Attendance

Successful education at the college level depends, to a large extent, on regular attendance at classes and laboratories. The College of Arts & Sciences has no fixed rules for "cuts" or "excused absences" but leaves the number of absences of any kind a student may have and still expect to pass a course to the judgment of each department or instructor. Each instructor should give reasonable consideration to unavoidable absences and to the feasibility of making up missed work. The student is expected to explain the reasons for such absences to instructors and to discuss the possibility of completing missed assignments with instructors.

Washington University has a policy for absences related to religious holidays (PDF).

Credits and Grades

The grading system used by the College of Arts & Sciences assumes that evaluation is useful to effective learning and that grades provide an indicator of accomplishment to the student, advisors and the College Office, graduate and professional schools, and employers to whom the student chooses to submit their grades. Grades are symbols of achievement in a particular endeavor and should not be confused with achievement itself or with personal worth.

Grades are important, particularly for students with pre-professional interests, but the student whose concern for grades is primary may lose sight of the total educational process.

Grade/Points per Unit

Grade	Points per Unit
A+	4.0
A	4.0
A-	3.7
B+	3.3
B	3.0
B-	2.7
C+	2.3
C	2.0
C-	1.7
D+	1.3
D	1.0
D-	0.7
F	0.0
P	Pass (credit awarded, work not given finer evaluation)
NP	No Pass (credit not awarded due to unsatisfactory work)
I	Coursework incomplete
W	Withdrawal
R	Repeat
L	Successful audit
Z	Unsuccessful audit
T	Transfer (coursework transferred in)
EC	Exam credit

In the rare event that an instructor is unable to submit a grade by the grade deadline, an N, signifying that the grade has not yet been submitted, may temporarily appear as a transcript notation on the student's record. Grades that are not posted within 120 days of the last day of the semester for which the N notation was posted will result in these temporary notations being automatically changed to a grade of F (or, in the case of a course taken as Pass/No Pass, to a grade of NP).

Grades cannot be changed after the sealing of a student's transcript, which follows conferral of the student's degree.

Grades earned in physical education courses are not included when calculating the student's grade point average.

Online Courses

Online courses are not applicable to Arts & Sciences degree programs. Therefore, students may not enroll in online courses offered by other schools at Washington University (with the exception of CSE 1301 Introduction to Computer Science offered online during Summer Session through the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University, approved online courses offered during Summer Session through the College of Arts & Sciences, and courses offered online through approved 3-2 programs) nor attempt to transfer courses, taken at other institutions, that were delivered online.

Auditing a Course

In any semester, a full-time student may register for one course as an auditor, which entitles the student to all of the privileges of a regularly enrolled member of the class; however, courses taken for audit do not earn credits and thus do not count toward the degree. Consult the instructor regarding the requirements of a successful audit as unsatisfactory performance results in a grade of Z. A successful audit results in a grade of L.

Grade Appeals

If a student receives a grade they believe to be unjustified, whether for a single assignment or for the course grade as a whole, they have the right to discuss any grade(s) with their instructor and to appeal the grade(s). (Students considering appealing their grades are encouraged to consult first with their four-year advisor; they may also contact the Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Faculty-Student Mediator. Neither the four-year advisor nor the mediator may make any decisions with regard to the appeal, but they can inform students about possible options for approaching the appeal.)

Grounds for Appeal

Sufficient grounds for appeal include clerical or mathematical errors in calculating the grade; inequitable use of the syllabus’s grading rubric or policies; and grading impacted by issues beyond the course content.

Students should be aware that an appeal may include a complete review of the student’s work in the course as a whole, which may result in a grade being either raised or lowered.

Students may not appeal to raise their grade by completing additional assignments (i.e., “extra credit”) or by submitting late work except in the case of an official Incomplete.

If a student believes that the grade is the result of identity-based discrimination, they should make a report to the Office of Institutional Equity rather than file a grade appeal through this process. Additionally, grades that are a result of sanctions for a violation of Academic Integrity (as determined by the Academic Integrity Board) are not eligible for appeal through this process.

Timing of Appeals

Grade appeals must be initiated within 30 days of the grade being posted and must be addressed by the instructor in a timely manner. Grade appeals in the semester prior to the student’s graduation must be raised immediately and addressed on an expedited timeline so that the appeal may be resolved prior to the conferral of a degree and the sealing of the student’s transcript. A grade appeal submitted after a student graduates will not be reviewed as grade changes cannot be made following degree conferral.

