Rausser College Academic Policies-Courses & Grades
Rausser College offers two grading options, and transfer credits from a variety of other schools. It's important to review our academic policies so that you can best plan your coursework.
- Passed/Not Passed Grading Option
- Incomplete Grades
- Repeating Courses
- Student Conduct Violations
- Transferring Course Work
- AP / IB / A-Level Exam Equivalency Chart
- Intercampus Visitor
- Dual/Concurrent Enrollment
- Cross-Registration Programs with other Schools
- UC Extension Credit
- Grade Grievances
Passed/Not Passed Grading Option
The Passed/Not Passed (P/NP) grading option is intended to encourage students to take electives without worrying about their grades. A grade of P corresponds to a C− or better. A C- or better is the minimum grade to pass a class for your major at Rausser. P/NP grades are not calculated into your cumulative GPA. All classes for your major must be taken for a letter grade.
Passed grades may account for no more than one-third of the total units completed at UC Berkeley, Fall Program for First Semester (FPF), UC Education Abroad Program (UCEAP), or UC Berkeley Washington Program (UCDC) toward the 120 overall minimum unit requirement. P grades earned during the Spring 2020 semester will not be counted against this 1/3 limitation.
If you receive more than 12 units of NP grades, your registration may be blocked. You cannot take any of your major requirements on a P/NP basis. You may change your grading option from letter grade to P/NP or P/NP to letter grade until the Friday of the tenth week of classes.
Students are able to use a calculator on the Degree Progress Card on the My Academics page in CalCentral to determine how to maintain the minimum number of letter-graded units needed to graduate.
To help students answer the question "Should I P/NP my course?" we have developed a set of guided questions to help you determine if this is a good option for you. Use your UC Berkeley account to access the form.
Spring 2020: The COVID-19 global pandemic required mid-semester changes to enrollment deadlines and grading policy. All graded classes were converted to passed/not passed with the option to revert to letter grade prior to final exams. Students were encouraged to retain the passed/not passed option. For additional details related to these policy changes, please see the Changes in Policies and Procedures for Spring 2020 website.
Fall 2020-Spring 2021: After much consultation across the colleges of UC Berkeley, and via our college Executive Committee, decisions have been made about the selection of the P/NP grade option (CPN) by undergraduate students during the Fall 2020 & Spring 2021 semesters for the Rausser College of Natural Resources. For additional details related to these policy changes, please see the Changes in Policies and Procedures for Fall 2020 & Spring 2021 website.
Incomplete Grades
Should circumstances, beyond a student's control, prevent them from being able to finish their work in a course and the student's work in the course has been of passing quality to date, a grade of Incomplete may be assigned by the instructor. Students must intiate an Incomplete grade by requesting it from their instructors. (Instructors are advised that they should never assign an Incomplete grade unless a student has requested it.) The student's work in the class up to that point must be of passing quality (at least of a C average) in order to receive an I grade.
Students should always consult with the College Advisor when considering an Incomplete grade. Advisors are able to help students understand how an Incomplete may impact future class schedules and progress towards graduation. Advisors can also infom student of other academic options that may be available.
If the instructor agrees to give a student an I grade, the student should request written confirmation of:
- The instructor's approval of the Incomplete grade;
- The work they must complete
- The deadline(s) by which they must complete the work and means by which the student is to complete it
Students must complete their work at least 30 days prior to the instructor deadline for replacing the Incomplete grade. Instructors are under no obligation to allow the student the maximum time permitted by regulation to resolve the Incomplete grade. At the instructor's discretion, an earlier deadline for completion of undergraduate student work can be imposed. If no such deadline is set by the instructor, the student must complete the required course work at least 30 days prior to the deadline for replacing the I grade (see table below.)
I Grade Received | Course Work Completion Deadline | Deadline for Replacement of I Grade by instructor (Lapse Date) |
Fall semester | 30 days prior to the first day instruction of the following fall semester or the instructor-provided deadline, whichever is earlier | First day of instruction of the following fall semester by 11:59 PM |
Spring semester & Summer Sessions | 30 days prior to the first day instruction of the following fall semester or the instructor-provided deadline, whichever is earlier | First day of instruction of the following spring semester by 11:59 PM |
Incomplete grade should be resolved as soona s feasible for all concerned. In many cases, it is in the studetn's interest to compelte the work as soon as possible while the course content is still fresh.
