The Columbia College grading system is as follows: A, excellent; B, good; C, fair; D, poor but passing; F, failure (a final grade, not subject to reexamination). Plus and minus grades may also be used, except with D or F.

A grade of Pass (P) is used to cover a grade higher than a C- if a student has elected this grading option for a course. Restrictions on this option are detailed below.

The Columbia College - General Studies Committee on Instruction has instructed the Office of the Registrar to calculate a cumulative grade point average for external audiences -- i.e., people who will be reviewing an official transcript. The Office of the Registrar also calculates term and cumulative grade point averages for internal audiences -- e.g., honors selections committees.

Grade Calculation

When the Registrar computes a student’s Columbia College grade point average, only grades earned for Columbia University courses are counted. Transfer credits (including summer credits earned at other institutions) do not count toward a student's GPA.

Courses are weighted according to the number of credits, using the following scale:

The Pass/D/Fail Option

The notation of "P" is not awarded by faculty, except in cases in which a class is offered solely on a pass/fail basis. 

The purposes of the Pass/D/Fail option are (1) to encourage students to take courses of interest to them outside of the field of specialization and (2) to permit those who have not decided upon a major to test their talents in a particular field that may be of interest. Faculty assign letter grades to students in a course according to their course grading policies and practices. If a student has elected the Pass/D/Fail option for the course and earns a letter grade of C- or higher, the letter grade will be covered with a grade of P (Pass). If the student earns a grade of D or F, the letter grade remains on the transcript.

Courses used to meet the stated degree requirements may not be taken Pass/D/Fail -- except those offered only on a Pass/Fail basis (e.g.,, Physical Education). All Core Curriculum courses (i.e., Art Humanities, Contemporary Civilization, Frontiers of Science, Literature Humanities, Music Humanities, and University Writing, as well as Global Core courses, Science Requirement courses, and Foreign Language courses) must be taken for a letter grade. All courses used to meet the requirements of a major or concentration must be taken for a letter grade, except in cases in which a department or program has a stated policy allowing the first one-term course taken by a student in his or her eventual major to be taken on a Pass/D/Fail basis.

Columbia College students may elect one course each semester during the regular academic year on a Pass/D/Fail basis -- in addition to any courses that are offered only on a Pass/Fail basis. Students who do not utilize both Pass/D/Fail options during the academic year may elect, in the summer immediately following, to take one Summer Term course on a Pass/D/Fail basis.

Students who wish to exercise the Pass/D/Fail option must elect the Pass/D/Fail option by the announced deadline, which falls in mid-November in the Fall term and in mid-March in the Spring term, regardless of whether a student has received a midterm grade for the class before the relevant deadline. 

In order to encourage students to engage as fully as possible in the courses for which they have elected the Pass/D/Fail option, students are permitted to uncover a grade of Pass within a certain time frame following the end of the term. Student have until the end of change-of-program period of the following semester to decide whether or not to uncover a grade of Pass--i.e., for a Fall course, students have until the end of the second week of classes of the following Spring term to decide; for a Spring course, students have until the end of the second week of classes of the following Fall term to decide. Seniors who graduate in May have until June 1 to uncover the grade of a Spring course taken in their final semester.

A grade of Pass is not applied in the calculation of a student's grade point average. A grade of D or F is applied in the calculation of a student's grade point average.

The Grade of D

The decision as to whether or not a D may be used to satisfy the requirements for the major is made in each department.

A maximum of 6 points of coursework with a grade of D may be credited to the degree in any academic year. A cumulative maximum of 12 points of courses with a grade of D may be credited toward the degree overall.

Only Columbia University courses with a grade of D will be given credit toward the degree, with the limitations noted above. No transfer credit will be awarded for courses with a grade of D taken at other institutions.

The Grade of UW (unofficial withdrawal)

As of Spring 2014, this grading option is no longer available for Columbia College students.

The Mark of W (withdrawal)

Columbia College students are not permitted to have a course deleted from their academic record after the drop deadline (the fifth week of the semester). If a student withdraws from a course after the drop deadline and no later than the Pass/D/Fail deadline (the eleventh week of the semester), the transcript will show a mark of W for that course. This is a permanent mark, and will remain on the transcript even if the student repeats the course.

Note: Students may not drop or withdraw from a Core Curriculum course (i.e., Literature Humanities, Frontiers of Science, Contemporary Civilization, Art Humanities, Music Humanities, and University Writing) after the Core drop deadline. This does not apply to courses take to fulfil the global core, science, or foreign language requirements.

