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Grading for Fall 2023
Motions
The following motions were passed passed by the Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies on October 19, 2023.
Motion 1
SCUS approve on delegated authority that for the Fall 2023 term, students be allowed the choice to accept their final course grade or opt for a “Pass/Credit/No Credit” (P/CR/NC) grading basis for an individual course with the following clarifications:
- In keeping with current policy, “P”, “CR”, and “NC” grades are excluded in the calculations of GPA; and
- a “P” grade will be equivalent to a “C- or higher“ and a “CR” grade will be equivalent to a “D”.
- Credit is earned for “P” and “CR” grades and will count towards the total credits required for a degree.
- Once a student opts into a P/CR/NC grading, they may not change their decision
Standard Letter Grade Equivalent |
Awarded Credit |
Meet Pre-requisites when no minimum Grade Required |
Meet Pre-requisites with a grade required, and program requirements |
Excluded from the GPA |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pass |
C- or Higher |
done |
done |
done |
done |
Credit (CR) |
D |
done |
done |
close 1 |
done |
No Credit (NC) |
F or N |
close |
close |
close |
done |
- 1 Does not meet meet most program requirements. Please speak with an advisor for more information.
Motion 2
SCUS approve on delegated authority that for purposes of enrolment in courses that have pre-requisites, allowing “P” grades earned in Fall 2023 to fulfill the minimum grade required in a pre-requisite course.
Motion 3
SCUS approve on delegated authority that, in principle, accepting courses with “P” grades as fulfilling program-specific requirements, such as courses required for admission to a program.
It is recognized that individual programs will need to consider how courses with “P” grades will be used in evaluating students for admission, keeping in mind principles of consistency and fairness.
Repeat policy
Will courses graded that I opt into Pass, Credit, No Credit be considered in the repeat policy?
The existing course repeats policy have not been modified for the Fall 2023 term. All attempts count, regardless of the grading system used. The higher grade is included, and the lower grade is excluded from the CGPA calculation.
Dropping/withdrawing from courses
1. Can I still drop my courses?
The course withdrawal deadline is:
- Undergraduate students: November 14
(extended from October 31) - Graduate students: November 21
(extended from November 7)
2. What happens if I want to drop my course after November 14, 2023 ?
The normal withdrawal with extenuating circumstances would apply. Students would need to submit a WE application to withdraw after November 14 for undergraduate students and after November 21 for graduate students.
How to choose a grade
1. Will students be able to choose whether to keep their letter grade or choose a grade of Pass (P), Credit (CR) or No Credit (NC)?
Yes. For the Fall 2023 term, after final grades are submitted, students will be allowed to either accept their final course grade, or opt for a “P” grade (Pass), provided they had earned a grade of “C-” or higher, CR (Credit) for a grade of D or “NC” (No credit) for a grade of F.
2. How can I choose P (Pass) or F (Fail) for my course?
Students will be able to change their grade to P/CR/NC in goSFU once final grades for the Fall 2023 term are released. Instructions can be found here and in goSFU/Self-Service/Fall 2023 Grading. Before deciding to change your grade to P/CR/NC, we suggest that you seek appropriate advice from academic advising, Financial Aid and Awards and/or International Services for Students.
3. Will there be a deadline to submit the request to change my grade to a P (Pass), CR (Credit) or NC (No Credit).
Yes. Students must select for each individual course they want to opt into the P/CR/NC grading no later than January 12, 2024. After this date your decision is final and cannot be changed under any circumstances. It is important that you consult with an academic advisor if you are not sure about the implications of electing to receive a grade of P/CR/NC.
4. Can I pick and choose which courses I can keep the letter grade and choose the P (Pass) or Fail (F)?
Yes. We recognize that you will need to consider carefully what option you will choose for each course you are currently enroled in. You may choose a “P” grade for as few or as many courses as you wish. In addition, advisors are available to help you make those decisions. Please seek appropriate advice from academic advising, Financial Aid and Awards, and International Services for Students before deciding.
5. Can I choose the P (Pass), CR (Credit), NC (No Credit) option for any course offered in-person, online or blended?
Yes. You have the option to opt-into the P/CR/NC grading for any course you are taking in any type of mode of instruction. Advisors are available to help you make those decisions. Please seek appropriate advice from academic advising, Financial Aid and Awards, and International Services for Students before deciding.
Credits, pre-requisites and requirements
1. Do P (Pass) and CR (Credit) grades count for credit?
Yes. For the Fall 2023 term, courses graded with a "P" or “CR” will count for credit towards the total credits required for your degree.
2. Do P (Pass) grades count for credit towards program requirements and the total credits required for a degree?
Yes. For the Fall 2023 term, courses graded with a "P" will count towards program requirements and the total credits required for a degree.
3. Will P (Pass) grades meet prerequisite requirements for other courses? If the course requires a minimum grade, will the P grade still meet the prerequisite requirement?
Yes. For purposes of enrolment in courses that have prerequisites, “P” grades earned in Fall 2023 will fulfill the minimum grade required in a prerequisite course.
“P” grades count for credit and count towards both program requirements and the total credits required for a degree. Please seek appropriate advice from academic advising, Financial Aid and Awards, and International Services for Students before deciding.
