Grades & Grading

Grades are generally available approximately ten days following the end of a quarter. Students may check their grades using myucdavis under the Academics tab in Student Records. The accuracy of students' academic records is the responsibility of the Office of the University Registrar, and procedures are structured to ensure academic records are complete. If students experience any difficulties with final grades posted to their official university record, they should contact their instructor first, and then the department offering the course, to review the situation.

Letter Grades

Letter Grades & Definitions

Grades A-D may be modified by a plus (+) or minus (–).

A 4.000–Excellent
B 3.000–Good
C 2.000–Fair
D 1.000–Barely passing
F 0.000–Not passing (work so poor that it must be repeated to receive recognition)

Grade Points

Grade points are assigned for each letter grade.

Grade Point Average

The grade point average is computed on courses taken at any University of California campus.

Incomplete (I) Grades

According to Davis Division Regulations A540¹, the grade of Incomplete (I) may be assigned when a student’s work is of passing quality and represents a significant portion of the requirements for a final grade, but is incomplete for a good cause as determined by the instructor; good cause may include current illness, serious personal problems, an accident, a recent death in the immediate family, a large and necessary increase in working hours or other situations of equal gravity.

In courses listed in the UC Davis General Catalog as being letter graded, passing quality means of D- quality or better. This standard holds in such courses whether or not the student has elected to take the course on a Passed/Not Passed (P/NP) or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) basis. For courses listed in the UC Davis General Catalog as being graded on a P/NP or S/U basis only, the completed work must be of a quality consistent with a grade of Pass or Satisfactory.

Incomplete grades are not included in your grade point average at the end of a quarter. However, it is recommended that students not delay the clearance of incomplete grades to avoid jeopardizing graduation. At the time of graduation, any remaining I grades will be calculated as a not passing grade (F, NP, or U) when computing your GPA. This may affect the GPA required to earn a degree.

If your instructor is no longer affiliated with UC Davis, contact the department offering the course for assistance.

Life Cycle of an Incomplete Grade

An I grade must be replaced with a final grade by the end of the third succeeding quarter (excluding summer sessions) of academic residence, or the grade reverts to a not passing grade (F, NP, or U).

If a student’s degree is conferred before the expiration of the time limit for an I-grade conversion, the graduated student shall have until the end of the third quarter succeeding the quarter in which the I grade was assigned to replace the I grade. If the time limit expires after a degree has been conferred and the incomplete grade has not been replaced, the incomplete grade shall remain on the student’s record.

If the degree has not been conferred, and the work has not been completed by the end of the term three calendar years after the grade incomplete has been assigned, and during which the student has not been in academic residence, then the I grade shall remain on the student’s record, unless the course is repeated. The three-calendar-year limit for the completion of courses assigned the I grade shall apply to all and only those courses in which the I grade is assigned on or after September 1, 2010.

Incomplete Grade Removal

You may replace an I grade with a passing grade and receive unit credit and grade points provided you satisfactorily complete the coursework as specified by the instructor by the end of the third succeeding term of academic residence. To remove the incomplete, you must contact the instructor offering the course who initiates the incomplete grade change via the Online Grade Change Tool. For more information, see Grade Changes. Upon the completion of the online grade change, the professor or the department offering the course submits the online petition to the Office of the University Registrar. Students can use OASIS to see pending and past grade changes submitted on their records.

Extension of Incomplete Grade

For justifiable reasons, students may petition to extend the I grade past the end of the third succeeding quarter. Petitions to extend the I grade must be obtained from the dean's office for undergraduate students or from Graduate Studies for graduate students. Requests for extensions must be submitted before the I grade lapses to an F, NP, or U grade. The extension cannot be made retroactively. For more information regarding retroactive changes, see Grade Changes.

Repeating a Course with a Previous Incomplete Grade

Undergraduate/Graduate Students

You may not re-enroll in a course if you have an unresolved incomplete grade for that course. To remove the I grade, you must contact the instructor who initiates the incomplete grade change via the Online Grade Change Tool. For more information, see Grade Changes. If the incomplete grade remains on your record because work has not been completed within three calendar years in which you were not in academic residence, contact the Office of the University Registrar.

Undergraduate students can use OASIS to see pending and past grade changes submitted on their record.

Passed/Not Passed (P/NP) or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) Grading

For previous-term deadline exceptions, see P/NP & S/U Grading Deadline Exceptions.

P/NP Grading

An undergraduate student in good academic standing may request to take specific courses on a P/NP basis. Such requests must be submitted and confirmed by the 40 th day of instruction .

Undergraduates should contact their dean's office for information regarding the requirements or restrictions of their particular college; see:

The grade of P (Pass) is awarded to undergraduate students for work in courses that otherwise would receive a grade of C– or higher. Units thus earned are counted in satisfaction of degree requirements but are not counted in determining your grade point average.

Not more than one-third of the units taken in residence on the Davis campus and presented for graduation by an undergraduate student may be in courses taken on a P/NP basis; Davis Division Regulation A545². For information regarding additional conditions and/or restrictions, consult your dean's office. If you plan to attend graduate or professional school, you may also wish to consult with Pre-Graduate/Law Advising services regarding P/NP grading.

If you received a previous letter grade in a course, you may not repeat it using the P/NP option. However, if you took a course P/NP previously, you may repeat it for a letter grade. If you receive an incomplete in a course you took for a letter grade, you may not complete the course on a P/NP basis.

If you previously took the course for a letter grade, you may not change the grading basis of a course you are repeating in Schedule Builder.

For registration information regarding how to select P/NP grading for a course, see P/N or S/U Grading Options.

