Other Course Changes

P/NP or S/U Grading Options

Undergraduate Students

Under Academic Senate Policy A545 and College regulations students in good standing are permitted to take courses Pass/No Pass (P/NP) in certain situations.  More information is on the Passed/Not Passed (P/NP) website. Students are not able to change the grading option for courses with a repeat limit restriction. To change the grading option for a repeatable course with repeat limits, students must submit an Undergraduate Course Change Form. Students should contact their college Dean's Office for information regarding the requirements or restrictions of their particular college.  Students may not change a course to a P/NP grading option if they previously enrolled in the course for a letter grade per Academic Senate Policy 540(F)(1).

On or Before the 40th Day of Instruction

Students in good academic standing, may choose to take a letter-graded course on a Passed/Not Passed (P/NP) basis by selecting the P/NP option for the course using Schedule Builder by the 40th day of instruction.

To opt for P/NP, or revert back to letter grading, use Schedule Builder:

  1. From the calendar view, select the course or from the list view, and then find the course.
  2. Select Edit next to Letter or P/NP grading.
  3. Select appropriate Letter grading or Optional Pass/No-Pass.
  4. Select the checkmark to submit changes.

To change the grading option of a course after the 40th day of instruction, see Late Actions.

Graduate Students

With the approval of the graduate advisor and the Dean of the Office of Graduate Studies, a student may petition to take one letter-graded course per quarter on an Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) basis per Academic Senate Policy 546, provided the course is exploratory and in an area unrelated to the academic discipline. The course cannot be used to fulfill any of the student’s graduate program course requirements; the course may be used to fulfill unit requirements.

On or Before the 25th Day of Instruction

To opt for S/U grading:

  1. A graduate advisor with signature authority must sign the Grading Option Change Petition.
  2. Take the form to Graduate Studies for Dean’s approval and signature.
  3. The completed form is submitted to the Office of the University Registrar. 

Switching Sections of the Same Course

On or before the last day to add deadline and the designated course drop deadline, students may switch from one section to another section of the same course or another course by using Schedule Builder:

  1. Under Actions, select Swap Section/Course.
  2. Find the new section of the same course or another course to add and select Swap.
  • If seats are available in the new section/course, the old one will be dropped and enrollment in the new section/course will occur simultaneously.
  • If you cannot register for the new section/course because it is full and you selected the allow waitlisting option, you will be dropped from the previous section/course and placed on the waitlist for the new section/course.
  • If you cannot register for the new section/course because it is full and you did NOT allow waitlisting, nothing will change with your course registration.
  • If you cannot register for the new section/course because of registration errors, such as restrictions, nothing will change with your course registration.

Switching Sections Into a Closed Section Using Instructor Permission Prior To the Deadlines

Undergraduate Students

Do not add the desired closed course/section using a PTA number. Complete an Undergraduate Course Change form:

  1. Obtain permission and the signature of the course instructor.
  2. Submit the completed form to the Office of the University Registrar.
  • Completing a section switch using a PTA is not recommended for undergraduate students. Doing so requires the student to drop the old section and applicable late schedule adjustment fees will be assessed to the student account.

Graduate Students

Obtain a PTA number from the instructor or department to add the new section. With a valid PTA number, using Schedule Builder:

  1. Drop the old section of the course. Important: DO NOT DROP the original section until you have been issued the PTA.
  2. Search for the new course section using the CRN.
  3. Select Actions and select Register with PTA.
  4. Enter the nine-digit PTA number.
  5. Check and confirm enrollment.
  6. A $3.00 fee for the late add will be charged to the student account.

Switching Sections After the Deadlines

See Late Actions.

Variable Unit Change

Students may modify the number of units of a variable-unit course by the 25th day of instruction. Obtain permission from the instructor and using Schedule Builder:

  1. From calendar view, select the course or from list view, and then find the course.
  2. Select Edit next to Units.
  3. Select appropriate unit value.
  4. Select the checkmark to submit changes.

For a variable unit change after the 25th day of instruction, see Late Actions.

Grading Variance Change

The Committee on Courses of Instruction (COCI) appendix 4 allows for requests of grading variances.  Students can reinstate the original grade mode for Grading Variance courses by completing the Undergraduate Course Change form by the 25th day of instruction.

For a grading variance change after the 25th day of instruction, see Late Actions.