Receiving a failing grade on an exam in an important college course is best described as a(n)

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The current grading system provides the following alternatives:

† See Incomplete Grades section for explanation.

* In spring 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students were permitted to request an S/U in lieu of a letter grade by completing the Request for Undergraduate S/U Form by the end of the final exam period of the semester. In spring 2020 only, S/U grades were able to be elected for any course, including those that count toward UB Curriculum general education requirements and major requirements (with some limited exceptions). These grades are noted by S* and U* in place of S and U, respectively. Pass (TP) and Satisfactory (TS) grades earned in transfer coursework completed in spring 2020 at domestic higher education institutions may similarly be applied towards UB Curriculum and major requirements.

Students in certain majors who selected S/U grading for a course may not be able to count that course towards the major or major-prerequisites. The following majors are affected:

• Nursing (Major Prerequisites and Requirements)
• Occupational Therapy (Major Prerequisites and Requirements)
• Accounting (Major Requirements only. MGA 201 and MGA 202 may be taken S/U.)

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Grading

Students may opt to have a course graded as S/U in lieu of the traditional letter grades by completing the Request for Undergraduate S/U Form by the end of the resign period for the semester.

Students cannot select S/U grading for any course that is required for their major(s), is a prerequisite for their major(s) or is used to fulfill general education requirements (UB Curriculum or Pathways.)

No more than 25 percent of a student’s UB credit can be graded S/U.

When a course is repeated, S/U grading is not an option.

Instructors are not aware if students have selected the S/U option when they submit the earned letter grade. The Office of the Registrar will convert the letter grade to S/U for those students who have opted for S/U grading at the end of the semester. Students may recover the letter grade earned in a course graded S/U. Once recovered, the letter grade is considered permanent and cannot be reverted back to an S/U.

The letter grades equivalent to “U” (unsatisfactory) are “C-,” “D+,” “D,” “F1", "F2", or "F3". Students who have opted for S/U grading and earn a “C-,” “D+” or “D” may recover the letter grade if they wish to use the course toward degree requirements.

For S/U Grading Procedures, see the Office of the Registrar website.

Pass/Fail Grading

Pass/Fail is an instructor-designated option for courses that do not lend themselves to traditional letter grades. The grade of “F1”, "F2", or "F3", (failure) will be included in the GPA.

Grading patterns for courses (i.e. whether a course is letter graded or pass/fail graded) can differ between sections of the same course for Special Topics courses and courses structured for individual student enrollment (such as tutorials, internships, and undergraduate research). Course descriptions for such courses shall indicate that grading patterns may vary from section to section. For all courses and sections, the grading pattern for each course section shall be specified in the syllabus provided to students.

Incomplete Grades

A grade of incomplete (“I”) indicates that additional course work is required to fulfill the requirements of a given course. Students may only be given an “I” grade if they have a passing average in coursework that has been completed and have well-defined parameters to complete the course requirements that could result in a grade better than the default grade. An “I” grade may not be assigned to a student who did not attend the course.

Prior to the end of the semester, students must initiate the request for an “I” grade and receive the instructor’s approval. Assignment of an “I” grade is at the discretion of the instructor.

The instructor must specify a default letter grade at the time the “I” grade is submitted. A default grade is the letter grade the student will receive if no additional coursework is completed and/or a grade change request is not submitted by the instructor. “I” grades must be completed within 12 months*. However, students should consult with the financial aid office as it may be necessary to resolve an "I" grade prior to the 12 month mark in order to meet financial aid deadlines. Individual instructors may set shorter time limits for removing an incomplete than the 12-month time limit. Upon assigning an “I” grade, the instructor shall provide the student specification, in writing or by electronic mail, of the requirements to be fulfilled, and shall file a copy with the appropriate departmental office.

Students must not re-register for courses for which they have received an “I” grade

Applicable dates regarding the 12-month provision:

The “I” must be changed to a grade before the degree conferral date if the student plans to graduate in that semester. At any time prior to the default date, students may elect to change the “I” grade to the default grade using the Grade Retrieval Form.

A default grade can be “B+,” “B,” “B-,” “C+,” “C,” “C-,” “D+,” “D,” “F1,” "F2", or "F3" (If a student selected an S/U grading option, the grade will be converted to IS or IU based on the corresponding default grade.)

Blank Grades

A blank grade indicates a reporting error. Generally, reporting errors are corrected prior to the start of the next semester, however, a blank grade may occasionally remain on the student’s record. The student should immediately contact the instructor and/or department to correct the error; without correction, blank grades automatically default to “F” grades at the end of the following semester.

“N” Audit

Students may audit a class only by permission of the instructor by utilizing the Audit Form for Undergraduates (PDF). At the time of approval, instructors must communicate any conditions or requirements. Completed forms must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar by the end of the 7th day of classes. The Office of the Registrar will automatically record the audit grade on the transcript.

Instructors may terminate a student’s audit status by forwarding a letter to the Office of the Registrar and communicating to the student the grounds for termination. If a student’s audit status is terminated by the instructor, the “N” will be changed to “R” and the student will be notified of the change. Students may not repeat for credit courses in which they have received an “N” grade.

Mid-Semester Review

Please visit the Office of the Registrar's website for information on Mid-Semester Review.