Policies Governing Review of a Grade

The instructor who gives an evaluation, exam or course grade has sole authority for changing such evaluation, exam or course grade, provided the instructor remains on the faculty (or the emeritus faculty) of the University of Pennsylvania.

Students in the College who wish to have an evaluation, exam or course grade reviewed must first discuss the matter with the instructor who gave the evaluation, unless the instructor is no longer a member of the University of Pennsylvania faculty or emeritus faculty. In cases in which faculty appointments have terminated, or faculty have resigned or are deceased, sole authority for changing an evaluation rests with the undergraduate chair of the relevant department.

Should this meeting not yield a resolution that is satisfactory to both the student and the instructor, or not be possible, the student may ask the undergraduate chair or program director of the relevant major/subject area for assistance in the matter. Should the matter not be resolved with the aid of the undergraduate chair, the student may seek the assistance of the dean of the College. The role of the dean is limited to insuring that the department has arranged for a proper review of the matter.

Period for Grade Review

Once a grade from A+ to F has been entered on a student's transcript and has remained through the end of the next regular semester in which the student is enrolled, it is considered permanent and changes will not ordinarily be permitted. Any exception to this rule must be approved by the dean of the College.

Credit for Pre-College Courses

Credit is not awarded for college-level coursework undertaken at other institutions while a student is enrolled in high school, in the summer after high school, or during the period of deferral for students granted deferred admission. Such coursework is considered a part of a student’s preparation for a Penn education. It is used in consultation with the student’s academic advisor to inform decisions about placement into appropriate courses at Penn.

Students who enroll in regular undergraduate courses at Penn prior to their matriculation into an undergraduate degree program at the University, during the academic year or in the summer sessions, may elect to have that coursework merged with their undergraduate transcript, in which case it will count toward their undergraduate degree requirements, and the grades will be include in their grade point average.  

Equivalent Credit

When students receive College credit for courses or other types of academic work done elsewhere, it is referred to as equivalent credit.

 Policies for Transfer Credit      Policies For Credit Away

Policies Governing Pass/Fail

In registering for courses, students may choose between normal grading status (receiving a letter grade) and pass/fail.

• In courses taken on a pass/fail basis, a passing letter grade (any grade above an F, including a D) assigned by the instructor is converted to P by the Registrar's Office and entered on the student's transcript. P is not calculated into the cumulative average, but an F is entered as a 0.0 and does affect the grade point average. Instructors are not informed by the Registrar as to who is enrolled on a pass/fail basis.
• Courses taken to fulfill any Foundational Approach Requirement, the Sector Requirement, the Major Requirement or a minor cannot be taken pass/fail.
• College students may take no more than 8 c.u. pass/fail, though the College generally recommend against this many.
• Students may change the grading status of a course from normal to pass/fail (or vice versa) in through the end of the ninth week of the semester or just before Advance Registration, whichever comes first. See the Academic Calendar for exact dates.

First-year students are strongly advised not to take courses on a pass/fail basis.

Transfer Credit and Pass/Fail

In order to be eligible for Penn equivalent credit, courses taken at a transfer student's previous institution must have earned a grade of C or better. If the course was taken on a pass/fail (or credit/no credit) basis, Penn credit may still be awarded.

Transfer students should review the pass/fail or credit/no credit policies of their previous institution:  if a P or CR represents a grade of not less than a C, it will be possible to award credit pending approval in XCAT. If, however, a P or CR at the previous institution can represent a grade lower than a C, the transfer student should contact the instructor of any course taken this way and ask that person to confirm that the student earned a grade of C or better. This confirmation should be forwarded to the student's College advisor as confirmation that the credit is eligible for transfer.