Credit / No Credit

What's the deal with ... Credit / No Credit?

Every Cal Poly student can choose to take up to 16 units "pass/fail" rather than for a letter grade. This is called Credit/No Credit (CR/NC). Below we've provided an FAQ that discusses important limitations for STAT majors. Full policy details are online.

 

What is CR/NC?

Instead of a letter grade, at the end of the quarter you simply get a "grade" of CR or NC on your transcript.

  • CR means you passed the class. Since it isn't a letter grade, it doesn't affect your GPA.
  • NC means you have to retake the class. Again, since it isn't a letter grade, it doesn't affect your GPA (unlike an F).

So, you might choose the CR/NC option for a course where you're worried that you might get a mediocre grade that will negatively impact your GPA.

 

How do I select CR/NC for a course?

Watch the video "Edit a Class - Choosing Credit/No Credit Option demo."

VERY IMPORTANT: You have to make this choice early in the quarter --- specifically, by the 8th day of instruction. Check the Registrar's planning calendar for the exact deadline for each quarter.

 

Can I choose CR/NC for any classes I like?

Nope. There are constraints:

  • You can't choose CR/NC for any classes with a STAT prefix
  • You can only choose CR/NC for 4 units within the major (courses under the Major Courses or Support Courses banner)
  • You can only choose CR/NC for 4 units of General Education

As an example, you might choose to take one non-STAT major/support course (e.g., CPE 101 or MATH 248) and one GE course as CR/NC. You can then use the other 8 CR/NC units for things like free electives and courses in a minor.

 

How does CR/NC work?

Professors don't know that you've selected CR/NC. The professor gives you a letter grade as usual. Then, the Registrar's Office uses the following rule:

  • C- or better equals "Credit"
  • D+ or lower equals "No Credit"

So, there's one caveat about CR/NC: if you earn a D in a class, that's a passing grade as a letter grade (you don't have to retake the class) but not as a NC grade (you now must retake the class). Of course, you couldn't know that in advance.