Understanding Your Student Record
In this section:
This section will help you understand the grading system and grade options and show you how to access and maintain the information on your student record in PeopleSoft.
Student Records, located in the associate dean's office in 140 Thackeray Hall, maintains the records of all School of Arts and Sciences undergraduates and oversees graduation, transfer credit, internal and external transfers, Dean's List, and routine questions about a variety of matters including general education requirements, course withdrawal procedures, and grade options. Contact Student Records at 412-624-6776.
PeopleSoft
PeopleSoft is the University student information system. You can access your student record through the Student Services tab on the Pitt Portal. You must know your unique PeopleSoft ID number to conduct University business such as registering for classes.
If you forget your PeopleSoft ID, you can locate it by logging into the portal using your Pitt user name and password. Click on the Student Services tab and select View My Personal Information. Your seven-digit PeopleSoft ID number will appear directly under your name in the field labeled ID. The Student Services and PeopleSoft tabs in the portal have a handful of tutorials and PDFs to show you how to navigate PeopleSoft to find information such as your grades.
Grades and GPA
The following University of Pittsburgh letter grade system is used without exception:
| A+ | ||
| A | 4.00 | Superior |
| A- | 3.75 | |
| B+ | 3.25 | |
| B | 3.00 | Meritorious |
| B- | 2.75 | |
| C+ | 2.25 | |
| C | 2.00 | Adequate |
| C- | 1.75 | |
| D+ | 1.25 | |
| D | 1.00 | Minimal |
| D- | 0.75 | |
| F | 0.00 | Failure |
Every student has a GPA (Grade Point Average) that ranges from 0.00 to 4.00. This average is the result of a calculation relating credits to grade points. Each course you take is worth a number of credits and has the potential to earn a letter grade. Every letter grade is worth a number of grade points (see chart above). These points are 0.00 to 4.00, or letter grade F to A respectively. Credits for each course are multiplied by the number of points the grade is worth. The resulting grade point credits are added together for all courses, and that number is divided by the total number of credits attempted. You must maintain at least a 2.00 cumulative GPA to maintain the status of "good academic standing." Students with a GPA below 2.00 will be placed on probation and will be required to enroll in an academic intervention plan with the Academic Resource Center. An academic intervention plan is administered and monitored by an Academic Intervention Specialist.
The School of Arts and Sciences offers both a standard letter-grade option and the Satisfactory/No Credit (S/NC) option for students enrolled in most Arts and Sciences courses. Under this option, a student who does satisfactory work (a grade of C or better) in a course receives the grade of S. If the student's work is not satisfactory (a grade of C- or lower), the grade of NC (for no credit) is given. Courses for which S grades are earned are counted toward graduation but are not computed in the GPA. Courses for which NC grades are earned are not counted toward graduation because the NC designates that no credit was earned. In order to take a class with the S/NC grade option, a student must select the S/NC option by the deadline by completing a Grade Option/Audit Request form in the associate dean's office, 140 Thackeray Hall. Deadlines are listed on each term's calendar. Note: There are some formal limitations to a student's choice of grading systems; please check with an academic advisor before deciding to take a course S/NC.
Students may choose to take an Arts and Sciences course on an audit basis and receive an N grade on their transcript rather than a letter grade. Students who wish to audit a course must register for the course as usual then process a Grade Option/Audit Request form in the associate dean's office in 140 Thackeray Hall by the deadline.
The G grade is applied only when students who have been attending a course and making regular progress are prevented from completing the course by circumstances beyond their control, such as a major medical emergency. Students assigned a G grade must complete the course by the next fall or spring term in residence (or, in the case of students who are not in attendance the following term, within one calendar year). Otherwise, the privilege of completing the course is withdrawn, the credits are lost, and no tuition refund is issued. If you earn a G grade, it is recommended that you make contact with the course instructor as soon as possible in order to determine a plan to complete the course in good standing. If you do not meet the plan set by the instructor in order to complete the course, the instructor may submit a grade change to an F, and no credit will be earned. Students in their last term of graduation will not graduate if they earn a G in the term during which they need the credit in order to graduate.
