To receive a final grade for a course, a student must be in regular attendance and satisfactorily complete all examinations and other assignments prescribed by the instructor. A student will not receive a grade for any course in which she or he is not officially registered.
The following grades are awarded and are computed in the grade point average: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, and F. In general, A indicates excellent work; B indicates good work; C indicates satisfactory work; D indicates passable work and is the lowest passing grade; and F indicates failure. The weights assigned to the grades in computing the grade point average are as follows:
A = 4.000, A- = 3.667, B+ = 3.333,
B = 3.000, B- = 2.667, C+ = 2.333,
C = 2.000, C- = 1.667, D+ = 1.333,
D = 1.000, and F = 0.000.
Computing the Grade Point Average
The grade point average (GPA) can be obtained by determining the total of quality points earned and dividing that figure by the total number of quality hours earned. For example, if an LS student has completed an 18-credit schedule and receives grades of A, A-, B, and C+, respectively, in four 4-credit courses and a B+ in a 2-credit course, the student’s semester GPA would be computed as follows:
4.000 (A) x 4 credits = 16.000
3.667 (A-) x 4 credits = 14.668
3.000 (B) x 4 credits = 12.000
2.333 (C+) x 4 credits = 9.332
3.333 (B+) x 2 credits = 6.666
Total quality points 58.666
GPA = 58.666 divided by 18 = 3.259
The total grade points (58.666) is divided by the number of graded credits completed (18) to obtain the GPA (3.259). Note: There are no A+, D-, or F+ grades. See “Pass/Fail Option” below for information about pass/fail policies, including those that apply specifically to LS students.
I Grade
The grade of I (“Incomplete”) is a temporary grade that indicates that the student has, for good reason, not completed all of the course work, but that it is possible the student will eventually pass the course when all of the requirements have been completed. A student must ask the instructor for a grade of I and present documented evidence of illness or equivalent circumstances, and clarify the remaining course requirements with the instructor. If the instructor agrees, the student and instructor must fill out and sign an Incomplete Grade Agreement that specifies the work remaining and the submission deadline. Incomplete Grade Agreement Forms may be obtained from the Academic Advising Office; completed forms should be submitted to ls.advising@nyu.edu.
The incomplete grade is not awarded automatically. It is not used when there is no possibility that the student will eventually pass the course. Students have no more than one semester to finish the work for a course in which an incomplete grade was received, though the instructor may stipulate an earlier deadline. For sophomores in the LS Core scheduled to transition out of LS in the following fall semester, any incomplete grade granted by an instructor in a core requirement must be resolved by August 1. If the coursework is not completed after the designated time for making up incompletes has elapsed, the temporary grade of I shall become an F and will be computed in the student’s grade point average.
W Grade
The grade of W (“Withdrawal”) indicates an official withdrawal from a course.
Pass/Fail Option
Applies to both the LS Core and GLS students: Students may elect no more than one pass/fail option each term, including summer sessions, for a cumulative total of no more than 16 credits while they are degree candidates in LS. The pass/fail option is not available for courses completed at other institutions. The pass/fail option is not permitted for any required course.
LS Core students will not be granted approval to take the following requirements pass/fail:
Courses in the LS Core Curriculum (“Writing as Exploration,” “Writing as Critical Inquiry,” “Global Works and Society: Antiquity,” “Global Works and Society in a Changing World,” “Global Works and Society: Modernity,” “Arts and Cultures Across Antiquity,” “Arts and Cultures Towards the Crossroads,” “Arts and Cultures of Modernity”).
Required coursework towards a major and/or minor.
Courses under the College Core Curriculum for CAS-bound students or core requirements for other NYU schools.
GLS students will not be granted approval to take the following requirements pass/fail:
Courses in the GLS First-Year Curriculum (“Global Writing Seminar,” “Arts and Cultures Across Antiquity,” “Arts and Cultures Towards the Crossroads,” “Global Works and Society: Antiquity,” “Global Works and Society in a Changing World”).
Approaches
Global Topics
Advanced GLS Elective
Global Cultures
Advanced Global Topics
City as Text
Junior Independent Research Seminar
Senior Seminars
Senior Colloquium and Thesis
The choice to elect pass/fail grading in any course must be made before the completion of the ninth week of the term (or the third week of a six-week summer session); after that time, the grading option cannot be changed. Once elected, the choice of pass/fail grading cannot be changed back to the letter grade option. No grade other than P or F will be recorded for students choosing the pass/fail option. P includes all passing grades (equivalent to D or higher), but is not counted in the grade point average. F is counted in the grade point average.
To request the pass/fail grading option for an elective course not applied toward a major, minor, or other curriculum requirement, students should contact their academic advisor and complete the Pass/Fail Request Form.
Note: LS Core students should understand that in other schools of NYU, the pass/fail option generally is not permitted for any College Core Curriculum courses, for any degree requirements, for courses in the major and the minor, or for required preprofessional courses. Students who change majors may not be able to use courses previously taken under the pass/fail option to satisfy requirements of the new major. Students contemplating the pass/fail option should consult with a LS professional staff advisor about the likely effect of such grades on their academic and career plans.
Course Repeat Policy
For students who matriculated in Liberal Studies as of Fall 2016 or later: A student who has taken a course for credit or who has obtained a W (withdrawal) in a course is permitted to repeat that course. Students may not repeat courses in a designated sequence after taking more advanced courses, and students with questions regarding course sequences should consult with the particular department offering the course. When a student repeats a course, no additional credit will be awarded. Both the original and subsequent grade will be displayed on the transcript; however, only the subsequent grade will be computed in the grade point average.
Grade Appeals
Students studying at the New York campus who have complaints about their final course grade should attempt in the first instance to resolve them by contacting the instructor of the course and voicing their concerns directly. If this is unsuccessful in resolving the student’s concerns, the student should speak to either the Associate Dean of Students or their academic advisor, who may attempt to bring about an informal resolution. If the matter cannot be resolved in this way, students may file a petition in writing using an online form provided by the Advising Office, which must be filed no later than 30 days after the final grade for the course has been posted. Petitions will be heard by the Committee on Academic Standards; the committee will deliberate and render a decision within 30 days of the petition’s submission. Any appeal of the decision must be made by the student directly to the Office of the Dean. The deadline for such appeals is 14 days from the date of the committee's decision. Students, responsible faculty, and administrators shall preserve the confidentiality of any student’s grade appeal.
Please note that there is a strong presumption of the instructor’s professional expertise in determining final grades. A petition for change of grade will only be granted when a student proves—through clear and convincing documented evidence—that the course grade the instructor assigned was erroneous. Possible grounds for a successful petition most commonly include: miscalculation of the final grade, based on the percentages in the course syllabus; misapplication of policies, such as the course policy on absences or lateness; and failure of submitted and graded work to be given credit by the instructor. The Committee on Academic Standards reviews final grades only; it does not review grades on individual assignments or course components.
For more information, refer to the Petition for Change of Grade Policy & Procedure document, available from the Forms & Academic Policies page on the Liberal Studies website.
Study Away Students
Students must follow the Grade Appeals policy prescribed by the University’s Study Away Policies and Procedures while studying away at a global site.