Law School Implements Grading Scale Change

Law students will be graded this academic year under a newly implemented grading scale in the School of Law. Additional grades include an A+, A-, B- and C-.

“There was concern from students, alumni and faculty that the previous grading scale may have undervalued the performance of our students and, in some cases, may have placed our students at an unfair disadvantage in competing for employment,” said Law Dean Ken Gormley.

After gathering input from Student Bar Association officers, faculty and administrators as well as conducting research to determine grading practices at other law schools, the faculty overwhelmingly approved in May a proposal to change the grading scale.

The new scale is in line with those of other law schools in the region. In addition, law faculty approved a suggested grade distribution policy for first-year and upper-level courses of 15 or more students. “All students will immediately benefit from the new grading scale,” said Gormley.

Matt Lambach, co-president of the law school’s Student Bar Association, said that the response to the new scale has been good and that it will generate both short- and long-term benefits.

“The reaction from students has been positive,” said Lambach. “It will alleviate many of the challenges that the students currently face in a tight job market. The new scale will even the playing field and enable employers to better recognize the value of a Duquesne law student.”

Grade point values from the law school’s previous grading scale remain the same. According to the new scale, both an A and an A+ equate to a 4.0 grade point value and then decrease at an approximately .33 value with each decreasing grade.

“While both an A and A+ have the same value, the A+ was added to signify a particularly outstanding exam,” said Associate Dean Nancy Perkins. “An A+ grade will also help to designate those students eligible for the CALI Excellence for the Future Awards, which recognize excellent achievement by law students in their studies. It is given to the student with the highest grade in a class as determined by the faculty member.”

Perkins added that, in addition to student response, faculty is also satisfied with the change.

“We knew that the students wanted this, and they are pleased,” said Perkins. “We’ve added grades that I feel are traditional grades, and faculty members now have more choices, so that exam that isn’t quite a B can now be a B-. It doesn’t have to be a C+, and that gives faculty more flexibility.”