

W: Withdraw
Indicates withdrawal from a course with permission.

AUD: Audit
Indicates registration for a course with no degree credit.

NGR: No Grade Reported
Changed to F unless resolved by the deadline specified in the academic calendar.

Incomplete (INC)
A grade of INC may be given to a student who has met all the requirements of a course, except for completion of certain assigned papers or reports that the student has been compelled to postpone for reasons beyond his or her control. These reasons must be satisfactory to the instructor, and the instructor and student must discuss and agree upon a plan and deadline for satisfactory course completion. The missing coursework and the course grade must be submitted within 45 days of the last scheduled day of examinations. Failure to do so will result in an F. Students are advised to confirm with the instructor that a grade change has been submitted to the academic advisor. Grades will not be changed after the deadline.

Deferred Examinations (ABS)
A student who has been prevented by illness or other serious circumstance from taking the final examination will receive an ABS on his or her transcript for the term, provided that: (1) the student has, prior to the examination, informed the instructor, preferably in writing, of the reason for the absence; and (2) the instructor judges the student's attendance and progress during the term to be satisfactory. A grade of ABS must be removed within 45 days of the last scheduled day of examination; otherwise, the grade automatically becomes an F. Students are advised to confirm with the instructor that a grade has been submitted to the academic advisor the deadline. Grades will not be changed after the deadline.

Change of Grade

The deadlines for changing an INC or ABS grade are stated in the preceding sections. The deadline for any other grade change is 60 days from the issue date printed on the student's transcript.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy (SAP)

Each school of Fordham University has established minimum standards of satisfactory academic progress (SAP) that students must maintain as they pursue their degree or certificate. The University measures SAP annually at the end of the spring semester.

To be eligible for scholarship or federal aid, such as Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans or Graduate PLUS Loans, each student must be making SAP according to the school's standards. The SAP requirements are as follows for the Gabelli Graduate School of Business:

  • Minimum 3.000 GPA required
  • Must be registered for a minimum of six credits
  • Must successfully maintain an earned credit ratio of 67% of attempted credits
  • Complete the course of study for their degree within six years
  • Incompletes, withdrawals, and noncredit remedial courses will count against attempted but not earned hours
  • Transfer credits that count toward the student's current program will count as both attempted and completed hours
  • No credit check for leave of absence students and maintenance of matriculation students
  • The Fordham University Gabelli Graduate School of Business does permit appeals when students lose FSA eligibility because they failed to make satisfactory progress. To appeal, students should schedule a meeting with the senior assistant dean of graduate advising (on-campus programs) or director of online learning (online programs).