Course Evaluation

Courses are not obstacles to complete before doing research. They provide conceptual and technical tools that the project will require. Taking them without connecting to the project is a waste of time; taking them while connecting is an investment.

The Program organizes courses into cores so that the student builds a formative track coherent with their project — not to fill credits.

The Regulations establish general rules for evaluation in graduate courses:

Grading System:

Approval:

• Grades A, B, or C indicate course approval
• Grade R indicates failure
• Credits are computed only with approval

Attendance:

• The minimum required attendance is 75% of scheduled activities
• Insufficient attendance results in failure, regardless of assessment performance

Course failure has serious consequences for continuity in the program:

Dismissal Rules:

Notes:

• The failure count considers the entire program history
• Courses taken as a special student are also considered
• Dismissal is automatic upon reaching the limits

Recommendations:

• Evaluate your availability before enrolling in many courses
• Communicate difficulties to the professor as soon as possible
• Seek help from colleagues or tutors when necessary
• Consider withdrawing from the course if you realize you cannot keep up

The Chemistry Program follows the grading system established by USP’s Graduate Regulations. Each course defines its own evaluation criteria, which must be presented to students at the beginning of the course.

Common Forms of Evaluation:

Required Courses:

Required courses in the program vary by degree:

Master’s:

• QFL5930 – Safety, Ethics and Responsibility
• QFL5939 – Advanced Topics I

Doctoral:

• QFL5930 – Safety, Ethics and Responsibility
• QFL5940 – Advanced Topics II
• QFL5942 – Seminar Practice

Direct Doctoral:

• QFL5930 – Safety, Ethics and Responsibility
• QFL5939 – Advanced Topics I
• QFL5940 – Advanced Topics II
• QFL5942 – Seminar Practice

Each degree requires a minimum number of course credits:

Credits for Qualification:

The student must have completed minimum credits by the qualification exam date:

Each degree requires a minimum number of course credits:

Credits for Qualification:

The student must have completed minimum credits by the qualification exam date:

Exception: Master’s students who request transfer to Direct Doctoral with institutional scholarship change must have 100% of credits (30 credits) completed.

Course withdrawal is a resource available to students who, for some reason, cannot keep up with a course in a given semester.

Procedure:

• Request withdrawal within the deadline established in the calendar
• Withdrawal results in grade T on the transcript
• The course can be taken again in another semester

Limitations:

• There is a deadline to request withdrawal (usually until mid-semester)
• Withdrawal does not count as failure
• Check if withdrawal will not affect your qualification deadlines

When to consider withdrawal:

• Difficulty keeping up with content
• Overload of activities in the semester
• Personal or health problems
• Schedule conflicts with laboratory activities

The grade I (Incomplete) is assigned when the student has not completed all course assessments but has the possibility to do so.

Typical situations:

• Justified absence from assessment
• Pending final work
• Need for additional time due to force majeure

Grade conversion:

• The student must complete pending activities
• There is a defined deadline for converting grade I
• The professor assigns the final grade after completion of activities
• If there is no completion within the deadline, grade I may be converted to R

Procedure:

• Communicate with the professor about the situation
• Formally request the assignment of grade I
• Agree on a deadline for completing pending activities
• Submit activities within the agreed deadline

Credits obtained at other institutions or in other USP programs can be transferred, upon analysis:

Courses from other USP programs:

• Can be fully transferred
• Must be related to the research area
• Requires approval from supervisor and CCP

Courses from other institutions:

• Can be partially transferred
• Limit: up to 1/3 of required course credits
• The institution must have an accredited graduate program
• Requires content and course load equivalence

Courses taken as a special student:

• Can be transferred if taken in the last 36 months
• Must have been passed (grade A, B, or C)
• Requires supervisor approval