Office of the Registrar

Grade Appeal Process

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Grade Appeal Process

On the rare occasion when consulting with the instructor does not resolve the concern, students may appeal to the chair of the department.

Brown's open curriculum includes a simplified grading system that encourages students to explore many disciplines. When registering for classes, Brown students indicate whether they would like to receive a letter grade (ABC/NC) or mark of satisfactory/no credit (S/NC). A small number of instructors require that their course be taken S/NC.

Instructors establish the standards of achievement for their classes. Grading criteria should be published in course syllabi and on course websites. Course instructors should discuss required assignments and grading policies at the beginning of each term and provide clear and timely evaluation of student work.

Communicate with instructor

Students who have questions about a grade should contact the instructor as soon as possible after the grade was received. Concerns about grades received on assignments or midterm exams should be raised with the instructor during the semester in which the grade is received. Questions about final grades should be communicated early in the following semester. Most concerns about grading are resolved in this way.

Appeals

On the rare occasion when consulting with the instructor does not resolve the concern, students may appeal to the chair of the department. Such appeals must be made before the midterm date of the semester after which the grade was received. Students should be prepared to submit their appeal in writing, along with the course syllabus and graded work. Chairs will consult with the course instructor about the student’s assessment and review relevant course materials. If the chair determines that a grade change may be warranted, he or she will consult with the Dean of the College, Dean of the Graduate School (for Ph.D. and MFA students), or Dean of Professional Studies (for all other master's students) before making a final decision.

Questions

Students are encouraged to consult with one of the academic deans if they have question about this or any other course-related issues.