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MSW Student Guide

Section 1.07.00: Grades in Academic Courses and in Field Education

In most cases, letter grades from A through E are given for class performance based on an instructor’s grading
rubric.

A:
● Demonstrates outstanding understanding and/or application of the course material
● Consistently exceeds expectations
● Provides exceptional insight and analysis
● Demonstrates exceptional critical thinking and problem-solving skills
● Demonstrates exceptional writing and communication skills
● Displays competence to advanced competence

B:
● Demonstrates good understanding of the course material
● Consistently meets expectations
● Provides good insight and analysis
● Demonstrates good critical thinking and problem-solving skills
● Demonstrates good writing and communication skills
● Displays emerging competence to competence

C:
● Demonstrates minimal satisfactory understanding of the course material
● Meets minimal expectations
● Provides satisfactory insight and analysis
● Demonstrates minimal satisfactory critical thinking and problem-solving skills
● Demonstrates minimal satisfactory writing and communication skills
● This is the lowest passing grade to carry academic credit
● Displays limited competence to emerging competence

D:
● Demonstrates poor understanding of the course material
● Fails to meet expectations
● Provides poor insight and analysis
● Demonstrates poor critical thinking and problem-solving skills
● Demonstrates poor writing and communication skills
● Displays limited competence

E:
● Fails to demonstrate understanding of the course material
● Fails to meet expectations
● Fails to provide insight and analysis
● Fails to demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills
● Fails to demonstrate writing and communication skills
● Does not display competence

Each grade may have a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to indicate degrees of performance within that grade. A C–
is the lowest grade which carries credit. D grades indicate deficiency and carry no credit. E grades indicate
failure and carry no credit. One-credit courses may also be offered as S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory).

The grading system for all field education courses consists of S (satisfactory), M (marginal), and U (unsatisfactory). S is used when the quality of performance and competency development progression is acceptable and credit is granted for the course. M is used when the quality of performance and competency development progression is less than satisfactory. U is used when the quality of performance and competency development progression is inadequate and no credit is granted.

Field faculty are responsible for grading field education performance. Students are expected to adhere to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics, to meet the University of Michigan School of Social Work Technical Standards, to follow field site policies and procedures and to conduct themselves in a professional manner. Failure to meet these expectations may be reflected in field instruction grades and/or other action taken by the school.

When determining the final grade in SW 515 and SW 691 Field Faculty will consider the following items:

1. The student’s ability to adhere to the SSW Technical Standards. Please review these with your field instructor at
your field placement site.

2. Completion of all field assignments and tasks by the assigned due date.
Failure to meet due dates for field
education assignments may result in a Marginal Grade. The assignments below have due dates:

i. Placement Verification Form (student and field instructor)

ii. Educational Agreement assignment selection (student and field instructor)

iii. Field connections participation (student to attend at least 1)

iv. Site Visit scheduling and participation (student, field instructor, and UM SSW field faculty)

v. Educational Agreement justifications and ratings (student and field instructor)

vi. Key learning experience assignment (student)

See explanations below for the definition of satisfactory, marginal and unsatisfactory


Satisfactory Grade
Students will earn a Satisfactory “S” grade by:

• Timely completion of the Placement Verification Form (student and field instructor)

• Timely selection of the Educational Agreement assignments (student and field instructor)

• Active participation in at least one Field Connections Session

• Timely Site Visit scheduling, demonstration of competency progression and active participation in the site visit with
UM SSW field faculty (student and field instructor)

• Submitting Educational Agreement justifications and ratings on time. Justifications should follow the directions in
Canvas and course syllabus (student and field instructor)

• Submitting the Key learning experience assignment on time. This assignment is graded based on the students’
ability to follow the directions in the assignment and demonstrates progressive self-reflection and critical thinking
(student).


Marginal Grade
A student that does not complete their field assignments as outlined in this document, Canvas and the course syllabus, including completion of the end of term Educational Agreement Evaluation by the established due date may receive a Marginal (“M”) grade. Students who receive a marginal grade in SW 515 or SW 691 may need to complete a remediation plan (which may include additional field education hours) in order to raise the grade to “S”. Students receiving an “M” grade will not begin to accumulate field hours in subsequent terms until the remediation plan is completed. An “M” grade in SW 691 may also result in the student being placed on academic probation.

Note: A grade of “MS” or “IM” or “IS” stays on the academic record permanently.


Unsatisfactory Grade
Receiving a grade of Unsatisfactory in SW515 or SW691 will require that the student repeat the course including all assignments and field education hours for that term. Termination due to performance issues or unprofessional behavior from a field site will result in a “U” grade for field education course for the term.