Design Studies Institute students are graded on a High Pass (HP), Pass (P), and Fail (F) grading system. Grading is at the discretion of a course’s instructional faculty member. Grade point averages are not computed for Professional Certificate, MDes, or DDes students.
Professional Certificate Grading Scale: Any grade below the level of C- work at the professional certificate level is considered failing.
- High Pass (HP): Earned by work of extraordinary distinction whose excellent quality indicates a full proficiency of the subject. The grade of High Pass includes the letter grade of A.
- Pass (P): Earned by work that indicates a satisfactory comprehension of the course material and the skills needed to work with the course material and that indicates the student has met the basic requirements for completing assigned work and participating in class activities. The grade of Pass includes letter grades from A- to C-.
- Fail (F): Earned by work which is unsatisfactory and unworthy of credit. The grade of Fail includes letter grades below a C-.
MDes and DDes Grading Scales: Any grade below the level of B- work at the graduate level is considered failing.
- High Pass (HP): Earned by work of extraordinary distinction whose excellent quality indicates a full proficiency of the subject. The grade of High Pass includes the letter grade of A.
- Pass (P): Earned by work that indicates a satisfactory comprehension of the course material and the skills needed to work with the course material and that indicates the student has met the basic requirements for completing assigned work and participating in class activities. The grade of Pass includes letter grades from A- to B-.
- Fail (F): Earned by work which is unsatisfactory and unworthy of credit. The grade of Fail includes letter grades below a B-.
All Programs: In certain circumstances, a specialized grade may be applied for a course due to incomplete work or a course withdrawal occurring outside established withdrawal timeframes.
- Incomplete (I): Signifies that some requirement of a course has not been satisfied by the end of the term. This request is reserved for situations beyond the student’s control.
- Withdrawal (W): Signifies that a student officially withdrew from the course after the published drop deadline.
Grade Comment: Each grade is accompanied by an optional comment provided by the course’s faculty member. The faculty comment is a summative statement of performance intended to direct future learning and provide context for the student’s faculty advisor and supporting administrative staff. Both the grade and comment become part of the student’s permanent academic record. Upon request by the student, comments may be removed from official transcripts when Design Studies Institute is authorized to share the transcript with an outside party.
