Changing Your Grade
A grade change must be initiated by the instructor who taught the course and authorized by the department chair and course dean of the department in which the course was offered. Once the grade change form is received in the University Registrar's Office and processed, the student may view it using .
Taking a Class as Pass/Fail
Students may take one course per term on a pass/fail basis. The maximum total credit with a grade of Pass that may count toward a degree is 12 hours. SMU Abroad students should also see the Grade Options for Courses Taken on SMU Abroad Programs section in this catalog.
A student must indicate intention to take a course pass/fail no later than the published deadline in the academic calendar (the last day to declare pass/fail is also the drop/withdrawal deadline for the respective term) by completing the Undergraduate Pass/Fail Option Declaration Form. Students may not change their pass/fail declaration back to a letter grade. If a department grades a course pass/fail for all students by departmental policy, a declaration by the student is not required. A failed course cannot be repeated on a pass/fail basis, except for those courses designated as pass/fail-only courses.
Students should consult with their advisers before declaring the pass/fail option for any course, as some courses may not be taken pass/fail. In general, elective courses may be taken on a pass/fail basis. With the exception of courses only offered on a pass/fail basis, courses required to fulfill the University Curriculum may not be taken pass/fail. Courses in the academic majors and minors also are excluded; however, in some programs, courses may be taken pass/fail after the minimum program requirements have been met. SMU schools may have different pass/fail policies for major and minor courses; students should see the academic requirements in each school’s section of this catalog for information on pass/fail grading. There may also be other courses required to meet certain professional accreditation standards or entrance requirements, such as teacher preparation and preprofessional studies, that may not be taken pass/fail by a particular student. The departments or advisers concerned with these requirements will make these exclusions known to the students.
Under the pass/fail option, pass (P) grades are A, B and C (including C-); failing (F) grades are D+, D, D and F. A student who declares pass/fail is not entitled to know the regular letter grade, and a pass/fail grade cannot be changed to a regular letter grade (or vice versa) after the pass/fail grade has been assigned. The grade of P is not calculated in the GPA, although the credit hours are included in the total number of hours earned. The grade of F is calculated in the GPA.
Effective fall 2010, courses taken on SMU Abroad fall and spring term programs may not be taken on a no-credit or pass/fail basis. The only exception to this policy is for courses designated by SMU’s academic departments with no credit or pass/fail as their only grading basis option.
For courses taken on SMU Abroad summer programs and during J Term, students may not petition for a grade of NC (No Credit), but may petition for courses to be graded on a pass/fail basis. Students must petition approval for the pass/fail option from the program director and the faculty member teaching the course. The deadline to complete the Undergraduate Pass/Fail Option Declaration Form to petition for a course taken on an SMU Abroad summer program is the fourth day of classes and no later than the second day of classes for J Term. Forms are available in the academic dean’s office.
Viewing Your Grades
Students may view and print their end-of-semester grades using . Grade Reports are not mailed. For assistance using , go to the Student Tutorial and click on "View and Print My Grades." Students who cannot remember their password can reset their password via the online Password Reset Tool or contact the OIT Help Desk directly for assistance.
Grades typically are posted each night beginning with the first day of scheduled exams.
Please note: Grades or course listings from semesters prior to Fall 2000 are not available using the Course/Grade menu item. To see grades from previous semesters, use the unofficial transcript menu item.