P/NP usage can be complex; students should consider potential consequences related to satisfactory academic progress, time to degree, financial aid, and postgraduate study requirements. If you have P/NP usage questions, consult your advisor.

P/NP Grading in Beginning Language Courses

To enforce Davis Division Regulation 536³, a student who has completed a second or more advanced year of high-school-level coursework in a foreign language in tenth, eleventh, or twelfth grade shall be awarded credit for Course 1 (or its equivalent) in that language only if a student takes the course on a P/NP basis. Enforcement of this regulation occurs in the sixth week of the quarter. For more information, contact the Office of the University Registrar.

S/U Grading

The grade of S (Satisfactory) is awarded to graduate students for work in graduate courses that otherwise would receive a grade of B- or better and for work in undergraduate courses that otherwise would receive a grade of C- or better.

In accordance with Davis Division Regulations A546¹, graduate students, under certain circumstances, may be assigned grades of S/U, but units earned in this way are not counted in calculating the grade point average. The purpose of the S/U option is to encourage graduate students to explore academic coursework in areas unrelated to their academic discipline. Graduate students must contact Graduate Studies to request to take a letter-graded course on an S/U grading basis. Petitions to elect S/U grading must be signed by your graduate advisor for approval and filed with Graduate Studies by the end of the fifth week of the quarter (25th day of instruction). A graduate course in which a C, D, or F grade is received may not be repeated with the S/U option.

In specifically approved courses, instructors assign only S/U grades. Such courses count toward the maximum number of units graded S allowable toward the degree, as specified by each degree program.

If you previously received a letter grade in a course, you may not repeat it using the S/U option. If you receive an incomplete in a course you took for a letter grade, you may not complete the course on an S/U basis. Ensure the grade mode you have selected reflects letter grading. For registration information regarding how to select S/U grading for a course, see P/NP or S/U Grading Options.

P/NP & S/U Grading Deadline Exceptions

The campus recognizes the stresses that students and instructors faced in their academic and personal lives. To reduce academic uncertainty and increase flexibility while trying to adapt to remote instruction, the Academic Senate and administrative partners modified the P/NP deadlines for the following quarters:

Spring 2020: Jun 4, 2020; COVID-related
Summer Session I 2020: Jul 24, 2020; COVID-related.
Summer Session II 2020: Sep 4, 2020; COVID-related.
Fall 2020: Dec 11, 2020; COVID-related.
Winter 2021: Mar 12, 2021; COVID-related.
Spring 2021: Jun 3, 2021; COVID-related.
Summer Session I 2021: Jul 23, 2021; COVID-related.
Summer Session II 2021: Sep 3, 2021; COVID-related.
Winter 2022: Mar 11, 2022; COVID-related.
Spring 2022: Jun 2, 2022; COVID-related.
Summer Session I 2022: Jul 22, 2022; COVID-related.
Summer Session II 2022: Sep 2, 2022; COVID-related.
Fall 2022; Dec 2, 2022—UAW strike-related.
Spring 2023: Extended to May 19, 2023; Posted May 5, 2023

All other terms/quarters are unaffected.

For the latest updates regarding P/NP & S/U grade options and deadline extension information, see Academic Policies & Guidelines for Changes in Campus Operating Status.

In-Progress (IP) Grades

For a course extending over more than one quarter, designated in course descriptions as “deferred grading only, pending completion of the sequence,” evaluation of student performance is deferred until the end of the final quarter of the course sequence. Provisional grades of IP are assigned in the intervening quarters and are replaced with the final grade at the completion of the sequence. To gain credit toward graduation, a student must successfully complete the entire sequence.

Multi-Term Courses & In-Progress Grading

Multi-term courses are not a series of courses. A multi-term course has one number and is a single course extending over multiple terms. After the first term, the IP is given, and at the last term, the grade is given to the course.

Transcripts display:

Fall Quarter: ABC 123 grade = In-Progress
Winter Quarter: ABC 123 grade = In-Progress
Spring Quarter: ABC 123 grade = Pass

The IP grade recording remains on your transcripts, however, the last term of IP grading displays the final grade.

Deferred Courses & In-Progress Grading

Deferred courses are a series of courses (e.g., 200A, 200B, 200C). A deferred course is comprised of a series of multiple courses, each with its own number, extending over multiple terms. The IP grade is given at the first term, and at the last term the grade is assigned and then applied to all courses within the series so that all quarters are shown and display the final grade.

The instructor may assign final grades, grade points, and unit credit for completed terms when the student has not completed the entire sequence provided that the instructor has a basis for assigning the grades and certifies the course series was not completed for good cause and submits documentation to the Office of the University Registrar; Davis Division Regulations A540-D¹. An IP not replaced by a final grade remains on the student’s record.

Transcripts display:

Fall Quarter: ABC 123A grade = Pass
Winter Quarter: ABC 123B grade = Pass
Spring Quarter: ABC 123C grade = Pass

No Grade (NG)

In accordance with Davis Division Regulations A540-G¹, the Office of the University Registrar shall enter the grade notation NG on the student's record for a student whose instructor has not yet submitted an appropriate grade (letter grade or P, NP, S, U, I, Y, or IP) upon final grade submission.

Notification of an Existing NG Grade

The Office of the University Registrar provides written notification to all affected students to ensure awareness an NG grade has been assigned and must be removed within one academic term or the NG grade will lapse to a not passing grade (F, NP, or U). Affected students should contact the instructor of the course immediately to resolve the NG grade.

Life Cycle of an NG Grade

An NG grade must be replaced with a final grade by the end of the succeeding quarter, excluding summer sessions, or the grade will revert to a not passing grade (F, NP, or U).

