/Institutions/Northwest-Missouri-State-University/json/2021-2022/Undergraduate-Catalog-local.json

/Institutions/Northwest-Missouri-State-University/json/2021-2022/Undergraduate-Catalog.json

2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog > Policies and Regulations > Academic Policies > Pass/Fail Option

Pass/Fail Option

The primary purpose of the pass/fail option is to encourage students to attempt courses in areas outside their major or minor area which would not ordinarily be attempted because of lack of background. This option is made available so that students will feel free to broaden their educational experience somewhat without fear of a poor grade affecting their grade point averages.

Eligibility:

To be eligible to use the pass/fail privilege the student must:

1. Complete one term as a full-time student at Northwest.
2. Have a Northwest cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 at the time of registration.

Procedure for Enrollment, Recording and Evaluation:

1. Courses to be taken on pass/fail must be so designated within the first 30 days of instruction of a semester, the first eight days of a six-week or eight-week course, five days of any four-week course and two days of any two-week course. The student is to file a request for pass/fail grading in the Office of the Registrar.
2. Lecture/lab courses are considered as one unit.
3. Grades of “F” shall receive the same negative honor points as a regular “F.”
4. Grades of “P” are not computed in the grade point average.

Limitations of Use of Pass/Fail:

1. Pass/fail may be used for a maximum of nine hours. Students transferring pass/fail hours to Northwest shall have those pass/fail hours counted toward their total pass/fail hours.
2. Pass/fail may not be used for any course:
   1. In the student’s major or minor requirements.
   2. To meet a Northwest Core or Institutional requirement.
   3. Required for language requirement on a B.A. degree.
   4. Required for teacher certification or any pre-professional requirement.
3. Pass/fail cannot be used for graduate-level courses.
4. Pass/fail cannot be used to supersede.
5. The University, its faculty and administrators, will be under no obligation other than those regulated by law to release information regarding the grade originally earned by the student.
6. All courses that are used to meet a free elective, or any hours taken above the minimum required for graduation and not prohibited by No. 2 above, can be placed on pass/fail.

Students must petition the Committee on Academic Petitions for exceptions to the above policies. Petition forms are available in the Office of the Registrar and on the Northwest website at www.nwmissouri.edu/registrar/petitions.htm.