President Andrew T. Hsu and Interim Provost Frances C. Welch have approved an Alternative Grading Policy for Spring 2020 for the College of Charleston.

There will be virtual town hall meetings next week to discuss this policy and answer questions.

Details on the policy include:

Grading Policy for Spring 2020  

Full Term or Express II Undergraduate and Graduate Courses 

  • A notation will appear on undergraduate and graduate official transcripts indicating a significant disruption during the Spring 2020 semester.   
  • The deadline for students to withdraw from one or more full term or Express II courses will be extended.  Students may withdraw from April 7, 2020, through April 22, 2020.   
  • Faculty will use standard letter grades to submit students’ final course grades by May 1, 2020, by 5 p.m. This change in deadline is necessary to implement the new pass-fail grade type. Submission of all grades by this deadline is critically important.
     
  • A new pass-fall grade-type has been created for this semester. Students will be able to choose between the standard grade type (A-F) or the new pass-fail grade type (PS/NS) for each course completed in Express II or full-semester Spring 2020.  
  • Undergraduate (PS/NS): If the pass-fail grade type is selected, a PS will replace standard grades A through D-. A NS will replace standard grades F and WA.*  
  • Graduate (PS/NS):  If the pass-fail grade type is selected, a PS will replace standard grades A-C. A NS will replace the standard grade F.  

Students will receive additional instructions about how to select the grade type for each course completed in Spring 2020. There will be a 48-hour period after final grades are visible to students in which students will make their selection for each course.   

  • In making the decision to retain standard grades or choose the new pass-fail grade type, students should talk with their faculty, advisors, and family. There are several factors to consider:  
  • Students may choose the PS/NS option for one, some or all of their courses. 
  • A PS grade will  earn credit hours but will not count in GPA calculations. 
  • A NS grade will earn zero credit hours and will not count in GPA calculations.
     
  • Courses graded PS will fulfill major, minor, certificate, general education and degree requirements.  
  • The pass-fail grade type is only available for completed courses. An Incomplete (I) is not eligible for the PS/NS grade.  
  • The pass-fail grade type is not available for audit, repeat, and courses designated P/NP (pass/no pass). EDLS 100 is not eligible for the pass-fail grade type. 
  • Criteria for Dean’s List, President’s List and Latin Honors remain unchanged; that is, only course credit earned at the College and graded with standard letter grades may be used to qualify.

*For South Carolina state scholarships (Palmetto Fellows, LIFE or SC HOPE), credit hours for the ”PS” grade do count towards scholarship eligibility, but not the GPA criterion since the GPA is not impacted by the “PS” grade.