Brandon University adds grade flexibility for students affected by pandemic

Students whose courses were affected by the coronavirus pandemic this term will have new grade options that recognize the extraordinary challenges they have faced.

After receiving their traditional letter grades, students will be able to choose to convert them each instead to a “Pass” or “No Credit” grade on an individual and course-by-course basis.

A grade of “Pass” will indicate that students have fulfilled the minimum requirements of the course, while a grade of “No Credit” will indicate that they did not. Neither grade will be counted towards a student’s GPA.

This grade conversion is like those being offered at many other institutions around the country. It recognizes that both faculty and students have been thrown into a tremendously demanding situation through no fault of their own, and that many of them are also facing unforeseen challenges like childcare or job loss. This is a difficult time to assess academic merit, and BU is adding this option to accommodate both students and faculty, to provide a bit of a safety net, and to reduce stress for students as they go into exams.

Students who take a “Pass” grade will get credit for the course and be able move on in their program without worrying about their GPA. Students who convert a failing grade into a “No Credit” will not get credit for the course but won’t have it count against their GPA. Students can also choose to keep the traditional letter grade that they have earned.

Students should be mindful that some programs, including professional certifications, graduate studies, or competitive entry programs, may require specific grades that a “Pass” does not satisfy.

Letter grades will be provided to students after completion of their coursework and any exams and students will have to apply for grade conversion no later than May 20, 2020. This option exists for all courses that were still in progress as of March 16, 2020.

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