FAQ - Spring 2021 Pass (P) Grade Option

The schools/college within the University have each established the minimum letter grade that qualifies for the special Pass (P) grade option for Spring 2021 at the undergraduate and graduate level. See the next FAQ.

If a student requests the P grade but receives a letter grade below the minimum grade threshold for a P established by the school/program offering the class, the student will receive the letter grade. For instance, if the minimum passing grade is defined by the school as a C- and the student earns a D+, the student would retain the D+ despite a request to elect the P grade.

Students may elect this option for any and all eligible courses. Students who started in the fall may not select this option for all eligible classes, as they need a calculable GPA (see the Financial Aid section below).

College of Arts and Sciences (CAS)

The grade minimums for a P in eligible CAS courses mirror USF’s existing Pass/Fail rules: D- for undergraduate courses, C- for graduate courses. 

Some majors will be retaining their own rules for advancement, including for students who opt for a P in a course, requiring a higher than D- grade for advancement to the next level in a course sequence. Students should check with their academic adviser in their department/major regarding any particular rules in their major or program.

The following College of Arts & Sciences courses are ineligible for the P option:

• ADVT 201 - Fund. of Creative Strategy
• ADVT 202 - Fund. of Creative Development
• ADVT 400 - Portfolios & Presentation
• ADVT 411 - Campaign Project I
• BIOL 310 - Genetics
• CHEM 386-01 - Special Topics: Chemistry of Biomedical Imaging
• CS 110 - Intro to Computer Science I
• CS 112 - Intro to Computer Science II
• CS 212 - Software Development
• CS 221 - C and Systems Programming
• CS 245 - Data Struct & Algorithms
• CS 315 - Computer Architecture
• CS 326 - Operating Systems
• CS 333 - Intro to Database Systems 
• CS 345 - Prog Language Paradigms
• CS 360 - Data Visualization
• CS 462 - Intro to AI
• CS 486 - Special Topics in Computer Sci
• CS 490 - Senior Team Project
• CS 498 - Directed Reading and Research
• CS 545 - Data Structures and Algorithms 
• CS 560 - Data Visualization
• CS 631 - Systems Foundations 
• CS 663 - Machine Learning
• CS 686 - Special Topics in Computer Science
• CS 695 - Practicum Study
• CS 698 - Directed Reading and Research
• ECON 120 - Economic Methods
• ECON 311 - Intermediate Microeconomics
• ECON 312 - Intermediate Macroeconomics
• KIN 100 - Motor Skill & Perf Analysis
• KIN 120 - Introduction to Kinesiology
• KIN 200 - Measurement and Statistics
• KIN 220 - Anatomical Kinesiology
• KIN 300 - Motor Development
• KIN 310 - Exercise Physiology
• KIN 315 - Sport & Exercise Psychology
• KIN 320 - Motor Learning
• KIN 325 - Exercise & Disease Prevention
• KIN 335 - Physical Activity and Aging
• KIN 340 - Neuroscience
• KIN 350 - Biomechanics
• KIN 362 - Sport, Culture & Society
• KIN 368 - Nutrition for Exer & Health
• BSDS 100 - Intro to Data Science with R
• Math 106 - Business Statistics
• Math 108 - Precalculus
• Math 109 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry I
• Math 110 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry II
• Math 201 - Discrete Mathematics
• Math 202 - Linear Algebra & Probability
• Math 211 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry III
• Math 230 - Elementary Linear Algebra
• Math 235 - Introduction to Formal Methods
• Math 350 - Math Colloquium
• Math 355 - Complex Analysis
• Math 367 - Number Theory
• Math 371 - Statistics with Applications
• Math 373 - Statistical Learning
• Math 398 - Number Theory
• Math 453 - Real Analysis
• MSDS 603 - Product Analytics
• MSDS 625 - Practicum II
• MSDS 626 - Case Studies in Data Science
• MSDS 627 - Practicum III
• MSDS 632 - Practicum IV
• MSDS 629 - Experiments in Data Science
• MSDS 630 - Advanced Machine Learning
• MSDS 631 - Special Topics in Analytics
• MSDS 633 - Ethics in Data Science
• MSDS 689 - Data Structures and Algorithms
• PHIL 380-01 - Sentimentalisms (#20901 - this section of PHIL 380 only)
• PHIL 482-01 - Contemporary Aristotelianisms
• PHYS 210 - General Physics II
• PHYS 320 - Electromagnetism
• PHYS 350 - Physics Colloquium
• PHYS 371 - Math Methods for Sci and Eng
• UPA 650 - Community Engaged Research Methods
• UPA 652 - Masters Capstone Project
• UPA 664 - Cities, Law, Inequality
• UPA 665 - Urban Racial Politics

School of Education (SOE)

B- is the minimum threshold to pass for doctoral and credential candidates. For Masters programs including the SPED MA and credential the minimum grade to pass will be C-.

