FAQ For Faculty: Pass/No Pass (P/NP) Grading
Please note: The Pass/No Pass Grading option ended with the spring 2021 quarter and is no longer available to students.
There are many factors for students to consider before opting into the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option for Spring Quarter courses. Before students choose the Pass/No Pass option for any or all of their courses, they should understand the potential consequences related to Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for financial aid, financial scholarship requirements, overall financial aid, time to degree and academic standing, and postgraduate study requirements and opportunities. These, and all other considerations can be found on the FAQ for Students page.
Below are answers to some of the most common questions we have received from faculty. We will continue to update this FAQ as the situation evolves.
*Please note: The Pass/No Pass (P/NP) 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, JD and Graduate programs in the Kline School of Law, Graduate Programs in the College of Medicine, Nursing programs and some programs in Health Professions within the College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP) due to accreditation and/or professional requirements, as well as Executive and Professional Education Programs due to agreements with external organizations.
The program directors/Dean’s Office of CNHP and SOE will follow up directly with their students with respect to existing options and how they will be facilitated.
No, while it applies to most undergraduate and graduate students at the University, there are some notable exceptions. Due to accreditation and/or professional requirements, the
Pass/No Pass option does not apply to:
- Students in the School of Education who are pursuing PA certification
- Students in the clinical portion of the MD program
- Students in Nursing programs in the College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP)
- Students in the Kline School of Law
- Graduate Programs in the College of Medicine
Program directors/Dean’s Offices of CNHP and SOE will follow up directly with their students with respect to existing options and how they will be facilitated.
In addition, the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) option do not apply to Executive and Professional Education Programs due to agreements with external organizations.
Guidance for opting into the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option for the Spring Quarter courses can be complex for both students and faculty. A similar FAQ guide was developed, and the link was sent to students (as well as faculty and staff) to help them consider the option for their course(s) prior to making this decision. This Student FAQ is available online and covers topics related to Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for financial aid, financial scholarship requirements, overall financial aid, time to degree and academic standing, and postgraduate study requirements and opportunities.
Students are strongly advised to consult with their academic advisors and course instructors. There are many things students should consider before making a decision. Students are encouraged to weigh their options carefully based on where they are in the course. They should review course progress, including their midterm grade and all grades for each assignment/project/paper. These, and all other considerations, can be found on the FAQ for Students page.
Undergraduate and graduate quarter students in participating colleges and schools* may opt into the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option for any full-term courses for the Spring Quarter only beginning on Spring Quarter only beginning on April 19, 2021 and continue to make adjustments until 11:59 PM EDT on June 12, 2021. If any student was registered for any Part of Term A course(s), the deadline for opting-in was the last day of the course(s) and will not change. All students enrolled in Part of Term B courses have until 11:59 PM EDT on June 12, 2021. Selections can be made in Registration via DrexelOne. Instructions for making selections can be found here, as well as other related information about the Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grading option.
No, your approval is not required. However, students have been encouraged to speak with the course instructor and their academic advisor as they consider their options.
This information can be found at the top of the FAQ for Students webpage.
No. Undergraduate and graduate quarter students in participating colleges and schools* may opt into the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option for any full-term courses for the Spring Quarter only beginning on April 19, 2021 until 11:59 PM EDT on June 12, 2021. If any student was registered for any Part of Term A course(s), the deadline for opting-in was the last day of the course(s) and will not change. All students enrolled in Part of Term B courses have until 11:59 PM EDT on June 12, 2021. Spring Quarter will be considered a one-time exception for Graduate Grading.
No, faculty should not ask students which grading option they chose or may want to choose; this should be left to the discretion of the student. If students request information on the Pass/No Pass option, faculty can refer students to the FAQ for Students page.
Yes, all students must continue to attend class and complete assignments.
Yes, they can withdraw from a course(s) taken using the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option. Additionally, if based on the student’s course performance and the remaining course assignments, it might be in the best interest of students to consider withdrawing from a course for which they are likely to receive an “F” or “NP”.
No, the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grade option will only apply to undergraduate and graduate courses that use standard letter grading in the Spring 2021 Quarter only. However, if the undergraduate student had previously selected the Credit/No Credit grade option, in accordance with the Credit/No Credit policy for an existing course that has the standard grading mode, they can change to the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grade option, as long as they do so by the deadline.
