Pass/D/Fail

Columbia College and the School of General Studies allow students to take some classes under a Pass/D/Fail option.  For information on how and when to elect this option, which classes are eligible, and how and when you may uncover grades, please refer to the “grades” section of the Columbia College bulletin or the “grades” section of the School of General Studies academic policies website.

Please note:

• The per-term and aggregate number of pass/fail classes a student may take is determined by his/her school or department.

• Some classes are not available for pass/fail; other classes are offered as pass/fail only. Check your school's bulletin and the Directory of Classes for information on specific courses.

• Major or core requirements cannot be taken for pass/fail.

R Credit

The mark of R is a non-evaluative grade which confers credit for registration; no qualitative grade is assigned. If students wish to be given the mark of R for a course, they must request it from the instructor early in the term. If the request is granted, the R will be awarded at the end of the semester if the requirements are met; once awarded, the grade is not subject to change. A course that has been taken for R credit cannot be repeated for a letter grade.

Registering for R Credit

You should register for R credit as you would any other class. There is no specific registration option for R credit. If you wish to be given R credit for a class, you must request it from your instructor early in the term. The R grade will be assigned by the instructor at the end of the term.

Requirements for Taking a Class for R Credit

If you take a class for R credit, you are not required to take the final exam. All other requirements are established at the time the professor grants permission to take the class. The instructor will award an R grade if you perform in accordance with the agreement,

Please Note:

• Many classes which require full participation, performance and interaction (elementary, laboratories, etc.) are not available for R credit.
• You will not receive academic credit for R grades. Exception: some GSAS Ph.D students may be allowed, in certain circumstances, to receive academic R credit.
• A student cannot take major or core requirements for R credit.
• The per-term and aggregate number of R credits you are allowed to take is determined by your school or department.
• Classes taken for R credit will be posted on the student's transcript.
• If permission is granted to take the course for R, you are not required to take the final exam. All other requirements are established at the time the permission to take the class for R is granted.
• Taking a class for R credit is not the same as taking it for pass/fail or auditing

Auditing

There is no formal audit procedure at Columbia. The only exception is a program within the School of Continuing Education which requires a separate application to that program and permits registration only in certain designated sections or classes.

More commonly, students seem to use the term audit to refer to taking a class on an R credit basis. R is a non-evaluative grade which not all schools permit at all levels. Most will not give degree credit for an R grade.