Goals in evaluating and grading students
1. In order to achieve a unified standard in evaluating and grading students, each lecturer should follow the rules of a common grading system defined with this policy.
2. The purpose of giving grades to students is:
- to objectively and quantifiably check the progress of each student in his/her development and acquisition of knowledge and skills as a result of attending classes
- to give the student additional motivation for active participation in the learning process during the entire teaching procedure i.e. the entire semester (and not only at the end of the course/semester i.e. for the final exam)
- to form a goal and a benchmark for every student throughout the whole learning process while att ending a particular course
- to reward a student for the efforts he/she made in order to actively take part in the learning process.
Students’ rights regarding evaluation and grading policy
3. Students have the right to be informed in detail about the specific requirements and grading system for each course, and it is the lecturers’ responsibility to present and explain their grading criteria during the first class of the course.
4. Every student has the right to know how the lecturer made the decision about his/her grade. In case the student does not agree with the grade he/she was awarded, the lecturer must explain to the student how the grade was awarded and show him/her all appertaining documentation (i.e. test scores, exam results, homework grades, grades for in-class presentations, etc.). Should the student find himself/herself unsatisfied with the explanation given by the lecturer and if the student and the lecturer cannot make an agreement on this subject, the student has the right to ask for a discussion with the director of the program, and then also with the dean in order to get additional help for resolving the conflict. In that case the conflict will be dealt with according to the internal regulations of the Department of Economics in Osijek.
Grading guide
5. There are two types of courses in the Graduate program in ENTREPRENEURSHIP:
- full courses – the students are evaluated on a scale of 100 points, as described under 6.
- short seminars, workshops, etc. (with 10 or less scheduled classes) – the students are evaluated on a binary scale (passed, failed)
In either of the two cases, in specific situations and if the director of the program approves it, the lecturer has the right to give an “incomplete”, “non-final” grade, and a deadline by which the student must meet his/her obligations in order to get a final grade.
6. As a general rule, grades are awarded on basis of a 100-point-scale in the following manner:
passing grades for graduate students
grade 5 (excellent) 88 – 100
grade 4 (very good) 75 – 87
grade 3 (good) 65 – 74
grade 2 (satisfactory) 50 – 64
failing grades for graduate students
grade 1 (fail) less than 50
7. Since all aspects of learning process facilitate the development of skills and acquisition of knowledge, all aspects of the process must therefore be evaluated in order to make sure the grade has a stimulating effect on students. The grade must show the importance of each individual component relevant for evaluating learning process. Student initiative and individual effort must contribute to a significant part of the final grade.
8. As a rule, it is suggested that each grade should be formed according to the following criteria:
- attending classes regularly (up to 20 % of the grade). Each time a student is absent from class it reduces his/her grade for 1/10. Under assumption that the learning and teaching process is active and requires participation, attending classes is a means of “measuring” students’ participation in the learning process.
- tasks and cases presented in-class (up to 20 %), especially when students present and suggest solutions and ideas.
- homework (up to 30 %)
- other tasks (up to 10 %)
- final exam (up to 60 %, but not less than 40 %), assuming that only written examinations are allowed in the graduate program.
9. Evaluating and grading process must be based on measurable/quantifiable and objective criteria as much as possible. No discrimination is allowed when grading and evaluating students.
How to check and evaluate if the students are being graded fairly?
10. The above-mentioned principles of grading are open for discussion and additional recommendations by both students and teachers/lecturers. Suggestions accepted by the Council of the graduate program will always be valid as of the beginning of the following semester.
11. Fairness in the evaluation and grading system of each lecturer will be constantly monitored and periodically analyzed by both students and lecturers.
12. The director of the graduate program is responsible for implementation of these principles in the evaluating and grading system.
Director of the graduate program:
Slavica Singer, Ph.D.
