In most cases, letter grades from A through E are given for class performance based on an instructor’s grading rubric.
The School of Social Work will utilize a standardized grading scale to align numeric scores to letter grades, which will be applied in all graded courses. The scale is as follows:
A+ = 98-100% A = 92-97.9% A- = 90-91.9% B+ = 88-89.9% B = 82-87.9% B- = 80-81.9% C+ = 78-79.9% C = 72-77.9% C- = 70-71.9% D+ = 68-69.9% D = 62-67.9% D- = 60-61.9% E = <60%
A: • Demonstrates outstanding understanding and/or application of the course material • Consistently exceeds expectations • Provides exceptional insight and analysis • Demonstrates exceptional critical thinking and problem-solving skills • Demonstrates exceptional writing and communication skills • Displays competence to advanced competence
B: • Demonstrates good understanding of the course material • Consistently meets expectations • Provides good insight and analysis • Demonstrates good critical thinking and problem-solving skills • Demonstrates good writing and communication skills • Displays emerging competence to competence
C: • Demonstrates minimal satisfactory understanding of the course material • Meets minimal expectations • Provides satisfactory insight and analysis • Demonstrates minimal satisfactory critical thinking and problem-solving skills • Demonstrates minimal satisfactory writing and communication skills • This is the lowest passing grade to carry academic credit • Displays limited competence to emerging competence
D: • Demonstrates poor understanding of the course material • Fails to meet expectations • Provides poor insight and analysis • Demonstrates poor critical thinking and problem-solving skills • Demonstrates poor writing and communication skills • Displays limited competence
E: • Fails to demonstrate understanding of the course material • Fails to meet expectations • Fails to provide insight and analysis • Fails to demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills • Fails to demonstrate writing and communication skills • Does not display competence
Each grade may have a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to indicate degrees of performance within that grade. A C– is the lowest grade which carries credit. D grades indicate deficiency and carry no credit. E grades indicate failure and carry no credit. One-credit courses may also be offered as S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory).
The grading system for all field education courses consists of S (satisfactory), M (marginal), (Y) planned delay, and U (unsatisfactory). S is used when the quality of performance and competency development progression is acceptable and credit is granted for the course. M is used when the quality of performance and competency development progression is less than satisfactory. No credit is granted for an M, but an M allows for a remediation plan to be developed in collaboration with a student’s field faculty. Upon successful completion of the remediation plan, the M will be updated to an MS and credit will be granted. Unsuccessful remediation attempts will result in a MU grade and no credit will be granted. U is used when the quality of performance and competency development progression is inadequate and no credit is granted.
Field faculty are responsible for grading field education performance. Students are expected to adhere to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics, to meet the University of Michigan School of Social Work Technical Standards, to follow field site policies and procedures and to conduct themselves in a professional manner. Failure to meet these expectations will be reflected in field instruction grades and/or other action taken by the school.
When determining the final grade in SW 515 and SW 691 Field Faculty will consider the following items:
The student’s ability to adhere to the SSW Technical Standards. Students should review these with their field instructor(s)/task supervisor at the field placement site.
Completion of all field assignments and tasks by the assigned due date. Failure to meet due dates for field education assignments may result in a Marginal Grade. Please refer to the SW515 and SW691 Canvas sites respectively.
Satisfactory Grade (S) Students will earn a Satisfactory “S” grade by receiving an 80% or greater final grade for SW515 or SW691.
• Timely completion of the Placement Verification Form (student and field instructor)
• Timely selection of the Educational Agreement assignments (student and field instructor)
• Active participation in at least one Field Connections Session
• Timely Site Visit scheduling, demonstration of competency progression and active participation in the site visit with UM SSW field faculty (student and field instructor)
• Submitting Educational Agreement practice reflections and ratings on time. Practice reflections should follow the directions in Canvas.
• Submitting the Practice Reflection assignment on time. This assignment is graded based on the students’ ability to follow the directions in the assignment and demonstrates progressive self-reflection and critical thinking.
• Expected field hours as determined by the number of field credits enrolled that semester are verified/approved by the Field Instructor via the Online Educational Agreement
• The student is in good standing, there are no documented field performance concerns, and the student is adhering to all SSW Technical Standards
Marginal Grade (M) Students will receive a grade of marginal if they receive a grade below 80%. The following will be factors in determining the final grade and subsequent opportunity to remediate the Marginal grade:
• Missing Practice Reflection assignment
• Not completing the required site visit for the semester
• Missing Online Educational Agreement submission
• Lack of assignment submissions on time (e.g. Placement Verification Form, Scheduling the site visit, selecting the OEA assignments)
• UM SSW Technical Standards and/or NASW Code of Ethics Violations
Students who receive a marginal grade in SW 515 or SW 691 will be offered the opportunity to complete a remediation plan (which may include additional field education hours) in order to raise the grade to “MS”. Students receiving an “M” grade will not begin to accumulate field hours in subsequent terms until the remediation plan is completed and there is an explicit timeline and plan outlined in a field performance learning plan.
Students who fail to remediate the “M” grade by the assigned remediation date or who fail to meet the remediation plan goals as outlined by the UM field faculty will receive a “MU”. “MU” grades will require the student to repeat the field credits including all hours and assignments. An “MU” grade in SW 515 or 691 will also result in the student being placed on academic probation.
Note: A grade of “M”, “MS”, “MU”, “IM” or “IS” stays on the academic record permanently.
Unsatisfactory Grade (U)
• Termination from a field placement due to performance issues or unprofessional behavior during field.
Receiving a grade of Unsatisfactory in SW515 or SW691 will require that the student repeat the course including all assignments and field education hours for that term. A “U” grade in SW515 or SW691 will result in the student being placed on academic probation.