In some cases, you may be able to choose from three options for your grades: a letter grade, satisfactory/unsatisfactory, credit/no credit and auditing. This will depend on your overall goals for the course, if you want the outcome for the course to affect your GPA and whether you can request a change in your grading option within a specific time frame.
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Letter grades
In most cases, you will receive a letter grade: A, B, C, D or F, along with a plus/minus. The Office of the University Registrar shows how those grades translate into your grade point average (GPA). If you are a graduate student, the process is similar, but C and D grades are treated differently.
Pass/fail, or satisfactory/unsatisfactory
When you take a course pass/fail, your transcript will show an S for satisfactory or a U for unsatisfactory. If you would have received an A, B or C, you will receive an S grade. If you would have received a D or F, you will receive a U grade. Note that a satisfactory or unsatisfactory grade will not affect your GPA.
More about the satisfactory/unsatisfactory grading system
Is pass/fail an option for you?
Speak to your academic adviser to see if pass/fail is an option.
Auditing a course
Students who want to take a course for personal interest or professional development may audit a course by enrolling as a "hearer.” In this case, you will have the same access to all lessons, exams and course material as other students. Your enrollment in the course is indicated on your record by an "H."
Unless you are a university retiree or in the Senior Citizen Scholars Program, you must still pay full price to take the course, but an audited course carries no credit and will not count toward verification of enrollment status.
Time frame for changing your grade option
How long you have to change your grade option depends on the type of course you’re taking:
- 4-week semester-based: 3 business days
- 8-week semester-based: 5 business days
- 16-week self-paced or semester-based: 10 business days
- Self-paced: Contact the Office of the University Registrar to request a change to S/U grading. Students cannot change from one grading system to the other after 10 days of enrollment have elapsed.