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The unit represents the academic work of a single block of three-and-one-half weeks. There are eight blocks in the academic year, and under normal circumstances a student can earn eight units of credit per year and 32 units in four years. Each unit is equal to four semester hours or six quarter hours. Adjunct courses provide .25 unit credit each, and extended-format courses provide up to .5 unit per semester. The January half-block allows students to earn .5 unit of credit.
Any first-year student who enrolls for fewer than eight blocks, and any other student who enrolls for fewer than seven blocks, must have the prior approval of the registrar’s office within the first two weeks of the semester of reduced enrollment.
The college provides a two-track system for all students. In a given course, students may choose to be graded by either the designation of A, A–, B+, B, B–, C+, C, C–, D+, D, and No Credit (G Track) or the optional system S/CR/NC (P Track). S = A through C–; CR = D+ or D; NC = No Credit. For purposes of computing the grade point average, the following schedule will be used: A = 4.0; A– = 3.7; B+ = 3.3; B = 3.0; B– = 2.7; C+ = 2.3; C = 2.0; C– = 1.7; D+ = 1.3; D = 1.0; and NC = 0.0.
P Track passing grades are not calculated in the GPA; however, a grade of NC under either grade track option is calculated in the GPA. D+ and D grades under both G and P Track options may fulfill graduation requirements. They do not fulfill major, departmental minor, or prerequisite requirements. There are no restrictions placed on the number of courses a student may choose under each option. However, students are expected to choose the option by which they wish to be graded at the time they register for courses. No change in the grading option is permitted after the fourth day of class without extenuating circumstances. Students who do not choose a grading track for a course are automatically assigned to the G track by the registrar’s office. A student may, with permission of the course professor, audit (Z Track) a course. No credit toward graduation will be awarded, but the audit, if completed successfully, will be recorded on the student’s transcript.
The college believes its grading system options offer a desirable versatility because they provide a commonly understood set of grades for consideration beyond the campus while preserving a simpler option for students who wish to be free of certain kinds of grading pressures. This “optional system” encourages students to take courses they might otherwise avoid out of fear of poor grades, and in general makes students much less “grade conscious.” On the other hand, the college avoids the risk that some of its students could be disadvantaged by the grading policy in the competition for jobs or graduate and professional school admissions.
In the interest of a more uniform grading policy that accords with our commitment to high academic standards, the college endorses the following revised statement of the meaning of grades at Colorado College:
- A = Excellent work that reflects superior understanding and insight, creativity, or skill.
- B = Good work that reflects a high level of understanding and insight, creativity, or skill.
- C = Adequate work that indicates readiness to continue study in the field.
- D = Marginal work, only minimally adequate, raising serious question about readiness to continue in the field.
- S = Work that falls in the range of A to C–.
- CR = Work equivalent to a D+ or D.
- NC = Failing work, clearly inadequate, and unworthy of credit.
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