Policy on Pass/Fail Courses for Undergraduate Students
Effective January 1, 2017, with Spring 2017 classes.
To encourage intellectual exploration, Boston University permits students to elect up to 8 credits of academic coursework on a P/F basis to satisfy requirements for the bachelor’s degree. P indicates a course grade of D or above.
Students may elect P/F grading for up to 4 credits of academic work (normally one course) in a single semester or summer term session. P/F courses may not, however, be used to satisfy general education, language, writing, IUT gateway, or major/minor program requirements. P/F may not be elected for Study Abroad or directed study courses.
When a student earns a P in a course, the credits from that course count toward the degree, but neither credits nor grade are used in calculating the student’s grade point average. For any course in which a student earns an F, the grade and the credits are used in calculating the grade point average.
Students must be in good academic standing to designate a course P/F. Students on probation may not designate a course P/F.
Students taking a course P/F must satisfy all the course requirements that students taking the course for a regular letter grade must satisfy.
In keeping with the intended use of P/F to encourage intellectual exploration, students elect P/F near the end of, or after, the course, rather than at the beginning. Students who decide to designate a course P/F must do so in the period between the deadline for withdrawal with a “W” and the date specified below for each semester/term.
| Semester/Term | Deadline to Elect P/F* |
| Fall Semester | January 10 |
| Spring Semester | May 30 |
| Summer Terms | Two weeks after last day of classes |
*Note: Seniors in their final term must elect P/F by the last day of classes.
Students designate a course P/F by using the Pass-Fail Course Designation Form which must be signed by their advisor after careful consideration and consultation.
Designating a course P/F is irrevocable.
There are specific courses that schools and colleges stipulate may only be taken P/F (e.g., PDP, practica, music organizations). These courses may be taken in addition to the 8 credits elected as P/F by the student.
Students wishing to pursue a major or minor after they have taken a course P/F in that program should work with their academic advisor in the program to determine the appropriate coursework.
Courses taken P/F may not be repeated.
P/F courses are subject to standard tuition and fees.
Appendix
| School/College | Requirement Specific to Students Enrolled in that School/College | Requirement for any Boston University Undergraduate |
| CAS | The following courses in the College of Arts & Sciences cannot be completed on a Pass/Fail basis:
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| CFA | CFA students may take courses that are counted as “general” or “open electives” on a Pass/Fail basis. CFA students may not take any course Pass/Fail to fulfill liberal arts distribution requirements or liberal arts electives (i.e., general education requirements). No major requirements can be taken Pass/Fail except Matinee (CFA TH 099) in the School of Theatre. | Any course that is designated for the BU community or for which a non-CFA student has received permission to enroll can be taken Pass/Fail, provided that doing so conforms to the Pass/Fail policy. |
| CGS | The College of General Studies core curriculum fulfills general education requirements, and in some cases major/minor requirements as well. Thus, College of General Studies students may not take CGS courses Pass/Fail. Students will work closely with their CGS academic advisor to ensure they understand their options for taking other Boston University courses Pass/Fail. | Students who are not enrolled in the College of General Studies are eligible to take College of General Studies courses Pass/Fail, provided that doing so conforms to the Pass/Fail policy. CGS courses that may not be taken Pass/Fail:
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| COM | Students may take 8 credits of free electives Pass/Fail. No course toward specific degree requirements may be taken Pass/Fail. | Students may take any COM course (except COM CO 101) Pass/Fail if they have the stated course prerequisites, provided that doing so conforms to the Pass/Fail policy. A student transferring into COM or declaring a minor in COM who had earlier taken a COM course Pass/Fail cannot count that course toward their major or minor requirements, and should confer with a COM advisor about additional required coursework. |
| ENG | ENG students are generally not able to designate any courses Pass/Fail as all courses taken are major or general education requirements.Possible exceptions:
1) Students taking extra courses beyond the requirements for their degree (130–136 credits depending on major) may elect to designate said extra course Pass/Fail. 2) Students who decide mid-semester to Intra University Transfer (IUT) out of Engineering may elect to designate one of their ENG courses Pass/Fail. Doing so may help them remain in good standing and enable the IUT. |
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| KHC | The Kilachand Honors College curriculum fulfills general education requirements, and in some cases, major/minor requirements as well. All Kilachand courses taken are also program requirements. Thus, Kilachand students may not take Kilachand courses Pass/Fail. Students will work closely with their Kilachand and major academic advisors to ensure they understand their options for taking other Boston University courses Pass/Fail. | |
| MET | Metropolitan College graduate students, non-degree students, certificate program students, or undergraduates on academic probation may not designate a course as Pass/Fail. | All MET undergraduate credit-bearing courses can be taken Pass/Fail, provided that doing so conforms to the Pass/Fail policy. |
| Questrom | In general, students enrolled in the Questrom BSBA program may complete courses Pass/Fail in the following categories: 1) the non-management elective requirement, and 2) the free-electives requirement. Students will work with their advisors to ensure they understand the implications of taking the desired course Pass/Fail which include:
Students should be aware of how any Pass/Fail designation impacts their ability to apply the course towards a desired non-Questrom major/minor/program requirement. |
Non-Questrom students should be reminded that Pass/Fail courses may not apply to gateway or the business minor requirements. |
| SAR | Sargent College students may take courses in the General Elective Block on the degree advice report or in the Extra Courses Block on a Pass/Fail basis.The list below by program designates where the two Pass/Fail courses (8 credits total) may be used; the total number of general elective courses is in parentheses.
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Students enrolled in programs outside of Sargent may take any Sargent course for which they have the appropriate prerequisites, provided that doing so conforms to the Pass/Fail policy. If a student who took a Sargent course on a Pass/Fail basis decides to transfer into Sargent and now needs that course to fulfill a degree requirement, he/she will need to take an additional course (which will be determined by the Sargent advisor and/or program director) for the major. |
| SED | SED majors may take up to two electives on a Pass/Fail basis. As most SED degree plus licensure programs do not include electives, but rather choices of requirements, few SED majors will be able to avail themselves of this opportunity. Students who wish to take electives on a Pass/Fail basis should meet with their advisor to assure the “elective” is, in fact, not a course required for the major or minor (if applicable). | Non-SED students are welcome to take any SED course on a Pass/Fail basis if they have the stated course prerequisites, provided that doing so conforms to the Pass/Fail policy. |
| SHA | Students enrolled in SHA may take only general elective courses on a Pass/Fail basis. | Students who are not enrolled in SHA are eligible to take any SHA course Pass/Fail, provided they have the prerequisites and that doing so conforms to the Pass/Fail policy. |
| Study Abroad | Study Abroad classes cannot be taken Pass/Fail. |
