The University was originally chartered in 1888 as the Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. In 1909, the name of the college was changed to Rhode Island State College. In 1951, the college became the University of Rhode Island. Academic programs are offered on the main campus in Kingston and through the College of Continuing Education (formerly the Division of University Extension) in Providence. The University is accredited by the New England Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. The colleges and schools of the University are recognized by the various professional accrediting agencies in their respective fields. Visit the accreditation page for more details.
BASIS FOR CREDIT
Semester hours of credit are awarded for successful completion of coursework. Currently, the fall semester begins in early September and concludes before Christmas, the spring semester begins in mid-January and ends before Memorial Day. Visit University Manual – Basis for Credit 8.31.10 for more details.
COURSE NUMBERS
Prior to 1970, courses numbered I to 99 were primarily undergraduate credit. Courses numbered 100 to 199 enrolled advanced undergraduate students and some graduate students. Courses numbered 200 to 299 were primarily for graduate students, and courses numbered 300 to 399 were exclusively for graduate students.
Since 1970, the numbering system described below has been in effect:
| 001-099 | Pre-freshman and special undergraduate courses, not applicable for degree credit. |
| 100-299 | Lower division undergraduate courses, primarily for freshmen and sophomores and as electives for juniors and seniors. |
| 300-350 | Upper division undergraduate courses, primarily for juniors and seniors majoring in the field or for advanced students in other disciplines. |
| 400-499 | Courses generally limited to juniors and seniors majoring in the field and to other advanced undergraduates. May be taken by graduate students for graduate credit with permission. |
| 500-599 | Graduate level courses which comprise the majority of the coursework between the baccalaureate and the masters degree. |
| 600-699 | Advanced graduate courses which comprise the majority of coursework between the masters degree and doctorate, courses are not, however, limited to doctoral students. |
| 900-999 | Special types of graduate courses for which no program credit is allowed. |
GRADES AND MARKS A= 4 quality points
| A | Superior |
| B | Good, above average but not superior |
| C | Average |
| D | Low grade, below average, passing |
| E | Failure that may be removed by examination (Discontinued, 1948) |
| F | Failure |
| S | Satisfactory |
| U | Unsatisfactory |
| I | Incomplete |
| AU | Audit |
| NR | No grade reported |
| NW | No work submitted |
| P | Pass, course taken under the Pass-Fail grading option |
| W | Withdrawn without discredit |
| * | Course taken under the Pass-Fail grading option |
| # | Course not included in quality point average calculations. For students who have been enrolled since the fall, 1983 semester this note and others are identified in the “MSGE” column of the transcript. The codes used for these notations are defined on the transcript form |
QUALITY POINT AVERAGE
Prior to 1958, the quality point average was based on a three-point maximum scale (A=3, B=2, C=1,D=0, F=-1). Since 1958, the quality point average has been computed on a four-point maximum scale:
| B | 3 quality points |
| C | 2 quality points |
| D | 1 quality point |
| F | 0 quality points |
In 1982, plus and minus designations were added to the scale such that A- earned 3.7 quality points, B+ earned 3.3, etc. A grade of U (Unsatisfactory) is calculated in the quality point average in the same manner as an “F”.
INSTITUTIONAL POLICY
All courses for which a student was enrolled at the conclusion of a semester or session are included on the transcript. A report of “Incomplete” may be given for a course in which the coursework was passing but was not completed because of illness or another reason which, in the opinion of the instructor, justifies the report. The mark of’ “NW” may be used when a student enrolls in a course through the registration process and (I) never attends the course, or (2) stops attending early in the semester, but remains officially registered. The grade will not affect the student’s attempted or earned credits and will have no effect on a student’s QPA. The mark of “NR” indicates that no grade was reported by the instructor.
Ordinarily, courses which are repeated are included in the calculation of the quality point average (QPA) and the number of credits required for graduation is increased by the number of credits of the repeated course(s). However, a student may, with the approval of the academic dean, repeat a course for which a grade of C- or lower was previously earned, and only the grade earned in the repeated course is used in calculating the QPA. Marks for courses that are not used in calculating the QPA are so indicated on the transcript.
The withdrawal action will be recorded on the transcript for any student who withdraws from the University during a semester or session. Leaves of absences are also noted. Academic dismissal is identified on the transcript when such action is reported by the academic dean.
Students who have been dismissed for academic reasons may be readmitted on conditional basis. Such students must earn at least a 2.0 average in each of two conditional semesters. If the minimum QPA is achieved during the conditional semesters, the academic dean may authorize the Registrar to designate pass credits for those courses completed prior to the conditional semesters for which a grade of “c” or better was earned, and to remove credit for those courses in which a grade of “D+”, “D”, “F”, or “U” was given. None of the coursework completed prior to the conditional semesters is used to calculate the QPA; the marks earned in these courses do, however, remain on the transcript. All marks for courses that are not used in calculating the QPA are designated on the transcript.
AUTHENTICATION
The transcript of a student’s academic record is valid only if the University seal and the signature of Enrollment Services is affixed. No other agent of the University is authorized to issue an official transcript of a student’s record.
Official transcripts have been prepared on stock paper with a ten percent blue shaded background. The embossed seal of the University and signature of Enrollment Services used to validate each transcript are affixed in ink shaded from blue to red to blue. On rare’ occasions, a transcript may be validated using only blue ink or be hand-validated, using an embossed seal and the actual signature of Enrollment Services. Transcripts that have been issued to the student are so noted. The Office of Enrollment Services will re-validate any transcript for which the authenticity is questioned.