Grades
The work of all students on the UC Berkeley campus is reported in terms of the following grades: A (excellent); B (good); C (fair); D (barely passed); F (failure); P (passed at a minimum level of C- for undergraduate students); NP (not passed); S (satisfactory, passed at a minimum level of B- for graduate students); U (unsatisfactory); I (work incomplete due to circumstances beyond the student’s control, but of passing quality); and IP (work in progress, final grade to be assigned upon completion of entire course sequence). The grades A, B, C, and D may be modified by plus (+) or minus (-) suffixes.
A course in which the grade A, B, C, D, or P (undergraduate students only) is counted toward degree requirements, as outlined in the regulations of a student's college or major. A course receiving the grade S (graduate students only) is similarly counted subject to Academic Senate regulations. A course in which the grade F, NP, or U is received is not counted toward degree requirements. A course in which the grade of I or IP is received is not counted toward degree requirements until the I or IP is replaced by grade A, B, C, D, P, or S.
Grade Points
Grade points per unit are assigned as follows: A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, and F=none. When attached to the grades A, B, C, or D, plus (+) grades carry three-tenths of a grade point more per unit, and minus (-) grades three-tenths of a grade point less per unit than unsuffixed grades, except for A+, which carries 4.0 grade points per unit as does the A.
Grade Point Average (GPA)
Your GPA is computed on courses undertaken in the University of California. Effective fall 2005, XB courses undertaken in UC Berkeley Extension after matriculation count toward your GPA. Grades A, B, C, D, and F are used in determining your GPA; grades IP, P, S, NP, and U carry no grade points and are excluded from all grade-point computations. Grade I, if assigned before fall 1973, is included and is computed as an F; an I grade assigned fall 1973 and later is excluded from computations. For additional information, see the Repetition of Courses section.
Special Provisions: Graduate Students
Only courses graded A, B, C (with or without plus or minus signs), or S are accepted in satisfaction of degree requirements. Courses graded below C- do not yield unit credit toward a higher degree, regardless of your overall GPA. Graduate students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all upper division and graduate coursework undertaken in graduate standing in the University of California or its exchange programs.
Note: Departments, schools, and groups may have a higher performance standard than the minimum B average (3.0 GPA) required by the Graduate Division. You must also work full time at your academic or professional program unless a program with fewer units is approved under special circumstances by your graduate adviser. In addition, you must successfully complete all coursework required by your department, school, or group program, be advanced to candidacy, pass the required examinations, and fulfill other requirements specified for the program.
For a course extending over more than one semester in which evaluation of your performance is deferred until the end of the final semester, provisional grades of In Progress (IP) may be assigned in the intervening semesters. The provisional grades are replaced by the final grade if you complete the full sequence. If you do not complete the full sequence, then you will be given an I grade if the instructor has no other basis for assigning a grade. Further changes will be made according to Academic Senate regulations.
With the consent of the department involved, graduate students may enroll in courses in the 600-series. These courses are evaluated by means of the grades satisfactory and unsatisfactory (S and U). They prepare you for appropriate master’s or doctoral examinations and do not count toward academic residence or the unit requirements for a higher degree. You may earn 1-8 units of 601 or 602 per semester or 1-4 units per summer session toward examination preparation. Units earned in these courses may not be used to meet academic residence or unit requirements for the Master or Doctor's degree. No credit is allowed for work graded unsatisfactory.
Passed/Not Passed and Satisfactory/ Unsatisfactory Grades
If you are an undergraduate in good academic standing (2.0 GPA or better, or in good academic standing under the academic probation regulations of your college or school), you may elect to take letter-graded courses on a passed/not passed basis, and if you are a graduate student in good academic standing, you may elect to take letter-graded courses on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis with the consent of your department, school, or group. Credit for courses taken on these bases is limited to one-third of the total units that you have taken and passed on the Berkeley campus at the time your degree is awarded. Included in this one-third are any units completed in an Education Abroad program, or on another University of California campus in an intercampus exchange program, or in a joint doctoral program. For graduate degree programs, grades of satisfactory assigned in courses numbered 299 and of the 300, 400, or 600 series are excluded from this computation. If you enroll in a course offered only on a passed/not passed or satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis, you will be graded P/NP if an undergraduate and S/U if a graduate.
A course that is required in or prerequisite to your major may be taken on a P/NP or S/U basis only upon approval of the faculty of your school or college.
If you are a special or limited-status student, you may take courses on a P/NP basis at the discretion of the dean of your college or school. You may not repeat a course on a P/NP basis that you have previously taken on a letter-graded basis.
The option of being graded P/NP or S/U in a course may be cancelled if you are found to be ineligible for the option.
If you want honors at graduation, you should consult your college, school, or division for additional restrictions.
Your level of performance must correspond to a minimum letter grade of C- if you are to receive a passed grade, and to a B- if you are to receive a satisfactory grade.
These rules may be further limited by the faculties of the various schools and colleges and by the Graduate Council.
Grade I (Incomplete)
The grade I may be assigned if your work in a course has been of passing quality, but is incomplete for reasons beyond your control. Prior arrangements must be made with the instructor because in assigning the I grade the instructor is required to specify the reasons to the department chair.
For graduate students, the I grade will remain on the record until the required work is completed. Graduate students should finish the course requirements as soon as possible. The instructor will file a change of grade for Incompletes through CalCentral and Campus Solutions. The method of replacement of the I grade by a final grade will be determined by the Dean of the Graduate Division and the Graduate Council.
Although I grades are not counted in computing the GPA, it is important to remove them quickly. You should seek the advice of the Graduate Division if you have further questions concerning I grades.
For undergraduate students, the I grade has completion and replacement deadlines. Students must complete the required course work at least 30 days prior to the deadline for replacing the I grade.
