MSW Grade Reassessment Policy

Updated: January 2021

This policy applies when a student believes that the final course grade or a grade on a written assignment* does not accurately reflect their academic performance. A request for a grade reassessment of a specific course assignment can be made before a final grade for the course is received. Additionally, students requesting a grade re-assessment on the overall final grade must have completed and submitted all (100%) of the required course work as outlined in the course syllabus to the instructor during the course of the term. If not, then a grade reassessment will be denied.

Exceptions due to accommodation needs not identified over the duration of the course will be considered. When making accommodation requests, students have a responsibility to give education providers ample time to ensure that accommodations will be available when needed.

Please note: The use of the grade reassessment policy may result in the grade being raised, lowered, or remaining the same.

This policy does not cover field placement courses.

The written request for grade reassessment must be submitted within six weeks of receiving the final grade from the Office of the Registrar, but a request for a grade reassessment of a course assignment can be made before a final grade is received.

STEP ONE

The student is strongly encouraged to meet with the instructor to review the evaluation procedures and the decision on the written assignment(s) or examinations. The student should put their request in writing to the instructor providing support for the merits of the assignment and clear grounds for the request.

In attempting to resolve the matter, the instructor may or may not agree to one the following options:

• to re-read the paper/assignment,
• offer to have a colleague who has taught the course or is familiar with the topic, to read and/or evaluate the assignments(s),
• allow the student to re-do the assignment,
• allow the student to submit a supplemental assignment.

If the student is satisfied with the grade, the procedure ends here. 

STEP TWO

In the event, that one of the following is true:

• the instructor is not willing to meet with the student,
• the student is not willing to meet with the instructor,
• the student does not believe that their concerns have been adequately addressed after the Step 1 procedure has been followed,

Then the student may discuss the concern with the MSW Associate Dean.

If the student wishes to have the assignment re-graded by two other instructors who have taught the course in the past, a written request (email) for an official grade reassessment should be submitted to the Associate Dean MSW Program. 

The written request for grade reassessment should detail:

• the student’s concern
• include supporting documentation that includes:
• a copy of the graded assignment
• two unmarked copies of the assignment without the student’s name (one unmarked copy if being submitted electronically).

Associate Dean’s Responsibilities

The MSW Associate Dean will inform the course instructor that the student is requesting a re-grade, and ask the instructor for a copy of the instructions given to students regarding the assignment.

The MSW Associate Dean will request that two instructors who have taught the course or are familiar with the topic read the paper or papers in question and assign either a letter grade or Pass/Fail in the case of a course that is not given traditional letter grades.

Review

• The reviewers will each be given a copy of the instructions for the assignment(s) and an unmarked hard copy of the paper(s).
• In order to calculate the average, the letter grades assigned by all evaluators including the original instructor will be converted to a number according to WLU’s grading system for graduate students (12-point scale).
• When the grade being appealed is an F, the instructor will be asked to indicate what letter grade would be assigned to the paper if the full range of grades had been used. For example, would the paper warrant a C+, C, C-, D, etc.? The grade point associated with this letter will be used in the calculation of the average.
• Any grade which is less than a B- is an automatic F grade in the Master’s program.
• In the case of a course where Pass/Fail grades are given, the P/F grade that the majority of people (the two reviewers and the instructor) have assigned the paper(s) will be assigned to the student record. For example, if two out of three people assign a P, the final grade assigned will be a P.

The MSW Associate Dean will provide the student with the decision, in writing, within four weeks of receiving the student’s request.

If the student is satisfied with the grade, the procedure ends here.

STEP THREE

If the student is not satisfied following Step 2, the student may appeal to the Graduate Student Appeals Committee and if necessary, the Senate Student Appeals Committee. See Graduate Studies Calendar, General Regulations and 

• Academic Standing, Grade Reassessment and/or
• Student Appeals.

*Presentation grades cannot be re-assessed unless there is sufficient hard evidence which can be re-evaluated. Thus, if a presentation reassessment is requested at the Associate Dean level, there must be supporting documentation/evidence that would include more than power-point slides. After considering the detailed request from the student and rationale of the instructor for the assigned grade, the Associate Dean would use their discretion to determine what would constitute appropriate material for re-assessment. This may include “an audio or video recording of the presentation, given that the student(s) recorded the presentation with the consent of the instructor, class and co-presenters”; supporting notes that detailed the material presented for the assignment.