Following a change to academic regulations approved by the University Senate, effective September 1st, 2025, the following changes to the Pass (P) and No Credit (NC) grading options will be in place for all undergraduate students.Students are strongly encouraged to discuss these options with their academic advisor before submitting an application, as they may have implications for future academic and professional goals.
Please note: Pass (P) and No Credit (NC) grades cannot be applied to courses in which a student has been found guilty of an academic integrity offence.
Pass (P) Option:
Students who experience unpredictable or unforeseen exceptional extenuating circumstances that result in significant personal crisis and demonstrably impact academic performance may apply to the Dean of the Faculty to have a passing grade in a course replaced with a Pass (P) grade that confers credit hours but is not included in GPA calculations.
Please Note: Students are limited to a combined total of 30 credit hours for Pass (P) and Aegrotat (AE) grades throughout their undergraduate degree.No Credit (NC) Option:
Students can elect to have a final grade in a course replaced with a No Credit (NC) grade that does not confer credit hours and is not included in GPA calculations. Students may apply for NC grades for a maximum of nine (9) credit hours during their undergraduate program.
To achieve a P grade, a student must achieve a final grade of at least D (50%-59%). Final grades resulting in F (0-49) will be assessed as a NC grade. After applying for a P or NC grade option, the letter grade will be reflected as such on the student’s academic transcript once final grades for the course have been submitted.
The number of courses a student can apply the P/NC grade option (combination of pass (P) and no credit (NC)) is based on the required number of credit hours (courses) in their program:
Notes:
Students can apply for the P/NC grade option for any undergraduate course in any year or at any level, following the maximum allowable credit hours. Exceptions to the P/NC grading option are listed in the section below.
Students can apply a P grade towards no more than 50% of their credit hours required for the major, honours, minor or concentration in their Degree Program. Where advanced standing credit hours (noted as TR on a student record) are used towards major, honours, minor or concentration requirement, students may not exceed 50% of those requirements in combination with a P grade option.
The P/NC grading option is not available for the following:
Please see: Retaking a Course
Language courses taken in the SMU Plus program where a final grade of P is applied will not count towards the total allowable credits.
Students considering a P grade for course(s) that may serve as a prerequisite for other courses with minimum grade requirement in their program(s) should consult with their Academic Advising Office. Once a P/NC grade application is submitted the student will not have the opportunity to reverse their letter grade. For example, courses where a C grade or higher is required as a prerequisite.
Students should consider that organizations outside the University may use grades to evaluate students for employment opportunities.
Except in cases where eligibility requires a letter grade in a specific course:
Students considering a P grade and its impact on professional accreditation and professional certification should consult with their Academic Advising Office. For example, Engineering students applying for their discipline placement at Dalhousie should first speak with the Engineering Advisor.
Students who plan to pursue further higher education should check the admission requirements prior to opting to complete a course using a final grade option of P. Students should consult their Academic Advising Office with further questions.
Students should consult with the Co-operative Education Office prior to opting to complete a course using a final grade option of P.
Visit the Student Forms page for the Pass/No Credit Grading Option Request Form.