The student is expected to meet these deadlines even if they are not enrolled in classes or if they are studying abroad. When the student has finished the coursework, they should send it to the instructor 30 days before the incomplete is set to lapse. The instructor will resolve the incomplete grade by reporting a grade by the lapse date.
Instructors are under no obligation to accept and grade work submitted after the deadline. If a student does not finish the work according to the instructor's timeline, whether assigned or negotiated, the instructor can assign the student the grade earned by the deadline or allow the grade to lapse to an F or NP, depending upon the original grading option choice. The grading option cannot be changed.
Students should never re-enroll in the same course to resolve an already-assigned Incomplete grade. If attending the course or completeing the exams with the following semester's cohort is required by the instructor, the student should audit the course, not re-enroll.
EXTENDING AN INCOMPLETE GRADE
If a student is unable to finish a course by the Course Work Completion deadline, they may request an extension of time. All requests for extension must be made prior to the "Course Work Completion Deadline" (listed in the above chart) by submitting an instructor-signed Petition to Extend An Incomplete Grade to the Office of Instruction & Student Affairs (advising.rcnr@berkeley.edu). Petitions for extension submitted after this deadline will not be accepted and the grade will lapse to an "F" or "NP", depending on the original grading basis. Extensions must be approved by both the instructor and the Assistant Dean of Instruction & Student Affairs. If a student requests to extend their Incomplete for a third time or more for a course, the student must submit a petition to the Assistant Dean of Instruction with a personal statement outlining extenuating circumstances that have prevented the student from resolving the Incomplete grade with supporting documentation.
RETAIN ("FREEZING") AN INCOMPLETE GRADE
A student may retain ("freeze") up to two I grades so that they remain permanently on the record as Incompletes (they never lapse to an F or NP) by filing the appropriate petition before the Deadline for Replacement of I Grade. All requests for extension must be made prior to the "Course Work Completion Deadline" (listed in the above chart) by submitting "Retain ("Freeze") Incomplete Grade" form to the Office of Instruction & Student Affairs. Late petitions will not be accepted. Once an I grade has been frozen, the course or its equivalent can never be completed or repeated. Thus, a student may not freeze an I grade in a required course. I grades may not be frozen after an I grade has been extended.
12 OR MORE UNITS OF INCOMPLETE GRADES
Any undergraduate student with 12 or more units of I on their record may not register for enrollment until some incomplete course work is resolved. Exceptions are very rarely granted and require exceptional approval by the Assistant Dean of Instruction and Student Affairs. Frozen Incomplete grades do not count toward the 12 unit limit.
Repeating Courses
You may want to consider repeating a course if you received a deficient (NP, F, D−, D, or D+) grade in it. A grade of C- or better is required in all classes that fulfill a major requirement. There are some limitations on this measure:
- The course must be the same UC Berkeley course you originally took.
- If you took the course for a letter grade the first time, you must take it for a letter grade the second time.
- If you took the course P/NP the first time, you may take it P/NP or for a letter grade the second time.
- Your new grade will replace the original grade, although the original grade will remain on your transcript. The original grade will not factor into your GPA.
- You may not take a course for a third time and receive grade points. A course repeated more than once will not be included in your grade point average, but a passing grade in the repeated course will be accepted in satisfaction of requirements for the degree.
- If you receive a grade of Incomplete upon repetition of a course, the grade of D+, D, D−, or F will continue to be computed in the grade-point average until the I grade is replaced.
- If you enroll in a course in which you received an I grade, the I will lapse to an F.
If you repeat more than 12 units of repeatable courses, both the new and the original grades will factor into your GPA. Keep in mind that some professional and graduate schools factor in repeated course grades when calculating undergraduate GPAs.
Spring 2020: If you repeated a course in which you previously earned a letter grade, earning a P grade in Spring 2020 would remove the previous letter grade from your GPA (if you are still within your repeat limit of 12 units and this is your second attempt at the course). All grades will remain on the transcript, per the standard repeat policy. For additional details related to these policy changes, please see the Changes in Policies and Procedures for Spring 2020 website.