Appeals Process

• The student must first appeal the grade with the instructor. The appeal must be in writing, reference this grade appeal policy, and outline the reasons for the appeal. The instructor must reply to the student in writing within two weeks of the student’s request, providing detailed justification for retaining the assigned grade or confirming that the grade will be changed in light of the student’s appeal.
• If the student’s written concerns have not been met by the instructor’s justification, they may raise the grade appeal to the director of undergraduate studies (DUS) in the appropriate department or program (based on the department or program that owns the course and not on the student’s program of enrollment) within one week of the instructor’s response. The subsequent appeal must be submitted in writing, and it must reference this grade appeal policy, respond to the instructor’s detailed justification, and explain why the student believes there remains cause for appeal. Disagreement with the instructor’s professional judgement is insufficient grounds for further appeal, and appeals to the DUS that merely reiterate a student’s initial concerns will not be considered. The DUS will review the appeal and provide a written response to the student within three weeks.
• In the rare instance that the student believes further appeal to be necessary, the student may direct a final appeal to the Vice Dean of Undergraduate Affairs. If a student wants to pursue a grade appeal at this level, the appeal must be in writing and be submitted within one week of the written response from the DUS. The student’s statement should acknowledge both the instructor’s and the DUS’s responses and explain why the student believes there remains cause for appeal. Disagreement with the instructor’s or DUS’s professional judgement is insufficient grounds for further appeal. The Vice Dean of Undergraduate Affairs must respond in writing within four weeks of the student’s appeal. The decision of the Vice Dean is final.

Incomplete Grades

Students who are not making satisfactory progress in a course should withdraw from the course prior to the published withdrawal deadline. However, should a student experience medical or acute personal challenges after the withdrawal deadline that make the satisfactory completion of coursework difficult or unlikely, they may be eligible for a grade of Incomplete. In extreme circumstances, students may want to discuss a Medical Leave of Absence with their advisor.

To request a grade of Incomplete (I) from one or more instructors, students must take the following steps with each instructor:

1. The student should meet with the instructor before the final examination or due date for the final paper/project to request the Incomplete. 
2. If the instructor grants the Incomplete, the student and instructor should agree on the scope of the work remaining to complete the course and a date when it will be submitted. This date should be within 120 days of the last day of the semester in which the course is being taken. The instructor should confirm with the student, in writing, the details of the work with respective deadlines.

Whether or not to grant an Incomplete is at the instructor’s discretion. When determining whether to do so, the instructor should consider whether the student has consistently attended and engaged with the course (for example, whether the student has submitted all assignments except the final assignments/assessments) and made satisfactory progress in the course. Incompletes should not be granted unless the student has completed at least two thirds of the assignments/assessments for the course.

If sufficient work has not been completed, the grade of Incomplete will not be feasible. In such situations, the instructor will submit whatever final grade the student has earned. The student may repeat the course at a later time if they choose. (For information about repeating a course, see below.)

If an Incomplete is granted, the work should be completed in the time frame agreed upon with the instructor. However, this time frame should not extend more than 120 days from the last day of the semester in which the Incomplete is granted/the course for which the Incomplete is granted is taken.

Failure to submit completed work and for the earned grade to be posted within 120 days of the last day of the semester in which the Incomplete was granted will result in the grade of Incomplete being automatically changed to a grade of F (or, in the case of a course being taken as Pass/No Pass, to a grade of NP).

Furthermore, students cannot have a grade of Incomplete on their transcripts when their degrees are conferred. Thus, students who are expecting to graduate at the end of the semester in which the course being considered for an Incomplete was taken should not request or be granted a grade of Incomplete.

Any student who does have an Incomplete on their transcript at the time of certification and degree conferral will have the Incomplete changed to a grade of F (or, in the case of a course being taken as Pass/No Pass, to a grade of NP).

Grades cannot be changed after the conferral of a student's degree.

Note: If an Incomplete is granted, students cannot be added to the Canvas shell of a subsequent offering of the course in order to complete the previous enrollment. Instead, at the instructor’s request, the student can be given access to the original course shell, and the instructor can reopen assignments within that course shell. All work for an Incomplete should occur within the original course’s Canvas course shell or outside of Canvas entirely.

