Credit/No Credit (Pass/Fail)
- What is cred/no credit?
- How does a course taken for credit/no credit affect my GPA?
- Can the credit/no credit option be used for any course?
- When can I choose the credit/no credit grading option?
- How do I elect to take a course for credit/no credit?
- What should I do if I later want to take the course for a grade?
- Are there any restrictions on using the credit/no credit option?
- Is it okay to take a course for credit/no credit if I plan to attend graduate school?
What is credit/no credit?
The credit/no credit grading option is similar to a pass/fail grading option. It is designed to encourage student exploration into areas of academic interest that they might otherwise avoid for fear of poor grades.
How does a course taken for credit/no credit affect my GPA?
Students who earn at least a C- in the course will receive credit hours for the course and a final grade of CR will appear on the student's transcript. Students who earn a grade lower than a C- will not receive credit hours for the course and a final grade of NCR will appear on the transcript. In either case, the course will not affect the student's GPA.
Can the credit/no credit option be used for any course?
Courses taken for credit/no credit cannot be used to meet any General Education, major, or minor requirements, even if credit is earned for the course. This includes any course taken to fulfill the Composition I and Advanced Composition requirements or foreign language courses taken to fulfill graduation requirements.
The credit/no credit option may not be used with courses graded as satisfactory/unsatisfactory.
When can I choose the credit/no credit grading option?
Students must choose the credit/no credit option during the first half of the course term (e.g., the first eight weeks of the semester, the fourth week of the summer session, or by the fourth week of an eight-week course), or before completing half the lessons of a correspondence course.
How do I elect to take a course for credit/no credit?
DGS students must complete a credit/no credit form with their academic advisor at the Campus Center for Advising and Academic Services. Students in other colleges should consult with their college's undergraduate academic affairs office.
What should I do if I later want to take the course for a grade?
If students later want to return to the traditional grade option, they must file an amended request with their academic advisor at the Campus Center for Advising and Academic Service during the first half of the course term or before they complete half the lessons of a correspondence course.
Are there any restrictions on using the credit/no credit option?
- Full-time students may take no more than two courses in any one semester under this option (one course during summer school).
- Students carrying less than 12 credit hours may take one course for credit/no credit in any one semester.
- A student on probation may not exercise the credit/no credit option.
- A correspondence course may be taken credit/no credit provided that the course is not excluded from the option. (A correspondence course on credit/no credit will count as the credit/no credit course for each semester in which the student is enrolled in the University until the course is completed.)
- A maximum of 18 hours of work taken as credit/no credit may be counted toward a degree.
Is it okay to take a course for credit/no credit if I am planning to attend graduate school?
Be careful about using this option if you plan to apply to professional or graduate school. These schools may consider applicants whose transcripts bear a significant number of nongrade symbols less favorably than those whose transcripts contain none or very few. Likewise, in computing a preadmission grade point average, some of these schools may convert the NC symbol to a failing grade since they do not know whether the actual grade was a D or F.
Applying to Law Schools?
For students interested in applying to law school, please read this message from the Pre-Law Advising Services website regarding the Law School Admissions Council.
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