Academics

Credit/No-Credit Grading FAQs

Due to the extension of remote learning, Drake University temporarily expanded the existing credit/no-credit grading policy for the Spring 2020 semester. All courses for which students receive credit (CR) grades will count toward major, minor, concentration, honors, and area of inquiry requirements. There were no limits on the number of courses students could convert to credit/no-credit grading. Some exceptions applied. Students had to convert to credit/no-credit grading on a course-by-course basis by Friday, April 10, 2020 at 4:30 p.m.

What is credit/no-credit grading?

Credit (CR) and no-credit (NC) grades are an alternative grade mode to standard letter grading (A, B, C, D, F). Students receive credit (CR) for a course in which they earn the equivalent of the grade “C-“ or better. Credit/no-credit grades are not included in a student’s cumulative GPA.  

How will credit/no-credit grading impact President’s and Dean’s List determinations?

To be eligible for the President’s List or a Dean’s List, undergraduate and pharmacy students must have earned a minimum of 12 credits, 6 of which must be standard letter grades. Students with grades of NC, NR, I, or IP are not eligible.

How will credit/no-credit grading impact my academic standing?

Credit (CR) and no-credit (NC) grades are not factored into a student’s cumulative GPA. Students with a cumulative GPA less than 2.00 or who are concerned about their semester or cumulative GPA should consult with their advisor or college/school dean’s office before converting courses to credit/no-credit grading.

In order to help minimize the spread of the coronavirus and protect our campus community, Drake University will deliver all courses remotely through the end of summer term.

If you are sick, you should take steps you normally would when sick, including focusing on caring for your health, contacting your healthcare provider if you feel you need to, not attending online classes if you are unable, and in the event you miss class due to illness, working with your instructor on any necessary arrangements for making up coursework.

Please be prepared to accommodate students who are unable to attend online classes due to illness, including clearly communicating opportunities and expectations around alternative assignments or makeup work.

“Instructors are strongly discouraged from requiring medical or legal documentation from a student for any absences. Requiring such documentation places burdens on all parties involved,” according to the Faculty Council on Academic Standards Syllabus Guidelines.

The syllabus guidelines recommend that instructors offer students accommodations, such as makeup exams, alternate assignments, or alternate weighting of missed work.

In order to help minimize spread of the coronavirus and protect our campus community, Drake University will deliver all courses remotely through the end of the summer session.

Faculty are expected to deliver all courses remotely as provided in the plan submitted to deans. Please reference email communications to faculty from Provost Mattison.

The Drake University Environmental Health and Safety Department as well as the Emergency Management Committee have resources to assist you and your family to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a variety of natural and human-caused emergencies and disasters.

Contact Drake's Environmental Health and Safety Department for more information regarding these resources.

No. CR/NC grades cannot replace an existing letter grade. Drake’s policy on repeating a course applies to courses taken in the same grading mode. If you repeat a course using the CR/NC grading mode, your original grade will still factor into your cumulative GPA. Earning CR in a repeated course will fulfill the requirements associated with the course, regardless of the original letter grade earned.

Changing to CR/NC grading for the Spring 2020 semester does not have any direct impact on financial aid or scholarships. However, if a student must improve their existing GPA—as of Fall 2019—in order to remain eligible for financial aid or scholarships going forward, changing a majority of or all coursework to CR/NC grading will preclude the student from making any improvement to their GPA during the Spring 2020 semester. Please review the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirement for more details. If you are currently receiving financial aid as a result of a SAP appeal, you are encouraged to consult with Kristi Fuller, kristi.fuller@drake.edu, prior to changing to CR/NC grading.  

Yes. If you converted your class(es) to CR/NC grading, but have changed your mind, please email registrar@drake.edu with your student ID number and course information no later than Friday, April 10, 2020 to have your courses converted back to standard letter grading.