Student Conduct Violations
You will not be allowed to late drop or change the grading option for a course in which you have been found responsible of a student conduct violation. If the Dean grants a late drop or grade change and you are later found guilty of a violation, the course and grading will be reinstated to your record.
Transferring Coursework
You can translate AP, IB, and GCE test scores into units of credit at UC Berkeley. This process is managed by the Central Evaluation Unit The credit you receive from AP, IB, or GCE test scores may be applied to your degree progress, for example - if you wish to graduate early.
AP / IB / A-Level Exam Equivalency Chart
All credit-bearing exams (e.g. AP, IB, GCE A-Level) submitted by freshmen and transfer students prior to their arrival to Berkeley are reviewed by the campus' Central Evaluation Unit as part of the initial transfer credit review. This Initial Transfer Credit review is generally completed by the end of December for students admitted to Berkeley in the fall semester, and mid-February for students admitted to a spring semester.
At that time, all transfer work eligible for unit credit towards the Berkeley degree should be posted to the Transfer Credit Report, available in CalCentral My Academics.
After the Initial Transfer Credit review is complete, please direct any questions or concerns about missing transfer work for unit credit and/or the Entry Level Writing, American History and Institutions, and American Cultures requirements to the Central Evaluation Unit by opening a case with Cal Student Central.
To see which exams satisfy major requirements, please see the AP, IB, and A-Level Exam Equivalency Chart.
Your AP, IB, and A-Level credits must appear on your UC Berkeley transcript before they can be used to meet major requirements. While your major may accept AP exams to satisfy a major requirement, consult with your major advisor to discuss what impact this may have on you. Remember that substitution is optional and students more often struggle with the subsequent biology, chemistry, physics, and math courses if they don’t take the introductory courses at UC Berkeley. Pre-Med students: Please note that most medical and pre-health graduate programs do not accept AP, IB, or A-Level units for pre-med requirements.
Junior Transfer Credit
UC awards graduation credit for up to 70 semester (105 quarter) units of transferable lower-division (freshman/sophomore) coursework from a community college. That means those units will be counted toward completion of your degree. Courses in excess of 70 semester (105 quarter) units will not receive unit credit but will receive subject credit and may be used to satisfy UC’s subject requirements. This does not pertain to coursework taken at a four-year institution.
Transfer course-work submitted by freshmen and transfer students prior to their arrival to Berkeley is reviewed by the campus' Central Evaluation Unit as part of the initial transfer credit review. This Initial Transfer Credit review is generally completed by the end of December for students admitted to Berkeley in the fall semester, and mid-February for students admitted to a spring semester.
At that time, all transfer work eligible for unit credit towards the Berkeley degree should be posted to the Transfer Credit Report, available in CalCentral My Academics.
Students with transfer coursework from a non-California Community College should allow for a few more weeks for the College to review for satisfaction of degree requirements.
After the Initial Transfer Credit review is complete, please direct any questions or concerns about missing transfer work for unit credit and/or the Entry Level Writing, American History and Institutions, and American Cultures requirements to the Central Evaluation Unit by opening a case with Cal Student Central.
Spring 2020: If you are taking coursework through another institution in Spring 2020 (i.e. through Concurrent Enrollment or instead of being enrolled in Spring 2020 at UC Berkeley) and that institution has moved to a P/NP-default or P/NP-only grading model, P grades earned will be accepted for all degree requirements.
At this time, students should be advised to request that transcripts be sent electronically (if the transfer institution needs an email address, they should use busops@berkeley.edu). We are continuing to post transfer credit via this method.
A reminder that we cannot receive transcripts from students via email, they must come directly from the transfer institution. Alternatively, if an advisor receives an official transcript, they could send a pdf to busops@berkeley.edu.
If an electronic option is not available, we suggest that students postpone the request to send until after Shelter in Place is lifted. At this time, there is no one available to scan hard copy transcripts in Sproul due to Shelter in Place. And it might not be advisable for documents to linger with mail services. My hope is that as we know more about the extent of our time away from campus, and how in person services will be handled, we'll have better guidance on when to send so that action can be taken closer to the time when documents can be accepted by mail.
