Course Information

Out-of-Class Work.  No more than 30 degree credits are awarded for out-of-class work, such as independent study, research, cooperative education courses, and approved School of Arts and Sciences (SAS) internship courses. In those uncommon cases where credit may have been awarded for life experiences, these credits are viewed as out-of-class work. Students wishing to register for more than 8 credits of independent study/research/internship in any one semester must have the approval of the Vice Dean for Undergraduate Education in the School of Arts and Sciences.

Pass/No Credit Courses.  Students who have completed 90 or more credits may take up to two courses (8 credits maximum, one course per semester) on a Pass/No Credit basis. Grades of A, B, and C correspond to Pass; grades of D and F to No Credit.

The following courses are not eligible to be taken Pass/No Credit:

• Courses taken toward fulfillment of major, minor, or SAS Core Curriculum requirements. The Pass/No Credit option may not be exercised if the course potentially will satisfy an outstanding degree requirement.
• Courses through Rutgers Study Abroad
• Honors seminars and department-based honors courses and honors sections of courses
• Winter session courses
• Courses taken in pursuit of a second degree through SAS

Forms to request the Pass/No Credit option are available in the SAS Office of Advising and Academic Services or online at sasundergrad.rutgers.edu/forms and must be submitted by the deadline noted on the form. Once the Pass/No Credit option is in place, it may not be reversed.

The above restrictions do not apply to courses that are only offered on a pass/no credit basis.

Repeating Courses.  A Rutgers University transcript records all courses taken at Rutgers University and the outcome (grade or withdrawal). Students may not repeat, for degree credit, courses bearing the same or equivalent course numbers, with the exception of courses explicitly designated as repeatable for credit.

Grades of F or D.   The repeated course policy was revised in fall 2014. The below policy applies to Ds earned in the fall 2014 semester or later, and to Fs earned in any semester.

Grades of C and Above.  When students earn a grade of C or better and choose to repeat the course, it must be repeated for E credit. Courses with E prefixes do not lead to graduation credit and the grades are not computed in the cumulative grade-point average. Repeating such courses is strongly discouraged.

Change of Grades.  Students are responsible for obtaining prompt information about their grades each semester, the requirements for a change of grade, and the requirements for the removal of a temporary grade. Under normal circumstances, the original grade cannot be changed once the next full semester has ended or after a student has graduated. In special situations, such as continued illness, this requirement may be waived with the consent of the faculty member and the Dean for Undergraduate Education.

Summer Session and Winter Session Courses.  Students in good academic standing may register for the Rutgers University Summer Session via WebReg or in person at the Summer Session office. Students may register for Winter Session courses online at the Winter Session registration website or in person at the Winter Session office. Students may take no more than 12 credits during the summer. We strongly recommend no more than 6 credits in any single Summer Session interval. During Rutgers Winter Session, students may take no more than two courses for a maximum of 3 credits, unless it is a single course of more credits.

Students on probation must obtain prior approval from an Academic Standing adviser before registering for courses during the Summer and Winter Sessions.

Students wishing to take short-session courses at other institutions must obtain prior approval from departments offering similar courses at Rutgers and from an academic dean. Except when taken as part of an approved Study Abroad program, courses from institutions outside the United States taken during summer or winter sessions will generally not be accepted. Transfer preapproval forms are available online at sasundergrad.rutgers.edu/forms and from the SAS Office of Advising and Academic Services.

Achieving the full benefit of instruction typically requires some time for reflection about the course content. For this reason, students should always consult an adviser before enrolling in Summer or Winter Session courses. Some academic departments may not apply these credits toward the major or minor.

First-year students are not permitted to register for Winter Session courses.

Attendance and Cancellation of Classes.  In accordance with Rutgers University regulations, attendance is expected at all regularly scheduled meetings of a course and individual courses may set policies for maximum absences.

Students missing an occasional class for unverifiable illness or personal circumstances do not require written documentation or verification from the dean. In these circumstances, it is the responsibility of the student to submit the absence through the Rutgers Self-Reporting Absence website, https://sims.rutgers.edu/ssra, which automatically generates email notification to faculty teaching the student. It is up to the instructor to determine if accommodations are warranted to allow students to make up work that counts toward their semester grade.