An I grade indicates that the work of the course for which the grade is awarded has not been completed due to the nature of the course, clinical work, or incomplete research. An I grade is awarded only to students who have been doing the regular work of the course but who need more time than the term allows. That is, the extenuating circumstances ought to arise from the nature of the course work rather than from the student's personal difficulties (in which case a G grade is appropriate). The student must complete the course requirements within one calendar year after an I grade is given. If the student does not meet the guidelines set by the instructor in order to complete the course, the instructor may submit a grade change to an F, and no credit will be earned. Students in their last term of graduation will not graduate if they earn an I in the term during which they need the credit in order to graduate.
Students who resign from all the courses for which they are registered in a term will receive a grade of R for each course. Students resign from the term in the registrar's office, G-1 Thackeray Hall.
A student who withdraws from a class after the add/drop period has ended for a term will receive a grade of W for that course. See Monitored Withdrawal for more information.
Students may attempt a course three times for passing or meeting degree requirements. The second (or sometimes third) attempted grade will factor into the official GPA, even if that second or third grade is of lesser value than the first grade. Students are responsible for filling out the Course Repeat form, which must signed by an assistant dean or someone in the Student Records office, which is then submitted to the Registrar's office. If a student attempts a required course at the University of Pittsburgh and does not earn a passing grade, the student must retake the course at the University of Pittsburgh. For example, if a student attempts College Algebra here and does not pass, they must re-attempt the course here, as well; re-taking it at another institution, even if the student passes the course, will not count towards graduation.
You can view your grades by logging into www.my.pitt.edu and clicking the Student Services tab. Grades are available approximately 24 hours after the date the grades are due. If one of your instructors submits grades after the established deadline, your record will not reflect a grade for that course. If you have questions about the grade you have earned in a class, please direct them to the individual instructor or to the department chairperson. If there is a grade dispute, please follow the Grade Dispute protocol (hyperlink here to that section of the handbook). If an incorrect grade has been posted, update requests must be submitted via a Grade Change Request form and processed through the associate dean's office in 140 Thackeray Hall. Changes will appear as they are received and processed in the Registrar's office, and may not be posted immediately.
Record Information Change
If you need to change personal information on your student record, such as your name or address, please visit the registrar's office in G-1Thackeray Hall. They will assist you in completing and submitting the Student Information Update form. Proof of identification may be required; please call 412-624-7600.
The Registrar's office handles name changes. You may initiate a name change by submitting a written request and photocopy of one of the following: birth certificate, court order, marriage license, or divorce decree - do not send your original document. Fees may be assessed in cases where historical records are affected. Send your change request to: Office of the University Registrar, University of Pittsburgh, G-3 Thackeray Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15260. Please call 412-624-7600 for more information.
Address or Telephone Number Change
Keeping the University apprised of your current mailing address and contact information is your responsibility. If your mailing address, permanent address, or telephone number has changed, it is important to fill out a Change of Address form immediately. You can find an online, printable Change of Address form at www.pitt.edu/~registrar/regWizChangeAddr.htm. Fill out the form, print it, sign it, and mail it to: Office of the University Registrar, University of Pittsburgh, G-3 Thackeray Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15260. If your address on file with the University is incorrect, you may not receive University information on time or possibly at all. You will be held responsible for any late fees you accrue due to a delay in the mail, and you are still responsible for information mailed to you, even if it is mailed to an out-of-date address.
The registrar's office, the Office of Student Accounts, the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid, and the associate dean's office may send official correspondence about programs, services, bills, or other pertinent information to your University of Pittsburgh e-mail account. If you do not use your University of Pittsburgh e-mail account, you will be responsible for forwarding messages sent to the University of Pittsburgh e-mail address to the e-mail address that you actually use. The University will not accept or use e-mail addresses from other internet service providers.
If you officially change your Social Security number with the Social Security Office, or if your Social Security number is incorrectly recorded in a University of Pittsburgh official record, please notify the Registrar's office, and they will correct the error in your University records. To do this, submit a written request and photocopy of your correct Social Security card – do not send your original Social Security card. Send or bring your change request to: Office of the University Registrar, University of Pittsburgh, G-3 Thackeray Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
If you have a Student Service Hold when you try to conduct business with the registrar or other University offices, this means that you cannot conduct business within the University until you resolve the situation that caused the hold and have it removed. Holds are enacted due to academic probation, missing data, disciplinary action, missing high school transcript, missing immunization, and overdue account balances. Financial holds may be placed by the Office of Student Accounts, Student Loans and Special Accounts, and the Cashier's office. If you have a hold, please visit the registrar's office in G-3 Thackeray to be referred to the appropriate office to resolve the matter so that you may continue to transact University business.