Grades

Academic Regulations 17–19 describe the OSU grading system. The available grades and their associated point values are explained. Here you can also learn about the alternative grading system and the rules associated with these systems.

Attendance

Instructors may consider attendance in the calculation of students’ grades. Refer to Academic Regulation 14 for more details.

Also on this Page: 

Honor Roll

  • As stated in Academic Regulation 21 each term a list is published containing the names of undergraduate or postbaccalaureate students that completed at least 6 graded undergraduate credits hours with a 3.5 or higher GPA.
  • OSU News and Research Communications sends the Honor Roll to newspapers each term.
  • Term-by-term honor rolls are posted OSU Honor Roll by Term. 
  • Academic Regulation 21 was changed for the 2022-23 academic year to reduce the number of credits required from 12 to 6. The new regulation will be used to calculate honor roll beginning with the Summer 2022 term.

Academic Standing

OSU expects students to maintain satisfactory academic progress towards degree completion set out in Academic Regulation 22.  At the conclusion of each term, grade point averages are calculated and academic standings are determined for students seeking a baccalaureate degree. There are four possible academic standing statuses.

Satisfactory Academic Standing (AR 22) is defined as either: Good Standing, Academic Warning, Academic Probation, or Academic Suspension. Academic Standing is based on a student’s OSU cumulative and term GPA.

Academic standing is an end-of-term status, which means a student must complete at least one term of coursework before having an OSU-calculated academic standing. Academic standing is determined after final grades have been posted.

More detailed information is available on the Academic Suspension and Reinstatement page.

 

GOOD STANDING
Students with a term and cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above are in good academic standing.

ACADEMIC WARNING
Students with a term GPA below 2.0 will be placed on Academic Warning.

ACADEMIC PROBATION
Students who have attempted1 24 or more credits at OSU and have an OSU cumulative GPA below 2.0 will be placed on Academic Probation. Students who attain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better are removed from Academic Probation.

ACADEMIC SUSPENSION
Students on Academic Probation who have a subsequent term GPA of below 2.0.

1 An attempt comprises a final grade in a course where the grade is: A, A–, B+, B, B–, C+, C, C–, D+, D, D–, F, S, U, P, NP, I/Alternate Grade (where the Alternate Grade is one of these grades), W, or Y.

First-Year Experience Academic Standing and Advising
  • First-year students at Corvallis Campus (Cascades Campus and Ecampus students are excluded) that encounter academic difficulty during their first year at Oregon State University will be provided additional guidance from Academic Advisors in their respective college.
    • This guidance is to help students transition to the requirements of the Oregon State University academic standards.
  • Students in Academic Warning or Academic Probation within their first year will receive a registration hold placed on their account. The hold can be removed after meeting with an advisor in their respective college and developing a personalized plan for improving their academic success.
Changes to Academic Standing for Completed Terms
  • After each term concludes, academic standing for the prior three terms is recalculated to account for repeated courses and grade changes such as Change of Final Grade or Removal of Incomplete Grade.
  • Final grades may be changed by the instructor up to one year after the original grading deadline for the course or Petitions for Late Change of Registration (late drop, late withdrawal from term).
  • Student petitions for a late drop in a course(s) after the term concludes which alters their term GPA. This recalculation ensures that the academic standing for the current term is based on the most current, and the most accurate, academic standing. Current term academic standing runs after the prior three terms are recalculated.
P/N and S/U Grades in Academic Standing Calculations
  • Grades of P, N, S, and U are not counted in GPA calculations, and electing these alternate grading options will not impact a student’s GPA.
  • Although performance in these courses do not produce a GPA, students should be aware that taking any or all courses using Pass/No Credit (P/N) or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grade modes may have an impact on academic standing calculations and demonstration of academic improvement based on performance of an S vs U or P vs N.
Term Withdrawal and Alternative Grading in Academic Standing
  • Grades of W, P or S are not counted in GPA calculations.
  • Students who are placed on Academic Suspension with a term withdrawal for the current (same) term or completed classes for the term with grades of P or S have their academic standing manually adjusted as part of end of term processing because the student showed progression.
  • Withdrawal from the term or completing at least 50% or more credits with grades of P or S allows a student to continue on probation status.
  • There is no academic standing to calculate for the current term, therefore, it defaults to the previous term’s academic standing, which will be overridden by a manual review at the end of the term looking for progress or complete term withdrawal.

Review of Academic Standing for Students on Academic Suspension

  • Academic standing does not change automatically due to a grade change or approved petition.
  • Students who are placed on Academic Suspension at the end of a given term may have their academic standing reviewed and recalculated due to a grade change or petition for late change of registration in limited circumstances.
  • In the case of a student who is on academic suspension from the immediately preceding term and either has a grade change or there was an approved petition for late change of registration, this option will only be considered if a request is submitted prior to the add deadline for the immediately following term.

 

 

  • If a student qualifies, they (or advisor on behalf of the student) may email [email protected] to request, on an individual basis, to have their academic standing reviewed by the Office of the Registrar within the limited time listed above.
  • All other changes, such as a grade change for a prior term or change in academic status (e.g., Academic Warning to Good Standing) are handled during end of term processing and follow the academic standing calculation protocol.
Academic Fresh Start Policy

Students may petition once with the Registrar to exclude OSU courses from the calculation of institutional requirements, credits, and grade-point average, under the conditions defined in Academic Regulation 31 (Academic Fresh Start Policy).