Does a C- get calculated into my GPA?
If I get a D grade in a course, can it be applied towards my major?
Can I receive credit with a P/NP grade option?
I do not understand the pass/no pass grading options.
How does it affect me as an entering 2004 student?
Will a grade of W appear on my transcript?
I received an I in a class, and it turned into an F… why?
What are honors and how do I get it?
How is my GPA calculated?
What is academic standing and minimum progress?
How do I determine my academic standing?
What happens if I have to repeat a course?
Does a C- get calculated into my GPA?
The final letter grades for courses at UCSC are A (excellent), B (good), C (fair), D (poor), F (fail).
The grades of A and B may be modified by a plus (+) or minus (-). The grade C may be modified
by a plus (but not by a minus).
back to top
If I get a D grade in a course, can it be applied towards my major?
Courses in which you receive a grade of D earn credit toward graduation but cannot
satisfy a major requirement or a general education requirement and cannot satisfy a prerequisite for
another course.
back to top
Can I receive credit with a P/NP grade option?
Courses which are graded NP earn no credit toward graduation. The grades P and NP both appear
on your official transcript. You may change your grading option before the grade option deadline,
listed in the Academic Calendar. You cannot change your grading option after that date.
back to top
I do not understand the pass/no pass grading options.
How does it affect me as an entering student?
No more than 25 percent of your credits earned at UCSC may be graded on a Pass/No Pass basis.
You must exercise your P/NP grading option carefully. If you end up with too many UCSC credits
graded P/NP, you may not be able to graduate.
| UCSC Undergraduate Grading Policies |
Enrollment
|
When students enroll on TELESLUG, letter grading is the default.
The P/NP option is available only to students in good academic standing. |
| Students may change the grading option up to
the 15th day of instruction. |
Withdrawal
|
After the last day to drop a course,
students may withdraw from a course whether enrolled for a letter grade or for Pass/No Pass
grading. The Academic and Administrative Calendar lists deadlines for withdrawing from a course. |
| Grades |
If enrolled in a course for a letter grade,
students will receive a grade of A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, D, F, W (Withdraw), I (Incomplete),
or IP (In Progress). If enrolled in a course for Pass/No Pass, students will receive a grade of P
(Pass), NP (No Pass), W (Withdraw), I (Incomplete), or IP (In Progress).
Note: Beginning fall 2001, NP grades will appear on official transcripts of
all students, like all other grades.
|
Evaluations
|
For each course in which credit is earned,
whether letter graded or Pass/No Pass, all students will receive an evaluation. Evaluations
are a permanent part of the academic record. All students may request transcripts either with
or without evaluations. |
UCSC
Grade Point
Average
|
For all students, a UCSC GPA is calculated from
UCSC courses, courses taken through the Education Abroad Program, and courses taken on another
UC campus in an intercampus exchange program. The UCSC GPA is displayed on the official transcript.
Courses taken through the Domestic Exchange Program and UC Extension are not calculated in the UC
or the UCSC GPA. |
UC Grade
Point Average
|
All students have a UC GPA calculated from courses
taken for a letter grade at UCSC, at other UC campuses, and through the Education Abroad Program.
The UC GPA is not on the official transcript but is available from
MyUCSC when checking grades from a previous quarter. Your UC GPA must be at least 2.0 in order
for you to graduate. Courses taken through the Domestic Exchange Program and UC Extension are not
calculated in the UC or the UCSC GPA. |
Satisfying
Requirements
|
Departments may require that some or all courses
used to satisfy the major must be taken for a letter grade.
A course graded D or F cannot be used to satisfy a course prerequisite
or to satisfy major or general education requirements. Credits earned with a D will not count
toward satisfactory academic progress. Any course graded P is equivalent to a C or better and
can be used to satisfy general education requirements and will count towards satisfactory
academic progress.
|
Incompletes
|
The notation I (Incomplete) may be assigned when work for a
course is of passing quality but is not complete. Prior arrangements must be made with the instructor for
a grade of I. To remove the Incomplete, the student must file a petition and the completed course work by
the deadline on the last day of the following quarter. If an I is not removed by the deadline, it will lapse
to F or NP, depending on the grading option in effect. The F and the NP will appear on official transcripts,
along with the removal of incomplete notation.