By action of the faculty of the College of Arts & Sciences and the ArtSci Council, the College limits the number of accrued grades of Incomplete (I). The policy is intended to protect the student from building an overwhelming burden of unfulfilled coursework. The regulation reads as follows: "Students who accrue three or more Incompletes will not be permitted to enroll for any subsequent semester until the number is reduced to two or fewer." Should students have too many Incompletes, they will be declared ineligible for subsequent semesters until they have complied with the regulation. Compliance is normally achieved by the posting of grades, but it also may be achieved by the instructor(s) confirming to the College Office that the student has turned in all requisite assignments for the relevant class(es).

Pass/No Pass Option

To encourage students to enroll in courses they might not otherwise take, the faculty has established the Pass/No Pass option under which a student may register for courses and receive a grade of Pass (P) or No Pass (NP). During any semester, a full-time student may enroll in one course under the Pass/No Pass option. A maximum of 24 credits earned under this option may be applied toward the BA degree. No change into or out of the Pass/No Pass option may be made after the end of Week 12.

No more than 12 of the 24 credits allowed for the Pass/No Pass option may be applied to area distribution requirements.

It is the student's responsibility to discuss what constitutes a successful Pass in a particular course with the faculty member. Although the Pass mark is generally a C-, instructors have the discretion to set the Pass mark higher in their individual courses.

The first-year writing course, the writing-intensive course, the applied numeracy course, and courses in the major and minor are excluded from the Pass/No Pass option. Pre-professional and prospective graduate students should also seriously consider the strong probability that professional schools may seek more definite grades than P in courses that are required or strongly recommended for admission to professional or graduate study.

A few courses, particularly designated by departments, may require enrollment on a Pass/No Pass basis. When courses are designated as Pass/No Pass, students are permitted to elect an additional course to be taken as Pass/No Pass but should carefully consider the consequences of that choice. In addition, credits earned in courses with required Pass/No Pass grade options are counted toward the maximum of 24 Pass/No Pass credits that may be applied toward the BA degree.

Reading Days and Final Examination Period

When registering for classes at Washington University, students commit to all course requirements, including the examination procedures chosen and announced by the course instructor. When selecting courses, students are advised to take note of all final exam information. Students anticipating conflicts in their final examination schedule should seek to resolve them with the relevant instructors before enrolling. Students should not register for courses that result in three or more final examinations on one day. If a student does so, the instructors are not obligated to offer an alternative exam.

Final exam days and times are subject to change. The most current final exam schedule information can be found on the Final Exam and Evening Exam Schedules page of the Office of the University Registrar website.

Minimum and Maximum Course Loads

The average course load necessary to fulfill the required 120 credits for the bachelor's degree in a timely fashion is 15 credits — typically five courses — each semester. Except for students approved for a reduced course load through Disability Resources, students must attempt a minimum of 12 credits to be considered full-time. Students may not enroll for more than 21 credits without permission and an additional per-credit tuition charge. Any enrollment between 12 and 18 credits is considered typical.

Courses that require more preparation and class time than average — for example, foreign languages, mathematics, and science — may carry 4 or 5 units of credit. When enrolled in these and other demanding courses, students should consider taking fewer than 15 credits of academic work in that particular semester and balancing such intensive semesters with a modestly increased number of credits in subsequent semesters.

Repeating a Course

Students whose performance in a course has not met their expectations are permitted to retake courses in which they have earned a B- or lower. (Grades of P for Pass, A+, A, A-, B+, B, and Incomplete are not eligible for retakes; audits — whether successful or unsuccessful — are also not eligible for retakes.) When a course is repeated, the attempt with the highest grade will be used to calculate credit and will factor into the student's GPA. The other attempt(s) will have the letter R (denoting the retake) placed next to the grade. All registrations will show on the transcript; however, only the grade and credits of the enrollment with the highest grade will be used to calculate the student's GPA. If a course is transferred into Washington University as an equivalent of a course previously completed at Washington University, it will also be included in course attempts. Courses articulated as general department credit (not as direct course equivalencies) will not be included in course attempts.

