Credit/No Credit Allowances by Major/Graduate Program
Each undergraduate program and graduate program has defined whether or not students are allowed to select Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) grading for major/support courses and requirements. These Credit/No Credit allowances can be found in the Cal Poly Catalog. Please be sure you are reviewing the Credit/No Credit allowances listed in the Cal Poly Catalog you are following.
As of fall 2021, all COVID-19 Credit/No Credit allowances were suspended.
Previous COVID-19 Credit/No Credit Allowances
Previous COVID-19 Credit/No Credit allowances have been archived below for reference only:
Credit/No Credit Frequently Asked Questions
What does taking a class "Credit/No Credit" mean?
Selecting Credit/No Credit grading means that you are choosing to complete the class on a pass/fail basis. The grade received (either "CR" for Credit or "NC" for No Credit) is not factored into your GPA.
Please Note: Units earned in a class for which the grade was "NC" do not count toward the satisfaction of degree requirements.
What grade must I earn to receive Credit if I select Credit/No Credit grading?
Undergraduate students will need a C- or above in order to receive a grade of Credit in a Credit/No Credit course. Graduate students will need a B- or above in order to receive a grade of Credit.
I don't remember which grading basis I selected when I registered for my classes. How can I review my grading basis selections?
You can review your grading basis selections in your Student Center.
In your Student Center, select "Grades" from the "Academic Progress" drop-down menu:
You will see either "Graded" or "Credit/No Credit" in the "Grading" column of your term Class Grades table. The "Grading" column indicates which grading basis you selected.
If I am taking a class for grade forgiveness, can I select Credit/No Credit grading?
No. If you are taking a class for grade forgiveness, you must enroll in the class on a graded basis.
If I am pursuing an Individualized Change of Major Agreement (ICMA), can I select Credit/No Credit grading?
If you are pursuing an ICMA, you should be aware of any GPA requirements the new major has imposed. Taking a course CR/NC may not fulfill said GPA requirements.
In addition, if your ICMA is approved, you will be held to the CR/NC allowances of your new major. Therefore, if you took a course CR/NC in your previous major, but that grading basis selection violates the new major's CR/NC allowances, the Office of the Registrar will convert the course to the letter grade earned.
You are highly encouraged to speak with your academic advisor before selecting Credit/No Credit grading.
I want to select Credit/No Credit grading. Will I be held to the normal 2.0 GPA requirement?
Yes. As stated in the Cal Poly catalog, an "applicant for a Credit/No Credit grade must have at least a 2.0 grade point average in cumulative Cal Poly work."
Will taking a GE course or a Minor course (that is normally a graded course) as CR/NC count towards typical Credit/No Credit limits?
Yes. Any Credit/No Credit-selected courses you complete will count toward the following limitations:
- The 16-unit overall limit of Credit/No Credit-selected courses you may take during your career at Cal Poly
- The 4-unit limit of Credit/No Credit-selected courses you may take in GE courses
- The maximum of one-third of Credit/No Credit-selected courses allowed in a minor.
Previous COVID-19 allowances will be honored, and courses taken during terms with COVID-19 allowances will NOT count toward the Credit/No Credit limitations listed above.
In the Cal Poly Catalog I am following, my major indicates that I can take "Up to 4 Units" of major/support courses as Credit/No Credit. How do I know if I already used my major/support course CR/NC allowance?
This will depend on your major and the COVID-19 Credit/No Credit allowances they created.
Scenario 1: Your major created specific COVID-19 allowances from Spring 2020 through Summer 2021. You did not take a major/support course as Credit/No Credit prior to Spring 2020, thus you didn't use your normal major/support course allowance. You now have the option of taking "Up to 4 Units" of major/support courses as Credit/No Credit.
Scenario 2: Your major created specific COVID-19 allowances from Spring 2020 through Summer 2021. However, you DID take a 4-unit major/support course as Credit/No Credit prior to Spring 2020, thus you DID use your normal major/support course allowance.
Scenario 3: Your major opted to allow for normal major Credit/No Credit allowances for at least one term from Spring 2020 through Summer 2021. During one of the terms in which normal major allowances were in effect, you took a 4-unit major/support course as Credit/No Credit. Because your major opted for normal major Credit/No Credit allowances instead of specific COVID-19 allowances, you used your normal major/support course allowance.