|
| Repeats |
Undergraduates may repeat courses in which they
earn a D, F, or No Pass. Courses in which a D or F is earned may not be repeated on a Pass/No Pass
basis. Courses in which a grade of No Pass is earned may be repeated on the same basis or for a letter
grade. Students may only repeat a maximum of 15 credits for courses in which a grade of D or F was
received. In computing the GPA for these repeats, only the grade and corresponding grade points earned
the last time the course was taken will be used. After the 15-credit maximum is reached, the GPA will
be based on all grades assigned and total credits attempted. Repetition of a course more than once requires
approval of the student’s college. Credit is not awarded more than once for the same course, but the
grade assigned each time the course is repeated will be permanently recorded on the official transcript. |
Graduation
Requirements
|
No more than 25 percent of the UCSC credits applied
toward graduation may be graded on a Pass/No Pass basis. This includes any credits completed in the
Education Abroad Program or on another UC campus in an intercampus exchange program. Departments may
require that some or all courses used to satisfy the major must be taken for a letter grade.
Students must complete all requirements for the major with a grade of P, C (2.0), or better. All
undergraduates, regardless of when they entered UCSC, must meet the minimum UC GPA requirement of 2.0
in order to receive a degree from UCSC. See the section on
Catalog Rights regarding graduation requirements in effect for each student.
|
back to top
Will a grade of W appear on my transcript?
The grade notation of W will appear on your official transcript, but it is not included in your
GPA calculation.
back to top
I received an I in a class, and it turned into an F…
why?
An I grade carries no credit. Students already in academic difficulty could jeopardize their standing
by taking an Incomplete. (See Removal of an Incomplete Grade Notation.) If the course work and
Petition for Removal of Incomplete are not completed by the specified deadline, or the instructor
fails to submit a final grade, that course is treated as an F (Fail) or NP (No Pass), which will
appear on your official transcript. A lapsed Incomplete is also noted on your internal record, which
is used for academic advising.
Removal of an Incomplete Grade Notation
If you have received a grade notation of I (Incomplete) for a course, you must follow the steps below
to convert it to a final grade. If you do not complete this process before the deadline listed in the
Academic Calendar for the quarter following the one in which you earned the I, it will become a permanent
failing grade (F or NP, depending on the grading option you chose for the course).
* Obtain a Petition for Removal of Incomplete form at the Office of the Registrar and complete the top section.
* Take it to the Cashier’s Office before 4 p.m. on the deadline given in the Academic and Administrative
Calendar and pay the $10 fee. The Cashier’s Office will validate the petition, keep one copy, and return
the remaining pages of the petition to you with a receipt of payment.
* Take the validated petition with the completed course work to the instructor of the course by the same deadline.
The instructor will complete the process.
The instructor will assign a final grade for the course based on the work that you submit.
That final grade will be reported to the department that sponsored the course, which will forward the completed
petition to the Office of the Registrar. Your final grade will be officially recorded by the Registrar and a copy
of the completed petition will be sent to you at your college.
back to top
What are honors and how do I get it?
Major Honors
When you complete the requirements for your major, your department or committee of studies may
award you Honors or Highest Honors. The notation, Honors or Highest Honors, will appear on your
diploma and transcript. Some departments do not award honors in the major.
College Honors
The faculty of your college may award honors for excellence in overall academic work. The notation,
College Honors, will appear on your diploma and transcript.
Phi Beta Kappa
Refer to the UCSC General Catalog and your academic preceptor for details. Phi Beta Kappa membership
is not recorded on your diploma or transcript.
back to top
How is my GPA calculated?
The registrar calculates both a current UCSC GPA, based upon courses attempted in the
current term, and a cumulative UCSC GPA, based upon all courses attempted at UCSC. (See the section on
Academic Standing). (For example, transfer work from a community college is not included in your UCSC
GPA, but courses that you take while on the UC Education Abroad Program are included in your UCSC
transcript and hence in your UCSC GPA.) For example, letter grades for 10 of the 15 credits attempted
for your first term, a grade point average based upon the 10 graded credits would be printed on your
transcript at the end of the fall quarter.
**All students, regardless of when they entered UCSC, must
maintain a minimum UC GPA of 2.0 even if they do not have a UCSC GPA. If your UC GPA is lower than 2.0,
you will be notified by the registrar or your college that you have a UC grade point deficit.**
Grade Points
Grade points are assigned to each letter grade as shown below.
