Academic Expectations & Policies

If you are considering changing your major or adding a major, please see information here.

Credit hours required for graduation that were earned more than 10 years prior to entering the current CEAS degree program are not guaranteed to apply towards degree due to the age of the coursework (whether the credit was earned from CU Boulder, another institution, or AP/IB/CLEP, etc.).  Students should consult with their academic advisor to determine if they need to petition for the coursework to be considered for applying towards the current program.

Degree-seeking undergraduate students in the College who complete at least 12 semester credit hours taken for a letter grade on the Boulder Campus during the Fall or Spring semester, and earn at least a 3.600 semester GPA, are automatically placed on the Dean’s List. Notation of the Dean’s List is placed on the student’s transcript (displayed at the end of the semester earned).

To ensure the prompt completion of degree requirements, an undergraduate student is expected to register for and complete a full-time course load (i.e., 12 or more credit hours each semester).  Part-time enrollment may negatively impact a student’s financial aid, scholarships, four-year graduation guarantee, health insurance, and/or on-campus housing.  New students to CU Boulder Engineering are strongly encouraged to enroll in no more than 17 credit hours during their first semester at CU in support of a successful transition from high school or the transfer institution.  All students must petition to be enrolled in more than 19 credit hours during any semester.

If you fail a course that is required for your degree, you will need to retake it and pass it in order to meet your degree requirements. All “F” grades are calculated into your GPA and can cause a significant decline in GPA, unless you retake a course with Grade Replacement.  If you are struggling in a course, contact your academic advisor to learn more about academic resources and support.

If a student wishes to appeal his or her final grade in an engineering undergraduate or graduate level course, please refer to the College’s official grade appeal policy and procedures.

Minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) You must maintain a 2.000 cumulative GPA to maintain good academic standing at CU Boulder.  In order to graduate with a baccalaureate degree from the College of Engineering & Applied Science, you must have a 2.000 CU cumulative GPA as well as a 2.000 Major GPA.

The overall University of Colorado GPA (also called Cumulative GPA) is computed as follows:

• Add up all the "quality points" for the courses you have taken at CU in the undergraduate career.  You can find the quality points earned for each course printed on your CU transcript in the far right column.
• Divide the total number of quality points by the quality units to get your GPA. Courses with grade symbols of P+, P, NC, *** , S, U, W, and I are excluded when totaling the credit hours that go into quality units.
• Tip: See the very end of your CU transcript for the total number of quality points, and quality units, going into your cumulative GPA.

Your Major GPA is calculated as follows:

• Add up the “quality points” for courses that roll up into your Major GPA (this should be shown on your Degree Audit but check with your academic advisor if you have any questions).
• Divide the total number of Major GPA quality points by the total number of Major GPA quality units.

Grades of F earned for courses are included in the GPA.  Incompletes that are not rectified within one year are calculated as F grades in the GPA.

Tip: Your Degree Audit calculates and displays your “Cumulative GPA” and “Major GPA”.

Students must meet all graduation requirements to earn a baccalaureate degree from the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

Incomplete grades are given only when students, for documented reasons beyond their control, are unable to complete course requirements. A substantial amount of work must have been satisfactorily completed before approval for such a grade is given. An Incomplete Grade Form must be completed by the instructor and student. In addition to reflecting the course and term taught, it also states what work must be completed to award the final grade and when the work must be finished (not to exceed one year). Incomplete grades are not calculated into the GPA. If a student does not complete a course assigned an Incomplete grade within one year, the Incomplete grade will automatically convert to an F grade. Students cannot repeat an equivalent course at another campus of the university or at another institution and expect the CU-Boulder grade of “I” to be removed, changed, or excluded from conversion to an F. A student is expected to complete any course with an “I” grade and not to re-enroll in a course in which a grade of “I” was awarded. Once the work has been completed, the instructor must complete and submit a Change of Record form. However, it is the student's responsibility to verify that the grade change was processed and is reflected properly on the transcript.

Independent Study is an opportunity for students to earn academic credit for learning outside the formal class structure, under the individual direction of a faculty member. Independent Study is provided to fill an academic need of importance to the student that cannot be filled by the regular curriculum. View the Independent Study Agreement for policy details and the Independent Study Agreement form.

     Students may drop one or more of their enrolled courses themselves through the 10th week of the semester (via Buff Portal).  If dropping a class(es) results in part-time enrollment status (i.e., active enrollment in fewer than 12 credit hours in a semester), students should consult with their academic advisor to consider CEAS policies on academic standing, repeating courses, and the implications for financial aid/scholarships, on-campus housing eligibility, and student health insurance.

     After that 10th week final drop deadline published by the Registrar's Office, engineering students should first consult with their academic advisor to determine if they have documented extenuating circumstances to warrant petitioning for a late or retroactive drop of a class(es).

     The student should then prepare an online College Petition, indicating what the student is requesting with a detailed explanation of the extenuating circumstance(s) beyond the student's control.  Student's statement should include:

• Address why the course could not have been dropped prior to the 10th week final drop deadline
• Address why action is being requested on only a selected course(s) in the term instead of pursuing a full withdrawal of all courses
• A student who received a "Course Alert" message for the course, or who is not in Good Academic Standing, will need additional explanation regarding the late drop request (since such students would have been expected to act proactively and drop the course before the 10th week final drop deadline)
• Supporting documentation should accompany the petition; for example:
  • For a health-related reason, students should submit a letter from the student's doctor (on letterhead stationery with signature) indicating the nature of the situation and how it impacted academics.  Students SHOULD NOT submit clinical medical reports or medical appointment memos since these materials do not specifically address how the situation impacted academics.

