March 28, 2020
Students granted greater flexibility on pass-no pass grading option for spring 2020 semester.
Temporary amendments to the pass-no pass grading option for the spring 2020 semester
Students will be granted greater flexibility with the pass-no pass grading option for the spring 2020 semester. Please review the table below for exceptions to the pass-no pass grading regulation for spring 2020. If you have questions, you may contact your academic advisor or academic.deans@furman.edu.
| Pass-no pass regulation | Exceptions for the spring 2020 semester |
|---|---|
| Professors do not know if students are using the pass-no pass grading option. | No change. |
| Professors will submit a traditional letter grade A-F; professors will not record grades of P. | No change. |
When the pass-no pass grading option is elected:
|
No change. |
| Grades of P or PD count towards the 128 credits required for the bachelor’s degree but do not impact the grade point average. | No change. |
| A grade of NP does not impact the grade point average. No credit is earned towards the 128 credits required for the bachelor’s degree. | No change. |
| Students can use the pass-no pass grading option for up to 12 credits over their Furman career. | Courses for which the pass-no pass grading option is used in the spring 2020 semester will not count towards the 12-credit limit. |
| Students cannot use the pass-no pass grading option for more than eight credits in a single semester. | There is no restriction on how many pass-no pass credits may be used in the spring 2020 semester. |
| Students cannot receive GER credit(s) associated with a course if the pass-no pass grading option is used. | No change. |
| Students may not use the pass-no pass grading option for courses that fulfill their major requirements or that are offered by their major department(s). | No change. Students may appeal for an exception on an individual basis to the relevant department chair. |
| New students cannot use the pass-no pass grading option until they have successfully completed 28 credits at Furman. | Students who began in the fall 2019 or spring 2020 semester will be permitted to use the pass-no pass grading option in their spring 2020 courses. |
| The pass-no pass grading option may not be used for Furman study away courses. | Students who are enrolled in spring 2020 Furman study away courses may elect to use the pass-no pass grading option for courses led by Furman faculty. |
| Students on academic probation cannot use the pass-no pass grading option. | Students on academic probation in the spring 2020 semester may elect to use the pass-no pass grading option. |
| Students should wait until after grades have posted to submit pass-no pass grade requests. (See exception for degree candidates below.) | No change. Students should wait until after grades have posted (on or after May 11) before electing to use the pass-no pass grading option. |
| Degree candidates must file pass-no pass paperwork before the last final exam period of their last semester enrolled. |
Pass-No pass paperwork must be submitted to enroll@furman.edu.
May 2020 degree candidates must submit pass-no pass requests by May 18, 2020. August 2020 degree candidates must submit pass-no pass requests by August 14, 2020. Pass-no pass requests for spring 2020 courses for all other students must be submitted by August 31, 2020. Students may elect to use the pass-no pass option after that date, but the credits will count against the 12-credit limit. |
Important Considerations when Deciding to use the Pass-No pass option
- Take your time. You should not make your decision about whether to use the pass-no pass grading option until after you complete your spring 2020 courses. While the pass-no pass grading option might present you with additional flexibility, you might also achieve suitable outcomes in your spring 2020 courses. Once you elect to use the pass-no pass grading option for a course, you cannot undo that action without petitioning the Faculty Appeals Committee.
- Talk with your advisor during your decision-making. Your advisor can help you weigh the pros and cons of using the pass-no pass option and can help you map out new paths to degree completion if you end up using the pass-no pass grading option for a general education requirement. Please be aware that professional schools and some graduate programs may not accept grades of P for their entrance requirements. A conversation with your advisor can help clarify the implications of the decision to use the pass-no pass option.
- Students can use the pass-no pass grading option for any course, but if the option is applied to a course carrying any general education credit, including core, global awareness, and writing, those general education credits are forfeited.
- Students cannot use the pass no-pass grading option for major requirements or courses offered by your major department. Students may appeal for an exception on an individual basis to the relevant department chair.
- Be aware that in order to qualify for Dean’s List in the spring 2020 semester, students must complete a minimum of 12 credits with a traditional letter grade and achieve a GPA of at least 3.4.
- Students who receive a passing grade in a course receive the credits towards the 128 required for the completion of the bachelor’s degree but the grade does not impact the grade point average.
- Students who fail a course in which they have elected the pass-no pass grading option receive a grade of NP. No credit is earned for the course, but the failing grade does not negatively impact the grade point average.
- To elect to use the pass no-pass option, students must complete the Pass-No Pass Request Form and email the completed form to enroll@furman.edu prior to the following deadlines. Please note that these deadlines could change depending on further COVID-19 developments.
Grades of C- and above convert to P.
Grades of D-, D, and D+ convert to PD, Furman’s designation for “marginal pass.”
Deadline for May 2020 degree candidates: May 18, 2020
Deadline for August 2020 degree candidates: August 14, 2020
Deadline for all other students: August 31, 2020
The 2019-2020 Catalog has been updated to reflect these temporary adjustments to the pass-no pass grading option.