Departmental Grading Policy

4.0

Excellent and exceptional work for a graduate student. Work at this level is unusually thorough, well-reasoned, methodologically sophisticated, and well-written. Work is of good professional quality, shows an incisive understanding of health services-related issues and demonstrates clear recognition of appropriate analytical approaches to address health problems and questions.

3.7

Strong work for a graduate student. Work at this level shows some signs of creativity, is thorough and well-reasoned, indicates strong understanding of appropriate methodological or analytical approaches, and demonstrates clear recognition and good understanding of salient health services-related issues and problems.

3.5

Competent and sound work for a graduate student; well-reasoned and thorough, methodologically sound, but not especially creative or insightful or technically sophisticated; shows adequate understanding of health services-related issues and problems, although that understanding may be somewhat incomplete. This is the graduate student grade that indicates neither unusual strength or exceptional weakness.

3.3

Adequate work for a graduate student even though some weaknesses are evident. Moderately thorough and well-reasoned, but some indication that understanding of the important issues is less than complete and perhaps inadequate in other respects as well. Methodological or analytical approaches used are generally adequate but have one or more weaknesses or limitations.

3.0

Borderline work for a graduate student; barely meets the minimal expectations for a graduate student in the course; understanding of salient issues is incomplete, methodological or analytical work performed in the course is minimally adequate. Overall performance, if consistent in graduate courses, would barely suffice to sustain graduate status in "good standing."

2.7

Deficient work for a graduate student; does not meet the minimal expectations for a graduate student in the course. Work is inadequately developed or flawed by numerous errors and misunderstanding of important issues. Methodological or analytical work performed is weak and fails to demonstrate knowledge or technical competence expected of graduate students.