Grades shown in bold (W, I, IP, P, NP) are not included in the UCSC GPA.
|
A+ = 4.0
A = 4.0
A- = 3.7
B+ = 3.3
B = 3.0
B- = 2.7
C+ = 2.3
C = 2.0
|
D = 1.0
F = 0.0
W = 0.0
I = 0.0
IP = 0.0
P = 0.0
NP= 0.0
|
Calculating Your Grade Point Average
The grade point average is determined by dividing the number of grade points earned by the number
of credits attempted for a letter grade. The number of grade points earned for a course equals
the number of grade points assigned multiplied by the number of course credits. For example,
suppose a student takes three 5-credit courses and receives grades of A-, B-, and C+.
|
Grade
A-
B-
C+
|
Grade Points
3.7
2.7
2.3
|
Course Credits
5
5
5
|
Total Grade Points
18.5
13.5
11.5
|
Total
|
|
15 |
43.5 |
43.5 divided by 15 = 2.9 GPA
|
Both the UC and UCSC GPA are available on TELESLUG when listing grades from a previous quarter.
|
back to top
What is academic standing and minimum progress?
Full-time undergraduate students at UCSC are expected to enroll in and earn a grade of C or better
(or P) in an average of 15 credits per quarter, completing the 180 credits needed for graduation in four years.
Extensions of enrollment beyond the equivalent of 12 full-time quarters require the approval of your
college.
Your college will regularly check to insure that you are making (at least) minimum progress
toward completing your degree and, at the end of each term, will determine whether you are in good academic
standing. If you do not pass enough credits with a grade of C or better (or P), you may be placed on academic
probation. If your academic standing or progress falls below minimally acceptable levels, you may be disqualified
from further enrollment in the university.
An F may be repeated only for a letter grade and may not be repeated on a Pass/No Pass basis.
Courses with a grade of NP may be repeated on the same basis or for a letter grade.
Part-Time Students
Part-time students are held to the same minimum progress standards as full-time students by treating
each 15 credits attempted as the equivalent of one full-time term. Consult with your college academic
preceptor for assistance in this calculation if you have questions about the calculation of your
academic progress.
|
What Happens When You Are in Academic Trouble?
Your college will contact you if you are placed on academic probation. You should immediately make
an appointment to see a college adviser for advice on how to return to good academic standing.
Academic Probation
You are placed on academic probation when you are not passing enough courses with grades at the
level of C or better. In placing you on academic probation, the college is warning you that your
current level of academic performance could put you in danger of disqualification from the
university. While you are on academic probation, you remain eligible for most financial aid
(unless you are later barred or disqualified). The fact that you are on academic probation is
not permanently entered on your academic record. However, that information is recorded on your
unofficial transcript and would be indicated on any official transcript that is issued while you
are on academic probation.
Academic probation is a serious call for you to take a careful look at your workload, study
habits, choice of program of study, priorities, and motivation. The strategies for improving
your academic standing differ depending upon the causes of your academic difficulty and whether
the difficulty is a short-term problem in one term or whether it arises from a longer term
pattern. Getting good advice from academic counselors will help you get back on the road to good
academic standing. However, failure to actively address the problem may lead to a further
decline in your academic standing to the point where you become subject to disqualification from
the university.
Academic Disqualifiction and Barred Enrollment
If your academic standing declines to the point where you are subject to disqualification, your college will
review your case and decide to take one of the following actions:
• to bar your enrollment for a specified period of time with conditions on your readmission;
• to disqualify you indefinitely from further enrollment in the university;
• to waive your barred enrollment or disqualification for a term, based upon indications that
you may be able to improve your academic standing. In this case, your status is called “
Disqualification Pending.”
Students who are given “disqualification pending” status may still enroll in classes, live
in university housing, and remain eligible for most types of financial aid.
If you are barred or disqualified, that fact is entered on your permanent academic record. Your financial
aid is cancelled, and you cannot continue to live in university housing. You are not eligible to audit or
attend classes during the regular academic year. You may not receive a degree while you are on barred or
disqualified status.
Appealing Disqualification or Barred Enrollment
If you are subject to barred enrollment or disqualification, your college will notify you of the decision
of the academic standing review committee regarding your status as soon as possible after the end of the term.
The letter informing you of this decision will specify the time frame within which an appeal will be considered.
If there is information relevant to determining your academic standing which you believe the academic standing
review committee was not able to take into account, you may provide that evidence in a written appeal to your
college provost. Students who appeal will receive written notification of the college’s decision.
If you do not appeal by the appeal deadline, the decision of the review committee will take effect immediately.
Readmission After Bar or Disqualification
If your college bars your enrollment for a fixed period, it may also stipulate certain conditions
on your readmission to UCSC. For example, students who are subject to disqualification at the
end of their first year may be barred for one full year. In addition, the college may require
the student to complete the equivalent of a year’s course work at another institution
(for example, a community college) with a certain GPA before the student can be readmitted to
UCSC. In other cases, the readmission condition might not require additional course work but
would require a change of major or for personal or medical issues to be addressed (courses taken
outside of UCSC will not be used to improve your UCSC GPA).
