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Grading

It is the Head Instructor’s responsibility to post (submit) final grades. Even after assigning grading permission to proxy graders, Head Instructors still need to post final grades. More information about responsibility for evaluation is available in the Information for Faculty Handbook. The Faculty of Arts and Sciences uses the following grading systems of letter and non-letter grades to evaluate student work:

Harvard College Grading System

The Graduate School of Arts and Science Grading System and Grade Requirements

Deadlines

Due dates for each term are based on the assigned exam group, and are published in the Information for Faculty Handbook.

Early Grading for Graduating Students

With Commencement approaching, it is critically important that all grades for graduating students be posted by TBD (note that many courses have an earlier deadline). We cannot award Latin honors or print diplomas with grades pending. For more information, see the instructions for early grading for graduating students.

Grading Instructions

  1. Make sure you review the grade entry deadlines for your courses. For your convenience, you will receive a series of custom reminders about your courses and grade roster statuses.
  2. If you are a Head Instructor who needs someone else to enter grades, assign a proxy grader, however note that you still need to post (submit) the final grades.
     
  3. Review instructions for submitting grades in the my.harvard Knowledge Center, which provides instructions for using the my.harvard Student Information System.

    Knowledge Center topics include:
  4. Please post grades online at portal.my.harvard.edu.

Instructor Roles and Grading Access

Default Permissions


Only Head Instructors can post final grades.

FAS Position FAS Permission Level
Head Instructors Grade, Approve, Post (Submit)
Instructors Grade, Approve
Teaching Fellows Grade*
Teaching Assistants Grade*

*Granted once the faculty member or department assigns proxy grader status

To learn more about additional roles, please review the FAS Instructor Roles and Grading Access documentation.

Information about Permission Levels
 

Grade

  • Enter individual grades or upload grades.
  • Ability to change approval status to Ready for Review.
  • Once a "grade" level proxy changes the approval status to Ready for Review, that person will no longer be able to make changes and cannot move the roster back to the Not Reviewed status. This is the main difference between grade and approve access.

Approve

  • Enter individual grades or upload grades.
  • Ability to move freely between Not Reviewed, Ready for Review, and Approved statuses.

Post

  • Enter individual grades or upload grades.
  • Ability to move freely between Not Reviewed, Ready for Review, and Approved statuses.
  • Ability to post (submit) final grades.

You can learn more about proxy graders and permission levels in the my.harvard Knowledge Center.

Guidelines for Assigning Proxy Graders

  • Please review the instructions for assigning proxy graders.
  • Proxy grader access does not carry over semester to semester. These permissions must be reassigned each semester as necessary.
  • Proxy graders must be affiliated with the department offering the course.
  • Please allow up to 6 hours for proxy grading permissions to take effect.

Need Help Assigning a Proxy Grader?
 

  • If your potential proxy grader is not affiliated with the department, please contact your department’s Catalog Coordinator.
  • If you would like to change the permission level for a proxy grader, please contact your department’s Catalog Coordinator.
  • If you are unable to add a Teaching Fellow as a proxy grader, please contact courses@fas.harvard.edu.

Frequently Asked Questions about Grading

Q: I entered my grades already. Why did I receive a reminder about them being late?

A: Submitting grades is a multi-step process. After you enter all the individual grades, you need to:

  1. Change the Grade Roster Action from Not Reviewed or Ready for Review to Approved.
  2. Hit Save.
  3. Once you set the action to Approved, the POST button will appear.
  4. Press POST to finalize your grades. Only Head Instructors can post final grades.

Change approval status from "Not Review" or "Ready for Review" to "Approved"
 
Q: I am new to this. Do you have any instructions for entering grades?
A: The "Grading Instructions" tab on this page includes guidelines for entering grades. A full set of written and video instructions can be accessed via the my.harvard Knowledge Center, which contains information regarding many of the processes faculty, students, and staff need to complete in my.harvard.
 
Q: Why can't my TF enter grades for my course?
A: Head Instructors need to assign proxy graders each semester. If you are unable to add a Teaching Fellow as a proxy grader please contact courses@fas.harvard.edu. Please note that proxy graders cannot post final grades. Even if you assign a proxy grader, you are responsible for posting final grades in my.harvard.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

  • All grade information is classified as highly sensitive and confidential data under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.
     
  • This information can never be released to third parties without the written consent of the students to whom the grades have been assigned.
     
  • Grade information should never be stored on local computers or local database systems.

Helpful Links
 

Incomplete Grades for Graduate Students

Incomplete grades (INC) are granted to graduate students only at the discretion of the instructor. If a student receives an INC, the student must complete coursework during the term that immediately follows the INC term. For example, if a student receives an INC during the Fall 2018 term, the student must complete the coursework during the Spring 2019 term. Even if the student's registration status during the term is leave of absence, the student must complete coursework during this time frame. However, the only exception is if the student is given an earlier deadline by the instructor.

If the work is not submitted within the required time frame, the INC becomes a permanent grade, unless the student has petitioned successfully for an extension. Faculty members should submit final grades to replace the INCs through portal.my.harvard.edu. Grade Change instructions are available in the my.harvard Knowledge Center.