Understanding the CU Boulder Grading System and GPA Calculation

The University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) employs a standardized grading system across all its colleges and schools. This article aims to provide a comprehensive guide to understanding the CU Boulder grading scale, GPA calculation, and related policies for undergraduate, graduate, and law students.

Standard Grading System

CU Boulder uses a 4.0 GPA scale, where each letter grade corresponds to a specific grade point value. The following table outlines the standard grading percentages and their corresponding GPA values:

Letter Grade	GPA	Percentage
A	4.0	94% to 100%
A-	3.7	90% to < 94%
B+	3.3	87% to < 90%
B	3.0	83% to < 87%
B-	2.7	80% to < 83%
C+	2.3	77% to < 80%
C	2.0	73% to < 77%
C-	1.7	70% to < 73%
D+	1.3	67% to < 70%
D	1.0	63% to < 67%
D-	0.7	60% to < 63%
F	0.0	0% to < 60%

GPA Calculation

The overall University of Colorado GPA is computed as follows:

Total the credit hours and credit points for all courses within the same career (UGRD, GRAD, or LAW) and across all campuses.
Divide the total credit points by the total credit hours.

Formula: GPA = (Total Credit Points) / (Total Credit Hours)

For example, if a student earns an A (4.0) in a 3-credit course and a B (3.0) in a 4-credit course, the GPA would be calculated as follows:

(4. 0 * 3) + (3.0 * 4) = 12 + 12 = 24
24 / (3 + 4) = 24 / 7 = 3.43

Therefore, the student's GPA would be 3.43.

Excluded Grades

Courses with grade symbols of P, P+, NC, ***, W, I, and IP are excluded from GPA calculations. All standard letter grades (A-F) are included in the GPA, including grades of F earned for courses graded on a pass/fail basis. Grades of I that are not completed within one year are converted to F grades and calculated in the GPA at the end of the one-year grace period.

GPA Types

Not all students see all GPA types. Undergraduate GPA includes all CU Boulder courses taken for standard letter grades within the undergraduate career. Courses graded with non-GPA symbols are excluded. Credit hours determine the weight of each course in the GPA calculation. Courses with more credit hours contribute proportionally more to the GPA.

Non-Standard Grading Options

Besides the standard letter grades, CU Boulder offers several non-standard grading options:

Pass/Fail Option

Students may select the pass/fail grading option for any course, but they should contact their advisor to review restrictions regarding this option. For pass/fail courses, the instructor submits a letter grade, and the system converts the grade to a P or F. Passing grades appear on the transcript as a P, do not affect the student's grade point average, and the earned credit may count toward the overall degree as long as there are no restrictions. Grades of D+, D and D- are considered passing grades of P. Classes that are graded on a pass/fail-only basis are not eligible to be taken for letter grades, and do not include the P+ grade.

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Changes to or from a pass/fail student option basis are not permitted after the tenth Friday of the regular 16-week fall or spring session, or after the add/drop deadline of any special fall or spring session or Summer Session. Prior to that date, students wishing to change a class's grading status from letter graded to the pass/fail student option can do so in Buff Portal.

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U)

Effective Fall 2022, the satisfactory/unsatisfactory grading basis is assigned to undergraduate and graduate courses that are predominantly experiential, field-based, practical in nature, or seminar-based, as well as for candidacy for degree enrollments (some exceptions apply). Satisfactory (S) grades are included in credit totals but are not calculated in GPAs. Unsatisfactory (U) grades are neither included in credit totals nor GPA calculations. Pass/fail-only basis was replaced with satisfactory/unsatisfactory for undergraduate and graduate classes beginning fall 2022.

Incomplete (I)

An incomplete (I) grade indicates that the student did not complete the requirements for the class by the end of the grading period for that semester. Requests for incomplete grades must be initiated by the student and only when, for reasons beyond their control, the student is unable to complete the class requirements within the semester of enrollment. If an instructor grants a request for an incomplete, the instructor sets the conditions under which the coursework can be completed and the time limit for its completion or if the class should be retaken. If an incomplete-graded class is retaken, it must be completed on the Boulder campus or through Boulder Continuing Education coursework, and the student must re-register for the course and pay the appropriate tuition. The initial grade of I is not removed from the transcript if the course is completed within one year of the end of the term of the previous enrollment.

For graduating students, I grades assigned in courses required for a degree must be resolved before degrees may be posted. Unresolved I grades in required coursework will result in graduation being postponed. Students must reapply for graduation in a subsequent term. I grades assigned in courses not required for their degree must be resolved no later than the grading deadline of the term of graduation.

If the I grade is given, the instructor and the Dean's Office shall determine in writing the appropriate date for completion of the requirements of the course, such period not to extend beyond the end of the next regular (i.e., not summer) term. If the student fails to complete the requirements of the course by the assigned date, the I grade will be converted to an F. If, at the end of the next succeeding regular (i.e., not summer) term, the faculty member has not provided a new grade to the Law School Registrar, the I grade will be automatically converted to an F unless, prior to that time, the instructor and the Dean's Office have agreed that the grade of W is appropriate.

