Academic Information for Students

The following is a summary of key Spring 2020 academic deadline changes (these changes are effective for Spring 2020 only).

• Unit Limit: On the first day of instruction, undergraduate students will be able to submit requests to exceed 22 units via the Enrollment Authorization System (EASy).
• Waitlists: Automatic waitlists will continue an extra week. The wait list will now run for the last time at 10:00 pm on Thursday of Week 3, April 16.
• Add Deadline: The deadline to add a class is extended to the end of Week 3, April 17.
• Part-time Deadline: The deadline for undergraduates to apply for part-time status is extended to the end of Week 3, April 17.
• Drop Deadline (WITHOUT A W): The deadline to drop, without a W, is extended to the end of Week 5, May 1.
• Drop Deadline (WITH A W): The deadline for undergraduate students to drop, with a W, is extended to the end of Week 7, May 15.  The deadline for graduate students to drop, with a W, remains the same.
• Grading Option Deadline: The deadline for undergraduate and graduate students to change their grading options and units is extended to the end of Week 10, June 5.

Refer to the Enrollment and Registration Calendar for all Spring 2020 Dates and Deadlines -  https://students.ucsd.edu/academics/enroll/calendar19-20.html

What is P/NP and how does it affect my GPA?

• Pass/Not Pass is a grading option that allows students to complete a course without the grade affecting the cumulative UC GPA.
• P/NP courses count for unit requirements but do not count toward your GPA. More information is available on TritonLink. Course work must be equivalent to C- or better to receive a grade of P.

University policy states no more than 25% of my total UC San Diego units may be taken P/NP when I graduate. How will taking courses P/NP in Spring 2020 affect this?
Courses taken for P/NP in Spring 2020 will not be included in the 25% P/NP calculation. Your degree audit will exclude Spring 2020 courses in that calculation.

If I choose P/NP (or letter grade) for a Spring 2020 class, but decide after finals week (week 11) that I would like to change to a different option, can I request to change retroactively. What if I choose P/NP but find out I received an A or a B in the course?
No. Friday, June 12 (Friday of Spring Quarter 2020 finals week) is the deadline to change your grading option. Petitions to retroactively change a grading option will not be approved. Please see this Campus Notice for more information on how recent events have impacted this decision.

I received a D or F in a course previously, can I repeat it with the P/NP option?
Yes. The Office of the Registrar will provide a list of impacted students to the Educational Policy Committee for approval by individual exception. Students will be notified by the College once an exception is granted by EPC. Students are advised to consult with their department and college advisors about the impacts of taking the course for a P/NP grade on their degree progress. If the D or F grade you are repeating is within your first 16 units of repeated D/F/NP course work, that grade will be removed from your GPA.

If I take all of my classes P/NP in Spring 2020, what will happen to my academic standing?
Even with all P grades, your term GPA will be 0.0 and you may see a Subject to Disqualification notation on your Academic History. Rest assured that your academic standing will not change, your academic standing will not appear on your official transcript, and your college will not act on any academic status if you earn all P grades this Spring.

My major/minor requires courses be taken for a letter grade. For Spring 2020, can I take courses for major/minor requirements for P/NP?
Please visit your major/minor department(s) website for information on P/NP policies for Spring 2020 and contact them through the VAC if you have additional questions.

Are colleges making exceptions and allowing P/NP in GE requirements normally required for a letter grade?

• Revelle: All GEs in Revelle, including HUM, may be taken P/NP only during Spring 2020.
• Muir: MCWP 40, 50, or 125 may be taken P/NP in Spring Quarter 2020 only.
• TMC: DOC 3 and DOC 100D may be taken P/NP Spring 2020.
• Warren: Warren Writing 10A and 10B and Phil 27 and 28 may be taken P/NP in Spring 2020 only.
• ERC: MMW 13 and 15 may be taken P/NP in Spring 2020 only. More than one Regional Specialization may be taken P/NP if a course is taken in Spring 2020 only (submit petition after the quarter is over).
• Sixth: CAT 3 may be taken P/NP Spring 2020.

I’m an international student on a visa. Are there any restrictions on taking courses P/NP?
F-1 or J-1 International students can take courses P/NP. Units for courses taken P/NP will be counted towards their full course of study requirements to maintain their visa status. International students are required to maintain a full course of study (12 units) or must be authorized for a reduced course load by ISPO.

