Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Grading Method

As part of UMBC’s ongoing commitment to the academic success of our students, beginning in Fall 2023, UMBC will implement a new grading option in undergraduate courses, Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading. The S/U grading option will replace the Pass/Fail (P/F) grading option currently available in selected undergraduate graded courses. Undergraduate courses graded P/F only are not part of the new S/U grading option.

The S/U grading option will be available for all graded undergraduate courses that currently carry a P/F grading option designation.  Students will now have until the individual course withdrawal deadline each semester to choose to utilize the S/U grading option. A maximum of 12 credits of S/U grades will count toward a student’s degree.

What does not change with the new S/U grading option is that courses taken S/U may only be used toward the student’s elective credits, and not to fulfill general education, major, minor, pre-requisite or certificate requirements, and do not count toward Latin Honors eligibility requirements.

The new the S/U grading option will provide equity in grade calculation as neither the S nor U grade will be computed in the student’s GPA, and it will allow students who opt into S/U grading to remain in the course past the withdrawal deadline and receive academic content until the end of the semester.

Below are some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about S/U grading which will assist students and their academic advisors with decisions regarding the S/U option.

Students are encouraged to consult with their academic advisor to make sure they are making an informed decision and are fully aware of the implications of taking a course(s) with the S/U grading option before submitting a request.

Click here to submit a request to change to S/U grading

 

S/U Grading Option for Undergraduate Courses- (FAQ)

A course’s grading method(s) are determined when academic departments submit a course to the Undergraduate Council (UGC) for review and approval. Effective Fall 2023, there will be four grading method options that can be assigned to a course, the newest is the S/U grading option.

Departments may assign one or any combination of the grading options below, upon approval by the UGC, at the course level (not section level). Additional details regarding each grading option are available in the Undergraduate Catalog:

        Regular grading option (A, B, C, D, F)

The regular grading letter symbols will be posted to the permanent record and calculated in the GPA.

“A,” indicates superior achievement; “B,” good performance; “C,” adequate performance; “D,” minimal acceptable achievement; “F,” failure.

        Pass/Fail (P/F) grading option

A passing grade “P” under the P/F grading option indicates achievement in the range of “A,” “B,” “C,” or “D.”

A grade of “P” is not calculated in the GPA; however, credit will be awarded for the course.

A grade of “F” under the P/F grading option is equivalent to “failure” and is calculated into the student’s GPA in the same manner as an “F” grade and zero credit will be awarded for the course.

        Audit grading option

The audit grading option is not calculated in the GPA and zero credit is awarded for the course.

        Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading option

A satisfactory grade “S” under the S/U grading option indicates achievement in the range of “A,” “B,” “C,” or “D.”

A grade of “S” is not calculated in the GPA  however, credit will be awarded for the course.

An unsatisfactory grade “U” under the S/U grading option is equivalent to “failure” and is not calculated in the GPA and zero credit will be awarded for the course.

The deadline to opt into the S/U grading option will align with the deadline for individual course withdrawals as noted in the Academic Calendar.  Students are encouraged to maximize this lengthy time period to assess their academic progress in a course(s) before making a decision.

Before taking this option, students are also encouraged to consult with their academic advisor to make sure they are making an informed decision as other policy options may exist and be more appropriate (i.e., course/semester withdrawal, incomplete grade, etc.) and fully informed of the implications of taking a course(s) with the S/U grading option.

While students may opt for the S/U grading option at the time of registration and may make changes to the grading method (i.e., revert back to the graded option) through the end of the  Schedule Adjustment Period ending September 13, 2023. Students are strongly encouraged not to make any final decisions without first consulting with an academic advisor.   Students may also opt for the  S/U grading option after the Schedule Adjustment Period and through the individual course withdrawal deadline ending November 8, 2023 via this link however, it must be noted that the decision will be final as no changes to grading methods are permitted after the Schedule Adjustment Period.

Students are encouraged to use the lengthy decision period to assess their academic progress in a course(s) and consult with their academic advisor before making a final decision.