The following School of Education courses are ineligible for the P option:

• All CPSY courses are ineligible for the P option.

School of Management (SOM)

The grade minimum for a P in eligible SOM courses mirror USF’s existing Pass/Fail rules: D- for undergraduate courses.

For business majors, a grade of C- or higher in MATH 106 is required to enroll in BUS 204.

For business majors and minors taking BUS 204 this spring 2021 term, the pass option will be accepted as fulfilling the prerequisite for BUS 308. 

For accounting majors, students with grades lower than a C- in their accounting courses will be advised by the Accounting Department Chair.

For graduate courses in the SOM, the minimum passing grade will be a C-. The following School of Management courses are ineligible for the P option: 

• OD 690 Culminating Project

School of Nursing and Health Professions (SONHP)

The BSN and the ME-MSN programs are unable to make their clinical prerequisite courses, Statistics, Rhetoric & Composition, and Sociology courses eligible for the pass (“P”) grading option. For all other general education cores, students may elect to take the pass (“P”) grading option if the course is deemed eligible for this option by CAS.

For all graduate programs in the SONHP, students must earn a B- as the minimum threshold to pass a course graded as a letter grade. Not all courses in the graduate programs will be eligible to convert a passing letter grade to a “P”.

In the Graduate Nursing Department (RN-MSN and DNP programs), all of the courses will be exempt and therefore, not eligible for the pass (“P”) grading option.

In the Health Professions Department (MPH, MSBH, MSHI, and Clinical Psychology PsyD programs), the courses that are exempt and therefore not eligible for the pass (“P”) option are as follows:

• MPH and MSBH program courses that are already offered with the grading option of satisfactory (“S”) and unsatisfactory (“U”):
  • MPH 641 Public Health Fieldwork
  • MPH 642 Public Health Capstone
  • MPH 682 Applied Practice Experience 2
• MSHI program courses that are already offered with the grading option of satisfactory (“S”) and unsatisfactory (“U”): 
  • HS 650 Capstone Project in Health Informatics
  • HS 651 Project in Health Informatics
• Clinical Psychology PsyD program courses that are already offered with the grading option of satisfactory (“S”) and unsatisfactory (“U”): 
  • PSYD 707 Clinical Dissertation Proposal Seminar
  • PSYD 740 Practicum 2B
  • PSYD 760 Practicum 3B
  • PSYD 780 Practicum 4B
  • PSYD 782 Externship Placement B
  • PSYD 788 Clinical Dissertation Seminar
  • PSYD 789 Full Time Clinical Internship

For CAS

• ADVT 201 - Fund. of Creative Strategy
• ADVT 202 - Fund. of Creative Development
• ADVT 400 - Portfolios & Presentation
• ADVT 411 - Campaign Project I
• BIOL 310 - Genetics
• CHEM 386-01 - Special Topics: Chemistry of Biomedical Imaging
• CS 110 - Intro to Computer Science I
• CS 112 - Intro to Computer Science II
• CS 212 - Software Development
• CS 221 - C and Systems Programming
• CS 245 - Data Struct & Algorithms
• CS 315 - Computer Architecture
• CS 326 - Operating Systems
• CS 333 - Intro to Database Systems 
• CS 345 - Prog Language Paradigms
• CS 360 - Data Visualization
• CS 462 - Intro to AI
• CS 486 - Special Topics in Computer Sci
• CS 490 - Senior Team Project
• CS 498 - Directed Reading and Research
• CS 545 - Data Structures and Algorithms 
• CS 560 - Data Visualization
• CS 631 - Systems Foundations 
• CS 663 - Machine Learning
• CS 686 - Special Topics in Computer Science
• CS 695 - Practicum Study
• CS 698 - Directed Reading and Research
• ECON 120 - Economic Methods
• ECON 311 - Intermediate Microeconomics
• ECON 312 - Intermediate Macroeconomics
• KIN 100 - Motor Skill & Perf Analysis
• KIN 120 - Introduction to Kinesiology
• KIN 200 - Measurement and Statistics
• KIN 220 - Anatomical Kinesiology
• KIN 300 - Motor Development
• KIN 310 - Exercise Physiology
• KIN 315 - Sport & Exercise Psychology
• KIN 320 - Motor Learning
• KIN 325 - Exercise & Disease Prevention
• KIN 335 - Physical Activity and Aging
• KIN 340 - Neuroscience
• KIN 350 - Biomechanics
• KIN 362 - Sport, Culture & Society
• KIN 368 - Nutrition for Exer & Health
• BSDS 100 - Intro to Data Science with R
• Math 106 - Business Statistics
• Math 108 - Precalculus
• Math 109 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry I
• Math 110 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry II
• Math 201 - Discrete Mathematics
• Math 202 - Linear Algebra & Probability
• Math 211 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry III
• Math 230 - Elementary Linear Algebra
• Math 235 - Introduction to Formal Methods
• Math 350 - Math Colloquium
• Math 355 - Complex Analysis
• Math 367 - Number Theory
• Math 371 - Statistics with Applications
• Math 373 - Statistical Learning
• Math 398 - Number Theory
• Math 453 - Real Analysis
• MSDS 603 - Product Analytics
• MSDS 625 - Practicum II
• MSDS 626 - Case Studies in Data Science
• MSDS 627 - Practicum III
• MSDS 632 - Practicum IV
• MSDS 629 - Experiments in Data Science
• MSDS 630 - Advanced Machine Learning
• MSDS 631 - Special Topics in Analytics
• MSDS 633 - Ethics in Data Science
• MSDS 689 - Data Structures and Algorithms
• PHIL 380-01 - Sentimentalisms (#20901 - this section of PHIL 380 only)
• PHIL 482-01 - Contemporary Aristotelianisms
• PHYS 210 - General Physics II
• PHYS 320 - Electromagnetism
• PHYS 350 - Physics Colloquium
• PHYS 371 - Math Methods for Sci and Eng
• UPA 650 - Community Engaged Research Methods
• UPA 652 - Masters Capstone Project
• UPA 664 - Cities, Law, Inequality
• UPA 665 - Urban Racial Politics

