Understanding the Grading System at Bentley University

Bentley University maintains specific policies, procedures, and requirements affecting progress toward students' academic goals. These include degree and major course requirements and the university's grading and course repeat policies. Students enrolled in any division of the university are responsible for familiarizing themselves with (and understanding) the implications of all institutional policies, procedures, and requirements affecting progress toward their academic goals. Students who ignore these policies, procedures, and requirements do so at their own risk.

Academic Engagement and Attendance

There is a strong positive relationship between class attendance and participation and academic success. Students are expected to maintain academic engagement by attending and/or participating in all classes. Students are responsible for the work and deadlines associated with class assignments.

Students are expected to be on campus and participating in classes beginning on the first day of each term. Students are expected to be enrolled and participating in courses by the end of the add/swap period. Students will not be added to any courses after the add/swap deadline, unless approved by the relevant department chair. Students* are expected to be engaged and active participants in class throughout the term. Faculty are expected to outline the attendance and participation expectations for students in the class syllabus.

Administrative Withdrawal

An enrolled student may be administratively withdrawn after a prolonged period of absence or nonparticipation. Students may appeal the administrative withdrawal decision to the Committee on Academic Policy Exceptions Review within 3 business days. Students remain liable for any tuition costs related to the administratively withdrawn course(s). An administrative withdrawal could impact the student's financial aid eligibility or account status at Bentley.

Academic Standing

Bentley University assesses students' academic standing based on their grade point average (GPA) and their performance each term. The categories of academic standing are:

Good Academic Standing: Students in Good Academic Standing have a cumulative GPA sufficient to graduate and show consistent success in the term under review. Students having completed one semester at Bentley with a grade point average (GPA) of 1.80 or higher will be reported, upon a student’s request or as required by law, to other institutions of higher education and other interested parties as being in good academic standing.
Academic Recovery: Students in Academic Recovery have a cumulative GPA and/or performance in the term under review that indicate they are experiencing academic difficulties.
Academic Separation: Students in Academic Separation have experienced academic difficulties over one or more terms, and there is concern that the student is unable to achieve consistent academic success at this time. Students in Academic Separation are required to suspend their studies at Bentley for a minimum period of one year (including one fall semester and one spring semester).

Potential outcomes from review by CAS include a change in academic standing to Academic Concern, Academic Recovery, or Academic Separation.

Every effort is made to identify students who are subject to review by CAS in advance of CAS’s convening to determine academic standing. Identified students are offered support in writing a statement that describes their experiences in the term under review and the challenges they faced, and that presents their plan for success in the term to come. Students are encouraged to provide relevant documentation that can support their letter to CAS where appropriate.

The first semester in which a student qualifies for review by CAS is likely to result in the student being placed in Academic Recovery. Students who qualify for review by CAS may choose to voluntarily suspend their studies by taking a voluntary academic leave of absence, if they believe that time away from Bentley is in their best interest.

CAS meets after each fall semester and spring semester to assign student academic standings.

Students on Academic Separation are required to suspend their studies at Bentley for a minimum period of one year (including one fall semester and one spring semester). The rationale is to provide students with sufficient opportunity for introspection, self-reflection, personal development, and preparation without risk of damage to their academic record. Bentley remains committed to supporting each student in Academic Separation with their long-term goals of academic success and degree completion. Students are encouraged to find productive ways to spend their time away, based on their individual needs.

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Academic Separation is intentionally designed as a temporary break from a formal educational experience. Students are expected to suspend their studies to engage in introspection, self-reflection, personal development, and preparation to return to a formal educational experience.

Students on Academic Separation who believe that taking courses (usually at a part-time basis) at another educational institution may support their personal growth and preparation to return to Bentley may work with their assigned advisor to request that they be able to receive transfer credit for such coursework. If the student’s plan for coursework is approved, the university will inform the student, in advance, whether specific courses are eligible for credit at Bentley upon their approved return to Bentley. No official notation or change of the student’s academic transcript will be made until such time as the student is approved to return to Bentley. All requirements and expectations for transfer credit evaluation, as defined in the Course Away Policies and Guidelines and any other relevant policies or processes, apply.

The deadline for submitting a request to resume studies is March 15 for a fall term return and October 15 for a spring term return, though students are encouraged to communicate their goals for return to studies with their academic advisor or success coach well in advance of these dates. To request authorization to resume studies, students will provide a statement and supporting documentation to CAS that describes their activities while away from Bentley, demonstrates how they have overcome obstacles they have faced in the past, explains what they have learned from their experiences, and presents a detailed plan for consistent success in their Bentley coursework moving forward.