NG Grade Removal

Conditions for removing the NG grade are as follows:

The NG grade notation shall be replaced when the final grade is submitted by the instructor via the Online Grade Change Tool.
The NG grade and relevant course notation both shall be deleted from the student's transcript if it is established that an administrative error resulted in the improper assignment of NG to the student.
The Office of the University Registrar shall change the NG notation to a not passing grade (F, NP, or U) if the NG grade has not been removed after one quarter.

Repeating a Course with an NG Grade

You may not re-enroll in a course if you have an unresolved grade. To remove the NG grade from your record, you will need to contact the instructor who assigned the NG and have them submit a grade through the Online Grade Change Tool for the prior enrollment.

Repeating a Course

Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate students are permitted to repeat and replace up to 16 units. Also, per Davis Division Regulations A540-F¹, "(A)n undergraduate student may repeat only those courses in which the student received a letter grade of D+ or below, a C- or below for any course that is approved to satisfy the Entry Level Writing Requirement (see DDR 521.C.2), or a grade of Not Passed, as well as courses in which a grade of I has become permanent on the student’s record because the work was not completed within three years, as described in (C) above. Departments may restrict repetition of a course if it is a prerequisite to a course already completed with a grade of C- or better. Courses in which a letter grade has been assigned may not be repeated on a Passed or Not Passed basis."

Degree credit for a repeated course is given only once, but the grade assigned at each enrollment shall be permanently recorded on the official transcript. Repeated course units excluded in a student’s GPA are removed from the number of units attempted, as well as balance points so in computing the GPA, only the grade and corresponding grade points earned the second time a course is taken is used.

If the 16-unit maximum is not reached, repeated courses are annotated on the transcript as being “REPEATED, INCLUDED IN GPA” for the most recent time a course is taken and “REPEATED, EXCLUDED FROM GPA” for the prior time(s) the course is taken.

After the 16-unit maximum is reached, or if the units for the repeated course partially exceed the 16-unit repeat limit, the GPA shall be based on all grades assigned and total units attempted and appear on the transcript for both courses as “REPEATED, INCLUDED IN GPA."

In regards to financial aid eligibility, a student cannot receive financial aid for repeating a course a second time if the course was previously passed; Federal and State funding considers a passing grade to be a D- or higher, regardless of any school or program policy requiring a higher qualitative grade or measure to have been considered to have passed the course. For more information on how this may affect financial aid eligibility, see Repeating a Course for a Second Time.

Graduate Students

Per Davis Division Regulations A540-F¹, "(A) graduate student, with the consent of the appropriate graduate adviser and the Dean of Graduate Studies, may repeat any course in which the student received a letter grade of C+ or below, or a grade of Unsatisfactory, as well as courses in which a grade of I has become permanent on the student’s record because the work was not completed within three years, as described in (C) above, up to a maximum of three courses for all courses repeated. Courses in which a letter grade has been assigned may not be repeated on a Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory basis."

Degree credit for a repeated course is given only once, but the grades assigned for both the first and second time a course is taken appear on the student’s transcript. Repeated course units excluded in a student’s GPA are removed from the number of units attempted, as well as balance points so in computing the GPA, only the grade and corresponding grade points earned the second time a course is taken are used.

If the three-course maximum is not reached, repeated courses are annotated on the transcript as being “REPEATED, INCLUDED IN GPA” for the most recent time a course is taken and “REPEATED, EXCLUDED FROM GPA” for the prior time(s) the course is taken.

After the three-course maximum is reached, the GPA shall be based on all grades assigned and total units attempted and appear on the transcript for both courses as “REPEATED, INCLUDED IN GPA."

Second or More Repeat of a Course

Repeating a course more than once requires approval by the appropriate college dean for undergraduate students or Graduate Studies for graduate students.

Repeating a Course for Credit if Content Differs or with Limited Repeatable Units/Times Allowed

Some courses are repeatable for credit if the content of the current course enrollment differs from that of the previous enrollment or may be repeated for credit for a limited number of units or number of times enrolled in the course. If a course is approved to be repeated for credit, the General Catalog states the restrictions for repeating the course.

Illegal Course Repeats

Illegal Repeat Errors

Undergraduates should not enroll in courses considered illegal repeats.

An undergraduate may repeat only those courses in which a letter grade of D+ or below, or Not Passed, was received; Davis Division Regulations A540-F¹.

Per Davis Division Regulations A540-F¹, "(A)n undergraduate student may repeat only those courses in which the student received a letter grade of D+ or below, a C- or below for any course that is approved to satisfy the Entry Level Writing Requirement (see DDR 521.C.2), or a grade of Not Passed, as well as courses in which a grade of I has become permanent on the student’s record because the work was not completed within three years, as described in (C) above...."

The following list provides information regarding some of the most common Illegal Repeat Errors encountered by undergraduate students during the registration process. Although only one illegal repeat error is displayed, multiple course repeat limitations may exist for a single course. For more information about repeat limitations, check the course description in the General Catalog.

Illegal Repeat of Course with Pending I Grade

You should not re-enroll in a course with an unresolved I grade. To remove the I grade from your records, see Incomplete (I) Grades.

If the I grade remains on your record because work has not been completed within three calendar years in which you were not in academic residence, contact the Office of the University Registrar.

Illegal Repeat of Previous Course with Passing Grade

Undergraduates may not repeat a course in which they earned a C- or better for letter-graded courses (excluding ELWR courses), a P grade for pass/no pass graded courses, and an IP for deferred graded courses.

If you enrolled in the course before grades were assigned, you may be dropped from the course if you receive a passing grade.