For SOE

• All CPSY courses are ineligible for the P option.

For SOM

• OD 690 Culminating Project

For SONHP

BSN and ME-MSN programs’ courses that are clinical prerequisite courses, Statistics, Rhetoric & Composition, and Sociology courses are exempt from this policy and therefore, not eligible for the Pass (P) grading option. For all other general education core courses, students may elect to take the P grading option if the course is deemed eligible for this option by CAS.

The RN-MSN and all of the DNP degree program courses are exempt from this policy.

• MPH and MSBH program courses that are already offered with the grading option of satisfactory (“S”) and unsatisfactory (“U”):
  • MPH 641 Public Health Fieldwork
  • MPH 642 Public Health Capstone
  • MPH 682 Applied Practice Experience 2
• MSHI program courses that are already offered with the grading option of satisfactory (“S”) and unsatisfactory (“U”): 
  • HS 650 Capstone Project in Health Informatics
  • HS 651 Project in Health Informatics
• Clinical Psychology PsyD program courses that are already offered with the grading option of satisfactory (“S”) and unsatisfactory (“U”): 
  • PSYD 707 Clinical Dissertation Proposal Seminar
  • PSYD 740 Practicum 2B
  • PSYD 760 Practicum 3B
  • PSYD 780 Practicum 4B
  • PSYD 782 Externship Placement B
  • PSYD 788 Clinical Dissertation Seminar
  • PSYD 789 Full-Time Clinical Internship

Dean’s List, Undergraduate Academic Probation and Graduate Academic Probation policies apply.

A (P) grade for a class will not affect a student’s GPA. However, any class that receives a standard grade will be calculated into a student’s GPA.

Taking a class for a Pass (P) rather than a letter grade may impact a student's financial aid. For example, P grades will show as Passed and Earned hours, but the GPA would be 0. The university’s published Satisfactory Academic Progress policy requires students to meet a minimum GPA requirement and students who started in fall 2020 or spring 2021 must have a calculable GPA. However, a student can file an appeal if their GPA falls below the eligibility requirement for financial aid. See https://myusf.usfca.edu/financial-aid/financial-aid-appeals for the financial aid appeals process. Contact the Office of Financial Aid at Financialaid@usfca.edu with any questions or for further information. Make one-on-one appointments here: https://myusfca-sfs.10to8.com/. 

First semester students will need at least one letter grade to ensure that they have a GPA.

The VA will accept the Pass grade as satisfactory progress for payment of tuition and housing benefits. For questions, please email veterans@usfca.edu.

According to the NCAA, conversion to a Pass (P) grade due to the COVID-19 pandemic does not impact an institution's ability to use credit hours earned when certifying a student-athlete's continuing academic eligibility. Specifically, there are no NCAA limitations or restrictions on the use of Pass/Fail courses to meet progress-toward-degree minimums. Electing a P grade will not affect students’ GPA and thus will not affect student-athletes’ continuing academic eligibility. Additionally, athletes’ financial aid will not be affected by electing the Pass (P) grade option beyond the existing financial aid rules (see above). Please note that these NCAA policies are specific to the COVID-19 pandemic. For questions about eligibility, please contact Jim Campbell, Associate Athletic Director, at jcampbell6@usfca.edu.