Students may request an appeal of their change in standing within four (4) business days of their placement on Academic Separation. Appeals are reviewed by the Dean of Business and the Dean of Arts and Sciences or their designees. Please note that bases for appeal are strictly limited.

Academic Integrity

Bentley students and faculty are held to the highest standards of ethical behavior and moral conduct. As a Bentley student, each individual promises to act honorably in courses and professional endeavors, adhering to both the letter and spirit of Bentley’s academic integrity system. This includes neither taking advantage of classmates nor betraying the trust of professors.

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Academic Integrity Council and Director

The structure of academic integrity at Bentley includes the following:

Academic Integrity Council: Consists of at least five faculty volunteers selected by the Director of Academic Integrity and approved by the Nominations Committee, as well as a graduate student and an undergraduate student designated by their respective student government associations. The Academic Integrity Council reviews the state of academic integrity in the Bentley community; advises the Director of Academic Integrity on the process and procedures of the Academic Integrity System; and recommends Faculty Manual revisions as appropriate.
Director of Academic Integrity: Appointed by the Provost; works with academic departments and student organizations to implement proactive education and prevention related to issues of academic integrity; reports to the Provost; oversees the academic integrity process to ensure its adherence to the spirit and letter of Bentley’s Academic Integrity System; and consults frequently with faculty, students, and the Academic Integrity Council. When necessary, the Director organizes hearings and stores Academic Integrity Incident Reports (the only official record). In the event of an integrity case filed by the Director, the provost appoints a temporary Director.

Responsibilities of Faculty and Students

Faculty: All faculty members are responsible for promoting academic integrity by managing their classes, assignments, and examinations to reduce temptation and opportunity for plagiarism and cheating. Faculty are required to clearly define the expectations and procedures for academic work, either as part of the individual assignment or in the syllabus or other document that presents coursework guidelines. A faculty member who believes an academic integrity violation has occurred must file an Academic Integrity Incident Report.
Students: Students are also expected to uphold the Academic Integrity System. Therefore, a student who is aware of a possible violation of the standards established in the system is expected to report the suspected violation to a faculty member or the Director. If a member of the Bentley community believes that s/he has observed behavior related to a faculty member’s class that violates academic integrity, it is the observer’s responsibility to bring the matter to the faculty member’s attention. If the observer is not satisfied with the faculty member’s response, the observer has the right to bring the matter directly to the Director’s attention for possible action. The Director will consult with the faculty member and investigate the incident to determine whether or not a report should be submitted. When an incident is brought to the Director’s attention that falls outside the normal purview of an individual instructor, involves students in multiple classes, or classes taken in previous semesters, the Director may impanel a hearing to adjudicate it.

Violation Levels

Violations are categorized as either Level I or Level II based on severity. Any violation not categorized as Level I is a Level II violation. Level II violations are serious breaches of academic integrity.

Procedures for Addressing Violations

Meeting with the Student: The relevant faculty member should meet with the student(s) to discuss an alleged violation.
Sanctions:
- Level I Violation: If the student agrees to the proposed sanction(s), the faculty member implements the proposed sanction(s) only after the report has become an official record in the office of the Director. Unless the student has a prior violation on record, no hearing is required.
- Level II Violation: If the student agrees to the proposed sanction(s) no hearing is required unless the student has a prior violation on record. The faculty member implements the proposed sanction only after the Academic Integrity Council reviews and approves the sanction.
Hearing: At a hearing, only the current report and related information will be disclosed when determining whether the student is responsible for the violation. Once a student has been found responsible for a violation, the Director will disclose prior reports, if any, to the hearing members before sanctions are determined. A hearing is convened by the Director and requires five voting members. Three must be full-time faculty members, with at least one who is a member of the Academic Integrity Council. The Director solicits students from graduate and undergraduate student government, corresponding with the student(s) subject to the incident review. One faculty member, who is a member of the Academic Integrity Council, serves as chair of the hearing. The Director attends all hearings in a neutral supporting role and is not a voting member.
Communication: The Director communicates the findings of the hearing in writing to the faculty member and student involved within five working days. If it is determined at a hearing that a violation has occurred, the report and supporting documentation are retained in confidence for seven academic years by the Director. Outcomes affecting transcripts will be reported to the Registrar’s Office and other relevant campus officials.
Sanctions for Special Circumstances: Sanctions may involve restrictions on or disqualification from participation in university programs or extracurricular activities only with a hearing.
Sanctions Involving Grades and Graduation: The timing of the filing of reports may result in investigation procedures that cannot be concluded before grade reporting or degree auditing for graduation. In the case of incidents that may reasonably be expected to affect a course grade, the faculty member of the course will post a grade of incomplete, pending the completion of the academic integrity investigation. In the event that this incomplete affects a graduation requirement, the student shall remain otherwise eligible to “walk at graduation.” The right of an Honors Program student to walk with the Honors Program cohort at graduation is governed by that program’s guidelines. The awarding of the degree and final transcript must await the result of the investigation.
Appeals: An appeal of hearing decisions must be submitted in writing to the Provost and must explain in detail the reason for the appeal. It must be submitted no later than five working days from the date of the written notification from the Director informing the student of the hearing outcome. The student will be notified within a reasonable time whether the appeal will be granted. The Provost’s decision as to whether an appeal will be granted is final. If the appeal is denied, the sanction is implemented and the academic integrity process ends. If an appeal is granted, the Provost will then either determine an appropriate sanction or refer the case to a new hearing.

