The DPT program takes a holistic approach to learning, supporting individuals not only in their academic and clinical performance but also in their development as healthcare professionals. Please refer to the Learner of Concern Flow Chart on the CLE for more information about circumstances which may lead to an Academic & Professional Review Committee (APRC) being convened. If called together, this committee will meet with you to discuss any concerns and collaborate with you to develop a plan for success. Committee members will include a combination of the Program Directors, Student Affairs Coordinator, and your Faculty Advisor. Other members of the committee will vary depending on the circumstances.
Grading Policy
GPA Requirements
All learners are required to maintain a 3.0 GPA at both universities and cumulatively. You are responsible for being aware of your GPA at all times. Please be proactive in seeking academic support from your advisor and course directors, as well as utilizing university resources when necessary.
If your GPA falls below 3.0 at either university or cumulatively, you will be placed on academic notice. You will also be asked to meet with an Academic and Professional Review Committee (APRC) to identify any issues and develop a Learner Success Plan together (see more information in the Academic and Professional Review Committee section).
Grading Guidelines
DPT learners take graduate level courses and some upper division courses. Most are required; a few are elective. Courses are designed to meet population and patient needs, the program’s accreditation requirements, and the standards for graduate education at both universities. When the course of study is completed according to the guidelines for performance, you will be eligible to take the professional licensure exam.
A summary of the guidelines for grading are provided here; full details of each university’s grading policies can be found:
- UCSF Graduate Division (courses 110-418) – https://graduate.ucsf.edu/students/courses-and-grading
- SFSU College of Health and Social Sciences (courses 700-910) – https://bulletin.sfsu.edu/policies-procedures/grading/
Each course director clearly defines their grading policy and method of assigning grades in the course syllabus. Practical examinations are taken within courses to test mastery of clinical reasoning and psychomotor skills and must be passed at 80% in order to pass the course. Some courses, including your clinical education experiences, will be graded on a pass/fail basis but most courses are graded as follows:
- A (4.0) = 89.5 – 100%
- B (3.0) = 79.5 – 89.4%
- C (2.0) = 69.5 – 79.4%
- D (1.0) = 59.5 – 69.4%
- F (0.0) = 59.4% or below
All learners are expected to receive a final grade of B or better in all courses. A final grade of C will count as credit, but more time/additional learning activities may be required to gain competency in the content, as determined by the course instructor, learner, and Academic and Professional Review Committee (APRC). Learners are required to retake any course in which they receive a final grade of U, NC or below a C. Many courses are offered only once per year, and this may delay your advancement in the program. All final grades remain on your transcript regardless of further time spent on content or repetition of a course if required.
Incomplete, In-Progress, and Withdrawal Grades
- An incomplete grade (I) is assigned when a learner’s work is of passing quality, but incomplete, for good cause. An incomplete grade must be removed within one calendar year. If it is not removed, the grade of F will be assigned.
- If a course extends across two terms, a Report In-Progress grade (IP at UCSF or RP at SFSU) will be assigned. Once the course is finished, this will be replaced by the letter grade.
- A withdrawal grade (W) is assigned if a learner withdraws from a course or is withdrawn from a course by a course director. If the learner remains in the program, they must re-enroll in and pass the course in order to graduate from the program.
Grading in Clinical Education Experiences
A situation may arise where you need extra time to successfully complete a clinical experience, and that will be determined by the Director of Clinical Education (DCE) in consultation with your Clinical Instructor (CI), the Site Coordinator for Clinical Education (SCCE) at the clinical site, and/or the Academic and Professionalism Review Committee (APRC). You are required to pass every integrated and full-time clinical experience in order to be eligible for graduation. If you receive a U (unsatisfactory) or NC (no credit) grade in any integrated or full-time clinical experience, you will be placed on academic notice and asked to meet with an APRC.
- Integrated Clinical Experience (PT 410): If you receive a U in PT 410, you will be required to retake the course at the earliest time possible. You will not be able to proceed to full-time clinical experiences until the ICE is passed. If you retake PT 410 and receive a U grade a second time, you will be referred to the APRC which will determine whether you can continue in the program.
- Full-Time Clinical Experiences (PT 801, 802, 418): If you receive an NC in PT 801 or PT 802, or a U in PT 418, you will be required to retake the experience at a site selected by the DCE, and within a reasonable timeframe balanced with your academic schedule. Given that some didactic coursework requires having participated in a full-time clinical experience, you may be required to delay enrolling in subsequent coursework until successful completion of the requisite clinical experience. The time required to satisfactorily make-up the failed clinical experience may vary from one to twelve weeks.
If a student fails two of the three full-time clinical experiences or fails a clinical experience twice, they may be subject to dismissal from the program.