Campus Center, 4th Floor
UMass Boston
100 Morrissey Boulevard
Boston, MA 02125
registrar@umb.edu
Course Pass/Fail/Withdrawal
Announcements
- Fall 2023: Undergraduate students may take one course each semester on a pass/fail basis, up to a maximum of eight. (Mandatory pass/fail courses do not count toward this limit.) Please view the academic calendar for deadline information.
Please note: This is an Undergraduate policy only. Graduate students do not have the option to take a course pass/fail.
The requirements of your college, major, or program may not permit you to take certain courses pass/fail. Be sure to check with your college or program BEFORE you select the pass/fail option.
- You can file for the pass/fail option through WISER at any time after your initial registration until the deadline.
- If you receive a grade of “F,” it will count as a failure and against your cumulative average.
- If you successfully complete the course, you will earn a grade of “P” and the course will be counted toward your graduation requirements, but it will not affect your cumulative grade point average.
- Undergraduate students may take one course each semester on a pass/fail basis. Only one course during the summer is allowed to be taken using the pass/fail grading.(Mandatory pass/fail courses do not count toward this limit.) There is a maximum of eight classes allowed to be taken using the pass/fail basis.
- You cannot cancel a pass/fail choice after the deadline.
- Your professor cannot see if you selected the pass/fail option when they grade. Any grade D- to A will convert to a P grade.
Course Withdrawal Option
Our Withdrawal Policy
If you do not attend classes, you will not be withdrawn automatically. Unless your instructor takes attendance and submits a grade of “NA” to the Registrar’s Office, you will receive a grade of “F” for the course.
To withdraw from a course, use the WISER system and follow these instructions.
- You may withdraw from any individual course.
- If you do so you will be given a grade of “W”, which will remain on your record but will not affect your cumulative grade point average.
- You may register for the same course in another semester.
- You cannot withdraw from a course after the deadline. You can however, withdraw from the entire semester up until the last day of the semester See University Withdrawal Policy for more information.
- There are no refunds for individual course withdrawals. See Bursar refund schedule for information on Refund Deadlines
COVID-19 Pandemic Adjustments to the Pass/Fail rules for Undergraduates and Graduate Students
Summary of Adjustments to Pass/Fail Policies During the COVID-19 Pandemic
During the Spring 2020, Fall 2020, and Spring 2021 semesters, due to the difficulties that the COVID-19 pandemic imposed, in order to increase equity for students UMass Boston made adjustments to the options for P/F (for undergraduate students) and Sat/F (for graduate students) policies.
Below are the approved adjustments:
Spring 2020
- Covid-19 Pandemic Undergraduate Student Guidelines Spring 2020
- Covid-19 Pandemic Graduate Student Guidelines Spring 2020
Fall 2020
- COVID-19 Pandemic Undergraduate Student Guidelines Fall 2020
- Graduate Student Guidelines Fall 2020
- Graduate students were permitted to opt for one course to be taken on a satisfactory/fail basis within program-based restrictions. Some courses were not allowed to be taken on a satisfactory/fail basis.
Spring 2021
- Covid-19 Pandemic Undergraduate Student Guidelines Spring 2021
- Graduate Student Guidelines Spring 2021
- The university returned to standard grading policies for graduate courses in Spring 2021
Campus Center, 4th Floor
UMass Boston
100 Morrissey Boulevard
Boston, MA 02125
registrar@umb.edu