Plagiarism

A serious intellectual crime, plagiarism is the use of another person’s original information, language or ideas without acknowledgment, and with the fraudulent claim implicit or explicit that they are one’s own. Among the chief goals of any school, college or university should be the development of intellectual honesty and original thought. Plagiarism surely defeats these goals since it involves fraud, deceit and theft. A student charged with plagiarism by an instructor will be subject to the provisions of the Bentley University Academic Integrity System. Faculty, students, and others having questions about the Academic Integrity System should contact the academic integrity coordinator.

Forms of plagiarism include:

Copying: Word-for-word copying is the most obvious plagiarism. Another person’s writing must first be enclosed in quotation marks and, second, be explicitly acknowledged in a footnote, endnote, or other formal reference.
Rearranging: Selecting phrases, sentences, or longer passages from another author and concealing them among one’s own language is a less obvious form of plagiarism. Such an assemblage must include complete and proper references.
Paraphrasing.
Self-plagiarism: Work a student has done for other courses must be properly cited if it is included in another assignment.
Using work prepared by another person: Using work written by a fellow student or paper mill and providing paper-writing services to another person, regardless of whether payment is involved, are among the most serious violations of Bentley’s Academic Integrity Policy. Students should take these prohibitions seriously.

Often, the students who commit plagiarism do so unintentionally, as a result of having failed to consider the ethical implications of their actions. Manage time. A chief cause of plagiarism is the failure to prepare early for deadlines. Learn how to acknowledge sources. Take notes clearly and completely.

MBA Program Grading

Graduate courses are graded on a scale from C+ to A+, with any grade under a C+ considered failing the course. This format profiles the advanced nature of the program and makes clear to employers you are an undergraduate student who is allowed to take graduate courses.

Advanced Standing in Business Program (ASB)

The MBA degree consists of foundation courses, core courses, and elective courses. The Advanced Standing in Business (ASB) program allows undergraduates to take four graduate MBA classes that count toward their undergraduate degree. By applying for the ASB program, students also apply for the MBA program. Once the undergraduate degree is complete, students transfer into the MBA program to complete the remaining eight graduate courses.

While some required graduate courses are available in the summer, it is not recommended that ASB students take summer graduate courses, as financial aid does not apply for the summer term, resulting in additional graduate tuition expenses.

ASB Program Fees

In addition to normal undergraduate tuition, there is an ASB program fee to pay for MBA classes that count towards both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. The program fee is normally billed at $2,000 per semester, payable in junior fall, junior spring, senior fall, and senior spring semesters. All ASB students pay a total of $8,000, regardless of whether they are at Bentley or abroad, and whether or not they accelerate and finish in fewer than two years.

Once the undergraduate degree is complete, students will then pay regular graduate tuition for the remaining eight courses toward their graduate degree.

Absolutely. You will receive a regular Bentley BA/BS degree, and after you complete the graduate requirements, a regular Bentley MBA degree. Of course. It is not unusual for a student who completes an MBA to then enroll in a specialist degree such as the MSF degree. ASB students can apply for another Bentley graduate degree though Graduate Admissions, and may receive the alumni benefits in effect at the time of application, such as waived testing requirements and alumni discounts.

