UC Davis Math: Grades & Enrollment

Yes. However, there are some issues to consider first. Most graduate schools do not look favorably upon major courses that are taken Pass/No Pass (P/NP) and often simply count them "C". However, the P/NP option may be useful if protecting a GPA is important or if a student experiences an extremely stressful quarter. Also note that other majors may have different guidelines regarding P/NP in the major. And finally, remember that the passing level (C- or better) is higher for the P/NP than it is for a letter grade (D- or better). The campus Letters & Science Advising Services office is an excellent place to get assistance with the question of whether or not to take a class P/NP. They have direct contact with individual schools with recommendations. Also, watch for quarterly workshops available through Advising Services.

How do I add a course after the deadline?

Permission for a late add must granted by the instructor. The instructor will give you a PTA (Permission To Add) number if a late add is appropriate.

How do I change a grade to P/NP?

If you are in good academic standing, you can choose to take letter-graded courses on a Passed/Not Passed grading basis using SisWeb before the fifth week of instruction.

How do I change the unit value of a variable unit course after the deadline?

You must request permission from the instructor if you wish to change the unit value of a varialble unit course after the deadline. If permission is granted, you must complete a variable unit change card (available through the department). Submit your completed card to the Office of the Registrar.

How do I get degree credit for a graduate or professional course?

Degree credit will be granted only by permission by the Dean. There is a limit of 9 units for professional courses (courses numbered 300 & 400). You can download the petition from the L&S website. A GPA of 3.3 and 18 units of upper division preparation work are required.

How do I petition for a drop or P/NP after the deadline?

You must schedule an appointment to request permission from the Dean's Office of your college for a late drop or late P/NP. You have to provide supporting documentation with your petition. You can come in to the L&S Advising Office or download the petition from the L&S website.

How long do I have to complete an "I" grade?

Any "I" (incomplete) grade must be replaced with a grade after 3 registered quarters. After that time, it will change to an "F". Note that you may not re-enroll for the class for which an "I" grade has been assigned.

I feel I have mastered the content of a course on my own such that I shouldn't need to enroll and attend the class. Is there a way for me to prove what I know and get credit for the course?

Some people refer to this as "challenging a course". In the catalog, it is referred to as "credit by examination". Please go to the catalog for more details, from the university's perspective. Here in the Department, at their meeting of June 13, 1985, the Chairman's Advisory Committee adopted the following policy concerning challenging a course.

A. An instructor who receives a request from a student to take a course by examination should first determine that the student has a good cause for taking the course by examination rather than as a regularly enrolled student. The option to pass a course by examination is designed to aid the superior student to use his/her time at the University to greater advantage, not simply to accumulate units or improve grades. In particular, a student shall not be permitted to take by examination a course he/she has already taken or challenged, nor shall he/she be allowed to challenge a lower-level course when he/she has already passed a higher-level course (e.g. a student who has passed MAT108 should not be permitted to take MAT21B by examination).

B. If the student has good cause, the instructor shall determine by appropriate questioning of the student whether she/he is prepared to take an examination. This questioning will usually consist of a kind of oral examination lasting not more than 5 or 10 minutes.

C. If the instructor has satisfied herself that the student is ready to take a given course by examination, the student should be told to obtain a petition from the Office of the Registrar. This petition shall be signed by the instructor, and the student returns it to the Office of the Registrar which in turns sends an official grade report form to the instructor. When the instructor has received this form, the student can be given a comprehensive departmental examination of at least 3 hours. Such a departmental examination shall be made up by a regular faculty member, preferably the instructor in charge of the given course during the quarter in which the student desired to take the examination. This instructor shall be assisted by one or two other appropriate instructors. When the official grade report form is returned to the Office of the Registrar, a letter grade must be reported. The student submits a separate petition to the Dean's office _before_ the examination if she/he wishes to take the course on a P/NP basis.

D. If the student fails the examination, she/he will not be allowed to take that course again by examination.

E. Failure to pass a course by examination shall be considered a negative factor in any petition this student may make to take courses in the Department of Mathematics by examination.

F. Any exceptions to this policy should be with the express written consent of the Vice Chair of Undergraduate Matters.

I think I received an incorrect grade in a class. What can I do?

Academic Senate Regulations (systemwide and individual campus) provide that grades are final when filed with the Registrar by an instructor. A grade can be changed only if a "clerical" or "procedural" error can be documented. The Davis Division (DD) Grade Change Committee (GCC) has prepared the following guidelines: *Authority*. The GCC administers grade changes. See DD regulations A540 through 550 at http://academicsenate.ucdavis.edu/. Grade changes for "clerical" reasons (for instance, incorrect addition of points) are automatically granted. The instructor must indicate the precise nature of the error. Petitions entitled "Request for Grade Change" can be obtained from department secretaries. The petition must be completed and signed by the instructor, and the department chairperson.

The only other justification for grade change is procedural error, and the committee requires a full account before deciding if a case qualifies. Each case is judged on its merits. In general, a procedural error would be a mistake by someone other than the student, in the conduct of a class or the grading procedures, and that results in an incorrect evaluation of a student. For example, if an instructor arranged with a student to allow credit for certain nonstandard work, later forgot the arrangement and graded the student as if no agreement had been made, the GCC might determine that a procedural error had been committed. The grade would be changed upon petition by the instructor.

*NOTE: Academic Senate regulations prohibit a change of grade based on reevaluation of a student's work or upon the submission of additional work ("Incomplete" grade excepted).*

Requests to interchange P, NP, S, or U and normal letter grades, based upon student need (e.g., NP to D to allow graduation, P to B for entrance to professional school, etc.) do not involve clerical or procedural errors; these petitions are denied automatically. Thus, students should exercise their P/NP or S/U option with extreme caution.

Is there a unit limitation for P/NP?

In the College of Letters & Science, excluding the courses that are graded on a Passed/Not Passed basis only, the limit is not more than one fourth of the units completed on the Davis campus. There is also a limit on the total number of courses graded P/NP, including courses that are Passed/Not Passed only. The limit is not more than one third of the units completed on the Davis campus.

What are the criteria for repeating a course?

Students are allowed to repeat courses in which they have earned a grade of NP or D+ or lower. Only the first 16 units repeated will remove the first grade from GPA calculation. Repeating a course more than once requires the permission of the Dean. You can download the petition from the L&S website or come to the L&S Advising Office.

What is Enrolled No Work Submitted (ENWS)?

Enrolled No Work Submitted is a notation given instead of a grade for a course in which a student is enrolled but has not submitted any work that is subject to grading. The "ENWS" notation does not appear on your official transcript.

What is an Incomplete grade?

An Incomplete ("I") grade may be assigned if a student's work is of passing quality and a significant portion of the requirements for a final grade has been completed. It is at the discretion of the instructor to assign the "I" grade. If the instructor agrees to the "I", he/she will need to complete a departmental form which specifically lists what steps must be taken to complete the course. This form is kept in the Department's Student Services Office.

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