Fall Semester: An I grade received in the fall semester must be completed 30 days prior to the first day of instruction of the following fall semester or by the instructor-provided deadline, whichever is earlier. The I grade will be replaced by the first day of the following fall semester.
Spring Semester and Summer Sessions - An I grade received in the spring semester or summer session must be completed 30 days prior to the first day of instruction of the following spring semester or by the instructor-provided deadline, whichever is earlier. The I grade will be replaced by the first day of the following spring semester.
When you complete the required work or deferred examination, grade points will be assigned if you receive a grade of A, B, C, or D. If you repeat the course, grade points will then be assigned to the earned grade only if the dean has given prior written approval to repeat it. If you repeat the course without the approval of the dean, the I grade will be converted to an F and the repeated course will be treated the same as any other course in which you receive an F. The dean of your college or school may extend the deadline for undergraduate completion of an I grade. For undergraduates, except as noted below, any I grade which has not been replaced within the above deadlines will, at the end of that time, be converted to grade F (or NP if taken passed/not passed). After that time, but not retroactively, the grade is counted in computing your GPA.
Exceptions: Within the above deadlines for completing an I grade, undergraduate students may notify the dean that they have not attempted completion and will not complete the work required for removal of the I grade, and may request that the grade not be replaced by an F (or NP). This procedure is limited to a maximum of two courses. Once the decision has been made, it is irrevocable; the course cannot afterward be completed by any means, including repetition of that course or any equivalent course.
If a degree is conferred before the end of the above deadlines following the assignment of an I grade, the grade will not be converted to an F (or NP). However, you still have the option of removing the I grade within the above deadlines.
If you are an undergraduate student with 12 or more units of I on your record, you may not register without the permission of the dean.
You should make arrangements to complete the course 30 days before the deadline. The instructor will file a change of grade for Incompletes through CalCentral and Campus Solutions.
Grade IP (In Progress)
If you take a course extending over more than one term and evaluation of your performance is deferred until the end of the final term, provisional grades of IP (In Progress) are assigned in the intervening term(s). The provisional grades are replaced by one final grade if you complete the full sequence. The IP grade is not included in the GPA. Effective with an IP assigned fall 1973 or later, if the full sequence is not completed as scheduled, the IP will be replaced by a grade of Incomplete. Further changes in your record will be subject to the rules pertaining to I grades above.
Changes of Grade
All grades except I and IP above are considered final when assigned by an instructor at the end of a term. An instructor may request a change of grade when a computational, clerical, or procedural error occurred in the original assignment of a grade, but a grade may not be changed as a result of reevaluation of your work. No final grade may be revised as a result of reexamination or the submission of additional work after the close of the term.
Grade Appeal Process
If you have a grievance about a grade, you should first try to speak with your instructor and/or the student ombuds. If that does not resolve your grievance, you may initiate a formal appeal through the academic department where you received the grade. The following are grounds for appeal: the application of non-academic criteria, such as the consideration of race, politics, religion, sex, or other criteria not directly reflective of performance related to course requirements; sexual harassment; or improper academic procedures that unfairly affect your grade. Formal procedures may not be activated unless you (the student) and the instructor in charge have failed to resolve the dispute informally. You (the student) may opt to include an ombuds (or any mutually accepted third party) and/or the department chair in resolving the dispute informally. The formal process must be initiated within one calendar year from the last day of the semester in which the final grade for the course was posted. The formal process, once initiated, is to be completed at the unit level (academic department) within 20-working days and at the Senate level within 40-working days if both parties are in residence and the University is in regular session (excluding summer session).
Formal Appeal of Grades in Courses
Each department or other instructional unit shall establish a standing grievance committee chair who is not the chair of the department. For each case, the grievance committee chair will appoint an ad hoc grievance committee composed of three faculty members—only two of whom can be from the same unit—and two students in good standing appointed by the student association of the unit. If no student association exists, the students are to be appointed by the ASUC or the Graduate Assembly. (The student members must have passed courses or an examination in the unit at least at the level of the disputed course or examination and have been in residence for at least one year.) The instructor of record for the course in dispute cannot be a member of this committee. The ad hoc grievance committee will review all the required materials (from the student and instructor) and make a recommendation regarding a resolution to the grievance. The ad hoc grievance committee’s recommendation to the Committee on Courses of Instruction (COCI), including any minority views, must be given in writing.
If COCI finds in the student’s favor, it may change a failing grade to a P or S, drop a course retroactively, retain the course but eliminate the grade from the GPA, or adopt the letter grade, if any, that was recommended by four of the five members of the grievance committee of the unit(s).
For a complete copy of current grade grievance procedures, please see the COCI page on the Academic Senate's website. Here is a complete copy of Berkeley Division Regulation A207, which governs grade appeals.
Grade Reports and Transcripts
Grades are available at CalCentral and will post the next day after approval by the instructor. Registered students may order a transcript online through CalCentral. Alumni and students who are not registered may order transcripts online by following instructions on the Office of the Registrar’s website.
Honors
Honors to Date
To be eligible for honors to date, you must have completed a minimum of 12 units undertaken for letter grades at Berkeley and must have achieved the minimum grade point average (GPA) required by your school or college. Honors to date is noted on the transcript.
Honors at Graduation
To be eligible for honors in general scholarship at graduation, you must have completed a minimum of 50 semester units at the University of California, of which a minimum of 43 units must be undertaken for a letter grade; completed a minimum of 30 units at Berkeley; and achieved a GPA that ranks you in your school or college in the top 3 percent for highest honors, the next 7 percent for high honors, and the next 10 percent for honors.
These criteria are minimal; consult your college or school for more detailed information:
Haas School of Business
College of Computing, Data Science, and Society
College of Environmental Design
College of Letters and Science