Some of the graduate courses are offered as separate sections with Advanced Standing students expected to make up most or all of those sections. If the timing of those specific classes does not work with your schedule, you may also select from other sections of those same graduate courses. No. The program does not change Bentley policy as far as taking more than 5 courses. Graduate overlap course grades will be calculated into your undergraduate GPA and your graduate GPA. However, graduate courses are graded on a scale from C+ to A+, with any grade under a C+ considered failing the course. This format profiles the advanced nature of the program and makes clear to employers you are an undergraduate student who is allowed to take graduate courses. Our experience so far tells us that employers can be confused if you show two degrees, and you may potentially miss out on an undergraduate recruitment opportunity. Students enrolled in this program will be eligible to apply for and receive, based on their eligibility, financial assistance for the entire length of their program. However, no academic merit scholarships are available for the graduate semesters, and only limited need-based grant aid is available at the graduate level. These will be updated each semester, and the information displayed below is valid for the Summer 2023 and Fall 2023 semesters.

Course Repeats

A failed course may be repeated only once, unless the student is granted an exemption to this policy by the Graduate Committee on Academic Standing (GCAS). Exemptions are granted for a single registration of a specified course, and the exemption would only apply to this policy. Only the first ‘F’ grade which is repeated will be replaced in weight.

A student may only repeat a total of two failed courses, unless the student is granted an exemption to this policy by the Graduate Committee on Academic Standing (GCAS). Exemptions are granted for a single registration of a specified course, and the exemption would only apply to this policy. If a student fails a course, they must complete that course or a course of the same type (if approved by the MBA Director) the next time the course is offered.

Credit Hours

As an institution of higher education, Bentley University is responsible for determining and upholding standards related to the awarding of credit hours for student work consistent with national standards. Bentley awards academic credit in the unit of credit hours. Each credit hour is measured by the amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement consistent with commonly acc…

Commencement Honors and Awards

At Commencement, Bentley awards honors to degree recipients who have completed at least 60 hours at Bentley toward a bachelor’s degree.

David A. Fedo Award: Established in 1991, this award was named in honor of David A. Fedo, the former Associate Dean of Liberal Arts (1980-1990), to recognize students who demonstrate outstanding leadership and dedication to the Bentley community.
Robert J. Weafer Award: The Weafer Award is awarded to the undergraduate degree candidate(s) who earned the highest Bentley GPA of students graduating in that academic year (i.e., summer, fall, and spring). The student must earn at least 90 credits at Bentley and graduate with a degree in a business discipline.

Support Resources

Bentley University provides various resources to support student learning and success.

Center for Language and International Cultures (CLIC): The goal of CLIC is to provide support services for both faculty and students in exploring pedagogical innovation in the fields of language learning. CLIC strives to become a state-of-the-art technology and culture hub at Bentley University where students, faculty, and staff connect, experiment, create, learn, and discover through multilingual interactions. CLIC provides a social space and develops communities of practice where intercultural exchanges can flourish, and multilingual communication can thrive. Location: Lindsay 22
CIS Sandbox: Bentley's Computer Information Systems (CIS) Sandbox provides a collaborative and inviting space for students to learn and innovate with technology. They support students’ learning requests for CIS courses and create industry connections for experiential learning and career development. As a campus destination for student-centered technology education, undergraduate and graduate students take advantage of peer-led tutoring services, play with high-tech devices, and attend informal learning events. They offer assistance with various technologies, including HTML, JavaScript, Excel, Access, SQL, Tableau Python, Java, app and web development, and more. The CIS Sandbox provides more than 120 hours per week of tutoring and review sessions to support students’ academics and prepare them to become future technology leaders. They offer in-person and online meetings with tutors. Students also have the option of submitting essays asynchronously and receiving written feedback.
The Howard A. Winer ‘58 Lab for Economics, Accounting and Finance (LEAF): The LEAF provides a welcoming and inclusive learning environment where students are encouraged to seek academic support for their Economics, Accounting, and Finance courses. Students utilizing the LEAF will find knowledgeable peer tutors ready to help their colleagues thrive in the Bentley business curriculum. Drop-in tutoring (no appointment required) takes place in-person.
Library: Open many hours per week during the semester, the Library provides spaces for quiet study and group collaboration, as well as computers, printers, and other equipment. Reference Librarians can help you develop research questions and topics, select databases and other resources, evaluate information, and properly cite sources. Research consultations for individuals and small groups are available in-person and via Zoom by appointment.
Bentley Service-Learning Center (BSLCE): Located, the center operates on a drop-in basis-no appointment necessary. To support student learning, BSLCE student Program Managers and community partners will utilize the objectives you identify.

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