Updated Apr. 13, 4:25 p.m.
LSU announced students will have the option to have their final grades reported on their transcripts as conventional plus/minus letter grades or as pass/no credit (P/NC) grades due to the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
These options will only be available for the spring 2020 semester on a class-by-class basis, according to a Division of Strategic Communications email.
For undergraduate students who elect to have one or more classes moved to a P/NC grading scale, those who earn between an A+ and C- will receive a “P” on their transcripts. Students who earn between an D+ and F will instead receive an “NC.” For graduate students, a “P” requires a grade between an A+ and B-; any grades between a C+ and F will be reported as “NC.”
“P” indicates the student passed the course and will receive the designated number of credit hours, while “NC” indicates the student completed the course but won’t receive credit. Neither a “P” nor an “NC” grade will affect students’ GPAs, according to the email.
A web portal will be available for students who want to transition one or more classes to a P/NC option by Apr. 27. Students will be able to select what, if any, courses they want to opt into the framework between Apr. 27 and May 2 at 11 p.m. The portal will close again during finals week and will reopen between May 11 and May 13 at 4:30 p.m. Students who prefer to keep the plus/minus grades they’ve earned won’t be required to complete any further actions.
Those who want to use the P/NC grading option will need to certify they understand the implications of doing so. This may include negative effects on academic standing, probationary status, financial aid and scholarships and graduation, according to Strategic Communications.
The P/NC option is not available to students in LSU Online, the School of Veterinary Medicine or the Law Center. Vet school and law school students will receive a different set of grading options, which will be communicated to those students. The LSU Online program is a distinct program that runs separately from the regular semester cycle at the University.