     The online petition will be routed for review, including review by the CEAS Undergraduate Affairs Review Board, and the student will be notified of the decision on the petition via email.

     If a student wants to drop all of their classes in a semester/term, that is called a Withdrawal and students should refer to the "Withdrawals" section further down on this web page.

The No Credit grading basis is for when a student wants to audit a course and is only allowed when a student is taking a class above and beyond regular degree requirements.  It is not allowed for standard math, science, engineering, humanities, social sciences, writing, and elective courses that would normally apply towards degree requirements (or for scenarios where a student already has credit for a course).  Once a course has been taken for no credit it cannot be repeated for a grade.  Consequently, because the NC grading basis is so limited, a student must petition before enrolling for any course no credit (by the third week of classes at the latest).  A student is still subject to course tuition and fee expenses when registering for a course with the no credit option.

Students can count a maximum of 6 credit hours of pass/fail coursework in which they earn a grade of P or P+ toward the credit hours required for graduation.  The pass/fail option may be used only in classes taken as Free Electives in the major degree program.  If a student enrolls in a course pass/fail which counts towards their major degree program and is not a Free Elective, the course will be converted back to a letter grade.  This is the case even if the student later retakes the course for a letter grade.

Consult with the relevant academic department or program on whether courses with the satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) grading basis can apply towards a major degree program, minor, or certificate.

The minimum passing grade for a course that is considered a prerequisite for another course is C-, allowing a student to progress through the curriculum and apply these courses towards degree requirements.  If the minimum required grade in a prerequisite course is not achieved, the student is required to repeat the course until the minimum acceptable grade has been earned (maximum of 3 graded attempts total to master the subject content at the required level).  If a student takes the advanced (post-requisite) course, it does not remove the obligation to meet the prerequisite course minimum grade requirement, even if the grade earned in the advanced course is acceptable.

In general, the minimum passing grade for a course that is not specifically a prerequisite for another required course is D-.  However, individual degree programs in the College may require higher minimum grades for specific terminal courses in their curricula.

A student is permitted a maximum of three graded attempts to demonstrate sufficient proficiency in a particular subject area (such as Calculus 1, Physics 2, etc.), including attempts at CU Boulder or other collegiate institutions.  For example, if you complete MATH 1300 (or took a course elsewhere that transfers in as MATH 1300), and then take APPM 1350 at CU Boulder, that counts as two attempts at Calculus 1.  After the third unsuccessful attempt, a student may not be able to retake the course or substitute it with a course in the same subject area from CU Boulder or another institution.

NOTE: A “W” grade is not considered an attempt towards demonstrating sufficient proficiency.  AP, IB, and CLEP earned credit are not counted as an attempt in this policy.

The College will apply the grade a student earned in their most recent course attempt to determine if the student meets the grade required for a pre-requisite course.  If a student has already earned AP, IB, CLEP, or transfer college credit for a course, the letter grade from a subsequent attempt of the class through CU Boulder will become part of the student’s CU cumulative GPA.  Students cannot retroactively claim AP or earlier earned credit for a course after a subsequent unsuccessful attempt of the class.

Generally, students do not retake courses (or course equivalents) in which they already have a successful attempt.  However, there may be instances in which a student chooses to reenroll in such a course (e.g., a student may wish to invoke Grade Replacement, or may need to retake a course for graduate school requirements, etc.).  Students may benefit from discussing their specific situation with their academic advisor before reenrolling in a course in which they already have a successful attempt.

The last 45 credit hours of the 128 required for the BS degree (or 120 required for the BA degree) must be earned via CU Boulder coursework only and while rostered in the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

To remain in good academic standing at CU Boulder, students need to maintain a 2.000 CU cumulative grade point average (GPA) as reported on the student's CU transcript.  Failure to meet these requirements results in the student being placed on Academic Alert, Academic Warning, and/or Academic Suspension (see CU Boulder Academic Standing information on the Registrar's web site).  In the College of Engineering and Applied Science, a student is expected to make ongoing satisfactory academic progress towards completion of a baccalaureate degree in the College.  CU Cumulative, Term, and Major GPAs should all be at or greater than 2.000 in order to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress towards a College degree program and meet graduation requirements.

Students should discuss any transfer courses they are considering taking with their academic advisor beforehand, and obtain approval in writing (which might take the form of an email from the advisor to the student, or an approved college petition).  Grades of at least C- are required for courses to transfer in (but higher grades may be required for specific degree programs), and any transfer course credit shortfalls must be made up as specified by the student's major department/program.  See also CEAS Transfer Credit Policy.

     Students may withdraw themselves (i.e., drop all of their enrolled courses) through the last day of classes in the semester (via an online process managed by the Registrar's Office).  International students must be approved for withdrawals by an ISSS Office advisor.  After the last day of classes, students may no longer withdraw themselves from courses but may consider the campus Retroactive Withdrawal process, if desired.  Once a student withdrawal is processed, the courses in the given semester reflect a 'W' grade.

     Before withdrawing, students may wish to consult with their academic advisor to consider CEAS policies on academic standing, repeating courses, and the implications for financial aid/scholarships, on-campus housing eligibility, and student health insurance.

     If a student wants to drop one or more, but not all of their classes in a semester/term, that is called a Late or Retroactive Drop and students should refer to the "Late Drops & Retroactive Drops" section further up on this web page.