Readmission after indefinite disqualification is more difficult. Generally students are indefinitely
disqualified only after they have fallen into very serious academic difficulty. Readmission is approved
for disqualified students only when there is reason to think that they have addressed the sources of
their original academic difficulty and then only after more than one year has elapsed since their
disqualification.
In either case, you must make formal application to UCSC for readmission, observing the deadlines
stated in the Academic and Administrative Calendar. Any conditions for readmission should be
addressed in your application. See the section on Readmission.
|
| |
back to top
How do I determine my academic standing?
Three main points:
current progress=the quarter you are in NOW
cumulative= all quarters you have attended
unit defective= how many units you did NOT receive.
Policy for Students Entering UCSC Fall 2001 and After:
Academic standing is calculated at the end of each term based upon your current and cumulative
UCSC GPA. If either your current or cumulative GPA is less than 2.0, then you are on academic
probation. Consult with your college academic preceptor about what you need to do to return to
good standing. If your current UCSC GPA falls below 1.5 in any term, or your cumulative UCSC GPA
falls below 2.0, then you are subject to disqualification from further enrollment in the
university.
Policy Applying to Students Who Entered UCSC Before Fall 2001:
Courses in which you earn a grade of D, F, or NP do not count toward academic progress (nor do
courses from which you officially withdraw or in which you receive an Incomplete grade notation).
* Current Progress. Your current progress is determined by checking Chart 1 for the number of
credits in which you earn a grade of C or better (or P). If you have passed fewer than 30 credits
in your most recent three full-time quarters, you are below minimum progress and will be reviewed
for disqualification. If you have passed between 30 and 34 credits in that period, your standing
based upon your current progress is Academic Probation.
* Cumulative Progress. Your cumulative progress is determined by comparing against Chart 2 the
number of full-time quarters you have been at UCSC with the total number of credits that you have
earned at UCSC with a grade of C or better (or P). For example, if at the end of your fourth
full-time quarter, you have not passed at least 40 credits, then you are below minimum progress
and will be reviewed for disqualification.
Your academic standing is determined by whichever measure is lower. You must be in good academic
standing on both the current progress chart and the cumulative progress chart.
Chart 1—Current Progress
You must have passed at least 30 credits in your three most recent quarters of attendance at UCSC.
Minimum number of credits to be in good standing is 40 per three-quarter period.
|
| Number of credits passed in three most current quarters |
Standing
|
40–plus
|
Good Standing |
| 35–39 |
Academic Warning*
|
| 30–34 |
Academic Probation
|
| fewer than 30 |
Review for Disqualification
|
| * There is no warning category for students in their first
two quarters of enrollment at UCSC./td>
|
Chart 2—Cumulative Progress
You must pass a minimum number of credits appropriate to your total quarters of attendance at UCSC to remain in good standing.
|
Number of
full-time quarters
at UCSC
|
Good Standing
(Satisfactory Progress) |
Academic Probation
(Minimum Progress) |
Review for
Disqualification |
Number of credits passed
|
| |
from |
down to |
from |
down to |
less than |
| 1 |
15 |
10 |
9 |
5 |
5 |
| 2 |
30 |
25 |
24 |
15 |
15 |
| 3 |
45 |
35 |
34 |
30 |
30 |
| 4 |
60 |
50 |
49 |
40 |
40 |
| 5 |
75 |
60 |
59 |
50 |
50 |
| 6 |
90 |
75 |
74 |
65 |
65 |
| 7 |
105 |
85 |
84 |
75 |
75 |
| 8 |
120 |
95 |
94 |
85 |
85 |
| 9 |
135 |
110 |
109 |
100 |
100 |
| 10 |
150 |
120 |
119 |
110 |
110 |
| 11 |
165 |
135 |
134 |
125 |
125 |
| 12 |
180 |
150 |
149 |
140 |
140 |
back to top
What happens if I have to repeat a course?
Courses graded P (Pass) or C or better may not be repeated for credit. Undergraduates may repeat
courses in which they earn a D, F, W, or NP. Courses with a grade of D or F may be repeated only
for a letter grade and may not be repeated on a Pass/No Pass basis. Courses with a grade of NP may
be repeated on the same basis or for a letter grade. Your official transcript will record both the
original course and the repeated course and the grades you got for each.
back to top
All information is gathered from
The Navigator.
|
