Grades

Final grades are reported by the faculty to the Office of the Registrar no later than 72 hours after the end of final examinations. Academic standing and honors are based on semester final grades. After final grade processing by the Office of the Registrar, students can view their grades on InsideND.

Quality point values below the lowest passing grade for the student’s school (undergraduate, graduate, graduate business) are calculated as 0.000.  Law students should refer to the Hoynes Codes for grading regulations.

The Current Grading Scale is as follows:

Grades which may be assigned but which are not included in the computation of the grade point average are as follows:

Grade Explanations

Please see duLac and the appropriate Academic Code for more information.

F*/NR Grades

The “F*” grade is assigned by the Office of the Registrar when no grade is assigned by the instructor for an active student. Possible reasons for the F* grade being assigned include (but are not limited to): a students failure to drop a class, student attending the incorrect section of a course, or adding a class incorrectly at registration. A student receiving an F* should contact the instructor of the class.

A grade of "NR" is normally assigned when an instructor does not report grades for an entire class. A student receiving an “NR” grade should contact the instructor of the class.

X grade (Undergraduates Only)

An "X" grade is given with the approval of the student's dean in extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the student when the student’s work is incomplete at the end of the term. The "X" grade remains on the student's record until 1) the "X" is changed to a letter grade by the instructor, or 2) the grade is changed to a grade of “F” thirty (30) days into the next active semester, immediately following the term in which the "X" grade was assigned.

I grade (Graduates Only)

An “I” grade can only be issued for graduate, graduate business, and law students and indicates incomplete work in a class. The "I" is calculated into the GPA as equivalent to a grade of "F".

Pass/Fail

Some classes are offered with a pass/fail grading option.  During the first six class days of the semester, a junior or senior undergraduate may file a request with their dean to take one elective course, outside the student’s major department and not required by the student’s program, with a pass/fail grading option. Such a filing is irrevocable and will result in a conversion of the final grade to an entry of P (“pass”) or F (“fail”) on the student’s record. The instructor will not be informed that the student has elected the pass/fail grading option. The registrar will interpret the final grades of “A” through “D” as “pass.” If a final grade of “F” is issued, it will be computed into the student’s grade point average.

A class graded as pass/fail is not counted in the “hours attempted” calculation, but is counted in the hours completed total if the student receives a satisfactory grade.  Pass/fail courses do not count toward the number of graded credits for a semester, which may affect a student’s ability to attain Dean’s List honors, as twelve graded credit hours are required to be considered eligible for Dean’s List honors.

S/U Grades

An “S” or “U” grade is typically issued in a zero or one credit hour course (labs, research classes, departmental seminars or colloquia, directed studies, workshops, field education, skill courses, etc.).  An “S” grade is given to those students who meet the requirements of the course as set by the department or the instructor.  A “U” is issued for failure to meet the course requirements.

W grades

A grade of "W" is assigned when a student drops a class after the drop/add deadline or completely withdraws from the University. Classes graded with “W” are not totaled in the GPA hours attempted or GPA hours earned.

Transfer Work

Only Notre Dame course grades, including those earned through a University-sponsored study away program, and for which a student maintains enrollment at the University, and those given in the co-exchange program with Saint Mary’s College, are included in the calculation of Grade Point Averages.

Pass/No Credit Grade Policy for Spring 2020

The University provided students a Pass/No Credit (“P/NC”) grading option for Spring 2020. Students were permitted to view their standard letter course grades of A through F and then had an opportunity to request those grades be switched to P/NC grades, with the exception of courses that concluded prior to March 13, 2020. Any elections to switch standard letter course grades to P/NC grades became final.

The University will not publish, nor will it disclose to a person or entity, the actual letter grades of A through F that underlie and were superseded by the P/NC grade received by students in undergraduate, graduate, or professional coursework during Spring Semester 2020. 

Grading scale information prior to 1988 is available in PDF format.

If you have any questions, please contact Kate O'Brien (574) 631-5347.