No, faculty cannot see which students have selected the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading. Questions or concerns regarding this can be emailed directly to the University Registrar at Registrar@drexel.edu.
If you are currently receiving tuition remission, the Pass grade (P) does not affect your remission, since it will be considered a passing grade toward graduation. The No Pass grade (NP) will not progress you toward graduation and is considered not passing; therefore, it will impact your employee tuition remission benefits. If you are receiving any type of tuition remission benefits and have questions, you should contact Human Resources. Additionally, as a student you should consult the FAQs for Students available online.
P for Undergraduate Courses: A grade of a D or better will be counted as a Pass. This grading mode replaces grades of D or better in the standard grading system. Credit is granted for this course, and it will fulfill progression toward degree requirements. Courses graded with P will meet prerequisite requirements for the next level course.
P for Graduate Courses: A grade of a C or better will be counted as a Pass. This grading mode replaces grades of C or better in the standard grading system. Credit is granted for this course, and it will fulfill progression toward degree requirements. Courses graded with P will meet prerequisite requirements for the next level course.
NP for Undergraduate Courses: Any grade below a D will be counted as a No Pass. No credit is granted for this course and it will not progress as student toward degree. As such, this will impact their academic standing and SAP. Courses graded with NP will not meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.
NP for Graduate Courses: Any grade below a C will be counted as a No Pass. No credit is granted for this course and will not progress the student toward degree. As such, this will impact their academic standing and SAP. Courses graded with NP will not meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.
Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grades will not count in term or cumulative GPAs. Students will receive course credit for Pass (P) grades and will not receive course credit for No Pass (NP) grades. Both grades will count in attempted hours. Please also review the question: What are the differences between the P and NP grades?
Pass/No Pass (P/NP): When you submit the final grades for your course(s) via DrexelOne or Blackboard, you will see all standard grades for the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grade modality and you should submit your grades in accordance with the student’s final letter grade in the course. Once the standard grade is submitted and processed in Banner, it will systematically be converted to either a P or NP based on the minimum letter grades associated with either Undergraduate or Graduate coursework.
Undergraduate Courses: A grade of a D or better will be counted as a Pass. Any grade below a D will be counted as a No Pass.
Graduate Courses: A grade of a C or better will be counted as a Pass. Any grade below a C will be counted as a No Pass.
Credit/No Credit (CR/NCR): For courses that were offered originally using the Credit/ No Credit (CR/NCR) grading modality, when you submit the final grades for your course(s) via DrexelOne, you will only see CR/NCR grading modalities. In Blackboard, you will submit the standard grade and then the grade will systematically be converted to either a CR or NCR based on the minimum letter grades associated with Credit/ No Credit (CR/NCR) for either Undergraduate or Graduate coursework. This process is the same as any typical quarter.
Courses that were originally offered for the Summer Quarter using Credit/ No Credit (CR/NCR) grading modes will remain under that grading modality. Students do not have the option to change these course(s) to Pass/No Pass (P/NP).
For assistance with submitting grades through BbLearn or DrexelOne, please refer to the Faculty Grade Submission resource.
If you have any issues with BbLearn grade submissions, please email AIS_Student@drexel.edu.
If you have DrexelOne account-related issues, please contact the IRT Help Desk at 215.895.2020.
Yes, as part of progression in the course but not as a final grade. Students will be able to see their course progression via standard letter grades and course progress through the *Blackboard weighted gradebook for each course. Once the final grade is submitted and processed, the student will then see a Pass/No Pass grade on their academic transcript, in DegreeWorks, and also in the Grades, Transcripts and Records channel in the DrexelOne portal.
Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grades will show up in the degree audit for both undergraduate and Graduate quarter students. Pass (P) will show that a requirement is satisfied once the grade is posted. No Pass (NP) will show up under “insufficient” at the bottom of the DegreeWorks audit.
The Pass/No Pass grading option, once selected by the student, and after the Faculty member submits the final standard letter grade at the end of there quarter, will appear as either a P on NP next to the course, depending on what was submitted as the original final standard letter grade.
