The undergraduate grading system applies only to undergraduate courses.
The undergraduate grading system gives students the choice of taking certain courses designated by departments for either differentiated (A, B, C, D, F) or undifferentiated (pass or no pass) grades.
Pass/No Pass Grading Options
The online Class Schedule identifies courses as offered under the differentiated or undifferentiated option. Students electing the undifferentiated grade option when it is offered are graded pass or no pass. In the majority of instances, a pass grade is equated to a C- grade or better (some departments accept only C or better). Please check with the department. Pass/No Pass grades are not used in computing a student’s GPA. A maximum of 45 credits graded P may be applied toward Portland State’s baccalaureate degree. Students elect grade options for specific courses during the registration period. Grading options may not be changed after the seventh week of the term. The undifferentiated grade option may not be used to repeat a course previously taken for differentiated grade or for major requirements in some departments.
Incomplete Grades
A student may be assigned a mark of I by an instructor when all of the following four criteria apply:
- Quality of work in the course up to that point is C- level or above.
- Essential work remains to be done. “Essential” means that a grade for the course could not be assigned without dropping one or more grade points below the level achievable upon completion of the work.
- Reasons for assigning an I must be acceptable to the instructor. The student does not have the right to demand an I. The circumstances must be unforeseen or be beyond the control of the student. An instructor is entitled to insist on appropriate medical or other documentation.
- Consultation must have occurred and a formal agreement must be reached between instructor and student.
A written record of the remaining work and its completion date should be kept by both instructor and student. The instructor may specify the highest grade that may be earned. This should not exceed the level of achievement displayed during the normal course period.
The deadline for completion of an Incomplete can be no longer than one year. The instructor may set a shorter deadline which shall be binding. An agreement to a longer period must be by petition to the Scholastic Standards Committee.
For undergraduate courses, failure to make up the incomplete by the end of one calendar year will result in the mark of I automatically changing to a grade of F or NP, depending on the grading option chosen by the student at registration. The instructor, department chair, or dean may set earlier deadlines.
For graduating students, incomplete grades will be automatically changed to a grade of F or NP prior to conferral of the degree. The faculty of record must file supplemental grade changes no later than 30 days after the degree is awarded. Grades of F or NP will remain on the academic record after the degree is awarded and cannot be removed.
In cases where a student’s inability to complete the work by the deadline is due to extraordinary circumstances such as catastrophic injury or illness, petition can be made to the Scholastic Standards Committee who will review the case to determine appropriate action.
Drops and withdrawals
The student must initiate drop/withdrawals from a course. It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw properly by the deadline dates published online at www.pdx.edu/registration/academic-calendar. To avoid having to pay special deposit fees, students should refer to departmental policies.
A student may drop with no record of the course on the transcript up to the end of the second week of the term. As a courtesy, students are advised to notify the instructor concerned of the intended drop.
A student may withdraw for any reason before the end of the seventh week. A student withdrawing in the third through the seventh week will have a “W” recorded on the transcript.
A student cannot withdraw after the seventh week without approval of the Deadline Appeals Committee. A “W” is recorded if the petition is allowed.
Deadline dates for drops and withdrawals are found in the academic calendar published online at www.pdx.edu/registration/academic-calendar. Date of withdrawal is the date it is received by Registration.
X Grade: Non-attendance and No Basis for Grade
The X grade is used when there is little or no attendance and no work/performance upon which to base an academic evaluation. X grades cannot be changed after initial submission and other grades cannot be changed to X except in cases of bona fide grading error as documented by instructor, requiring department chair approval. X grades carry no credit and are not included when calculating GPA.
M Grade: Missing Grade
M grades are automatically assigned by the system when grades have not been submitted to the Office of Registrar by the grading deadline. M grades will change to a grade of X, one term after the initial term. Once converted to an X, grade cannot be changed except in cases of bona fide grading error as documented by instructor, requiring department chair approval. M grades carry no credit and are not included when calculating GPA.
Non-Completion of Course
A student who has participated in a course but who has failed to complete essential work or attend examinations, and who has not communicated with the instructor, will be assigned a D, F, NP, or whatever grade the work has earned. Students who withdraw from all courses in any given term must notify the Office of Financial Aid on or before the date of complete withdrawal.
Grade Point Average (GPA)
The Office of the Registrar computes current and cumulative GPAs on student grade reports and transcripts, according to the following scale: A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F = 0. A plus grade increases the points by 0.33, a minus decreases it by 0.33 (e.g., B- = 2.67). Cumulative grade point averages include all credits and points earned at PSU. The GPA calculation is truncated at two decimal points (i.e. rounding up is not used). Separate GPAs are calculated for undergraduate courses and for graduate courses. Further details on academic standing can be found at www.pdx.edu/registration/academic-standing.
GPA Repeat Policy
This policy only applies to undergraduate duplicate courses. Credit and GPA are retained on the first A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, and all grades in subsequent attempts count in GPA. The first PSU grade of D or F may be forgiven if repeated at PSU for a differentiated grade (not P/NP). In this case, credit is retained on the last grade received. Both grades are retained on the transcript. If repeated more than once, each subsequent grade will be retained on the transcript and counted in the GPA.