Regulations: Although courses initially taken as Pass/No Pass may be retaken for a letter grade, courses initially taken for a letter grade must be retaken for a letter grade.

Academic Progress

Students are expected to maintain the highest level of scholarship during their time at Washington University. The College of Arts & Sciences requires that students complete a minimum of 12 credits per semester (unless officially approved for Reduced Course Load) with a minimum 2.0 semester GPA. In addition, students are expected to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and/or align with expectations for scholarships and financial aid from Student Financial Services.

Each student's semester GPA is computed as the total grade points earned during the semester divided by the total letter-graded credits attempted. At the same time, the cumulative GPA is computed as the quotient of the cumulative total of grade points divided by the cumulative total of letter-graded credits attempted. The computations are made on the basis of the grade point scale indicated in the Credits and Grades section above. Courses taken on a Pass/No Pass basis are not included in these calculations. 

Following the grading deadline each semester, all student records are examined by the Committee on Academic Progress at the close of each semester, with an initial focus on the semester and cumulative grade point averages and earned credits. Students who do not meet the criteria above (i.e., at least 12 credits earned and/or a cumulative grade point average at or above 2.0) will be reviewed further by the Committee to determine the appropriate academic action, which may include Academic Concern, Academic Notice, or Academic Time Away. Students already on an academic action will also be reviewed, regardless of the semester's earned credits and GPA. After this review, the committee may remove, reduce, retain, or escalate the action based on the criteria detailed below. In all cases, the College will work with students to develop a plan for improvement and/or returning to satisfactory academic progress. 

For all students, active engagement in the academic and community environment aligns with student success. Therefore, failure to attend class, complete assignments on time, or follow recommended improvement strategies may lead to the termination of enrollment for that specific semester or consideration for future semester academic actions.

Academic Concern

Academic Concern is a proactive notification that additional support may be needed to maintain academic progress. This status is not noted on the official transcript or enrollment verifications. Academic Concern status may be applied when a student meets any of the following criteria:

• Student received an unsatisfactory or failing grade (e.g., D, F, or NP) in a course
• Student earned a semester GPA or has a cumulative GPA between 2.0 and 2.5 at the end of the semester
• Student earned lower than a C- in College Writing
• Student has one unresolved grade of Incomplete (I)
• Student completed fewer than 12 credits in the semester (without prior approval for reduced course load)

Students who are assigned to Academic Concern status are encouraged to utilize WashU resources and partner with their advisor(s) to address the issue(s) that led to that status.

Academic Notice

Students experiencing more significant academic difficulties may be placed on Academic Notice. Students on Academic Notice are not in good academic standing. This status is not noted on the official transcript but is included in enrollment verifications requesting academic standing. Students on Academic Notice are not permitted to participate in University Athletics and may be ineligible to hold certain student group or University leadership positions. 

This status may be applied when a student meets any of the following criteria in one or more semesters:

• Student received unsatisfactory or failing grades (e.g., D, F, or NP) in more than one course
• Student has two unresolved grades of Incomplete (I)
• Student earned a semester GPA or has a cumulative GPA below 2.0 at the end of the semester
• Student did not earn the minimum required grade in at least one major-related course
• Student completed fewer than 12 credits in the semester (unless officially approved for Reduced Course Load)
• While on Academic Action, student did not address the issue(s) that led to that status in the previous semester

Students placed on Academic Notice are expected to participate in an academic success program in the designated semester. These measures are designed to assist students to return to good academic standing. The student must complete an academic agreement that articulates an improvement plan. Students may remain on Academic Notice (i.e., Continued Notice) in consecutive semesters if the performance indicators above continue to fall below minimum criteria but do not intensify to warrant progression to Academic Time Away.

To be eligible to return to good academic standing, a student on Academic Notice must improve performance indicators and participate in support programs specified by the review committee. 

Academic Time Away

Students experiencing severe academic difficulties that jeopardize their potential for timely degree completion may be placed on Academic Time Away. Students on Academic Time Away are not in good academic standing. This status is noted on the official transcript. Students on this standing are mandated to take a minimum one-semester break from the university to invest time to address significant obstacles that have hindered their academic progress.

Students on Academic Time Away are not eligible for University privileges including but not limited to living in university housing, participating in registered student groups or university athletics, holding a student group leadership position, or attending/planning a student group-sponsored event.