For courses repeatable when content differs, please contact the department offering the course. The department must send confirmation the topic is different for each course to OUREnrollment@ucdavis.edu and the Office of the University Registrar will grant repeat approval.

Illegal Repeat of a Course Repeated for Two or More Times

Repeating a course more than once, regardless of the grade, requires the approval of the dean’s office of your college. Repeating a course more than once means you are enrolling in a course for a third or more time. Please contact the dean’s office of your college to obtain repeat approval to enroll.

Illegal P/NP Repeat of Previous Letter Graded Course

Courses in which an undergraduate student previously received a letter grade may not be repeated on a P/NP-graded basis. Please ensure the grade mode you have selected reflects letter grading if previously taken for a letter grade.

Restricted Credit; Duplication of Credit & Course Repeats

The following provides additional information regarding the most common reasons a student may receive a restricted credit warning. Please review the General Catalog for additional information if your specific scenario is not listed below.

Duplication of Credit

Students enrolling in courses with similar or overlapping content may have credit restriction warnings to prevent duplication of credit. In these instances, a student who has successfully completed one course (or multiple courses) may receive reduced or no credit for the other course. For information about possible duplication of credit for a specific course, please check the course description for that course in the General Catalog. Please note that a credit restriction warning may not be displayed for duplication of AP and/or transfer credit.

One example of a duplication of credit restriction is listed below:

RESTRICTED CREDIT WARNING: Your enrollment in the below course(s) may have credit restrictions due to duplication of credit or course repeat limitations. For more information about the UC Davis duplication of credit and course repeat restrictions, see Restricted Credit. Note: This restricted credit warning message is for informational purposes only and will not affect your ability to register for the course(s).
79795 MAT 021A A01 Duplication of Credit Prior Course: MAT 016A Fall Quarter 2008

In this example, per the course description for Mathematics 021A, in the General Catalog, only 2 units of credit will be awarded for Mathematics 021A as a result of content overlap with a previously completed Mathematics 016A course.

Course Repeats

Students re-enrolling into a previously taken course may have credit restriction warnings to prevent possible course repeat limitations. Undergraduate students may repeat courses in which they received a D, F, or NP. Graduate students may repeat courses in which they received a C, D, F, or U with the consent of the appropriate graduate advisor and the dean of Graduate Studies. Degree credit for a repeated course will only be granted once; however, the grades assigned each time the course is taken will appear on the student’s official transcript.

Below is an example of one type of repeat warning:

31952 MUS 010 A01 Repeat Repeat of course with possible passing grade

Please note that although only one credit restriction warning is displayed, multiple course repeat limitations may exist for a single course. The following is a list of common course repeat restrictions that you may encounter.

Repeat: Illegal repeat of course with Incomplete (I) grade

Enrollment into a course for which you have a pending I grade—you may not re-enroll in a course if you have an unresolved I grade for that course. Schedule Builder prevents undergraduate students from re-enrolling in a course with an unresolved I grade.

To remove the I grade from your records, see Incomplete Grades, above. If the I grade remains on your record because work has not been completed within three calendar years in which you were not in academic residence, contact the Office of the University Registrar.

Repeat: Illegal repeat of course with No Grade (NG)

Enrollment into a course for which you have a pending NG—you may not re-enroll in a course if you have an unresolved NG for that course. For information regarding the removal of the NG from your records, see No Grade (NG), above.

Repeat: Repeat of course with passing grade

No credit may be granted to students repeating a course, or its equivalent, for which you previously received a passing grade.

For undergraduate students, a passing grade for repeat purposes is a C- or higher for letter-graded courses, a P grade for pass/no pass graded courses, and an IP for deferred graded courses.

For graduate students, a passing grade for repeat purposes is a B- or higher for letter-graded courses and an S grade for S/U-graded courses.

Repeat: Course repeated for two or more times

Repeating a course more than once requires approval of the Dean’s office of your college. If approved, your repeat petition will be forwarded to the Office of the University Registrar and processed after the end of the term during the grading process.

If you have not obtained approval for this repeat, please contact your Dean’s office advisor.

Repeat: Illegal P/NP repeat of previous letter-graded course

Courses in which a student received a letter grade may not be repeated on a P/NP grading basis. Please ensure the grade mode you have selected reflects letter grading.

Repeat: Illegal S/U repeat of previous letter-graded course

Courses in which a student received a letter grade may not be repeated on a S/U grading basis. Please ensure the grade mode you have selected reflects letter grading.

Repeat: Exceeded catalog limit for repeatable units/times allowed

Some courses may have restrictions on the number of units or times they are repeatable. If a course is approved to be repeated for credit, the description of the course in the General Catalog states the restrictions for repeating the course.

Multiple Restrictions

In some instances, a course may display a multiple restrictions warning when there is possible duplication of credit and repeat limitations:

RESTRICTED CREDIT WARNING: Your enrollment in the below course(s) may have credit restrictions due to duplication of credit or course repeat limitations. For more information about the UC Davis duplication of credit and course repeat restrictions, see Restricted Credit. Note: This restricted credit warning message is for informational purpose only and will not affect your ability to register for the course(s).
79772 MAT 016A 002 Multiple Restrictions Possible duplication of credit and repeat restrictions

A review of your academic record after the end of the term will be needed to determine which credit restriction will apply.

Calculate Your Grade Point Average (GPA)

Grade Point Average (GPA) is the numeric measure of a student's average performance in all completed letter-graded courses. UC GPA is the numeric measure of a student's average performance in all completed letter-graded courses at the University of California.

Step One: Determine Criteria and Courses to be Used in Factoring the GPA.

