Incompletes

An Incomplete or "I" grade is an option to support a student who experiences extenuating circumstances that emerge after commiting to complete studies before the published deadline.

Students who experience extenuating circumstances such as a death in the family, a major car accident, or hospitalization (procrastination or inferior performance excluded), are encouraged to contact their instructor right away for support, and no later than the course end date to request an incomplete grade. This request should include:

  1. A list of work to be completed
  2. The date by which each assignment will be submitted
  3. The requested completion date, which must be prior to the end of the next semester -  on this date the instructor will update the final grade based on all work received 

The Incomplete Contract is entered by the instructor as an I grade with notes about the default final grade. Students should save documentation of the incomplete contract terms established with the instructor as there are no reminders about the changed end date. The student takes full responsibility for handing in any outstanding work by this date, and if not done, accepting the default grade, usually an F. 

Remember that the number of I’s on a student’s record affects the student’s class and workload, and must be removed before graduation. See the academic policy in the bulletin for more information.

Yes, your student account will be billed $35 for each incomplete grade entered by an instructor. Besides finishing the class as soon as possible, payment is required before a transcript can be released.

Before considering an incomplete, recheck your end date, which shows in your semester schedule on your iVue page, and in several emails to your Andrews email address. Here's how the end date is calculated:

Self-paced open learning classes (901 sections, available to guest undergraduate students only) must be completed within 180 days from the selected start date. It is the student's responsibility to plan a pace of study to meet their personal deadlines, such a graduation, which may be before the course deadline. 

Interactive online courses (950-999 sections) have fixed start and end dates listed in the current academic calendar.  Within the first week, make sure you can meet the deadlines for assignments and exams listed in the course space and syllabus - if this won't fit, withdraw before the drop/add date.

For undergraduate studies, schedule 40-45 hours of focused study time for every semester credit. For example, to complete a 3-credit class successfully, schedule 120-135 hours. If you want to finish a 3-credit class in 8 weeks, schedule 12-15 hours per week; to finish in 24 weeks, 3+ hours per week works.

For graduate studies, schedule 60 hours per semester credit. Divide that by the number of weeks (and days within the week you can study) between the start and end date, to figure out your study load.

This time will be spent reading assigned pages, watching videos, completing assignments, individual or group projects and discussions online, reviewing and taking exams, or communicating with your instructor.