Students may not drop or withdraw from any course after the Pass/D/Fail deadline. After that point, a student will receive the letter grade earned in the course.

Students should be aware that, in order to remain in good academic standing, they must successfully complete no fewer than 12 points in a given semester. Students who do not earn at least 12 points in a semester will face academic probation, suspension, or dismissal.

The Mark of AR (administrative referral)

Given to students as a temporary grade in circumstances when a student’s irregular academic behavior in class merits something other than grades A through F. A grade of AR will alert the Dean of Academic Affairs, whose staff will follow up with the instructor to help determine what final grade is appropriate.

Ultimately, the decision as to what the final grade should be will rest with the individual instructor. AR is not a permanent grade but, rather, is designed to allow faculty a reasonable default grade for use until an appropriate permanent grade can be submitted.

The Mark of INC (incomplete)

Faculty cannot submit directly an Incomplete for Columbia College students. If they feel an Incomplete is warranted, they should instruct the student to apply for the Incomplete through their advising dean in the Center for Student Advising.

An Incomplete for Columbia College students is granted by the Committee on Academic Standing for students who cannot complete their course work or are unable to take a final examination. The reasons for which an INC will be granted are incapacitating illness, as certified by Health Services at Columbia, serious family emergency, or circumstances of comparable gravity. Students who wish to receive the mark of INC must petition the Committee in writing (petition forms are available in the class center offices) before the last day of classes, in the case of course work, or no later than the day before the final examination when requesting permission to miss the examination. To be granted an INC, it is expected that students will have completed all work in the class with the exception of the final project or exam. Students who are granted an INC are assigned a deadline for completion of the overdue work or a date by which a deferred examination must be taken. Those who fail to meet the assigned deadline or miss the deferred examination will then have the missing work graded as a “zero” and the grade for the course calculated accordingly.

The Mark of R (registration credit)

No point credit is given for R credit.  Students who take a course for R credit may be required to complete certain work as specified by the instructor. The exact nature of the work should be determined by the instructor when the student registers for the course. An instructor may fail a student who has not completed assigned work. Registering for R credit is allowed only when:

1. the courses are in excess of the 124 points required for the B.A. degree;
2. the courses are taken in the last two terms of the student’s attendance in Columbia College;
3. the courses are not used to fulfill a requirement for the B.A. degree;
4. the student has the permission of the academic adviser and the instructor involved.

Undergraduate students interested in taking a course for R credit should consult with their advisers in the Center for Student Advising about the process and timeline for doing so; the deadline for applying to take a course for R credit is typically a few weeks into each term.

The Mark of YC (year course)

A mark given at the end of the first term of a course in which the full year’s work must be completed before a qualitative grade is assigned. The grade given at the end of the second term is the grade for the entire course and will be applied retroactively as the final grade for the Fall semester grade.

The Mark of CP (credit pending)

The notation of CP is rarely used for undergraduate courses. The notation is typically assigned in courses which regularly involve research or projects that extend beyond the end of the term. Until such time as a passing or failing grade is submitted, satisfactory progress is implied.

Report of Grades

Grades are available via the Web (http://ssol.columbia.edu) on the first business day after they are received by the Registrar.

Transcripts (no fee) may be ordered by currently enrolled students through SSOL; additional information can found on the Registrar's Office website.

Final Grade Submission

It is very important that final grades be submitted in a timely fashion.

• Students often need to know a grade in a particular class as soon as possible in order to plan for taking more advanced courses.
• Students who are applying for internships, fellowships, scholarships, study abroad, summer programs, graduate and professional schools, or employment opportunities may be compromised in their efforts to pursue such opportunities if their transcripts are not up-to-date with all grades reported.
• Class advisers routinely review student records at the end of each term to determine the academic status of students with regard to whether they should be put on academic probation or carefully monitored on their academic performance. Incomplete student records significantly impede this review process.

Please be sure to submit grades no later than two weeks after the final exam is given or two weeks after the last day of class for courses that do not include a final exam.

Processes and timelines for submitting final grades can be found on the Registrar's Office website.

Change of Grade Process

The joint Columbia College-General Studies Committee on Instruction remains concerned with the overall number of grade changes made each semester and affirms its request that instructors provide a full rationale for the change.

If you need to request a change of grade for a Columbia College student, please submit the request through SSOL.