Academic Catalog 2019-20 > Academic Policies and Procedures > Pass/Fail and Incomplete Policy Change due to COVID-19

Pass/Fail and Incomplete Policy Change due to COVID-19

In an effort to provide flexibility to students who are disproportionately impacted by the Covid-19 Pandemic, the following temporary policy applies for Spring 2020. Students should consult with their instructors/advisors to determine if this policy is right for them. Taking courses Pass/Fail can impact your GPA and Incompletes can impact your Financial aid package. If you have concerns, you should additionally consult with the Financial Aid Office prior to submitting a request. If you are interested in this policy, the first step is reaching out to your instructor.

The below policies are revised for Spring 2020 only - Effective 04/07/2020

PASS/FAIL COURSES: UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

A student in good academic standing (at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA) may elect to designate up to two courses in Spring 2020 to a Pass/Fail course if they have the consent of the instructor teaching the course.

Core Curriculum: Courses taken Pass/Fail may be used to fulfill the Core Curriculum requirements for graduation, with the exception of the “Effective Communication” and “Quantitative Literacy and Social Issues” courses where students must earn a “C” to meet the Core requirement.

Majors and Minors: Courses taken Pass/Fail may be used to fulfill major or minor requirements in most programs --with the exception of the Nursing and Occupational Therapy majors and Senior seminars.

Deadline: Requests for Pass/Fail grading in a specific course that is not already designated as a Pass/Fail course must be completed and submitted to the Registrar's Office no later April 20, 2020. Once this deadline has passed, a student may no longer change the grading option nor petition after the fact to have such a granted request reversed. A student registered for a course on a Pass/Fail basis is expected to do all of the work for the course.

Graduation Honors: Generally, the GPA for Graduation Honors is based on the student’s computable letter-graded units completed at Dominican, and a minimum of 30 units taken at Dominican is required for the undergraduate degree. For students graduating in the 2019-2020 academic year, Pass/Fail units earned in up to two courses in Spring 2020 may be included in the count of units (not the GPA) for honors at graduation.

Dean’s List: In order to qualify for the Dean’s List, a student must be enrolled full-time with a minimum of 12 units while up to two Pass/Fail courses in Spring 2020 will be allowed.

The Experiential Learning Portfolio option in the Adult Degree Completion program is a process that evaluates college level learning through proficiency assessment. While letter grades are not assigned to units awarded through Experiential Learning Portfolio, students must demonstrate proficiency at the level of ‘C’ (2.0) or better. Selected Experiential Learning units may meet some General Education requirements, elective units, or required electives in some majors. See the Credit for Prior Learning section of this catalog for experiential learning areas that may be petitioned for credit.

Students may apply credit earned through selected examinations and/or approved course challenges toward electives or requirements in the major or for certain Core Curriculum (General Education for Adult Degree Completion) areas. Detail is provided in the Transfer Credit Policies section of this catalog.

Pass/Fail Courses: Post-Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs

This policy has not been altered from the 2019-2020 Catalog.

 A grade of “Pass” in a post-baccalaureate or graduate level course is equivalent to at least a 3.0, which is a grade of ‘B’ or better. Graduate level courses are not generally offered for Pass/Fail credit, except for internship or field placement courses, or by special permission of the department.

INCOMPLETE GRADES:

Incomplete grades are given only in extraordinary circumstances which are often beyond the student’s control. In Spring 2020, this includes the pandemic caused by the corona virus which has introduced the need for remote learning and created various accessibility issues. An Incomplete is granted under the following circumstances:

1. Clinicals and Labs: The restrictions on clinical sites or labs have prohibited attendance and/or completion of the required hours. In this case, the instructor may request incompletes for all enrolled students in the lab following consultation with the lecture instructor and chair. A plan for the method and timeline of completion should be attached and approved by the chair.
2. The student requests it, because the shift to online courses has created obstacles to learning and constitutes an inordinate hardship for the student.
3. When a limited amount, normally less than 50%, of the student’s work is incomplete.
4. When required work may reasonably be completed in an agreed-upon time frame of less than one additional semester.

Form and Process: The Incomplete Grade Request Form can be completed online by the instructor (see #1 above) or the student and must include a list of which assignments or exams are to be submitted to the instructor by a deadline that is acceptable to both parties, as well as information about possible grading penalties. Requests for an Incomplete grade must have the electronic signature/approval of the student, the instructor, and the chair of the academic department offering the course. In the case of Core Curriculum courses, the approval of the Dean of the Dominican Experience is required. In the case of internships, the signature of the Director of Career & Internship Services is required.

Deadline: The Incomplete Grade Request Form must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office before the last day of classes for the semester, May 13, 2020, and prior to final examinations. Unless an earlier date is specified on the request form/contract, all coursework for an incomplete course or internship incurred during the Spring semester must be submitted to the instructor by December 1, 2020. Students must have the instructor’s approval to extend the deadline for completing the work. Failure to meet these deadlines will result in the assignment of the grade of ‘F.’ Incomplete grades that have reverted to ‘F’ are final. A student with an ‘Incomplete’ grade in a prior term is not eligible for honors such as the Dean's List. Upon successful completion of an incomplete grade should a student's eligibility for the Dean's List status change, the award may be granted for the Spring 2020 term retroactively. Students receiving financial aid should consult with their financial aid counselor about the regulations concerning incomplete grades and satisfactory academic progress prior to taking action.