Intercampus Visitor
The Intercampus Visitor Program allows undergraduates enrolled at one UC campus to apply to another as an intercampus visitor for one term. Permission to participate in this program is granted on a very limited basis and only for valid academic reasons. Apply at Cal Student Central in 120 Sproul Hall.
Dual/Concurrent Enrollment
Dual Enrollment (also referred to as concurrent enrollment more generally) is when a Rausser College student is simultaneously enrolled at UC Berkeley and another institution during the Fall or Spring terms.
Rausser College students need permission from the college to enroll simultaneously at UC Berkeley and at another institution during a fall or spring semester; students may be enrolled in multiple institutions during the summer without RCNR permission required. To request permission from the college for dual enrollment in a fall or spring, you should talk with your advisor and submit a Dual Enrollment request here before enrolling in the other institution.
Students requesting dual enrollment permission must meet the following parameters:
- Incoming freshmen and transfer students are not allowed to apply for dual enrollment in their first semester.
- Students must be in good academic standing (not on academic notice/probation or subject to dismissal) in the term when they would like to be dual enrolled.
- Students approved for concurrent enrollment during the fall or spring must remain enrolled at UC Berkeley full time (minimum of 12 units unless approved otherwise) and not exceed 20.5 total units between UC Berkeley enrollment and their dual enrolled course(s) unless they have previously met the guidelines for a unit maximum increase as outlined here.
Cross-Registration Programs with Other Schools
Berkeley has cross-registration programs with California State University, East Bay; Mills College; San Francisco State University; Sonoma State University; Holy Names University; John F. Kennedy University; and Dominican University. With the approval of your advisor and the Office of Instruction and Student Affairs, you may register and pay your fees at UC Berkeley and be exempt from tuition and fees at the host campus. You may enroll for only one course per semester at the host campus.
In addition to these established programs, a program created by California State Senate Bill (SB) 1914 makes it possible for any Berkeley student to attend a class each semester at any campus of the California State University or Community College systems. Under these programs, students from the other institutions can also attend classes at Berkeley. Please note that students participating in the SB 1914 exchange program may be subject to a $10 administrative fee, depending on the institution. For more information, go to Cal Student Central in 120 Sproul Hall or call Special Registration at (510) 642-1988.
UC Berkeley Extension Credit
UC Berkeley Extension courses with numbers below 200 and preceded by an XB (such as XB132) are equivalent to courses offered at UC Berkeley. They satisfy the same requirements and the credit is counted as equal to the same course taken at Berkeley. UC Extension courses with numbers below 200 preceded by an X alone may be considered for the fulfillment of requirements on a case-by-case basis. Check with your undergraduate advisor before enrolling in such a course.
Note: UC Berkeley Extension courses do not count toward residency requirements.
All UC Berkeley–matriculated undergraduate students (except those in dismissal status and those who have already completed a UC Berkeley undergraduate program) will automatically have all XB coursework included with grade points on their Berkeley campus transcript. XB coursework completed prior to fall 2005 is not eligible for the transfer of grades or grade points to the Berkeley campus transcript. Note that if you are registered exclusively at UC Extension, you are not considered a Berkeley student, even if you are applying your credit toward a Berkeley degree.
Grade Grievances
The Rausser College of Natural Resources Office of Instruction & Student Affairs has no role in the grade grievance process. Initial jurisdiction over grade grievances lies within academic departments, which make recommendations to the Committee on Courses of Instruction (COCI), which determines the final resolution. COCI considers grades to be a matter of academic judgment and subject to challenge only on the basis of Berkeley Division Regulation A207.A. (Grade Appeals: Appeal Process), which states that the grounds for grievance are:
- application of non-academic criteria, such as: considerations of race, politics, religion, sex, or other criteria not directly reflective of performance related to course requirements;
- sexual harassment;
- improper academic procedures that unfairly affect a student’s grade.
COCI encourages students and departments to contact the student Ombudsperson, who can assist in mediating conflicts related to grade grievances. Should any disputes arise regarding the grade grievance process, COCI should be contacted for assistance. For more information, please see the Academic Senate website.