Education & Training

Grading Policy

Medical Assisting Program General Grading Policy

Each course syllabus in the Medical Assisting program is required to include the instructor’s grading policy. Each instructor publishes the specific grading policy for their course including cognitive, psychomotor and affective competencies in their syllabus, but the general criteria for the grading policy can be found in the KCTCS catalog. The following is an excerpt from the catalog. Please refer to the catalog for more detailed information. Also, please note that in the Medical Assisting program all psychomotor and affective competencies must be passed and the Medical Assisting student must pass ALL required classes with a C or better grade.

The grading system uses a series of letters, to which are assigned grade point values. The system is based neither on an absolute numerical system nor on a distribution curve, but on the following descriptions:

Represents exceptionally high achievement. It is valued at four grade points for each credit hour in non-remedial and non-developmental courses.

Represents high achievement. It is valued at three grade points for each credit hour in non-remedial and non-developmental courses.

Represents satisfactory achievement. It is valued at two grade points for each credit hour in non-remedial and non-developmental courses.

Represents the minimum achievement for credit. It is valued at one grade point for each credit hour in non-remedial and non-developmental courses.

Represents unsatisfactory achievement and indicates failure in the course. It is valued at zero credit hours and zero grade points in non-remedial and non-developmental courses. Credit may be obtained by repeating the entire course.

Represents unsatisfactory achievement in a course taken on a Pass-Fail basis. It has no value in computing the grade point average. Credit may only be obtained by repeating the entire course. This grade may be used for developmental courses.

Means that part of the work of the course remains unfinished. It shall be given only when there is a reasonable possibility that a passing grade will result from completion of the work. The instructor and student will discuss the requirements for completion of course with the time limit for completion not to exceed a maximum of one year; failure to do so will result in an automatic change of grade from I to E. Each college shall maintain a record of incomplete grades recorded in courses of that college.

This record, completed by the instructor at the time the I grade is reported, shall include: (1) the name and number of the student, (2) the course number and hours of credit, (3) semester or session and year of enrollment, (4) signature of the instructor, (5) a brief statement of the reason(s) for recording the incomplete grade, and (6) an adequate guide for removal of the incomplete grade. In the instructor’s absence, the division chairperson (or designee), shall forward to the college president (or designee) the appropriate letter grade to replace the incomplete grade.

Represents a withdrawal from class without completing course requirements. A student may officially withdraw from any class up to and including the date of mid-term with a W grade. After the date of midterm and through the last class of the semester or session, any student may officially request to withdraw from a course and receive a W which may be given at the discretion of the instructor. Each instructor shall state on the first or second class meeting the factors to be used in determining if a student will be allowed to withdraw during the discretionary period. An instructor shall not assign a student a W for a class unless the student has officially withdrawn from that class in a manner prescribed by the college. The grade of W may be assigned by the College Appeals Board in cases involving a violation of student academic rights or for academic offenses.