5.1 - Courses and Credits

5.1.1 Graduate Courses

At Iowa State University, graduate courses are taught by members of the graduate faculty and are given numbers in the 5000s or 6000s. The 5000-level courses are for graduate students and qualified undergraduate students. The teaching department or course section’s instructor of record is responsible for determining if the undergraduate student is considered qualified based on the skills or preparation necessary for a student to be successful in the course. The 6000-level courses are for graduate students only.

5.1.2 Undergraduate-Level Courses Taken as a Graduate Student on the Academic Plan

With Academic Plan Committee (APC) approval, graduate students will be permitted to use undergraduate classes from Iowa State both within and outside of their majors on their Academic Plan (AP). Undergraduate classes from other institutions are not eligible for academic plan inclusion. Other caveats include: 

  • No 1000- or 2000-level classes may be used, but up to nine credits of 3000- and 4000-level classes at Iowa State may be eligible
  • Students are limited to 9 credits at the undergraduate level, with a limit of 3 credits at the 3000 level. 
  • If a 3000-level class is used, it must be a course outside of the student’s undergraduate major 
  • Credits did not count towards their undergraduate degree. 

Please note: 

Graduate students who take undergraduate classes are not required to do extra work or to be exposed to material more advanced than what is taught to undergraduates. 

In contrast, dual-listed courses (offered at both the undergraduate and graduate level) are required to expect more of graduate students who enroll at the 5000 level. 

Individual graduate programs have the right to prohibit the use of undergraduate classes or may make the use of undergraduate classes more restrictive than the University-wide policy. 

5.1.3 Audited Courses

Auditing a course means taking it without receiving formal credit. (For more information, see Chapter 2.)

5.1.4 Creative Component Credits

Credits for a special report, research project, or other independent work designated as a creative component under the nonthesis master’s degree option are assigned under the course number 5990. A minimum of two credit hours is required for a creative component. These credits are not calculated in the student’s GPA.

5.1.5 Dual-Listed Undergraduate and Graduate Courses

Dual-listed courses permit undergraduate and graduate students to be in the same class, but to receive credit under two different course numbers. The following requirements apply: 

  • Credit in the graduate course is not available to students who have previously received credit in the corresponding undergraduate course. 
  • Both graduates and undergraduates must receive the same amount of credit for the course, but additional work is required of all graduate students taking the course under the graduate- level course number. This extra work may take the form of additional reading, projects, examinations, or other assignments as determined by the instructor. 
  • The instructor must be a member of the graduate faculty or a graduate lecturer. 

Each dual-listed course is designated by the words “dual listed with” in the ISU Catalog. The student’s official transcript of credits, both graduate and undergraduate, does not identify dual-listed courses. 

The number of dual-listed course credits that may be used to meet the requirement for an advanced degree may be limited by the program. 

Program procedures for offering dual-listed-courses are included in Appendix F. 

5.1.6 Repeated Courses

A designated repeated course is one that is retaken by a student and no significant change in course content has occurred. If a course is repeated, the permanent record will show the grade on the initial attempt as well as grades received on subsequent attempts. However, only the most recent grade will be used in computing a student’s cumulative grade-point average. Normally, seminars, special topics, or courses that have changed substantially in content are not processed as designated repeats. 

Courses should be repeated as soon as possible, preferably within three semesters in residence. The Office of the Registrar will process the repeat automatically, unless the department/program name, course number, and/or credits have changed. In these specific instances, a “Designation of Repeated Courses” must be completed and submitted to the Office of the Registrar. 

Normally only one repetition of any single course is permitted and no more than four different courses used for graduate credit may be repeated. Decisions in each case lie within the province of a student’s Academic Plan Committee (APC) and the Graduate College. Credit for any course that is repeated can be counted only once on an Academic Plan (AP). 

5.1.7 R-Credit Courses

No credit is given in these courses. Only S/F grading is allowed for 5000/6000-level R-credit courses.

5.1.8 Research Credits

Credits for research for the purpose of completing a dissertation or thesis are assigned under the course number 6990. These credits are not calculated in the student’s GPA. A minimum of three semester credits is required for a dissertation or thesis.

5.1.9 Nondegree Undergraduate (Special) Student Admission Status

A person classified as a nondegree undergraduate (special) student is considered an undergraduate and may not use courses taken under that status in a graduate degree program. A student who has received the baccalaureate degree must register as a graduate student if they are to receive graduate credit for courses.

5.1.10 Special Topics or Independent Study Course Credit

Credits for independent study with a faculty member by an individual student or for a small group studying a specialized area are assigned under the course number 5900.

5.1.11 Testing-Out Credits

Graduate students may receive graduate course credit by special examination (testing out of a course) if they have sufficient preparation in the subject matter and they have the instructor’s approval. Application for special examination is made to the program and requires approval by the program director or chair/head of the department offering the course. For an official test out, a fee is paid, successful completion of a special examination is reported as a T, and the course credit is added to the university total.

5.1.12 Transfer of Graduate Credits

Only under certain conditions and only with the approval of a student’s APC and the Graduate College can graduate credits with a B grade or better earned as a graduate student at another institution be transferred to ISU (see Chapter 6 for more information).

5.1.13 Workshops and Short Course Credit

Workshops and short courses involving at least 15 class contact hours, but less than eight days of course work may carry no more than one graduate credit.

5.2 - Grading

Grades are the permanent official record of a student’s academic performance. Iowa State uses A through F grading for most courses. Satisfactory (S), Pass (P), and Not Pass (NP) grades are given in some courses. The standard four-point scale is used to calculate a grade point average.