Determine what type of GPA is desired; e.g., major, overall UC, quarterly. Review all coursework to identify which courses should be used to factor the GPA.

Do include courses that:

Are letter-graded; and,
Fall within established parameters for the type of GPA desired, e.g., all upper division courses used to satisfy major or all work completed at any UC; and,
Are units that count towards your degree.

Do not include the following:

Courses graded P, NP, S, U, IP, NG, Y, or I.
Excluded repeat units.
Units reduced from a course.
Units that fall outside of established criteria.
Illegal repeat units.
Courses that do not bear degree credit; e.g., workload courses.
Courses with an Enrolled-No Work Submitted (ENWS) notation.

Step Two: Calculate Grade Points for Each Course Being Used in the GPA.

The official UC GPA is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points by the total number of attempted UC Units. These figures can be found on the official transcript. Attempted units are found in the ATTM column; grade points are found in the GPTS column.

Example:

A student has 116.40 grade points and 59.00 Attempted UC Units.
116.40 grade points / 59.00 Attempted UC Units = 1.973 GPA.

Step Three: Calculate the GPA

Calculate the GPA by adding all the values identified in step two and dividing this number by the total units earned in these courses.

GPA = Total Grade Points/Total Attempted UC Units Earned

Example - If you want to find the quarterly GPA for when courses and grades for a particular term are:

TranscriptGPA

Student completed 20 units; however, 4 of these units were P/NP. As these do not factor into the GPA calculation, this course adds nothing to the total values.
Quarterly GPA = 55.6 grade points/16 attempted UC units = 3.475.

About Grade Points

Grade points, also called "quality" points, are points that are assigned to every UC unit for which a student receives a letter grade. The grade point balance is a measure of how far a student is over or under the minimum performance standard—a GPA of 2.000. Grade points are commonly used in academic advising to set specific targets to reach a 2.000 GPA.

The grade point balance is particularly useful if a student's GPA is below 2.000, since it offers insight into what is necessary to get into good academic standing.

Each letter grade, except C, has an impact on the grade point balance. Each grade below C lowers the grade point balance, as indicated below; and each grade above C raises the grade point balance, as indicated below.

Grade Point values are assigned as follows:

A+ 4.000
A 4.000–Excellent
A- 3.700
B+ 3.300
B 3.000–Good
B- 2.700
C+ 2.300
C 2.000–Fair
C- 1.700
D+ 1.300
D 1.000–Barely passing
D- 0.700
F 0.000–Not passing (work so poor that it must be repeated to receive recognition)

NOTE: Workload units and courses that are assigned grades such as P, NP, S, U, NS, NG, I, Y, and H are not assigned grade points.

Example:

A student receives an A- in a 4-unit class so the course will provide 3.700 grade points for each unit.
3.700 grade points x 4.00 Units = 14.8 total grade points for the course.

About Balance Points

Balance points are negative or positive points that are assigned to every UC unit for which a student receives a letter grade. Balance points are designed so that a student with a UC GPA of 2.000 will have 0 balance points (an overall 2.000 GPA is the minimum GPA allowed for a student to stay in good academic standing). The higher a student's UC GPA is above 2.000, the higher the student's positive balance point; the lower a student's UC GPA is below 2.000, the higher the negative balance point.

Balance point values are assigned as follows:

A+ +2.000
A +2.000
A- +1.700
B+ +1.300
B +1.000
B- +0.700
C+ +0.300
C 0.000
C- -0.300
D+ -0.700
D -1.000
D- -1.300
F -2.000

Example:

A student receives a B+ in a 4-unit course.
+1.300 balance points x 4.00 units = +5.200 balance points.

Example:

A student receives a D+ in a 3-unit course.
-0.700 balance points x 3.00 units = -2.100 balance points.

Grades & Notations

Notation | Definition

A-F | Letter Grades. (Note: A-D grades may be modified by a '+' or '-'.)

H | Honors: Used by the School of Medicine.

I | Incomplete: Indicates that a student's work in a course was satisfactory but incomplete for good cause (as determined by the instructor).

IP | In Progress: Course or series of courses involving multi-term grading.

NG | No Grade: A placeholder notation that is used when an instructor does not have a student's course grade ready at the time of grade submission.

NP | Not passed: For courses being taken on a Passed or Not Passed basis, the grade of Not Passed shall be awarded only for work which otherwise would receive a grade of D+ or lower; Davis Division Regulation A545².

P | Passed: For courses being taken on a Passed or Not Passed basis, the grade of Passed shall be awarded only for work which otherwise would receive a grade of C- or higher; Davis Division Regulation A545².

S | Satisfactory: Awarded to graduate students for work in graduate courses that otherwise would receive a grade of B- or higher; Davis Division Regulations A546¹.

U | Unsatisfactory: Awarded to graduate students for work in graduate courses that otherwise would receive a grade of C+ or lower; Davis Division Regulations A546¹.

Y | Placeholder notation for a pending judicial action. Questions regarding judicial actions should be directed to the Office of Student Support and Judicial Affairs. Note: This notation is also used by the School of Medicine and the School of Veterinary Medicine for purposes of course remediation.

Grade Suffix Key

Suffix | Definition

^ (Caret) | Student has taken more than 16 repeated units with a letter grade of D (+ or -) in most recent prior repeat enrollment. The grade is included in the GPA calculation and credit units are not allocated.

* (Asterisk) | Student has opted to take letter-graded class on a P/NP or S/U basis.

& (Ampersand) | Graduate student has taken a lower-division undergraduate course. The course is not included in the GPA calculation.

Cancellation/Withdrawal Notation Key

AW | Administrative Withdrawal.

CA | Canceled enrollment before the first day of instruction.

