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Office of the Provost

Students

For questions, please contact Heidi Kennedy at hkennedy@uh.edu

Interim Undergraduate Grade Policy

Interim Undergraduate Grade Policy

(updated April 10, 2020 to include all 2020 summer sessions)

Spring 2020 Undergraduate No-Risk Grade Policy Flowchart-Provost

Due to the unique and unprecedented challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Houston is implementing an interim policy for undergraduate grades.

  1. The Interim Undergraduate Grade Policy applies to all undergraduate students in courses offered during Spring 2020 Sessions 1, 4, 5, and 6 as well as the 2020 Summer Sessions. The policy will be reviewed for continuation through future terms if necessary.
  2. All undergraduate courses for the applicable sessions will be graded according to their current grading scheme.

    a. If the current grading scheme is Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U):

    i. Grades of Unsatisfactory (U) will automatically convert to No Credit Reported COVID-19 (NCR).

    ii. Grades of Satisfactory (S) are awarded course credit while no course credit will be awarded for a grade of No Credit Reported COVID-19 (NCR).

    b. If the current grading scheme is Letter Grade:

    i. Students have the option to choose either a Letter Grade or a Satisfactory/No Credit Reported COVID-19 (S/NCR) grading scheme on a course-by-course basis.

    ii. Under the Satisfactory/No Credit Reported COVID-19 (S/NCR) grading scheme, grades of D- and higher are considered Satisfactory (S) and are awarded course credit. No course credit will be awarded for a grade of No Credit Reported COVID-19 (NCR).

    iii. Details regarding the process through which students choose their grading options will be communicated by the Office of the University Registrar by April 27, 2020.
  3. The deadline for students to choose their grading option is 5:00 pm on May 18, 2020.*
  4. Satisfactory (S) and No Credit Reported COVID-19 (NCR) grades are not factored into term or cumulative GPA.
  5. Students are encouraged to contact their academic advisor to discuss questions regarding the impact of their grade option choice on academic matters. The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid should be consulted to discuss the impact of their grade option choice on financial aid matters.
  6. The deadline for completing course requirements associated with Incomplete grades due in spring 2020 is extended to August 10, 2020. Students should contact their instructors to discuss plans for completing course requirements by that date. The incomplete deadline extension will be reviewed for continuation through future terms if necessary.
  7. Grades received as the result of academic honesty sanctions will be handled consistent with the University of Houston Undergraduate Academic Honesty Policy
  8. The Interim Undergraduate Grade Policy also applies to all undergraduate students in courses offered during Summer 2020 Sessions 1, 2 , 3 and 4. The policy will be reviewed for continuation through future terms if necessary.*

    * For information on the grade selection process, visit the Office of the University Registrar's guide on Interim Grading      at https://uh.edu/about/offices/enrollment-services/registrar/interim-grading-policy/index-legacy.php

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Which terms are covered under the Interim Undergraduate Grade Policy?

The policy covered the following terms:

  • spring 2020 (sessions 1, 4, 5, and 6)
  • summer 2020 (all sessions)
  • fall 2020 (all sessions)
  • spring 2021 (sessions 1–6) 

How do students select their grade option for courses?

The deadline to choose grading options for eligible terms has passed.

The students’ official transcript will record only the grading scheme that the student chose to reveal. Students may request a change in their transcript, showing the assigned letter grade at any time via formal request to the Office of the University Registrar with the understanding that the grade change impacts the term and cumulative GPAs and becomes permanent.

If you have any questions, please contact OUR at 713-743-1010 (option 7) or uhour@uh.edu.

When is the deadline for students to choose their grading option?

Spring 2020: The deadline to choose grading options for the spring 2020 term has passed.
 
Summer 2020: The deadline to choose grading options for the summer 2020 term has passed.

Fall 2020: The deadline to choose grading options for the fall 2020 term has expired.

Spring 2021: The deadline to choose grading options for the spring 2021 term has expired.

The students' official transcript will record only the grading scheme that the student chose to reveal. Students may request a change in their transcript, showing the assigned letter grade at any time via formal request to the Office of the University Registrar with the understanding that the grade change impacts the term and cumulative GPAs and becomes permanent.

I withdrew from one or more spring 2020 classes before the Interim Undergraduate Grade Policy was announced. Can I change my withdrawal to NCR under the policy?

No. However students who dropped after 3/16/2020 and had a W were offered the option to be reinstated in their course enrollment and were able to use the interim grade selection option. Requests for reinstatement were processed through the Office of the University Registrar . The reinstatement window closed April 3, 2020 . See information related to W grades on this page.

If I withdrew from one or more spring 2020 classes, will it count against the 6 W limit?

No, withdrawals from spring 2020 courses were excluded from the 6W count.

How do I determine whether to select a letter grade or S/NCR for each of my classes?