5.2.1 Pass (P)/Not Pass (NP) Course Credit 

Pass/Not Pass courses are those that a student, with the approval of the major professor, may take for personal enrichment, but not for satisfying prerequisites or deficiencies in the undergraduate background. 

P/NP courses may not be used in an Academic Plan, nor do P/NP marks contribute to the student’s GPA. Full credit for P/NP courses is used in calculating tuition assessment and credit load limitations. 

5.2.2. Satisfactory/Fail (S/F) Grading 

S/F grading is not the same as P/NP grading. S/F grading is by instructor option; all students in a particular course receive S/F grading. P/NP grading is generally a student option. Additionally, a P mark is equivalent to at or above a D- grade whereas an S mark is equivalent to at least a B grade at the graduate level. No special registration procedures are required for S/F grading. An S mark in a course taken S/F is not counted in the grade point average, but an F mark in a course taken S/F is counted in the grade point average and is equivalent to an F in a regularly graded (A-F) course. No more than 20 percent of the total credits (excluding dissertation, thesis, or creative component research) in the Academic Plan may be earned on an S/F basis. 

S/F grading may be used only for approved courses offered as seminars, symposia, workshops, special topics, and research. 

5.2.3 Grade Point Average (GPA) 

All courses (even if they are undergraduate courses) taken as a graduate student will be calculated into the graduate GPA. The GPA is determined by dividing the number of grade points earned by the total number of ISU cumulative hours. The grade given when an Incomplete (I) is resolved is figured into the cumulative grade point average, but not into a particular semester’s average. Marks of I, S, P, NP, T, and W are not counted in the grade point average; a mark of F (even if taken S/F) is counted in the grade point average. Creative Component/Research (5990 and 6990) credits are not used in the calculation of the GPA. In the case of repeated courses, only the grade achieved the last time the course is taken is used in computing the grade point average.

5.2.4 Grading Research and Creative Component Credits

Creative Component/Research credits may be awarded an A, B, C, D, I, S, or F. Plus and minus grades are optional. These credits are not calculated in a student’s GPA.

5.2.5 Probation and Academic Standing

If a graduate student does not maintain a cumulative 3.00 grade point average on all course work taken, exclusive of research credit, they may be placed on academic probation by the Dean of the Graduate College. Academic probation judgments are made on the basis of grades in course work only. 

New, first-term, degree-seeking graduate students who fall below a 3.00 GPA at the end of their first semester at Iowa State University will be given a one term grace period to bring their grades back to a 3.00 GPA. These students will receive a probation warning.

Students on probation: 

  • will have a hold placed on future registrations 
  • will be required before registration each term to undergo a review of their record and have the program request a Graduate College Hold Removal in Workday to be eligible to register
  • will not usually receive a Graduate College tuition award, if appointed to an assistantship 
  • will not be admitted to candidacy for a degree if they are a doctoral student 
  • must complete all courses listed on the program of study with a minimum grade of C and have achieved a 3.00 GPA or greater before graduation is approved

The Grading Notation System
Grades and Marks Used for Graduate Students (+ and - are optional)

Grade/Mark Points/ Credits Performance Description/Comments
A 4.00 Superior
A- 3.67  
B+ 3.33  
B 3.00 Satisfactory
B- 2.67  
C+ 2.33  
C 2.00 Minimum grade acceptable for courses on the Academic Plan (AP).
C- 1.67 Not used on the AP.
D+ 1.33 Not used on the AP.
D 1.00 Not used on the AP.
D- .67 Lowest passing grade in courses, not used on AP.
F 0.00 Not satisfactorily completed, not allowed on the AP, but is included in the GPA. Typically must be repeated; only with extenuating circumstances can a student graduate with an F or NP on the permanent record, regardless of whether the course is used on the AP. The Graduate College may consider requests from the Academic Plan Committee (APC) to allow graduation with an F on the permanent record only if the course is not on the AP, the course is unrelated to the student’s scholarly discipline and dissertation/thesis topic, and the cumulative GPA is 3.00 or higher. An F mark in a course taken S/F is counted in the grade point average and is equivalent to an F in a regularly graded (A-F) course.
I   If a student is unable to complete the course work by the end of the term for reasons that the instructor thinks are legitimate, a mark of I (Incomplete) may be assigned because a grade has not yet been earned. Repeating a course does not resolve an Incomplete. The Office of the Registrar sets policy and procedure for issuing and resolving incompletes, so for more information, visit the University Catalog.
For students graduating, all incompletes must be resolved prior to completing the Graduate Student Approval.
Only with extenuating circumstances is a student allowed to graduate with an incomplete on the permanent record. The major professor must make a written request to the Graduate College explaining those circumstances. The Registrar’s Office will remove a student from the graduation list if they receive an incomplete for the term of graduation.
S   Satisfactory completion (figured in total hours earned but not in grade point average).
P   Passing grade under the P/NP system (figured in total hours earned but not in grade point average).
NP   Not passed under the P/NP system (not counted in total hours earned but not in grade point average). Typically must be repeated; only with extenuating circumstances can a student graduate with an F or NP on the permanent record, regardless of whether the course is used on the AP. The Graduate College may consider requests from APCs to allow graduation with an NP on the permanent record only if the course is not on the AP, the course is unrelated to the student’s scholarly discipline and dissertation/thesis topic, and the cumulative GPA is 3.00 or higher.
T   Test out with credit obtained by special examination.
W   Course dropped after first week of the semester.