Undergraduate Grade Point Average Recalculation Policy

Policy Number: EP-13.01

Effective Date: Fall 2017

Policy Title:  Undergraduate Grade Point Average Recalculation Policy (view the full SCEP proposal)

Contact: Office of Academic Programs

Policy Statements: 

Repeat Policy for Standard Graded Courses. Students may repeat a course to increase their knowledge of the subject matter. There are circumstances under which repeating a course is advisable and to a student’s advantage. There are also circumstances where repeating a course may disadvantage a student and narrow a student’s options. Some colleges require students to discuss any plan to repeat a course with their academic advisor before they register to repeat the course.

Courses with A or B grades may not be repeated. Normally, courses with a C grade may not be repeated. Courses with D or F grades may be repeated once without written permissions. In all cases, the original grade for the course and the grade for each repeat will appear on the transcript. The original grade and the grade for each repeat will be calculated into the grade point average. Only one registration for the course counts toward the total number of credits required for graduation. A course cannot be repeated after receiving credit in a course for which the repeat course is a prerequisite.

To repeat a course more than once requires written permission from the student’s college dean. Students who have been dismissed may not appeal on the grounds of intention to repeat courses. Certain courses may not be repeated; students should consult their college before repeating a course.

Undergraduate Grade Point Average Recalculation Policy

• Colleges may elect to implement this policy as early as the end of the junior year, or as late as the final semester during degree certification.
• The college will evaluate each student unable to graduate because of an academic grade point average deficit. The deficit may occur in the UIC GPA, the program GPA, or both.
• The academic record is examined so as to determine if courses, deemed appropriate by each college, with grades of F or grades of D, may be excluded from the student’s grade point average.
• A total of 4 courses may be excluded, with one course excluded at a time until the necessary quality points are obtained to meet the UIC GPA requirement and/or degree program minimum GPA. The credit hours associated with excluded course grades will not count towards graduation requirements.
• Only the college can initiate course exclusions, and only in consultation with the evaluated student.
• Students may not request exclusions.
• Only courses taken at UIC may be converted as part of this policy.
• This policy only applies to undergraduate degree seeking students.
• All courses taken and all grades will remain on the official transcript.
• The grade exclusion policy does not apply to courses failed as the result of a student conduct hearing.
• In cases where these procedures would impact program accreditation or licensure, colleges may use their discretion to allow the policy. Colleges, departments, and programs may have discretion in choosing courses that impact the student’s major.

Reason for Policy: The Repeat Policy for Standard Graded Courses and statement on Repeating a Course with Grade Point Average Recalculation, was developed, effective Fall 2009, to replace an obscure grade forgiveness policy. That policy was intended to improve retention and graduation outcomes. However, students misinterpreted the policy and it had a significant negative impact on financial aid, as it may result in progress measures that are insufficient to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements.

In contrast, this policy:

• supports students in their academic development and degree progression
• provides a mechanism for colleges to support students with relatively minor academic deficits to complete their degrees through a limited exclusion of grades of F or D from their UIC GPA and from internally calculated programmatic GPA’s
• would continue to allow students to repeat courses according to existing course repeat policies, and in a manner that supports their academic growth and progression in their degrees

Minority Impact Statement: Any impact on minority students will be as beneficial as for non-minority students by allowing graduation with relatively minor academic deficits. There would be less negative impact on financial aid, allowing students to continue at UIC and progress in their degrees.

Who Should Read the Policy:  Faculty, staff, and students at UIC.

Policy History: 

• This policy updates the previous version approved in 2008 (EP-09.01).
• It was approved by the Senate Committee on Educational Policy (SCEP) on November 10, 2016.
• The policy was approved by the UIC Faculty Senate on November 30, 2016.