Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures 
Grade Appeals 
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Please note that a full explanation of the Grade Appeals Procedure can be found in the Undergraduate Catalog (pages 34-35 in the PDF version of the 2015-2016 catalog) and the Graduate Catalog (pages 50-51 in the PDF version of the 2015-2016 catalog). 
http://catalog.unt.edu/mime/media/view/13/1009/2015-16_UNT_undergraduate_catalog.pdf 
http://catalog.unt.edu/mime/media/view/14/1102/2015-16_UNT_graduate_catalog.pdf 
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Grade appeals may not be submitted before official grades are posted by the Office of the Registrar. 
 
Courses at the 1000 or 2000 level 
Before submitting a grade appeal to the Associate Chair, you must first contact the instructor in order to discuss your course grade. If the issue is not resolved and you wish to pursue the appeal, you must contact the course coordinator. If the issue is still not resolved, you may submit a grade appeal during the period indicated in the Undergraduate Catalog. 
 
Courses at the 3000, 4000, or 5000 level 
Before submitting a grade appeal to the Associate Chair, you must first contact the instructor in order to discuss your course grade. If the issue is not resolved, you may submit a grade appeal during the period indicated in the Undergraduate/Graduate Catalog. 
 
Grade appeals must be submitted in writing or by e-mail to the Associate Chair of the department. 
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There are generally four types of problems that lead to grade appeals:  
 
1) Incorrect calculation of a grade 
This type of error can be easily fixed if you contact your instructor (and, of course, if the grade was actually calculated incorrectly). 
 
2) Unfair or biased grades and grading practices 
Receiving a grade that is lower than the one you would have liked to receive is not necessarily the result of an unfair or biased grading practice on the part of the instructor.  
 
An unfair or biased grade/grading practice results from a deliberate attempt to treat one student differently by lowering (or raising) a grade with no apparent reason other than some type of bias.  
 
When the department has to make a decision based on a claim of unfair or biased grades and grading practices, the following question is asked: Did this instructor use the same criteria for grading each student? If the department determines that the answer to this question is yes (based on the instructor's explanation of the grade and any additional evidence provided by the student), the grade appeal will not be successful. 
 
3) Unanticipated disruptions in a student's life 
This type of grade appeal will be different for each set of circumstances. However, the general rule is the following: If you could have asked for a grade of Incomplete before the end of the semester, you should have done so instead of waiting until after the end of the semester to file a grade appeal. In other words, this type of appeal often gives the impression that the student did not think it was important enough to raise this issue until after he/she saw the final grade for the course. For this type of appeal, a timeline of events will play an important role in determining whether or not a grade appeal will be successful. 
 
As a reminder, a grade of Incomplete can only be requested when circumstances beyond the control of the student cause a major disruption that prevents the student from completing assignments and/or taking exams. 
 
4) Unclear grades and/or grading practices 
Although instructors are encouraged to be as transparent as possible regarding the criteria used to determine grades, there are many different perspectives and teaching practices that influence how grades/grading practices are explained to students. If the department determines that a grade appeal is based solely on unclear grades and/or grading practices, the appeal will not be successful; however, the instructor may be asked by the department to provide students with additional details and/or better explanations regarding their grades.