Number
02.01.56
Division
Academic Affairs
Date
February 9, 2016 – Reviewed and Revised October 24, 2023
Purpose
Establish a consistent policy and procedure for course repeats and course forgiveness.
Policy
Students shall be allowed to repeat no more than three (3) courses with grade replacement, and to forgive no more than three (3) courses, Definitions of "course repeat" and “course forgiveness" and specific policies and procedures for each are described below. These policies and procedures shall be stated in the undergraduate course catalog, the graduate course catalog, and the UAH Student Handbook.
Definitions

Course Repetition. Students repeat a course when they retake a course they have already taken. They may repeat the course to improve their grade or to obtain a better understanding of the course material. For undergraduates, the original grade remains on the transcript but is not calculated into the cumulative GPA. Undergraduates may have three repeats in which the new grade is used to calculate the cumulative GPA. Graduate students are allowed only one repeat in which the new grade is used to calculate the cumulative GPA. For any additional courses repeated, beyond three for undergraduate students and beyond one for graduate students, both the original and the repeated grades appear on the transcript and both are calculated into the cumulative GPA. Repeated courses may count toward the requirements of students' majors. (Example: an undergraduate student fails Calculus A, but repeats it because s/he needs this course for his/her major. Upon the second attempt, the student earns a passing grade and continues with the course of study.)

Course Forgiveness. Students have a course forgiven when the grade from that course no longer figures into their cumulative GPA, and the credit hours no longer count toward their overall earned hours, although it remains on their transcript. Forgiven courses may not count toward the requirements of a student's major. (Example: a student fails Calculus A, but has it forgiven upon request of the student because s/he changes to a major in a different college that does not require Calculus A. The grade from this course is no longer included the student’s cumulative GPA, and the credit hours no longer count toward their overall earned hours, although the course and the original grade still appear on the transcript as forgiven.)

Procedures

The following language appears in the undergraduate and graduate course catalog and the UAH Student Handbook where the policies and procedures for repeats and forgiveness are stated: "Students should be aware that repeated or forgiven courses and their assigned grades will remain on the transcript, and employers or graduate schools may choose to use those grades and recalculate a student's GPA. Repeats and forgiven courses may not be looked upon favorably by some employers and by professional or graduate schools."

Undergraduate Course Repeats:

  • Students may repeat a course in order to achieve a passing grade or an improved understanding.
  • Students may not replace a grade with a W.
  • Students may not repeat a course for which they have higher-level credit. For example, a student cannot repeat Pre-Calculus Trigonometry (MA 113) after s/he has credit for Calculus (MA 171).
  • For the first three courses repeated, the original grade will not be calculated into the student's cumulative grade point average. Each course repeat counts against the maximum of three course repeats that can replace the previous grade. For example, a student may use all three repeats in a single course or in three separate courses or any combination of separate courses and multiple repeats of single courses.
  • The transcript will show both the original grades and the course repeat grades, but only the grade points and semester hours earned in the repeated courses or final repeated course when multiple repeats are used for one course count toward graduation and are averaged into the student's GPA.
  • After three course repeats, all other courses repeated at UAH will result in both the original grade and the course repeat grade being calculated into the student's GPA.
  • This course repeat policy will be automatically applied unless the student files for an exemption when registering (form appended).

Graduate Course Repeats:

  • Students have the option of repeating a graduate course in one of two ways: (1) they may repeat the course and exclude the original grade for the course from figuring in the GPA, or (2) they may repeat the course and have both the original and the repeated grade figured into the GPA.
  • Only one course may be repeated under option (1) above. In other words, only one course may be repeated such that the previous grade is excluded from the calculation of the student's grade-point average. A student wishing to exercise the option of repeating a course with grade replacement must file the intent to do so in the Office of Student Records before the end of regular registration period for the semester in which the course will be repeated, using a Graduate Course Repeat form (appended).
  • Only a course for which the student has received a grade of C, D, or F may be repeated under option (1).
  • Students may not replace a grade with a W.
  • For graduate courses repeated at UAH under option (2), both the original grade and the course repeat grade will show on the transcript and will be calculated in the student's GPA.

Undergraduate Course Forgiveness:

  • Only undergraduates may apply for course forgiveness.
  • Students may forgive any three courses, provided that they are not required for their major.
  • Any forgiven courses and the assigned grades remain on the transcript, but the grades are not calculated into the students cumulative grade point average, nor do they count toward their overall earned hours.
  • Forgiveness cannot be used for classes in which an F was earned for academic dishonesty.
  • Forgiveness is retroactive but must be done before graduation.
  • Forgiveness does not apply to pass/fail courses.
  • Students cannot transfer an equivalent course from another institution after a course is forgiven.
  • Forgiveness cannot be reversed. (The grade for a forgiven course cannot be restored once forgiveness for that course has been approved
  • Students apply for grade forgiveness using the appended form.
Review
Academic Affairs will review this policy every five years or sooner as needed.

Course Forgiveness and Repeat Policy