Academic Time Away may be applied when the student meets one of the following criteria:

• Student received unsatisfactory or failing grades (e.g., D, F, or NP) and/or Incomplete grades (I) in the majority of their courses
• Student received unsatisfactory or failing grades (e.g., D, F, or NP) and/or Incomplete grades (I) while on Academic Action
• Student has three or more unresolved Incomplete grades (see the Incomplete Grades section above)
• Student did not participate in programs recommended or required by the College (e.g., Progress Counseling and/or the College Intensive Study Program) to support academic progress

Students may return to the College of Arts & Sciences from Academic Time Away after completing the Reinstatement process, provided they demonstrate, under the specific conditions set for each student, the ability to work productively at the level required by the College. Eligible students will receive communication regarding reinstatement for the next eligible semester via their WashU email accounts.

Leaves of Absence

Undergraduate students may be eligible to request a leave of absence for health or other personal reasons (e.g., family, military service, professional obligations, religious mission). Leave of absences are designed to provide a temporary break in enrollment without officially withdrawing to allow flexibility for students who may face personal, medical, or academic challenges, or need time for other important life events. Leaves may not exceed two years from the effective date of the leave.

Students wishing to take a leave of absence will create a Request for Time Away in Workday Student. The College Office reviews the information provided to make a decision about the leave request. Deadlines are strictly followed. Consultation from WashU Cares is required for requests for medical reasons. Additional consultation from relevant University offices may be sought to ensure essential support offerings are provided. Your submission may be shared with, but are not limited to, WashU Cares, WUPD, the Student Health Center, Counseling and Psychological Services, Residence Life, Athletics, Gender Equity and Title IX Compliance Office, the Office of Institutional Equity, or Overseas 

Students request reinstatement to their program of study via the process outlined on the Office of the University Registrar's website. Additional information is available on the College of Arts & Sciences' Policies & Procedures webpage. 

Transfer Credit

With preapproval, courses from accredited colleges and universities can be transferred to Washington University and will count toward the student's 120 credits required for the Bachelor of Arts degree; such courses may also serve as prerequisites to advanced courses and may count, with prior departmental approval, toward a student's major or minor. Transfer credits do not, however, substitute in Integrations or count toward other Arts & Sciences distribution requirements. No transfer credit will be accepted for courses taken while a student is suspended from Washington University for violations of the University Student Judicial Code or Academic Integrity Policy.

For further information pertaining to transfer credit, matriculating first-year students should visit the Pre-Matriculation Credit section in this Bulletin; transfer students should visit the Transfer Students section in this Bulletin.

Military Training

Army and Air Force ROTC programs are available at Washington University.

ROTC courses numbered MARM 3010, MARM 3020, MARM 4010, and MARM 4020 and AFROTC courses numbered MAIR 3010, MAIR 3020, MAIR 4010, and MAIR 4020 will be granted full credit toward the BA degree for a total of 12 credits. The courses do not count toward the 90 minimum Arts & Sciences credits required for the BA degree and are categorized in the 30 maximum credits that students may earn in courses taken from the McKelvey School of Engineering, the Olin Business School, the Sam Fox School, or the School of Continuing & Professional Studies (CAPS). These courses are letter graded and count toward the GPA, as do courses from the schools listed above.

ROTC courses numbered MARM 1010, MARM 1020, MARM 2010, and MARM 2020 and AFROTC courses numbered MAIR 1010, MAIR 1020, MAIR 2010, and MAIR 2020 will be granted 1 credit each for the Physical Training component, as is commensurate with performance courses currently receiving credit toward the BA degree, including courses listed under Physical Education. Such courses do not count toward the GPA.

School of Continuing & Professional Studies Courses

Students in the College of Arts & Sciences may not enroll in online coursework offered by the School of Continuing & Professional Studies (CAPS). However, students in the College of Arts & Sciences may enroll in one in-person School of Continuing & Professional Studies course per semester with a maximum total of 24 credits allowed. Any credits earned through the School of Continuing & Professional Studies are subject to the degree requirement stipulating that a maximum of 30 credits from Washington University schools other than Arts & Sciences may be applied to the Bachelor of Arts degree. School of Continuing & Professional Studies courses do not fulfill distribution requirements and may only count for a major or minor with approval from the relevant department.

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