Pass/Not Pass grading option reminders

Last Friday, Provost Ah Yun announced that the university will offer a Pass/Not Pass course grading option for spring 2020.

The full policy is reflected online in the bulletin. Additional FAQs are also on Marquette’s coronavirus website.

Below is a reminder of how it will work:

1. The university will still use the current grading system of letter grades (A-F) as articulated in the undergraduate bulletin as the default grading system. That means any student who wishes to can continue to use the normal grading system.
   1. Faculty will grade courses exactly as they have been doing.
2. Students will have the OPTION to replace the letter grade they receive for each course completed during the spring 2020 semester with three options: Pass, Low Pass, Not Pass (P/LP/NP). Definitions follow:
   1. Pass (P): credit; a permanent grade indicating equivalent work of C or better in the course.
   2. Low Pass (LP): credit; a permanent grade indicating equivalent work of C-, D+ or D in the course.
   3. Not Pass (NP): no credit; a permanent grade indicating equivalent work of less than D in the course.
3. For students who receive a grade of Pass, the normal academic program requirements to receive a course grade will be waived. For students who receive a grade of Low Pass, individual academic programs will determine whether academic requirements are waived.
4. Students can elect to switch to pass/fail after letter grades are posted on May 12.
5. Students are permitted to use this option until May 26. Any student who does not indicate they want to exercise the Pass/Not Pass option by that deadline will receive a normal letter grade.

All programs in the School of Dentistry, Graduate School, Graduate School of Management and Law School, as well as the Health Sciences professional programs, are exempt from this option.

Students are urged to work with their academic advisers before making any decision regarding replacing letter grades. This is particularly important for students required to meet criteria for certification and licensure, as well as for students interested in certain graduate/professional programs.

Additionally, for the spring 2020 term, the deadline for students to withdraw from courses with a grade of “W” has been extended until the last day of classes, May 1.

Students will also be receiving further communication about this new process from their instructors and academic adviser. With questions, students should contact their academic adviser.