Purdue University College of Liberal Arts

Information for

Ph.D. Grading Policies

The official grading system at Purdue does not have any provisions for 'plus' and 'minus' grades. Since this system does not always convey sufficient information about a student's performance in a course, all faculty members who teach a 500 level or 600 level course shall, at the end of the semester, turn in an additional grade sheet for the philosophy graduate students in the course. This report will include plus and minus grades, and, where the instructor feels that more information might be pertinent, shall include a short statement describing the student's performance. Official forms for these grade reports are available from the departmental graduate secretary.

This report, to which the student shall have access, shall also be placed in the departmental records, for use by the Graduate Committee in its annual review of progress and in determining that the grades in courses used to satisfy an area requirement meet the minimum standards set out elsewhere in the Ph.D. requirements. Apart from this, the grades and comments are to remain confidential, for departmental use only.

Occasionally, a student may wish to audit a course, rather than taking it for credit and a grade. In such a case, the student shall consult with the instructor of the course to determine what shall be required of any auditor (attendance, class participation, etc.). If the student satisfies the requirements, the instructor shall submit an end-of-semester report that the student has successfully audited the course (the regular form for reporting grades and comments to the department may be used for this, with 'Audit' entered in the space normally used to indicate the grade.) No student shall indicate on his or her vita that he or she has audited a course unless the instructor of the course has submitted such a report.