A number of issues should be considered when selecting your grade option. It is important to carefully read the grade policy, consult with your academic advisor and other experts as needed, and determine if/ how your earned letter grade or the S/NCR option will impact the following: particular student populations, degree progress, careers, graduate/professional school, and eligibility for programs and financial resources. Questions and answers in this FAQ will provide important contacts, policies, tools, and/or guidance for each of these factors.

How will choosing the S/NCR option affect international students?

Please send questions regarding the implications of S/NCR for international students to Jin Zhang, Director, International Students Services Office: jzhang20@Central.uh.edu.

How will choosing the S/NCR option affect students on the GI Bill?

Please send questions regarding the GI Bill and VA Certification/Eligibility to: UHGIBILL@uh.edu.

Does a grade of S fulfill degree requirements or meet prerequisites if my major or minor requires minimum letter grades in specific courses?

Some degree programs may require minimum letter grades due to accreditation, licensure, or to ensure adequate preparation for subsequent courses. Please consult with your academic advisor to discuss the implications of selecting S grades in courses for which minimum letter grade requirements exist.

In the event that a program, department, or college enforces prerequisite or minimum GPA standard policy, a student may still choose a Satisfactory (S) grade for official reporting.  The letter grade assigned by the instructor remains part of the student record and can be accessed at the program level, even when Satisfactory (S) is the reported grade. 

Will S grades count toward meeting Latin Honors criteria?

For the purposes of Latin Honors, the credit earned from S grades  in semesters under which the interim grade policy is in effect will count toward the last 54 credit hours and will not be factored into GPA. In selecting grade options, consider the impact changing one, some or all course grades will have on the final GPA. A helpful grade calculator can be found at:   https://www.bauer. uh.edu/UHGPACalculator/ . It is important to be aware of the following GPA thresholds for Latin Honors:

3.90 to 4.0 Summa Cum Laude (with highest honors)
3.70 to 3.89 Magna Cum Laude (with high honors)
3.50 to 3.69 Cum Laude (with honors)

Additional information regarding Latin Honors criteria can be found at: http://publications.uh.edu/content.php?catoid=34&navoid=12515#Graduation_with_Honors

I repeated a course and planned to use it for Grade Exclusion of a prior course. If I choose an S grade will it still qualify?

An S grade for a course repeated in Spring 2020, or any semester under which the Interim Grade Policy is in effect, will satisfy Grade Exclusion for requests eligible under the Grade Exclusion Policy. More information about the policy can be found at: https://uh.edu/provost/policies-resources/student/grade-exclusion/.

How will S/NCR affect eligibility for UHin4?

For grades of Satisfactory, course credit is awarded and counts toward the credit hour accumulation required to remain eligible for UHin4. Courses in which NCR is selected will not be given credit and will not count toward UHin4 requirements. More information regarding UHin4 requirements can be found at: https://uh.edu/provost/students/new-coogs/uhin4/index.

What is the impact of choosing S/NCR on academic standing?

Academic standing is based on GPA, and grade options should be selected carefully to maintain good academic standing, avoid being placed on academic probation, or avoid being placed on suspension. Grades of S or NCR do not impact GPA and grade points awarded for letter grades can be found at: http://publications.uh.edu/content.php?catoid=34&navoid=12493. Students are encouraged to use a grade calculator to determine the impact of letter grades earned on term and cumulative GPA. Grades of S or NCR should be considered when earned letter grades will result in probation or suspension. A helpful grade calculator can be found at: https://www.bauer.uh.edu/UHGPACalculator/. More information regarding the academic standing policy can be found at: http://publications.uh.edu/content.php?catoid=34&navoid=12452.

How will choosing the S/NCR option affect Satisfactory Academic Progress for financial aid? Are there any other financial aid implications?

Students who choose the S/NCR option will not have those courses counted in the qualitative (GPA) component of our satisfactory academic progress policy. Only the quantitative component (attempted hours) will be impacted for determining students’ satisfactory academic progress. Students who are already on an academic plan for financial aid purposes must maintain the requirements of that plan, which are earning a GPA of at least 2.25 for each semester on the plan and successfully completing each course attempted; therefore, any student on an academic plan, who chooses the NCR option will not be meeting the requirements of their plan and will lose financial aid eligibility.

How will S grades will affect prerequisites for medical school, nursing school, and other health professional programs?

Pre-Health students should carefully decide whether to keep the letter-grade they receive for courses based on information provided by the health professional programs in which they hope to apply. While some programs have decided to accept Pass/Satisfactory grades for pre-requisites completed during the pandemic, this policy has not been universally adopted and many are still indicating a preference for letter-grades. It is possible that applicants with letter-grades in pre-requisites courses will remain more competitive compared with those using Pass/Satisfactory. Students may strongly consider selecting Satisfactory if they receive a C or lower in the course. Students are strongly encouraged to contact our office and their major advisor with questions before making a final decision. Read the Pre Health Advising Center page for more information https://uh.edu/pre-health/covid-19-updates-phac/

My question isn't listed here, who do I contact?

Email grading@uh.edu with any further questions you might have.