S/M/F Grading Policy
The WSU College of Veterinary Medicine utilizes a modified pass/fail grading system. It is important to understand that the pass/fail system does not reflect lower standards or expectations. In virtually all DVM courses, the minimum score required to pass is substantially higher than that required for a ‘D’ or even a ‘C’ in most undergraduate courses, and 80% is not generally considered “B” level work. At WSU, the following designations are used:
- S – Satisfactory (Pass)
- M – Marginal
- F – Fail
It is essential that all students understand the meanings of each of these grades and the implications of earning unsatisfactory (M or F) grades in the professional curriculum.
S – Satisfactory performance
Through exams or other means of evaluation, you have shown that you have gained sufficient knowledge and/or skills in a course so that – assuming you retain most of what you have learned and perform satisfactorily in other courses – you should be able to succeed in subsequent courses or in a clinical setting. Remember, however, that the minimum cut-off in each course is just that – the minimum acceptable level. You should strive to be well above that level in all of your courses. Students who are frequently near the low end of the passing range in their coursework (i.e. scores consistently less than about 80%) are more likely to fail subsequent courses or otherwise encounter obstacles to completion of the DVM program.
M – Marginal performance
This represents a level of performance close to but below the satisfactory level. Note that the range for M grades is set by individual course directors and will likely vary from one course to another, just as the criteria for the S and F grades vary. An M grade is NOT a satisfactory grade. If the deficiency is small and involves no more than one or two courses, we expect that a student will be able to “catch up” on his/her own. However, accumulation of more than 5 credit hours of M during the first 3 years of the curriculum is a clear indication of serious academic deficiency and a petition to the Dean is required to move ahead in the program (see the CVM Academic Standards Policy). Such a petition is likely to be granted only if it includes a specific plan for remediation and improvement. Receiving an M grade while on academic probation is grounds for dismissal. These are serious situations that CVM faculty and staff prefer none of our students ever encounter.
F – Fail
This is probably self-explanatory. Unlike most undergraduate programs, however, a failing grade in the DVM curriculum brings your progress to a halt. You cannot move forward in concert with your classmates with an F grade on your record. The two potential outcomes are permanent dismissal from the DVM program or, if the Dean approves a petition for reinstatement, retaking the course and earning a passing grade (S). Because the curriculum is interdependent and success in clinics requires a comprehensive knowledge base, post hoc term papers or other special projects will not make up for failing a course. With reinstatement, scheduling constraints typically require a student who has failed a core course to retake the course the following year, delaying his/her expected graduation date, adding to total tuition costs, and possibly disrupting financial aid arrangements.
A Note about Grading Scales
Each course establishes its own set of standards based on the expectations and previous experiences of the participating instructors. In general, members of the teaching faculty have put considerable thought into their grading scales. The standards printed in each course syllabus reflect the instructors’ examination and grading philosophies, as well as other broader beliefs about how a veterinarian-in-training should be able to perform.
You should recognize that the expectations for veterinary students change significantly as they progress through the DVM curriculum. Although students are expected to begin applying what they’ve learned almost from the outset, that expectation is amplified each semester as students are increasingly required to retain and integrate knowledge from previous and concurrent courses. In addition, the types of exam questions and activities required to adequately assess students’ knowledge and skills necessarily varies from one course to another. Likewise, instructors differ widely regarding the methods by which they assess students and their grading philosophies.
As a result of all these factors, there is no standardized grading scale or set of cut-off scores that can be applied universally in all courses. You should also beware of trying to unofficially “convert” your numerical scores to letter grades based on your undergraduate experiences. Undergraduate scales just don’t apply. In general, when the CVM had traditional letter grades, the scales were much higher than in most undergraduate curricula.