How grading works at Bowie State University
Bowie State University (BSU) uses a plain letter-grade system — A, B, C, D, and F — with no plus or minus modifiers at any level. There is no A+ grade at BSU. The University Policy on Grading Symbol Identification also lists a set of additional notations (S, U, I, PS, CR, AU, W) that instructors may use for satisfactory/unsatisfactory work, incompletes, pass grades, audits, and withdrawals; one policy governs both undergraduate and graduate transcripts, with a single stated exception — a grade of D is not used for graduate courses.
Source: III - 6.20 Policy on Grading Symbol Identification — Guidelines and Standards section — verified Aug 2026
Repeating a course at Bowie State University
You may repeat a course to increase your mastery of the material, to meet a major requirement, or to improve your GPA. A course cannot be repeated more than twice without the approval of your academic advisor and the chair of the department you're majoring in. When you repeat a course, only your higher (or highest) grade counts toward your GPA — your transcript marks a repeated course as either REXC (excluded from the GPA calculation) or RINC (included in the GPA calculation) depending on which attempt is being counted.
Source: III - 6.20 Policy on Grading Symbol Identification — Transcript Notations / course-repetition paragraph — verified Aug 2026
Academic probation at Bowie State University
Your academic progress at BSU is judged solely on your cumulative GPA. A cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 is considered satisfactory. If your cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 at the end of any semester, you'll be placed on academic probation and notified in writing to seek counseling and guidance from the Academic Advisement Center.
Source: Academic Regulations and Requirements — Standards of Work Required / Academic Performance — verified Aug 2026
Frequently asked questions
What grading scheme does Bowie State University (BSU) use?
Where does this BSU grade scale come from?
Does Bowie State University give an A+?
No. BSU's grading policy lists a closed set of symbols — A, B, C, D, F, and S as the core grades, plus U, I, PS, CR, AU, and W as additional notations — and A+ does not appear among them. There are also no plus/minus modifiers of any kind at BSU; the highest grade is a plain A, worth 4.00 grade points.
Source: III - 6.20 Policy on Grading Symbol Identification — Guidelines and Standards section — verified Aug 2026
Is a D grade used for graduate courses at Bowie State University?
No. BSU's grading policy explicitly notes that D (Poor/Below Average, 1.00 point) is "not used for graduate courses." It remains a normal part of the undergraduate grading scale.
Source: III - 6.20 Policy on Grading Symbol Identification — Guidelines and Standards section, D row — verified Aug 2026
