Grades
There are essentially three types of grades available: "credit," "pass/fail," and "audit."
Credit
A course taken with the "credit" option will result in one of the following grades:
A,B,C,D,F,I,N,X, and W. Grades A-F may have a "+" or a "-" attached to them.
A: Superior................................. 4 grade points per credit hour
B: Very good...............................3 grade points per credit hour
C: Satisfactory.............................2 grade points per credit hour
D: Unsatisfactory, but passing....1 grade point per credit hour
F: Failure....................................0 grade points per credit hour
I: Incomplete...............................0 grade points per credit hour
X: No final exam
W: Withdrawn
N: No grade turned in
Comments:
For engineering students, "+" or "-" do not affect the number of grade points per credit hour. The label "credit" is unfortunate, because courses taken on the pass/fail grade system also award degree credit.
"D" (Unsatisfactory, but passing) really means what it says. The difference between a "D" and a "F" is the answer to the question: "Does this student know enough to go on to the next course?" If the answer is yes, then the grade "D" is appropriate. There are some instances (not many) where a department sets a grade standard higher than "D" as the required grade for a prerequisite course.
"I" (Incomplete): This grade is supposed to be given when a student, because of circumstances beyond his/her control, could not complete a course. The student is supposed to be passing the course except for the unfinished work. The grade "I" is appropriately assigned to students who have been ill and missed classes and other work or for other similar circumstances. This grade frequently is assigned inappropriately. Many students are able to convince a professor that instead of receiving the "D" or "F" grade they have earned, they should receive an "I" grade and then be allowed to do additional work to raise their final grade. Because our faculty agree that they do succumb to such requests, they have agreed to the awarding of 0 grade points per credit hour, and thus the grade of "I" counts the same as the grade of "F" when a grade-point average is computed. This has the unfortunate effect of penalizing students who have "legitimate" grade(s) of "I." Once the work is completed and a new grade assigned, the original grade of "I" disappears, and the grade-point averages are recalculated. If the grade is not replaced by another grade by the end of the next semester of enrollment, the Dean's Office automatically changes the grade of "I" to the grade of "F." After this change, the original instructor may still change the grade, however.
"X" (No final exam): Assigned when a student's work otherwise is at least satisfactory, but the course's final exam or final paper has not been completed. The grade "X" is also assigned inappropriately: see the above discussion on the grade "I."
"N" (No grade assigned): This grade usually signifies either a clerical error (student is in another section; student thought she/he had dropped the course) or the student did so little work that the instructor does not have sufficient work to assign a grade.
"W" (Withdrawn): Assigned by the computer when a student withdraws from a course. Does not affect the student's grade-point averages. This grade is possible only during a certain period of time during each semester: During the semester's first few weeks (see the published academic calendar) a dropped course does not appear on the student's academic transcript; after about the 10th week of class, students are not allowed to withdraw from courses.
Pass/Fail
Engineering students are eligible to register each semester for up to 6 units on the pass/fail option, up to a maximum of 18 units attempted. The pass/fail grading option replaces the letter grades A-F with either P# or F#. Assigning the grade P# to a course means the student passed the course; assigning the grade F# means the student did not pass the course. Neither grade affects the student's grade point average. The units attached to a course assigned the grade P# may count toward the student's total cumulative units required.
There are restrictions on when a student may use the pass/fail grading option. Degree requirements that list specific courses (e.g. Phys 117A, ECMP 100), rather than a course category (e.g. humanities and social sciences), may not be satisfied with one or more courses taken pass/fail. Many departments do not allow the pass/fail grading option for any departmental degree requirements.
In practice, it is safe to use pass/fail for humanities/social sciences course requirement or with free electives.
Audit
When a student uses the "audit" grading option, the student is expected to attend all of the course's classes. Completion of homework and the taking of exams are not required. The grade "L" signifies a 'successful' audit (class attendance) and the grade "Z" signifies 'unsuccessful' audit. Neither grade affects a student’s grade point average, nor the course's units do not contribute to the student's total cumulative units. Undergraduate engineering students rarely use the audit grade option.