4. Will a grade of CR meet pre-requisite or program requirements?
“CR” grades count for credit and the total credits required for a degree however it will not apply to most prerequisites or program requirements that have a grade requirement (i.e., minimum grade of C-). Please seek appropriate advice from academic advising, Financial Aid and Awards, and International Services for Students before making a decision.
5. Will opting to receive a P grade impact my eligibility for admission to academic programs such as majors, minors etc.?
It is recognized that individual programs will need to consider how courses with “P” grades will be used in evaluating students for admission, keeping in mind principles of consistency and fairness. Academic units have been asked to clearly communicate instances where students should not opt into receiving a grade of “P”.
6. Will opting into to receive a grade of P, CR, or NC impact my ability to continue in my program?
Grades of P, CR and NC will not be included into GPA calculations. Students should speak with an Academic Advisor to understand the impact of their decision to opt for a grade of P, CR and NC on their GPA and the impact that may have on continuance in their program. Programs will not use students electing into receiving a grade of P, CR or NC as a basis for discontinuing a student from their program
7. Will P (Pass) grades meet WQB requirements?
Yes. For the Fall 2023 term, courses graded with a "P" will meet WQB requirements.
8. How will the changes to grading affect students who are on probation?
The decision to keep a letter grade or choose a P grade may have an impact on a student’s academic standing, as P grades do not count in the GPA while regular grades do. Further, NC grades will not count in the GPA. Students should work with their advisors to review potential GPA and academic standing outcomes before deciding.
9. If I receive an NC in a class, do I have to retake it?
An NC grade will not count for credit. If the course is required for credit for the completion of a program or degree, then you may need to retake the course. We encourage you to speak to an advisor to see if there are other options to meet the requirement or whether you will need to retake the course.
GPA and honour rolls
1. Are P (Pass), CR (Credit) or NC (No Credit) grades included in the GPA calculation?
No. For the Fall 2023 term, any courses completed with a "P", “CR”, “NC” grade will not count towards the GPA.
2. How will a P/CR/NC each affect my ability to be on the Honour Roll?
Admission to the Honour Roll requires that the student achieve a term grade point average (TGPA) of 3.50 or higher after completion of a minimum of 30 units at SFU, and a minimum of 12 units (which are counted towards the TGPA) in the term being evaluated. Students must not have received a grade of FD (failed, academic discipline) in any course in the term being evaluated.
P/CR/NC grades are not counted towards the TGPA and therefore would not count in the minimum number of 12 units. P/CR/NC grades will count in the calculation of the minimum number of 30 units completed.
Loans, grants and study permits
1.How will a NC grade affect reporting on successful completion for government student loans and grants?
An NC grade would be treated as incomplete, in the same way as an F grade. This could impact your successful completion and would be reported to the appropriate government loan authority.
2.How will a P, CR, and NC grade affect international students study permits, on-/off-campus work eligibility, post graduate work permits?
A P, CR, or NC grade will not impact your unit load for the term. In other words, if you are enroled as a full-time student for Fall 2023, opting for this grading scheme in one or more of your courses will not cause you to be part time. For information on how enrolment status impacts your immigration status or documents as an international student, please refer to the enrolment Requirements for International Students on the International Services for Students website, and contact an International Student Advisor if you have questions.
3. How will a P/CR/NC affect my ability to apply for funding/scholarships/grants/bursaries?
Grades of Pass (P)and Credit (CR) will satisfy the minimum number of enroled and/or completed SFU units required for scholarship, award, work-study and bursary
P/CR/NC grades will not be used to calculate the cumulative grade point average for awards, scholarships, bursaries, work-study, and entrance scholarship renewals.
help Still have questions?
Undergradaute students, please connect with your departmental advisor or book an appointment with a general advisor.
Graduate Grading Systems and Policies
Applies to Fall 2023 Only
The cumulative grade point average (CGPA) is the cumulative average of the grade points earned in the Simon Fraser University graduate courses completed towards a credential. Each letter grade is assigned a numerical equivalent, which is then multiplied by the unit value assigned to the course to produce the grade point. Grades without a numerical equivalent are not included in the calculation of the grade point average.
Term grade point average (GPA) is computed by dividing the total grade points earned by the total units completed in the term to the second decimal place.
An individual student may request permission to have the grading basis changed or to take a course as an audit by applying to their supervisory committee. If that committee concurs, the request will be submitted to the graduate program chair followed by Graduate Studies for approval. The grading basis change must occur no later than the final day of classes in the term. Students are permitted to use no more than two S/U courses, for a maximum of six units, towards their minimum course work requirement under 1.7.2. None of the student's minimum course work requirement under 1.7.2 may be completed as audit.
Dropping/withdrawing from courses
1. Can I still drop my courses?
The course withdrawal deadline is:
- Undergraduate students: November 14
(extended from October 31) - Graduate students: November 21
(extended from November 7)
2. What happens if I want to drop my course after November 14, 2023 ?
The normal withdrawal with extenuating circumstances would apply. Students would need to submit a WE application to withdraw after November 14 for undergraduate students and after November 21 for graduate students.
help Still have questions?
Please connect with your course instructor and/or supervisory committee, or graduate program chair.