No, all other grading method options (Regular, P/F, Audit) must be determined early in the semester, by the end of the schedule adjustment period, as noted in the Academic Calendar.

The deadline for the S/U grading option is much longer to allow students to fully assess their academic progress in a course(s) and aligns with the deadline for individual course withdrawals as noted in the Academic Calendar.

Yes, all currently enrolled and newly enrolled students may benefit from the new S/U grading option.  Before taking this option, students are encouraged to consult with their academic advisor to make sure they are making an informed decision and are fully aware of the implications of taking a course(s) with the S/U grading option.

Yes, courses taken with the S/U grading option will be used to determine full-time enrollment status (12 or more total credits) for enrollment verification purposes and for billing purposes.

Yes, students may opt for the S/U grading option for a maximum of  12 credits during their academic career. Courses may only be designated to or from the S/U grading option within the published time frame noted in the Academic Calendar.

Students will be billed for the course credits, whether awarded or not.

Financial aid is only able to pay for courses toward degree completion.  “S” grades do not satisfy major, minor, pre-requisite or general education requirements; however, “S” grades may be counted toward the 120 credit requirement toward completion of a degree.  As such, using financial aid to pay for tuition associated with courses taken with the S/U grading option to fulfill elective requirements toward the 120 credit requirement is permissible.

Unsatisfactory (U) grades will not count towards completed hours for the credit completion requirement.  U grades will count against the student when calculating Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

When repeating a course with an S grade, students may only receive federal financial aid for one repetition of a previously passed course.

Students are strongly encouraged to confer with their financial aid counselor if they are considering taking the S/U grading option to ensure continued eligibility for financial aid.

No, courses taken with the S/U grading option will not count toward General Education Requirements.  General Education Requirements must be taken with the regular graded option and a grade of “C” or better must be earned.

No, courses taken with the S/U grading option will not count toward major, minor, pre-requisite or certificate requirements.

Yes, up to 12 credits taken with the S/U grading option can be counted toward the 120 credit graduation requirement however, only usable in the general elective area and not as part of the general education requirements, major, minor, pre-requisite or certificate requirements.

A Satisfactory “S” grade under the S/U option indicates achievement in the range of “A,” “B,” “C,” or “D.” An Unsatisfactory “U” grade under the S/U option is equivalent to failure in the course and has no earned credits. Neither the “S” nor the “U” grades are calculated in the GPA.

No, courses with the S/U grading option do not count toward honors eligibility requirements that are determined at the time of graduation.

Yes, courses taken with the S/U grading option will count as an attempt toward the Course Repeat Policy.

When a student repeats a course, only the highest grade earned is included in the calculation of the GPA.  For example, if a student has an “F” grade on file, then repeats the same course and earns an “S”  grade, the “S”  is considered the higher grade and therefore the “F” grade is not calculated in the GPA and the attempt in which a “S” grade is earned will count in the total earned credits, In this instance, the “F” grade would remain on the transcript with a note that says, “repeat exclude.” If a student has a “C” or “D” grade on file, then repeats the same course and earns a “S” grade, the credits for the original attempt are excluded from the total earned credits and the “C” or “D” is excluded from the GPA. The attempt in which a “S” grade is earned will count in the total earned credits. If a student has an “A” or a “B” on file, then repeats the same course and earns a “S” grade, the attempt in which a “S” grade is earned is excluded from the total earned credits and the “A” or “B” remains in the GPA and total earned credits.

 
In instances where a student has an “F” grade on file, then repeats the same course and earns a “U” grade, there is no replacement of the “F” and the “F” grade is calculated into the student’s GPA in the same manner as all “F” grades.

If a student enrolls in and/or changes to the S/U grading method after the Schedule Adjustment Period, permission will not be granted to switch back to the regular grading option or any other grading option, even if a higher grade is earned in the course.

Students are encouraged to consult with their academic advisor for support in selecting the most appropriate grading method option, as decisions are considered final once the respective deadlines have passed.

You may send an email to academicpolicyquestions@umbc.edu if you have any additional questions about the S/U grading option.