Undergraduate and Graduate Grading Policy Update: Optional Pass/No Pass for Spring Term

 The following message was sent by the Office of the Provost to the Drexel community on April 7.

We recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought much uncertainty and disruption to the lives of our students. After serious consideration and conversation with deans, faculty and our students, it became clear that following our standard grading policy during this unprecedented time was not the best path forward. For that reason, we will offer the option for students to take spring term courses on a Pass/No Pass basis.

• It is important to note that the Pass/No Pass option does not apply to students in the School of Education who are pursuing PA certification, to those in the clinical portion of the MD program, and to some programs in the College of Nursing and Health Professions due to accreditation and/or professional requirements. The program directors of CNHP will follow up directly with their students. The Pass/No Pass option may not apply to Executive and Professional Education Programs due to agreements with external organizations. Students in the Kline School of Law and the College of Medicine will receive details directly from their school/college.
• This Pass/No Pass option will apply to undergraduate and graduate courses that use standard letter grading in the 2020 Spring term only, including courses offered through Drexel University Online, except where noted above. Students receiving employer-sponsored tuition benefits should check with their employer to determine whether they can participate in the Pass/No Pass option.
• Students will have to opt into Pass/No Pass grading. If students take no action, normal grading will apply. Instructions for the opt-in process will be forthcoming.
• Students on the quarter system will need to declare their intent to opt for Pass/No Pass by Friday, June 5, 2020 during the last week of classes. Students on the semester system (law and medicine) have been/will be contacted directly by their college/school.
• Both undergraduate and graduate students can elect to take any number of their spring courses Pass/No Pass. For undergraduate students, these courses will not count against their total number of Credit/No Credit courses permitted throughout their Drexel academic career.
• For graduate classes, grades of C or better will be counted as a Pass. (Note that "C-" is not passing.)
• For undergraduate classes, grades of D or better will be counted as a Pass.
• For courses taken in Spring 2020, a passing grade will imply that the course satisfies the pre-requisite requirement if it is listed as a pre-requisite for other courses. A Pass also satisfies minimum grade requirements for advancing within a program of study.
• It is important for students to note that, while taking a Pass/No Pass class will not affect your Drexel GPA, it could have implications for non-Drexel financial aid and on how external organizations interpret your transcript (i.e. graduate school applications, medical school applications, scholarship applications). The University is preparing an FAQ to help guide students through their decisions.