Course Completion • Grades and Transcripts

How is my course graded?

Your coursework is graded by the instructor. On completion of the course, your instructor will send a grade report to our office. We process the grade on our system and send the report to the Registrar’s Office at KU for official posting to your record. Our office does not post your grade to the KU system, and our office does not provide transcripts. Please see “How do I order an official KU transcript?” at the bottom of this page.

What is the grading scale for my course?

Students must choose the conventional grading option upon their initial enrollment. The conventional grading option is explained below.

Letter grades are given for each assignment as well as for the final grade that appears on your transcript. The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Education, Music and Social Welfare have approved the plus/minus grading system for Independent Study courses they offer. All students taking Independent Study courses from these schools may be graded by the plus/minus system regardless of the school to which they are admitted. The plus/minus system may be reflected on individual assignments, exams and the final course grade that appears on the transcript.

How and when will I receive my final grade?

As soon as your final grade is received from the instructor, our office processes it and sends a grade report to the Registrar’s Office. At the same time, we send a letter to you, which includes your final grade. Be sure to contact our office if your mailing address has changed. For KU degree-seeking students, we also send notification of your grade to your KU school.

How does my course appear on my transcript?

KU Independent Study courses are listed on the KU transcript in the same way as transfer credit from other institutions. Independent Study grades are not calculated in the KU grade-point average that appears on the transcript. They are, however, included in the school grade-point averages for KU degree-seeking students except those enrolled in the Schools of Engineering and Fine Arts.

KU Independent Study courses do not count toward full-part-time status on campus at KU; however, the KU Independent Study course will be posted to the student’s transcript upon enrollment. Independent Study grades are calculated in the grade-point average that appears on the academic transcript.

How do I order an official KU transcript?

KU Independent Study does not provide official transcripts. Transcripts are available through the Registrar’s Office. Information is available online at www.transcripts.ku.edu, or by calling 785-864-4423.