Overview

The academic information on this page is a resource for faculty/instructors during changes in campus operating status. Please contact Executive Director Edwin Arevalo (emarevalo@ucdavis.edu) with questions or suggestions for information to add.

For updates on campus operating status, visit UC Davis News and UC Davis Operating Status.

For information on wildfire-related events that might impact campus, visit UC Davis Wildfire Season Weather Impacts.

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Academic Policies

Fall Quarter 2020

Instruction

Visit the Campus Ready website for the latest information on instructional operations. Class instructional methods (e.g., remote or in-person) can be viewed in Schedule Builder.

Final Exams

For Fall 2020, the requirement that instructors of undergraduate courses hold final exams is waived. Instructors will decide if their course will have a final exam, and that information must be provided to students in the syllabus/course outline by the end of the first week of classes. This waiver is currently approved only for Fall 2020.

Guidance on Undergraduate Passed/Not Passed (P/NP) Grading

P/NP deadline extension

The deadline for undergraduate students to opt for P/NP grading in a course, or to revert back to letter grading, has been extended to the last day of instruction for Fall 2020 (December 11, 2020).

Undergraduate students not in good academic standing

For Fall 2020, an undergraduate student not in good academic standing may opt to take specific courses on a Passed (P) or Not Passed (NP) basis up to the limits specified in Davis Division Regulation A545(B) via petition and approval by their dean’s office.

Factors for students to consider

P/NP usage can be complex. Students should consider potential consequences related to satisfactory academic progress, time to degree, financial aid, and postgraduate study requirements. Students with questions should consult their advisors about P/NP usage. This online FAQ also provides further information.

Whether courses can be taken P/NP for a major during Fall 2020, as well as policies regarding college P/NP unit caps for graduation, will be determined by each college.

Guidance on Graduate Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) Grading

S/U deadline extension

Graduate students will have until the last day of instruction (December 11, 2020) to submit a Grading Option Change request form for Fall 2020.

Maximum S/U course exception

Current Academic Senate policy (DDR A546.A) limits the number of optional S/U courses allowed each term.

For Fall 2020: A graduate student in good standing (or who receives approval from the Office of Graduate Studies) is authorized to undertake, in addition to courses graded on a Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory only basis, not more than two courses on an optional Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U) basis.

Students must consult with their program to determine which courses they may be allowed to change to S/U grading. Approval from a Graduate Advisor (GA) is still required as GAs will help students comprehensively evaluate the pros, cons, and possible long-term implications of S/U grading. The goal of this process is to support students’ long-term success. Graduate Studies has also prepared an Important Considerations document to guide students through this decision.

Summer Sessions 2020

Instruction:

Remote instruction will continue during Summer Sessions.

Guidance on Undergraduate Passed/Not Passed (P/NP) Grading

P/NP deadline extension

The deadline for undergraduate students to opt for P/NP grading in a course, or to revert back to letter grading, has been extended to July 24 for Summer Session 1 and September 4 for Summer Session 2.

Maximum P/NP unit exception

Current Academic Senate policy (DDR A545.B) states that no more than one-third of the units for graduation taken at UC Davis by an undergraduate student may be taken on a P/NP basis.

Amendment to policy: The Academic Senate is exempting Summer Session(s) 2020 units from this one-third calculation; Summer Session(s) units taken P/NP will not be calculated in the numerator (P/NP units taken) or the denominator (total units taken) of the one-third maximum.

These amendments do not override additional college or major limitations on the use of P/NP courses for degree requirements.

Undergraduate students not in good academic standing

For Summer Sessions 2020, an undergraduate student not in good academic standing may opt to take specific courses on a Passed (P) or Not Passed (NP) basis up to the limits specified in Davis Division Regulation A545(B) via petition and approval by their dean’s office.

Use of P/NP for the University of California Entry Level Writing Requirement (ELWR)

For Summer Sessions 2020, students can satisfy the ELWR by passing, with a grade of Passed or at least C-, one of the ELWR courses certified by the Academic Senate's Committee on Preparatory Education and Undergraduate Council.

Guidance on Graduate Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) Grading

S/U deadline extension

Students will have until the last days of instruction to submit a Grading Option Change request form for Summer Sessions 2020.

Maximum S/U course exception

Current Academic Senate policy (DDR A546.A) limits the number of optional S/U courses allowed each term.

For Summer Sessions 2020: A graduate student in good standing (or who receives approval from the Office of Graduate Studies) is authorized to undertake, in addition to courses graded on a Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory only basis, not more than three courses in each session on an optional Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U) basis.

Students must consult with their program to determine which courses they may be allowed to change to S/U grading. Approval from a Graduate Advisor (GA) is still required as GAs will help students comprehensively evaluate the pros, cons, and possible long-term implications of S/U grading. The goal of this process is to support students’ long-term success. Graduate Studies has also prepared an Important Considerations document to guide students through this decision.

