Rules
Conditional Pass: Having evaluated the materials required for the examination, if the Committee feels that, although the student has demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the field, it is not quite sufficient to justify a grade of “pass”, the committee may assign the grade of “Conditional Pass” and require that the student meet additional conditions before a grade of "pass" is awarded. The student must meet the conditions noted on the Conditional Pass by the end of the subsequent term. However, students who plan to graduate in a specific term must resolve a Conditional Pass by the posted deadline for submission of examination results. The committee notes the conditions that need to be met by the student on the examination form. Once the committee indicates the student has met the conditional pass criteria, they submit a memo to Graduate Studies.
(see UNM On-line Catalog, 2022-2023)
Report of Examination Approvals and Signatures: Each committee member with a UNM netID is required to record their decision through the electronic Report of Examination for each examination. Committee members without UNM netIDs are informed that they will give their proxy decision through the Chair of the committee who will record their decision.
(see UNM On-line Catalog, 2022-2023)
GRADE REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION
To earn a graduate degree at the University of New Mexico, students must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in graduate-level courses taken in graduate status at the time of degree completion as well as a grade point average of at least 3.0 for courses listed in their Program of Studies or Application for Candidacy.
Students may not graduate with Incompletes or unrecorded grades (NR) pending in any graduate course, nor may they graduate while on probation.
Courses taken to meet undergraduate deficiencies/prerequisites cannot be used to meet graduate degree requirements nor are they calculated into the graduate grade point average. It is expected that the student earn at least a B (3.0) in each of these courses. If a grade of less than "B" (3.0) is earned in any of these, the major department may deem that the prerequisite has not been satisfied.
No more than 6 credit hours of coursework in which a grade of "C" (2.0), "C+" (2.33) or "CR" (grading option selected by student) was earned may be credited toward a graduate degree. Courses offered only on a CR/NC basis and required by the graduate program are excluded from this limitation.
In addition, the Manufacturing Engineering Program will not approve the CR to be used for its core courses, and it will only permit 3 credit hours of CR total (excluding Project extensions). CR (credit) is the equivalent of at least a grade of C. Students who do not satisfactorily complete a course under pass/fail (CR/NC) grading receive NC (no credit).
(see UNM On-line Catalog, 2022-2023)
INCOMPLETE (I) GRADE
The grade of “I” is given only when circumstances beyond the student’s control prevent completion of the coursework within the official dates of a semester or summer session.
According to academic policy, incomplete grades must be completed before a student is eligible to graduate from the University of New Mexico. Students should not re-enroll or re-register (for credit) in a course in which an incomplete has been received in order to resolve the “I” (incomplete) grade. If an instructor requires the student to repeat the class in order to resolve the Incomplete, the student must register for the course on an audit basis.
Incomplete grades received must be resolved no later than one year (twelve months) from the published end day of the semester in which the grade was assigned. Incomplete grades not resolved within the time frame stated in this policy are converted automatically to a F (failure) grade.
Students resolving Incompletes in their semester of graduation must have the process completed (including the reporting of the grade to the Records and Registration Office by the appropriate deadline. Students are responsible for informing instructors that they are graduating and that the grade(s) must be reported by the appropriate deadline. Failure to complete the process as described could result in the postponement of graduation until the following semester.
The instructor of record reports the final grade for the course in which the Incomplete was assigned to the Records and Registration Office.
(see UNM On-line Catalog, 2022-2023)
Extension of Incomplete (link)
A student may apply for an extension of the time allowed to complete the required coursework removing the “I” grade. Students must submit the Extension of Incomplete form with all required signatures to Graduate Studies by the applicable deadline dates (November 15 for Fall, April 15 for Spring, July 15 for Summer). For the student who re-enrolls in residence, a one-semester extension may be granted. If an extension is granted, it is the student’s responsibility to remove the “I” grade by the date indicated.
(see UNM On-line Catalog, 2022-2023)
NON-MATRICULATED GRADES
Per the general requirements for a Master's degree, graduate students must complete at least 50% of required course work after admission to the graduate program, unless further limited by the graduate program. It should be noted that UNM does not use the grades from non-matriculated courses in the calculation of the graduate GPA. Thus,
a student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher based on MATRICULATEDclasses only.
WALKING
The University of New Mexico and the Office of Graduate Studies recognizes the importance of ceremony in students’ lives. On occasion, a student is unable to complete graduation requirements in accordance with University deadlines. Students who are within one term of graduation may, with the support of their faculty advisor and graduate program, request permission to participate in the University’s commencement ceremony. This form must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies no later than April 15 for the Spring term or November 15 for the Fall term. In addition, each student must complete the commencement forms on the University Secretary’s website (http://www.unm.edu/ ~commence/).
MEP students requesting to walk in a graduation ceremony should have a near-final version of their thesis or project report submitted to their COS at the time of the request. MEP students who have not submitted a draft of a thesis or project report to their COS should not request to participate in commencement ceremonies.