Implementing New Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Grading Option

In April 2022, a new grading option for undergraduate courses, Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading, was approved by the Faculty Senate to be implemented in fall 2023. Further modifications to the S/U grading option were approved by the Faculty Senate in April 2023, and the necessary infrastructure has been put in place to implement the new S/U grading option for students on schedule, beginning in fall 2023. The S/U grading option will replace the Pass/Fail (P/F) grading option currently offered on selected regularly graded (A - F) undergraduate courses at UMBC. The S/U grading option will not be available for courses that are graded P/F only.

The new S/U grading option aims to provide equity in grade calculation: Unlike the P/F option, neither the S nor U grade will be computed in the student's GPA; and students who choose the S/U option will be able to remain in these courses past the individual course withdrawal deadline and receive academic content through the end of the semester.

The S/U grading option will be available for all regularly graded undergraduate courses that currently carry a P/F grading-option designation. Students will be able to choose the S/U option up until the individual course withdrawal deadline each semester. A maximum of 12 credits of S/U grades will count toward a student's undergraduate degree.

What isn't changing with the new S/U grading option? Undergraduate courses taken S/U may only count toward the student's elective credits; they will not fulfill general education, major, minor, prerequisite, or certificate requirements. Courses taken S/U will not count toward Latin Honors eligibility requirements.

For more details, a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document about S/U grading is available to help inform you regarding this new grading option.

Additional questions about the new S/U grading method may be directed to academicpolicyquestions@umbc.edu.