The P and NP will be converted once final grades are submitted and processed. The conversion will be based on the minimum letter grades associated with either Undergraduate or Graduate coursework.
Undergraduate Courses: A grade of a D or better will be counted as a Pass. Any grade below a D will be counted as a No Pass.
Graduate Courses: A grade of a C or better will be counted as a Pass. Any grade below a C will be counted as a No Pass.
Yes. Students can still petition to receive an incomplete grade for the course, in accordance with the Undergraduate and Graduate incomplete grade policies. When the student completes the coursework and the change of grade is submitted via DrexelOne, the student will then receive either a Pass or a No Pass, depending on the final assigned grade. When changing the grade, the instructor will change the grade via DrexelOne, using the standard letter grade. Once the standard grade is submitted and processed in Banner, it will be systematically converted, to either a P or NP based on the minimum letter grades associated with either Undergraduate or Graduate.
Undergraduate Courses: A grade of a D or better will be counted as a Pass. Any grade below a D will be counted as a No Pass.
Graduate Courses: A grade of a C or better will be counted as a Pass. Any grade below a C will be counted as a No Pass.
No. When submitting a grade through DrexelOne, or through Blackboard, the faculty member will submit the final standard letter grade. Once the final standard letter grade is submitted and processed in Banner, it will be systematically converted to either a P or NP based on the minimum letter grades associated with either Undergraduate or Graduate coursework.
Undergraduate Courses: A grade of a D or better will be counted as a Pass. Any grade below a D will be counted as a No Pass.
Graduate Courses: A grade of a C or better will be counted as a Pass Any grade below a C will be counted as a No Pass.
Additionally, and similar to a typical term, the Registrar’s Office will send a reminder email with the grading deadline information.
No, the deadline for Spring Quarter grade submission will not be extended. The deadlines for Spring Quarter grade submission are:
Accelerated Part of Term A courses: Wednesday, May 5, 2021, 2021 by 12 Noon EDT
Full Term and all other Accelerated Parts of Term courses: Wednesday, June 16, 2021 by 12 Noon EDT
No, grade submission for the Spring Quarter will open as follows:
Accelerated Part of Term A courses: Monday, April 26, 2021 at 8:00 AM EDT
Full Term and all other accelerated Parts of Term courses: Friday, June 4, 2021 at 8:00 AM EDT
No. Assessments of student learning will remain unchanged. The grade for your class, whether a student remains with the existing standard grading mode or selects Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option, will be based on the faculty member’s assessment for course performance in the syllabus, for the totality of the course.
Yes, in order to accommodate the P/NP deadline of Saturday, June 12, all grades for the Spring Quarter Full term and Part of Term B, will officially roll to academic history starting Monday, June 14, 2021 beginning at 8:00 AM EDT.
Yes, currently the Spring Quarter (as was the Spring and Summer Quarters of 19/20 and Fall and Winter Quarters of 2020) will also be considered using the Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grading option. In addition, the Spring Quarter will still be considered a one-time exception to the Graduate Grades Policy.
You should make sure all grades for assignments are up to date in BlackBoard Learn. In addition, it is also expected that faculty will keep a weighted gradebook in Blackboard Learn, allowing students to know their cumulative grade throughout the term. Doing so will aid students in selecting the grade modality that best fits their needs.
Yes, a notation will be listed on the academic transcript for each student enrolled in the Spring Quarter as:
In response to COVID-19, optional P/NP and P*/NP* grading was adopted for the Spring Quarter.
No, if you have requested the Pass/No-Pass (P/P*NP/NP*) grading option for the Spring Quarter for a course(s) that are non-repeatable for credit, and receive a P/P* grade, you will not be able to re-take the course in the future for a standard letter grade.
However, if you have requested the Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grading option for the Spring Quarter for a course(s) that are non-repeatable for credit, and receive a NP/NP* grade, you will be able to re-take the course in the future for a standard letter grade.
No. Faculty members are encouraged to keep an up-to-date grade book in Blackboard Learn so that students may be able to see where they stand in the course to help them decide between the Pass/No-Pass (P/NP) grading option and a standard letter grade. However, faculty members may not necessarily enter the final grade into this grade book prior to final grade submission. Because a student may not be able to see their final grade in the course before the P/NP selection deadline, it is important that they make the best decision based on their current standing in the course before the final deadline of 11:59 PM EDT on Saturday, June 12, 2021. If students have questions about their academic progress in a specific course, they should reach out to the instructor.
