Pass/No Pass credits

The Bachelor of Arts/Science degrees require at least 180 credits. Out of those 180, 168 need to be taken graded. That means, if you graduate with EXACTLY 180 credits, you may choose to take 12 credits pass/no pass. (Courses only offered on a pass/no pass basis are listed as P* courses and do not count toward the 12 optional credits you have.) 

The advantage of taking a course pass/no pass: regardless of whether you pass the class or not, your GPA is not affected. If you pass the class, you get credit for it. If you don’t pass it, you don’t get the credit.

You need to earn the equivalent of a C- in the course to get a “pass.” For fall, winter and spring terms, you have until the end of the seventh week of the term to change your grading option. (Exceptions beyond this date are rarely granted.) Check the summer schedule to find out the pass/no pass deadline for a summer course. It varies depending on when the course is offered.

Most majors and minors require that their courses be taken graded. There are some exceptions, of course. Check with the respective department before you change your grading option on a course for a major or minor.

Majors and premajors in the School of Journalism and Communication must take all "J" courses graded and, effective Fall 2012, all courses must be passed with at least a C. Communication Studies minor courses may be taken pass/no pass only if the course is coded to be pass/no pass-eligible. Some minor courses are coded as "graded for all students" courses.

Courses used for the general education requirement (writing, Arts & Letters, Science, multicultural, etc.) may be taken pass/no pass as may the journalism school's general-studies courses (literature, history, economics, etc.). Since you only have 12 credits at your disposal, you should discuss your desire to take a course pass/no pass with your adviser before you change your grading option.