I am a recipient of Veterans Benefits. Are there restrictions or effects of me taking courses P/NP in Spring 2020?
Your housing allowance/stipend may be reduced if you receive NP grades. The VA will not pay for units that receive a NP grade (non-punitive), as the units do not count toward your degree progress and are not factored into your GPA. Units that are graded NP must be deducted from your certified unit load. If this drops you below 12 units your housing allowance/stipend will be reduced accordingly and the VA will bill you for the balance. Please contact Lisa Linares – llinares@ucsd.edu for further details

I receive Financial Aid. Are there restrictions or effects of me taking courses P/NP in Spring 2020?
Potentially. All students are required to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements, which includes a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA). As a P/NP grading option does not affect a student’s GPA, a student’s academic performance for the rest of the year will determine if they meet the overall SAP GPA requirement for the year. To review SAP requirements please visit http://faoforms.ucsd.edu/forms/SAPstandardsUndergrad (PDF).

In addition, some individual financial aid awards (for example outside scholarships or Veteran benefits) may also require students to meet certain GPA requirements to remain eligible. For more information, please contact the awarding agency.

I’m an NCAA Scholar-Athlete. Are there restrictions or effects of me taking courses P/NP in spring 2020?
When choosing to take courses for letter grade vs P/NP, be sure your GPA will still meet NCAA requirements. Students should confirm that the course will be acceptable for their major/ college/university requirement on a P/NP basis to ensure it will be acceptable for NCAA eligibility. As long as your courses can be applied towards major/college/university requirements on the P/NP basis, the class can also be counted for NCAA eligibility requirements (6-unit quarterly requirements, annual 27-hour requirement and percentage of degree requirements). Any questions or concerns about P/NP’s impact on your NCAA eligibility can be directed to Mary Angell (mcangell@ucsd.edu) or Katie McGann (kmcgann@ucsd.edu).

Will this affect my graduate or professional school applications?
Please utilize information on the Career Center website.

 

What is S/U and how does it affect my GPA?

• Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory is a grading option that allows graduate students to complete a course without the grade affecting the cumulative UC GPA.
• S/U courses count for unit requirements but do not count toward your GPA. More information is available on TritonLink. Course work must be equivalent to B- or better to receive a grade of S.

If I choose S/U (or letter grade) for a Spring 2020 class, but decide after week 10 that I would like to change to a different option, can I request to change retroactively. What if I choose S/U but find out I received an A or a B in the course?
No. Friday, June 5 (Week 10 of Spring 2020) is a firm deadline. Petitions to retroactively change a grading option will not be approved.

I received a D or F in a course previously, can I repeat it with the S/U option? How will that impact my GPA?
Yes. The Office of the Registrar will provide a list of impacted students to the Educational Policy Committee for approval by individual exception. Students will be notified by the Graduate Division once an exception is granted by EPC. Students are advised to consult with their department advisors about the impacts of taking the course for a S/U grade on their degree progress.

My graduate program requires courses be taken for a letter grade. For Spring 2020, can I take courses for major requirements for S/U?
Please contact your graduate program if you have questions about its policies for Spring 2020 courses and other requirements.

I’m an international student on a visa. Are there any restrictions on taking courses S/U?
F-1 or J-1 International students can take courses S/U. Units for courses taken S/U will be counted towards their full course of study requirements to maintain their visa status. International students are required to maintain a full course of study (12 units) or must be authorized for a reduced course load by ISPO.

I am a recipient of Veterans Benefits. Are there restrictions or effects of me taking courses S/U in Spring 2020?
Your housing allowance/stipend may be reduced if you receive U grades. The VA will not pay for units that receive a U grade (non-punitive), as the units do not count toward your degree progress and are not factored into your GPA. Units that are graded U must be deducted from your certified unit load. If this drops you below 12 units your housing allowance/stipend will be reduced accordingly and the VA will bill you for the balance. Please contact Lisa Linares – llinares@ucsd.edu for further details. 

I receive Financial Aid. Are there restrictions or effects of me taking courses S/U in Spring 2020?
Potentially. All students are required to meet satisfactory academic progress requirements, which includes a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA). As a S/U grading option does not affect a student’s GPA, a student’s academic performance for the rest of the year will determine if they meet the overall GPA requirement for the year. Please contact the Financial Aid Office should you have any questions.

In addition, some individual financial aid awards (for example outside scholarships or Veteran benefits) may also require students to meet certain GPA requirements to remain eligible. For more information, please contact the awarding agency.

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