DS | Withdrawn due to dismissal from university.

N1-N9 | A new student with Federal Financial Aid that is withdrawn during the indicated week of instruction and subject to a modified refund schedule.

RA| Registrar Appeal (General Appeal).

RD | Retroactive Drop.

RW | Retroactive Withdrawal.

W01-W09 | Course dropped during indicated week of instruction.

WA | Course dropped during the 10th week of instruction.

WB | Course dropped during the 11th-16th week of instruction.

WC | Canceled enrollment before the first day of instruction.

WD | Withdrew from university.

WD0 | Withdrew from the university during the 10th week.

WD1-WD9 | Withdrew from the university during the indicated week of instruction.

WDC | Canceled enrollment before the first day of instruction.

WH | Withdrawn, hold obligation.

WI | Withdrawn due to dismissal from university.

WN | Withdrawn for non-payment of fees.

WP | Withdrawn–Previous Term: When a student withdraws from a term and has enrollment in a future term, enrollment for both terms is canceled.

WP0 | Went on Planned Educational Leave Program (PELP) during the 10th week.

WP1-WP9 | Went on PELP status during during indicated week.

WPC | PELP–Cancel: Went on PELP status prior to the first day of instruction.

WPD | Course dropped using Permission-to-Drop (PTD) number.

WX | Administrative Withdrawal. A Student may be administratively withdrawn from the University.

Administrative Drop and 'X' Notation Key

Code | Definition

XB | Administrative Drop–Returned Check.

XN | Administrative Drop–Non-Payment: It is unlikely that this code is still used.

XR | Administrative Drop–Illegal Repeat of a Course.

Grade Changes

The Academic Senate Committee on Grade Changes (Grade Change Committee) reviews requests for grade changes. For more information, see the Grade Change Committee Guidelines. Questions regarding the Grade Change Committee should be directed to a Grade Change Deputy in the Office of the University Registrar. Grade change requests should be submitted to the Office of the University Registrar by the instructor—students are not permitted to submit change of grade requests.

Academic Senate Regulations (system-wide and individual campus) mandate that grades are final when filed with the Office of the University Registrar by the instructor. A grade can be changed only if a clerical or procedural error occurred. Except for I, IP, NG, or Y grades, a change of grades may not be made based on reassessment of the quality of a student’s work or the completion of additional work. For more information, see Davis Division Regulations A540¹.

Instructors wishing to request a change of grade due to clerical or procedural error may do so using the Online Grade Change Tool. Students can use Online Advising Student Information System Portal (OASIS) to see any approved or pending grade changes that have been submitted.

Grade Grievances

Students wishing to file a grade grievance (or grade dispute) may only do so after they have discussed the matter with the instructor and the department chairperson. If the Committee determines that discrimination or arbitrary treatment was the cause of or motivation behind the assignment of an incorrect grade, it may authorize a change if an appropriate grade can be determined.The student is expected to bear the burden of proving the cause of the incorrect grade.

Students may file alleged discrimination or arbitrary treatment complaints under campus grievance procedures; see UC Davis Policy & Procedure Manual, Section 400-15†.

Spring 2020 Retroactive Grade Mode Changes

The Academic Senate allowed greater flexibilities for retroactive grade mode changes for courses taken in Spring 2020. These flexibilities and instructions are limited to courses taken in Spring 2020, and they only apply to undergraduate students. See Retroactive Grade Mode Changes for Courses Taken Spring 2020.

¹ Davis Division Regulation A540; Grading

Davis Division Regulation A540

Except as provided otherwise in Davis Division Regulations A545 and A548, and in Regulation 70 of the Faculty of the School of Medicine, the following provisions apply to the grading of the work of all students subject to Davis Division Regulations.

(A) The work of each student shall be reported in terms of the following grades: A (excellent), B (good), C (fair), D (poor), F (failure), I (incomplete), and IP (in progress). Grades of A, B, C, and D may be modified by plus (+) or minus (-) suffixes. (En. 4/23/78, Am. 11/28/79)

(B) Grade points per unit shall be assigned by the Registrar as follows: A - 4; B - 3; C - 2; D - 1; F, I, or IP - none. "Minus" grades shall be assigned three-tenths grade point less per unit than unsuffixed grades, and "plus" grades (except A+) shall be assigned three-tenths grade point more per unit. The grade of A+ shall be assigned 4.0 grade points per unit, the same as for an unsuffixed A; but when A+ is reported it represents extraordinary achievement.

(C) The grade Incomplete shall be assigned only when the student’s completed work (judged by itself and not in relation to the work required to pass the course as a whole) is of passing quality and represents a significant portion of the requirements for a final grade, but is incomplete for good cause as determined by the instructor. "Good cause" may include illness, serious personal problems, an accident, a death in the immediate family, a large and necessary increase in working hours, or other situations deemed to be of equal gravity. The student is entitled to replace this grade by a passing grade and to receive appropriate grade points and unit credit provided the student satisfactorily completes the work of the course in a way specified by the instructor before the end of the third succeeding term of the student’s academic residence as defined in Regulation 610. If a degree is conferred upon the student before the expiration of the time limit for conversion, the time limit for conversion for the graduated student shall be the end of the third regular term succeeding the term in which the Incomplete grade was assigned. If the time limit for conversion expires before a degree is conferred upon the student and the Incomplete grade has not been replaced, the grade shall revert to an F, a Not Passed, or an Unsatisfactory, depending on the grading system in effect in the particular instance. If the time limit expires after a degree has been conferred and the Incomplete grade has not been replaced, the Incomplete grade shall remain on the student’s record. If the degree has not been conferred, and the work has not been completed before the end of the term three calendar years after the grade Incomplete has been assigned, and during which the student has not been in academic residence as defined in Regulation 610, the grade Incomplete shall remain on the student’s record, unless the course is repeated. This time-limit for the completion of courses assigned the grade Incomplete shall apply to all and only those courses in which the grade Incomplete is assigned on or after September 1, 2010. (En. 1/20/75, Am. 5/29/75, effective Fall 1975; Am. 10/25/76, effective Winter 1977; Am. 6/4/79, Am. 11/28/79, effective Fall 1980; Am. 6/3/80, Am. 12/3/80; Am. 4/25/83; Am. 11/30/83) (Am. 9/1/2010, 2/24/2011, 9/1/2013)

