Graduate School: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) Grades

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Policy Number:
UW-1231
Responsible Office:
Graduate School

University Policy

Rationale/​Purpose:

This policy defines the parameters for use of Satisfactory (S) and Unsatisfactory (U) grades for graduate students.

Definitions:
Credit Hour
Defined in UW-1011, The Credit Hour
Grade Point Average (GPA)
The total number of grade points earned divided by the number of credit hours attempted. 
Incomplete (I) Grade
A temporary grade assigned when a limited amount of academic work is not completed during the term.
Progress (P) Grade
A temporary grade used for courses extending beyond one term. The final grade determines the S/U grade for each term and replaces P grades for the course.
Scope:

Graduate students pursuing Master's or PhD degrees in academic programs under the purview of the Graduate School.

Policy:

The use of letter grades (A through F) is encouraged and recommended whenever assessment of performance permits. In certain advanced topics, seminar, and research courses, where lack of examinations and other performance criteria make letter grades inapplicable, the use of Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grades is permissible.

For all courses listed as research, the only permissible final grades are Satisfactory (S), Unsatisfactory (U).  Though an Incomplete (I) grade may be assigned, a final grade must be submitted during the following term. If a P grade is assigned, it will remain until the instructor assigns a grade of S or U; all previously assigned P grades are to revert to an S or U upon assignment of the final grade in most cases. These courses will not count in the student’s graduate grade-point average (GPA).

In courses  structured to offer the Satisfactory (S)/Unsatisfactory (U) grading option, a grade of S represents a corresponding letter grade of B or better while a grade of U represents a corresponding letter grade of BC or lower S and U grades are not used in computing  the student’s grade-point average GPA (GPA), but the grade of U may impact the student’s satisfactory progress. S/U grades in courses taken for graduate credit satisfy the Graduate School’s minimum graduate residence, degree, minor, and coursework (50%) credit requirements as well as the minimum or maximum credits required for enrollment each term. Unsatisfactory grades do not satisfy any Graduate School’s minimum credit requirements.  

Tuition is assessed for S/U courses.

Related UW-Madison Policies:

Policy Administration

Approval Authority:
Dean of the Graduate School
Policy Manager:
Director, Academic Services, Graduate School
Contact:
Director, Academic Services, Graduate School -- Kipp Cox, ervin.cox@wisc.edu, (608) 262-2433
Revised Dates:

06-30-2023

Retrieved:
05-23-2025 06:48:57