Flexibility with Late Drops

Graduate Studies will consider extenuating circumstances relating to COVID-19 as an acceptable reason for requesting to drop a course after the associated 10- or 20-day deadline. Students should explain how COVID-19 has affected their ability to stay enrolled in the course and should indicate their reason under the “Other” category on the Permission to Drop Petition. Requests for late drops will still require Graduate Advisor (GA) approval. Students should talk with their GAs and discuss the possible implications of dropping a course. Graduate Studies will accept these requests until the last day of instruction (June 4).

Spring Quarter 2020

Instruction:

Please review the campus directives for spring quarter—they include information on undergraduate and graduate instruction. Please also note that, until further notice, campus operations remain suspended per Chancellor May's March 18 message, which means that all in-person instruction should cease, and all instruction that can be delivered remotely should continue.

Final Exams:

Some instructors who have scheduled a final exam in Spring 2020 may wish to offer students the alternative of receiving their course grade based on work completed through the last day of instruction (June 4). Should a faculty member desire to do this, the Academic Senate authorizes this for Spring 2020, provided those students who wish to take the scheduled final exam are allowed to do so. See full guidelines.

Guidance on Undergraduate Passed/Not Passed (P/NP) Grading

P/NP deadline extension

The deadline for undergraduate students to opt for P/NP grading in a course, or to revert back to letter grading, has been extended to the last day of instruction for spring 2020 (June 4, 2020).

Maximum P/NP unit exception

Current Academic Senate policy (DDR A545.B) states that no more than one-third of the units for graduation taken at UC Davis by an undergraduate student may be taken on a P/NP basis.

Amendment to policy: The Academic Senate is exempting spring quarter 2020 units from this one-third calculation; spring units taken P/NP will not be calculated in the numerator (P/NP units taken) or the denominator (total units taken) of the one-third maximum. The College of Letters and Science and the College of Engineering, which have stricter than one-third P/NP maximums, will likewise exempt spring 2020 units when calculating their college-specific P/NP unit caps.

These amendments do not override additional college or major limitations on the use of P/NP courses for degree requirements. For example, some colleges require that all courses for majors be taken for a letter grade. Colleges are currently discussing if and how to adjust those letter-graded major requirements for spring 2020 and will communicate any such decisions to students.

Undergraduate students not in good academic standing

For spring 2020, an undergraduate student not in good academic standing may opt to take specific courses on a Passed (P) or Not Passed (NP) basis up to the limits specified in the Davis Division Regulation A545(B) via petition and approval by their dean’s office.

Use of P/NP for the University of California Entry Level Writing Requirement (ELWR)

For spring 2020, students can satisfy the ELWR by passing, with a grade of Passed or at least C-, one of the ELWR courses certified by the Academic Senate's Committee on Preparatory Education and Undergraduate Council.

Retroactive grade mode changes for courses taken Spring 2020

The Academic Senate is allowing greater flexibilities for retroactive grade mode changes for courses taken Spring 2020. These flexibilities and instructions are limited to courses taken Spring 2020, and they only apply to undergraduate students. Courses taken any other quarter are subject to the standard policies and guidelines for retroactive grade mode changes.

Factors for students to consider

P/NP usage can be complex. Students should consider potential consequences related to satisfactory academic progress, time to degree, financial aid, and postgraduate study requirements. Students with questions should consult their advisors about P/NP usage. This online FAQ also provides further information.

Guidance on Graduate Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) Grading

S/U deadline extension

Students will have until the last day of instruction (June 4, 2020) to submit a Grading Option Change request form for Spring 2020.

Maximum S/U course exception

Current Academic Senate policy (DDR A546.A) limits the number of optional S/U courses allowed each term.

Amendment to policy for Spring 2020: A graduate student in good standing (or who receives approval from the Office of Graduate Studies) is authorized to undertake, in addition to courses graded on a Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory only basis, not more than three courses in spring 2020 on an optional Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U) basis.

Students must consult with their program to determine which courses they may be allowed to change to S/U grading. Approval from a Graduate Advisor (GA) is still required as GAs will help students comprehensively evaluate the pros, cons, and possible long-term implications of S/U grading. The goal of this process is to support students’ long-term success. Graduate Studies has also prepared an Important Considerations document to guide students through this decision.

Flexibility with Late Drops

Graduate Studies will consider extenuating circumstances relating to COVID-19 as an acceptable reason for requesting to drop a course after the associated 10- or 20-day deadline. Students should explain how COVID-19 has affected their ability to stay enrolled in the course and should indicate their reason under the “Other” category on the Permission to Drop Petition. Requests for late drops will still require Graduate Advisor (GA) approval. Students should talk with their GAs and discuss the possible implications of dropping a course. Graduate Studies will accept these requests until the last day of instruction (June 4).

Class Cancellation FAQs for Instructors

To avoid confusion, the previous FAQs posted here have been temporarily archived while updates are made. Additional information will be posted here if needed. Please refer to COVID-19 academic policies above for guidance on the current campus situation.