Undergraduate Grading Policies

The undergraduate grades reflect assessment by the instructor of key course components. The following grades are assigned with their corresponding point values:

AUD – Auditor, listener.

INC – Incomplete. This is a temporary grade. The outstanding work must be completed by end of the following fall or spring semester. If the work is not completed by the end of the following semester, the INC is converted to a permanent grade of FIN on the record. The course instructor may grant the INC at the request of the student if participation requirements have been met and the only outstanding work is a paper, project, or examination. The instructor has the right to refuse a request, and can set a time limit for completion that is shorter than the end of the following semester. When the course work is completed and the final grade received, the INC grade will be replaced; a notation will be made on the student’s transcript of the date of change.  Effective Fall 2021 – Incompletes unresolved in the above–mentioned time–period will become FIN in students’ records and may not be changed thereafter.

W – Withdrawal. A permanent grade requested by the student after the Add/Drop period, and before the deadline in the academic calendar. This grade is assigned by Student Services at the written request of the student. It does not affect the grade point average.

WA – Administrative Withdrawal. This grade, which does not affect the grade point average, is administratively assigned.

WN – Never attended. Calculated as the equivalent of an “W” in the GPA.

WU – Unofficial Withdrawal. Used when class participation has been established at least once in a term. Effective Fall 2021, WU grade will not have punitive impact on student’s GPA. WU grade will continue to be used to denote Unofficial Withdrawal.

Note: Some programs have additional grade requirements. Refer to the program curriculum pages for specific requirements.

When an undergraduate student receives the earned academic grade of “F,” “FIN”  or an administrative failing grade, and that student subsequently retakes that course and receives a grade of “C” or better, the initial grade of “F” will no longer be computed into the cumulative grade point average. The “F” will remain on the transcript. The number of failing credits that can be deleted from the grade point average calculation shall be limited to 16 for the duration of the student’s undergraduate enrollment in the institutions of The City University of New York (CUNY).

Students are expected to make satisfactory academic progress. Generally, undergraduate programs throughout CUNY expect applicants to present an academic record with a minimum 2.0 GPA. A student is considered in good academic standing and making good academic progress when he/she has completed all coursework and exams in accordance with faculty instructions, no later than the last day of the examination period and has earned a GPA of at least 2.0. In certain circumstances, a student may find it necessary to request a grade of Incomplete (INC), in accordance with the rules above. All INC grades must be completed by the end of the following fall or spring semester or the grade will be converted to F. If the course is repeated, it will be a new registration and a second grade on the academic record.

When a student has accumulated more than one incomplete or a GPA below 2.0, he or she may be ineligible to continue in the program since satisfactory academic progress is not being made. Under certain circumstances, a student may be required to carry a reduced course load to improve the GPA or be required to postpone further registration until the INC grades are completed. Typically, students may register for additional courses with one INC grade. Of course, all such academic reviews take into consideration individual circumstances and the potential for improvement.

In addition to academic consequences, failure to make satisfactory academic progress may have implications for the award of financial aid.