“Pass/No Pass” grades exist to permit students to attempt a class in which they are interested but feel the risk of failure may be high. Students may elect to take one class per term on a pass/no pass basis unless the catalog expressly limits the grading for a particular course to a letter grade only (A, B, C, D, F). It is important to keep in mind that some CSU and UC campuses may have limitations on the number of pass/no pass courses that may be used to meet degree requirements. The UC system allows a maximum of 14 semester units taken pass/no pass to satisfy the minimum admission requirement of 60 transferable semester units. Pass/No Pass grading is subject to the following regulations:
- The course must be outside the student’s major.
- Students must submit a Pass/No Pass petition by the end of the first 30% of the class term. Check on mySierra or with a campus Admissions and Records office for deadlines.
- A grade of “A,” “B,” or “C” will become a “P” (Pass); a grade of “D” or “F” will become an “NP” (No Pass).
- Units earned with a P grade are not used to calculate grade point averages.
- Units attempted for which NP is recorded are used in determining probation and dismissal.
- A non-repeatable class in which a P was received may not be repeated. A class in which an NP was received may be repeated on a Pass/No Pass basis only.
- Once the class has begun, the filed petition for Pass/No Pass cannot be withdrawn nor the decision be reversed; however, changes in major may result in P/NP grades being changed to letter grades after review by the Academic Standards Committee.
Reference: Sierra College Administrative Procedure 4232.