No Credit (NC)

A No Credit grading option is an official audit and carries no credit towards graduation requirements. The 'NC' grade is automatically indicated on the course grade sheet and published on the student's transcript. Coursework to be applied toward an advanced degree may not be taken for no credit (NC). Courses taken for no credit cannot be used toward the minimum credit load requirement for full-time or half-time status and are not eligible for tuition remission coverage.

Credit Earned (CR)

CU Boulder recognizes that learning may be acquired outside of traditional learning environments and will consider the award of credit for such learning in one of three ways. Course challenge is a process by which students may seek to demonstrate knowledge and competencies in a specific CU Boulder course through an approved assessment in order to earn academic credit for that course. Per Colorado law, course challenge is available for GT Pathways courses. Successful course challenges are recorded as resident credit with a grade of CR (credit earned) within the term the challenge was completed and are calculated in credit totals but not in GPAs.

Grade Replacement

CU Boulder students (excluding Law students) who previously earned a low grade in an eligible course may repeat that course in a later term and be eligible for grade replacement. Under grade replacement, the grade earned in the most recent prior attempt of a course will still appear on the transcript, but it will be replaced in cumulative GPA and credit totals as long as the latest grade earned is the same or better. Only courses offered by and taken through CU Boulder are eligible for grade replacement.

To be eligible for grade replacement, the course must:

Not be a special topics course or any other course designated in the catalog as repeatable for credit (e.g., independent study, field experience, dissertation hours).
Be an active student at CU Boulder (law students are not eligible).

Students may repeat courses at any point in their academic career without invoking grade replacement by submitting an opt-out request to Office of the Registrar by the last day of classes of the term.

Grading Policies and Procedures

Grade Changes

Students who believe a grade was assigned in error must request a grade change by the published deadline of their home college or school. However, grade changes for graduating students must be submitted and processed prior to degrees being posted to academic records. It is left to the discretion of the faculty member to determine if a grade change is warranted. This policy does not apply to grading grievances. Faculty grading mistakes are easily handled by changing the student record though the faculty portal.

Grade Submission and Access

Final grading happens online through myCuInfo. Grades are due within 72 hours of your coursesâ Final Exam Period. Students have the right to access their grades during any time during the semester. Faculty are highly encouraged to make Canvas a part of their interaction with the students. The posting of grades by name or student number (even with name obscured) violates federal law under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and is strictly prohibited.

Exam Retention

Instructors should keep all exams and quizzes (and other forms of student evaluation) for a minimum of one semester in the event that a student files a grievance. After this period all exams should be shredded to protect student privacy.

Extra Credit

In any given course, the combined maximum benefit of extra credit should be limited to one letter step (e.g. B+ to A-, C- to C). Extra Credit is a useful tool when used in moderation (to make up for an absence, a missed lab, etc.), but it should not be used in place of a student exhibiting mastery in the subject matter of a course. Extra credit assignments should directly relate to the content and practices of the course.

Grade Inflation

To avoid grade inflation, CU Boulder recommends using the scale provided in the table when evaluating coursework:

A = excellent work
B = above average work
C = average or competent work
D = below average work
F = unsatisfactory work

Policies Specific to Law School

The following grading system is standardized for law school students. Letter grades within the University's 12-step plus/minus grading system will be reported for all students in the JD degree program to the appropriate University administrative office. For each credit hour, the letter grades shall have the credit point value shown above. Through Spring 2012 for JD students who matriculated before Fall 2010, for Law School purposes only, a numerical system of grading shall be used in addition to the University's plus/minus grading system. For academic purposes, law students must be enrolled for a minimum of 10 credit hours to be considered full time in the fall and spring. Law students may apply a maximum of 18 credit hours toward a degree during the fall and spring semesters. Law School requires a grade of 72 or above to Pass.

Transfer Credits

Transfer credits from accredited institutions are accepted by CU Boulder only after approval by the department chair/program director and the dean of the Graduate School, and under conditions outlined below. Transfer credit is defined as any credit earned at another accredited institution, credits earned on another campus of the CU system or credits earned as a nondegree student within the CU system. Work already applied toward a graduate degree received from CU Boulder or another institution cannot be accepted for transfer toward another graduate degree of the same level at CU Boulder. In addition, work completed for a doctoral degree may not be applied toward a subsequent master's degree. All courses accepted for transfer must be graduate-level courses. A course in which a grade of B- or lower was received will not be accepted for transfer. Transfer coursework that is to be applied to a graduate degree at CU Boulder and was completed more than five years prior to being accepted to the program will be evaluated by the major department as to current relevance and applicability to the degree requirements. Credit may not be transferred until the student has completed 6 credit hours of graduate coursework as a regular, degree-seeking student at the Boulder campus with a 3.00 GPA.

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