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Previous COVID-19 Credit/No Credit allowances have been archived below for reference only: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 "Class Schedule" from the drop-down menu:
Select "List View" as the display option.
In the "List View" of your schedule, you can find your grading basis selection for each class in the "Grading" section of the class listing:
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.