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Non-Graded Courses (P/F, CR/NC, S/U)

Students may count a maximum 30 non-graded credits toward the 120 credits required for a degree. Non-graded credits are earned in courses for which no letter grade (A through E) is recorded on the transcript. Only those non-graded credits actually earned are counted as part of the total number of non-graded credits applicable toward a degree.

  1. A student cannot choose to elect a course by the CR/NC and S/U grading patterns; the optional non-graded pattern is P/F.
  2. Non-graded courses earn credit toward a degree but not honor points. Therefore, "Pass" (or "Credit") grades do not enter into the computation of the term or cumulative grade point averages.
  3. A change in grading pattern from an optional pass/fail to a letter grade is not permitted after the first three weeks of a full term (first two weeks of a half-term). The only exceptions to this policy are short courses (e.g., EARTH 101-115) which have started after the beginning of the term. In these cases, the grading pattern may not be changed after the second week of class. The Academic Standards Board does not grant exceptions to this policy.
  4. A change in grading pattern from a letter grade to optional pass/fail is not permitted after the last day of class. Additionally from Weeks 4 through the last day of class of a full term (Weeks 3 through the last day of class of a half-term), students can only submit a request to switch from "graded" to P/F one time; they are unable to move from P/F back to "graded."  The Academic Standards Board does not grant exceptions to this policy.
  5. All grading pattern choices must be modified through the registration system. 
  6. The College holds students responsible for ensuring the accuracy and completeness of their class schedule.
  7. Instructor approval is not required for a choice in the elected grading pattern nor should the instructor be informed of such a choice. Instructors report letter grades (A through E) for all students in their courses, except in mandatory CR/NC courses. In the case of a student who has chosen to elect a course "Pass/Fail," the Office of the Registrar converts the letter grades according to the following policies:
    • Grades of A through C– are posted on a transcript as "P" (Pass); credit toward a degree is earned.
    • Grades of D through E are posted on a transcript as "F" (Fail); no degree credit is earned.
  8. In the case of an incomplete course elected "Pass/Fail," credit is posted only when the work has actually been completed and a grade of at least C– has been reported. "Pass/Fail" courses which are not finished lapse to "Fail," although the term and cumulative grade point averages remain unaffected.
  9. If the instructor of a mandatory Credit/No Credit course believes that the amount and quality of a student's work is such that it deserves credit, CR (Credit) is posted on the transcript. If the instructor believes that a student's work does not justify the awarding of credit, NC (No Credit) is posted on the transcript. Courses offered mandatory Credit/No Credit are designated in the course listings.
  10. Students who have transferred "non-graded" credit to the College must count that credit as part of the maximum 30 hours of "non-graded" credit which may be counted toward an LSA degree. Advanced Placement credit as well as transfer courses for which students earned grades at another institution do not count against the 30-credit limit.
  11. Classes at Camp Davis may not be elected on a Pass/Fail basis (effective  Spring Term 2012).
  12. Non-graded courses may be included in a distribution plan.
  13. Pass/Fail courses may not be included in a plan for the major or in a minor.
  14. Experiential and Directed Reading/Independent Study courses that are graded on a Credit/No Credit or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis may be included in a major program.
  15. The final course in a sequence used to fulfill the Language Requirement may not be elected on a Pass/Fail basis. (Effective for all students admitted to the College in Fall Term, 1995 and thereafter.)
  16. In computing the grade point average for honorary societies, the reported letter grades for "non-graded" elections are computed into the cumulative grade point average.
  17. No course elected "Pass/Fail" will receive the Honors notation on the transcript or be counted as an "Honors" course for the Sophomore Honors Award.
  18. A student may pay a special fee set by the Registrar's Office and request a specially prepared appendix to the transcript on which the original grades submitted for all courses elected "Pass/Fail" are listed.