Grading Guidelines & Instructions

Grading Guidelines


Mid-Term Grading Guidelines

— between week 7 and 10

Please communicate with your enrolled students on how they are doing in the class by providing one of the following:

  • a mid-term grade
  • a written assessment of their work to this point
  • a private conversation to discuss where they stand and what may need to happen for greater success by the end of the term

This is a critical step in helping students understand where they stand academically. It may also help them determine if they should drop the class (so timing is critical). If a student is in trouble, encourage them to meet with their advisor ASAP.

End-of-Term Grading Guidelines

  1. Non-Attendance — If a grade sheet lists the name of a student who did not attend, the grade of "F" is appropriate with the comment "did not attend." Leave no grade blank.
  2. Student name missing — If a student who completed the work in the subject is not listed, add the name, MIT ID, and grade by clicking on the "Add Write-In Students" button and following instructions.
  3. Incompletes — An incomplete grade, should only be given if all of the following are true:
    1. a major part (80%) of the subject requirements has already been completed;
    2. a passing grade is expected when the work is completed;
    3. the student has requested the incomplete;
    4. the student is not planning to graduate this term.
      • Note the percentage of work completed and the grade at this point in time in the pop-up box provided.
      • Add the DEFAULT FINAL GRADE and the DEADLINE FOR FINAL WORK to the "comment box" for each student receiving an "I".
      • Work should be completed by the start of the succeeding regular term. It is difficult for a student to complete an incomplete while registered for a full load. Please keep in mind that the incomplete grade remains on the student's permanent record even after the letter grade is recorded. Use sparingly. See the Department's incomplete policy for graduate students.
    5. Differing Units — If you teach a subject where students are receiving differing units based on the amount of work produced, make unit corrections directly on the grade sheet. (Subjects with set units noted in the catalog will not have this function available.)
    6. Thesis designations — 4THG, Thesis—No final thesis grade will be passed on to the Registrar until the thesis has been approved and archival-ready copies delivered to Headquarters. A grade of "J" should be submitted for thesis students who have made satisfactory progress, but will continue thesis work in the subsequent term. The grade of "U" is submitted for unsatisfactory work.
    7. Independent Study ProjectsTonya Miller will forward electronic copies of the forms that you signed when you agreed to supervise a project.

    Department Review Policy

    Note the Department of Architecture's graduate student academic review policy. COGS recommends that all faculty become familiar with the policy and be prepared to bring forth and discuss students that may be in academic trouble.

Grading Instructions

Online Grade Submission Application and Help

Access to Grade Sheets

  • You must have MIT web certificates to access your grade sheets. You will have best results with Safari or Firefox as your browsers. Download:
  • After logging in, check that you have access for each subject you are teaching (including independent study projects, UROP, visiting students, thesis and pre-thesis), and review each grade sheet carefully for errors.
  • If you are co-teaching a class, all teachers should be able to view the grade sheet and enter grades. Please be sure to coordinate before submitting the grade sheet.
  • You may "save" without submitting if you know some grades but not others, but the entire grade sheet must be submitted by clicking the "Save & Submit" button by the date noted on your electronic grade sheet.
  • Architecture design studios, pre-thesis, thesis, independent study subjects, UROPs and other subjects that require grades from multiple instructors will only be allowed to "save". When all grades have been collected, Renée Caso will submit the grade sheet to the Registrar. (M.Arch. studio grades should be recorded online by the noted deadline but will be held until after the Friday grades meeting.)

Grading Help

Contact grading-help@mit.edu.