In calculating an undergraduate student’s grade point average, grade points and units for courses graded Incomplete shall not be counted except that, in ascertaining compliance with the 2.000 minimum grade point average required for the receipt of a bachelor’s degree, all incomplete units attempted for a letter grade shall be counted and assigned a grade point value of zero. Any undergraduate student who accumulates more than 16 units of Incomplete for which final grades have not been assigned shall be subject to academic notice or disqualification. (Am. 1/27/81) (Am. 9/1/2010)

In calculating a graduate student’s grade point average, grade points and units for courses graded Incomplete shall not be counted except that, in ascertaining compliance with the minimum grade point average required for receipt of a degree, all incomplete units attempted for a letter grade shall not be counted and assigned a grade point value of zero. Any graduate student who accumulates more than 8 units of Incomplete for which final grades have not been assigned shall be subject to academic notice. (Am. 10/25/76, effective Winter 1977; Am. 1/27/81)

(D) For a course extending over more than one term, where the evaluation of the student’s performance is deferred until the end of the final term, provisional grades of In Progress shall be assigned in the intervening terms. Subject to the provisions of Academic Senate Regulation 634, grade points and units for courses graded In Progress shall not be counted in calculating a student’s grade point average. Provisional grades shall be replaced by final grades if the student completes the full sequence. The student may receive final grades, grade points, and unit credit for completed terms when the student has not completed the entire sequence if the instructor certifies that the course was not completed for good cause.

(E) All grades except Incomplete or In Progress are final when filed by the instructor in the end-of-term course report. The correction of clerical and procedural errors shall be governed by guidelines established by the Davis Division and shall be under the supervision of the Davis Division Grade Changes Committee. No change of grade may be made on the basis of reassessment of the quality of a student’s work or, with the exception of Incomplete or In Progress grades, the completion of additional work. No term grade except Incomplete may be revised by re-examination. Students who believe that their failure to submit work subject to grading was due to circumstances beyond their control, resulting in a grade of F may petition the Grade Changes Committee for removal of the grade. (Am. 9/1/2012)

(F) Repetition of courses not authorized by the Davis Division Committee on Courses of Instruction to be taken more than once for credit is subject to the following conditions.

(1) An undergraduate student may repeat only those courses in which the student received a letter grade of D+ or below, a C- or below for any course that is approved to satisfy the Entry Level Writing Requirement (see DDR 521.C.2), or a grade of Not Passed, as well as courses in which a grade of I has become permanent on the student’s record because the work was not completed within three years, as described in (C) above. Departments may restrict repetition of a course if it is a prerequisite to a course already completed with a grade of C- or better. Courses in which a letter grade has been assigned may not be repeated on a Passed or Not Passed basis. (En. 4/21/80, Am. 3/11/81) (Am. 9/1/2010, 9/1/2016, 9/1/2018)

(2) A graduate student, with the consent of the appropriate graduate adviser and the Dean of Graduate Studies, may repeat any course in which the student received a letter grade of C+ or below, or a grade of Unsatisfactory, as well as courses in which a grade of I has become permanent on the student’s record because the work was not completed within three years, as described in (C) above, up to a maximum of three courses for all courses repeated. Courses in which a letter grade has been assigned may not be repeated on a Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory basis. (Am. 10/25/76, effective Winter 1977) (Am. 9/1/2010, 9/1/2011, 9/1/2016, 9/1/2018)

(3) Repetition of a course more than once requires approval by the appropriate dean in all instances.

(4) Degree credit for a course will be given only once, but the grade assigned at each enrollment shall be permanently recorded. (Am. by mail ballot 5/7/74)

(5) In computing the grade point average of an undergraduate who repeats courses in which the student received a grade of D or F, or in the case of a course that is approved to satisfy the Entry Level Writing Requirement, a C- or below (see DDR 521.C.2), only the most recently earned grade for each course and corresponding grade points shall be used for the first 16 units repeated. In the case of further repetitions, the grade point average shall be based on all grades assigned and total units attempted. (Am. 9/1/2018)

(6) In computing the grade point average of a graduate student who repeats courses in which the student received a grade of C, D, or F, only the most recently earned grade for each course and corresponding grade points shall be used. (Am. 9/1/2018)

(G) The Registrar shall enter the notation "NG" on the end-of-term course report and on the student’s record for a student whose instructor has not yet submitted an appropriate grade (letter grade or P, NP, S, U, I, or IP). The instructor must indicate in the "memorandum" column on the course report the reason for not submitting a grade. Conditions for removing the NG are: (Am. 9/1/2012)

(1) The NG notation shall be replaced by the appropriate grade upon written submission of that grade by the instructor.

(2) The NG and relevant course notation both shall be deleted from the student’s transcript if it is established that an administrative error resulted in improper assignment of NG to the student.

