Incomplete ("I") grades for a course may be given in rare instances when DOCUMENTED, extenuating circumstances prevent a student from completing all of the required coursework by the end of a course. You may request an Incomplete if you have attended the majority of classes but have special circumstances (i.e., documented illness, emergency or death in the family, unanticipated work travel) that prevent you from taking the final or finishing an assignment by the end of the semester.
To be eligible to receive an "I" (Incomplete), you must:
- have completed the majority of coursework at a passing level (B- or higher)
- have a DOCUMENTED illness/emergency/other EXTENUATING circumstances that prevent you from completing an exam or assignment
- submit the Incomplete form (Incomplete Form) to their instructor, which delineates what coursework needs to be completed and a specific deadline for submitting it.
- agree to complete the coursework within one month (30 days) of the last class meeting of the course. You will not be permitted to register for any courses until the Incomplete is removed from your transcript and replaced with a grade. While an "I" is on your record, an academic hold will be placed on your account.
The Incomplete Form must be signed by the student and instructor. The default grade of F is automatically stipulated if the work is not completed as scheduled. The form must be forwarded to the Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance Office and formally approved by the Assistant Dean or the Director of Graduate Studies to be valid.
Students are responsible for filling out the form, obtaining the signature of the instructor, and submitting the form to the RAQA Office. It is not the responsibility of the instructor or RAQA staff. Unsigned forms or forms with incomplete information will not be processed.
- Students must complete all coursework within one month (30 days) from the last class meeting of the course. In rare cases where additional time may be required (such as a prolonged illness), students must provide additional documentation as requested by the RAQA Office or University (e.g., physician's note).
- All Incomplete Forms must be formally approved by the RAQA Office. The student will receive an email confirmation from qara@temple.edu within 5 days of receipt of the form.
The automatic default grade for an Incomplete is an F. That means that if the coursework is not completed by the designated deadline, the grade for the course will automatically default to an F. In addition, as long as the Incomplete is unfinished, a grade of I (F) will appear on the student's transcript. Once the work is finished, the I (F) is converted to the final letter grade. If the work is not finished as scheduled on the Incomplete form, a grade of F will be entered for the course.
Note: students will have an Academic Hold placed on their account and may not register for any other courses until the work for the Incomplete is finished and a final grade is entered.
If extenuating circumstances cause a student to require more than 1 month to complete a course, the student is reponsible for contacting the instructor and the RAQA Office at least 3 days before that month has elapsed from the date of the last class. The student will be required to submit documented evidence of why additional time is needed along with a new signed Incomplete Form that stipulates the new agreed-upon deadline (again, that new date is not to extend beyond an additional 30 days).
After one year, the Banner registration system automatically converts an Incomplete to an F. This is an automated process that cannot be changed. The Graduate School allows a maximum of one year to complete a course, regardless of circumstances or documentation.
Students should not assume that they have one year to finish an Incomplete. By signing the Incomplete Form, they agree to abide by the 1 month deadline stipulated on the form. If an extension is needed, it is the student's responsibility to contact the instructor and the RAQA Office and provide a new Incomplete Form as needed. Each Incomplete Form is valid for a maximum of 1 month's (or 30 days) time. There are no exceptions to this policy.
Instructors need a minimum of two weeks to process a grade for an Incomplete. In addition, the Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance Office requires at least one week to process the final grade in Temple's registration system. Please do not wait to the last moment to submit the coursework, since there may not be enough time for your instructor to grade it and inform the RA and QA Office of the final grade. We suggest the following deadlines:
Fall courses: submit course work no later than Dec 1
Spring courses: submit course work no later than April 15
Summer courses: submit course work no later than July 30
Students may not register for additional courses in the RA and QA program or graduate with any Incompletes on their transcripts. If you are nearing graduation, make sure you submit all of your Incomplete work early, so it does not affect your graduation date.