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Undergraduate students may elect to take certain courses on a pass/fail basis. The purpose of this option is to provide an opportunity for the exploration of a broader range of coursework than is normally included in specific and distributive degree requirements. Students considering this option should be aware that some institutions of higher education do not accept transfer credit taken on a pass/fail basis. In addition, most graduate and professional schools prefer that pass/fail credit be kept to a minimum.

Students electing to take courses under the pass/fail option should consult their advisor for specific instructions and registration procedures. Conditions governing the acceptability of coursework that pertains to all students are:

  1. The students must be in good standing. Transfer students admitted on probation and students on academic probation with less than a 2.000 GPA may not elect the pass/fail option.
  2. Only one course per semester may be taken under the pass/fail option.
  3. The pass/fail option may be used only for non-specific electives; this option is designed to allow students to explore coursework outside their required courses.
  4. Courses listed as available to meet the Kent Core may not be taken pass/fail.
  5. Developmental courses (numbered 00000-09999) that may be prescribed or recommended through placement testing may not be taken on a pass/fail basis.
  6. Excluded from the pass/fail option are the following:
    1. All courses in students’ major department or school
    2. All courses used to meet requirements in students’ major, minor, field of concentration, supporting area or certificate program
    3. All courses used to meet the Kent Core and college general requirements
  7. A maximum of 12 hours of pass/fail credit (combined Y-Pass and Z-Fail grades) may be attempted. Courses regularly graded satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) are not counted in this 12-hour maximum; experimental courses that are Y/Z graded are included in the 12-hour limit.
  8. Instructors will not be informed of students’ election of the pass/fail option. Regular letter grades of A, B, C and D that are reported by the instructor will be converted to a Pass (Y); letter grades of F (Fail) , NF (Never Attended–Fail) and SF (Stopped Attending–Fail) will be converted to a Fail (Z) grade.
  9. Pass/fail grades will not be used in computing grade point averages.
  10. Students changing majors will not have “pass” grades changed to regular grades if they have pass/fail credit in that area. The “pass” grades will stand, but all further courses in the program must be for regular grading.
  11. No change of pass/fail enrollment status is permitted after the final day of formal registration.

Students should contact their college, department, school or regional campuses office for clarification of the pass/fail option and for application of that option to their particular programs.