BSN and ME-MSN: In accordance with the how student performance is evaluated in the BSN and ME-MSN programs, the Board of Registered Nursing accepts letter grades (C- or better required) as the required grading outcome for clinical prerequisite courses, Statistics, Rhetoric & Composition, and Sociology. For all other general education cores, students may elect to take the Pass grading option. 

MPH and the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) Examination: Students in the Behavioral Health Concentration in the MPH program who intend to take the CHES examination must achieve the minimum level of performance of a grade of B- or above in order to successfully pass their program course work and to meet eligibility requirements for the CHES exam. Students will be able to elect for the pass option only in eligible courses.

PsyD:  In accordance with the American Psychological Association’s Commission on Accreditation, the minimum levels of achievement (MLA) in the program’s established outcome measures must be consistent with the Standards of Accreditation (SoA). The SoA’s require that the MLAs be established for all outcome assessments and that these levels reflect the current standards for the profession. In the Clinical Psychology PsyD Program, all students must attain the MLA of satisfactory, 80% or higher, or a grade of B- or above on all assessments of Profession-Wide Competency (PWC) and Discipline-Specific Knowledge (DSK). These levels of achievement in the program do reflect the current standards for the profession.

Marriage and Family Therapy and School Counseling Programs will be on the School of Education’s list of courses exempted from the Pass option.  While the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) is accepting a P option for credential candidates, program faculty are concerned about the portability of the credential for SCP and licensure for MFTs as well as the implications for hiring. The Board of Behavioral Sciences, the licensure body for Marriage and Family Therapy, has not released guidance regarding grades, and their communication has been focused on how telehealth can be utilized for clinical hours.

Eligibility for USF Honors and Awards may be affected by choosing the P option in one or more courses. To be considered for University Honors (Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Summa Cum Laude), an undergraduate student must have completed at least 60 units of academic coursework graded “A” through “F” at USF and meet GPA requirement (3.5 or above); the same rules apply for Valedictorian consideration (with GPA of 3.85 or above based on the last term completed). To be eligible for the Dean’s Honor roll, a student must be enrolled full-time for 12 unit hours or more of course work graded “A” through “F” and meet GPA requirements (3.5 or above). For questions about honors in a particular major, please consult with your academic advisor. For questions about school-specific honors, contact your school's undergraduate office. For questions about University Honors (Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Summa Cum Laude), please contact the Graduation Center at gradcenter@usfca.edu.

Students may elect a Pass (P) grade for eligible classes via an electronic form that will be available to students starting  Friday, May 28, 2021 at 9:00 am (the day after the grade submission deadline) through Thursday, June 3, 2021 at 11:59 pm. The link to the electronic form will be posted in all students' Student Hub Task Center, on the Registrar's webpage and on the Spring 2021 Pass (P) Grade Option Policy webpage. The form will only be available after grades are posted so that students can view the letter grade they received before electing the Pass (P) grade.

When a student clicks on the link to the electronic form while logged into myUSF, the form will open and be populated with all of the student's classes, marked as either eligible or ineligible for the Pass (P) option. Please note that an otherwise eligible class will show up on the “ineligible” list until the student’s letter grade for that class has been posted. A grade of "Incomplete" (I), "In-progress" (IP), "Not Reported" (NR) or "Auditor" (AU) are not letter grades. Students are encouraged to wait until grades for all eligible courses are listed before selecting the P option and submitting the form, as students will not be able to return to the form or submit an additional form after submitting. However, students should submit the form by the deadline, Thursday, June 3, 2021 at 11:59 pm, even if grades have not been provided for all eligible courses.

If a student's instructor is late in submitting a grade in an eligible class and a student wants to exercise the pass option in that class, the student should contact the below, according to their college/school, to petition for the P Option after the deadline.

CAS Undergraduate and Graduate Students:

• Marvella Luey at lueym@usfca.edu

SOE:

• Cheryl Jones-Walker at cejoneswalker@usfca.edu

SOM:

• Undergraduate Students: Deanna Pachinger at pachinger@usfca.edu
• Graduate Students: Linda Henderson at hendersonli@usfca.edu

SONHP:

• Health Professions Dept (MPH, MSBH, MSHI, PsyD): Megan O’Banion at mgobanion@usfca.edu
  • Undergraduate Nursing Dept: Susan Prion at prions@usfca.edu
  • Graduate Nursing Dept: Susan Prion at prions@usfca.edu

It is strongly recommended that students consult with their faculty/academic adviser and review the Pass (P) Grade Option FAQs before making this choice.