MONTANA BOARD OF REGENTS OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Policy and Procedures Manual

SUBJECT: ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Policy 3XXX Minimum Course Grades

Effective: Fall Semester 2005, and will apply to all students who enter or are readmitted to the Montana University System or the three (3) community colleges that semester or subsequent semesters

Board Policy:

1) All students in the Montana University System and the three (3) community colleges must earn the following minimum grades in order to demonstrate their competency and preparation:

a)       a "D-" or better in all classes that are used to satisfy so-called free or elective credits in an associate or baccalaureate degree program;

b)       a "C-" or better in all classes that are used to satisfy a general education program;

c)       a "C-" or better in all classes that are used to satisfy the pre-requisites or required courses in a major, minor, option or certificate.

2) Individual programs may establish grade standards that are higher than the minimums set out in Section 1) b) and c), above, for some or all of the courses that are used to satisfy the pre-requisites or requirements for a major, minor, option, certificate or general education. Students will be notified of that expectation.

a) To assist with the notification expectation, campuses will provide the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education with detailed information about the programs from their institution that have exercised this option. The Commissioner's office will maintain a list of all such programs so the information is available to students and other units of the Montana University System

3) All campuses of the Montana University System and the three (3) community colleges will adopt a grading system that includes the use of pluses and minuses, in addition to letter grades. The grade point average calculation will also be the same throughout the System.

4) Students are required to meet the overall Montana University System standard of a 2.00 grade point average for satisfactory academic progress, as specified in Policy 301.8.