Students will not be permitted to select pass/no pass for a course involved in an academic integrity case for which the final sanction of academic dishonestly is to revert to the grade assigned by the instructor in accordance with the Academic Integrity Policy.
The Pass/No Pass (P*/NP*) grading option for the College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP)
Due to accreditation and/or professional requirements for some programs within the Health Professions division of CNHP; a Pass/No Pass (P*/NP*) grading option needed to be developed in order to maintain and adhere to such higher minimum passing grade thresholds.
The Nursing divisions with CNHP will not have any P/NP or P*/NP* options for the Spring Quarter.
The Pass/No Pass (P*/NP*) grading option is only offered to students enrolled in CNHP. All courses within the College of Nursing division and some courses in the Health Professions division are being offered with the Pass/No Pass (P*/NP*) grading option.
The Pass/No Pass (P*/NP*) has a higher minimum grade threshold for each grade as opposed to the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option. The explanation for the Pass/No Pass (P*/NP*) grades is as follows:
P* for Undergraduate Courses: A grade of a C or better will be counted as a Pass. This grading mode replaces grades of C or better in the standard grading system. Credit is granted for this course, and it will fulfill progression toward degree requirements. Courses graded with P* will meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.
P* for Graduate Courses: A grade of a B or better will be counted as a Pass. This grading mode replaces grades of B or better in the standard grading system. Credit is granted for this course, and it will fulfill progression toward degree requirements. Courses graded with P will meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.
NP* for Undergraduate Courses: Any grade below a C, will be counted as a No Pass. No credit is granted for this course and will not progress you toward degree. As such, this will impact your academic standing and SAP. Courses graded with NP will not meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.
NP* for Graduate Courses: Any grade below a B, will be counted as a No Pass. No credit is granted for this course and will not progress you toward degree. As such, this will impact your academic standing and SAP. Courses graded with NP will not meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.
In addition, other than the minimum grade thresholds that are used to assign either a P* or NP*, all other FAQs related to Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option, will also apply for the Pass/No Pass (P*/NP*) grading option.
At the time a student selects which course(s) they want to choose using a Pass/No Pass grading option, they will see either Pass/No Pass (P/NP) or Pass/No Pass (P*/NP*) under the grade mode drop down in registration via DrexelOne, which will denote the course(s) offered under the two different Pass/No Pass grading options.
Remember that the Pass/No Pass (P*/NP*) grading option has a higher minimum grade threshold for P*/NP*, and these options are only available to students enrolled in CNHP within some divisions of Health Professions. The Nursing divisions with CNHP will not have any P/NP or P*/NP* options for the Spring Quarter.
All other *Colleges/Schools, that have a Pass/No Pass option, will be using the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option.
The explanation for the Pass/No Pass (P*/NP*) grades is as follows:
P* for Undergraduate Courses: A grade of a C or better will be counted as a Pass. This grading mode replaces grades of C or better in the standard grading system. Credit is granted for this course, and it will fulfill progression toward degree requirements. Courses graded with P* will meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.
P* for Graduate Courses: A grade of a B or better will be counted as a Pass. This grading mode replaces grades of B or better in the standard grading system. Credit is granted for this course, and it will fulfill progression toward degree requirements. Courses graded with P will meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.
NP* for Undergraduate Courses: Any grade below a C, will be counted as a No Pass. No credit is granted for this course and will not progress you toward degree. As such, this will impact your academic standing and SAP. Courses graded with NP will not meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.
NP* for Graduate Courses: Any grade below a B, will be counted as a No Pass. No credit is granted for this course and will not progress you toward degree. As such, this will impact your academic standing and SAP. Courses graded with NP will not meet prerequisite requirements for the next-level course.
No, the Nursing divisions within CNHP will not be offering any Pass/No Pass (P*/NP* or Pass/No Pass (P/NP) options. However, there are some courses in the Health Professions division, which will be offered under the Pass/No Pass (P/NP) and Pass/No Pass (P*/NP*), grading options.
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