(3) The Registrar shall change the NG notation to an F grade if the NG has not been removed under the provisions of (1) or (2), unless the instructor in charge indicates otherwise to the Registrar. To ensure that the student is aware that an NG must be removed, the Registrar shall provide the following written notification to all affected students: "NG must be removed within one term or the NG will be changed to a grade of F. If this course appeared on your midterm course check list, see your instructor immediately; if it did not appear, see the Registrar."

² Davis Division Regulation A545; Passed or Not Passed Grading

Davis Division Regulation A545

(A) A regular undergraduate student in good standing may opt to take specific courses on a Passed (P) or Not Passed (NP) basis up to the limits specified in Davis Division Regulation A545(B). (Am. by mail ballot 5/7/74)

(1) For spring quarter 2020, summer session(s) 2020, fall quarter 2020, winter quarter 2021, spring quarter 2021, and summer session(s) 2021, an undergraduate student not in good standing may opt to take specific courses on a Passed (P) or Not Passed (NP) basis up to the limits specified in the Davis Division Regulation A545(B) via petition and approval by the dean’s office. (En. 9/1/2020, Am. 9/1/2021)

(B) Not more than one-third of the units taken in residence on the Davis campus and presented for graduation by an undergraduate student may be in courses taken on a Passed or Not Passed basis, including courses graded in accordance with Davis Division Regulations A545(C) and A545(D). The faculty of any college or school on the Davis campus may establish regulations that are more restrictive regarding use of the Passed or Not Passed option by its students.

(1) Spring quarter 2020, summer session(s) 2020, fall quarter 2020, winter quarter 2021, spring quarter 2021, and summer session(s) 2021 units taken Passed/Not Passed are exempt from the one-third calculation in both the numerator (Passed/Not Passed units taken) and the denominator (total units taken). (En. 9/1/2020, Am. 9/1/2021)

(C) With approval of the appropriate department or division and of the appropriate committees on courses of instruction, the grades assigned by instructors in specific undergraduate courses may be, for undergraduate students, Passed or Not Passed only and, for graduate students, Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory only.

(D) Each special study, directed group study, or other variable-unit undergraduate course shall be graded for undergraduate students on a Passed or Not Passed only basis and for graduate students on a Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory only basis unless specific approval for the use of a letter grade is given by the appropriate committees on courses of instruction.

(E) For courses being undertaken on a Passed or Not Passed basis, the grade of Passed shall be awarded only for work which otherwise would receive a grade of C- or better. Units thus earned shall be counted in satisfaction of degree requirements, but courses undertaken on a Passed or Not Passed basis shall be disregarded in determining a student’s grade point average.

(F) The deadline to elect Passed/Not Passed grading is the 40th day of instruction in a quarter and the 20th day of instruction in a six-week summer session. (En. 9/1/2023)

(G) After the Passed/Not Passed deadline and before the close of business on the last day of instruction for the quarter, or, for summer sessions (excluding special session), before the close of business on the last day of instruction in the fifth week of the session, a grade mode change may be granted via petition and approval by a student’s dean’s office. (En. 9/1/2023)

(H) To change the grading mode after close of business on the last day of instruction for the quarter, or, for summer sessions (excluding special session), after the close of business on the last day of instruction in the fifth week of the session, the student must submit a petition to the Davis Division Grade Changes Committee. (En. 9/1/2023)

³ Davis Division Regulation 536; Grading in Beginning Language Courses

Davis Division Regulation 536

A student who has completed a second or more advanced year of high-school-level course work in a foreign language in tenth, eleventh, or twelfth grade shall be awarded credit for Course 1 (or its equivalent) in that language only if the student takes the course on a Passed or Not Passed basis under the option authorized by Davis Division Regulation A545(A), subject to the limits specified in Davis Division Regulation A545(B). (Am. and effective 2/14/78)

⁴ Davis Division Regulation A546; Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory Grading

Davis Division Regulations A546

(A) Under such rules as the Graduate Council and the appropriate program may determine, a graduate student in good standing (or who receives approval from the Office of Graduate Studies) is authorized to undertake, in addition to courses graded on a Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory only basis, one course each term on an optional Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U) basis. After a graduate student has been advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree, the student may undertake an unlimited number of courses on a Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory basis. (Am. 9/1/2018)

(1) For spring term and summer session(s) 2020: A graduate student in good standing (or who receives approval from the Office of Graduate Studies) is authorized to undertake, in addition to courses graded on a Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory only basis, not more than three courses in each term or session on an optional Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U) basis. (En. 9/1/2020, Am. 9/1/2021)

(2) For fall term 2020, winter term 2021, spring term 2021, and summer session(s) 2021: A graduate student in good standing (or who receives approval from the Office of Graduate Studies) is authorized to undertake, in addition to courses graded on a Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory only basis, not more than two courses on an optional Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U) basis. (En. 9/1/2021)

(B) With the consent of the appropriate program and approval of the Graduate Council and of the Davis Division Committee on Courses of Instruction, the grades assigned in specific graduate courses may be, for graduate students, Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory only and, for undergraduate students, Passed or Not Passed only.

(C) Students enrolled in individual research or individual study graduate courses (299 or 299D) shall be graded on a Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory only basis.

(D) In courses being undertaken on a Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory basis, the grade of Satisfactory shall be awarded only for work which otherwise would receive a grade of B- or better and shall be awarded in undergraduate courses only for work which otherwise would receive a grade of C- or better. Units thus earned shall be counted in satisfaction of degree requirements but disregarded in determining a student’s grade point average. No credit shall be allowed for work graded Unsatisfactory.

† UC Davis Policy & Procedure Manual, 400-15, Complaints of Discrimination or Harassment

UC Davis Policy & Procedure Manual, Section 400-15