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Pass/Fail Policy
In May 2002, the faculty adopted a new pass/fail policy. The policy
is intended to encourage
students to be adventurous in their course selection and to not be
deterred from taking a course out of concern about their GPAs. The
details of the policy were developed by the Academic Standards Committee
which includes both faculty and student members. That committee considered
a range of issues, including possible impact on placement of students'
taking courses pass/fail and how to create incentives for students
to continue to work hard even in courses they are taking pass/fail.
In order to accommodate a range of concerns, the new policy has some
complexities. The basic rules are listed below:
- The option is available for a maximum of 6 credits. Courses
taken on a mandatory pass/fail basis on the main campus for credit
towards the JD degree would count toward the six credit maximum.
Click here to see exceptions to this rule.
- The option can only be exercised in one course a semester. Click here to see exceptions to this rule.
- The option would be contingent in the following
manner. A student,
during the first two weeks of the semester, would have to designate the class as one in which the option was being exercised online through the Pass/Fail Option Selection (click here). Halfway through the semester,
the student would indicate to the
Registrar's Office the target grade the student hopes
to receive in the course (the
timing of this target grade selection gives the student
the opportunity to take into
account grades received in the prior semester). If
the student earns the targeted
grade or above, the actual grade would appear on the
transcript. If the student earns
a grade below the target but at least a C, the student's
transcript would reflect a
pass. If the student earns a grade below a C, the
actual grade would appear on the
transcript. In short, the actual grade appears on
a student's transcript if it is the
student's target grade or above or if it is below
a C.
- Whether or not a student achieves the target grade, the credits for the selected course will count toward the pass/fail credit limit.
- Required courses (including all first year course
and the first year elective,
Professional Responsibility, and WR writing seminars)
are not available for this
option, since a major goal is to encourage students
to take courses they might not
otherwise take. Students pursuing the JD/LLM joint degree may not take courses counting toward this degree on a pass/fail basis.
- The presumption will be that all upperclass courses
(except required courses) will be
available to be taken pass/fail but faculty members
have the right to exclude their
courses.
A list of courses that cannot be taken Pass/Fail is listed in the course schedule and on the lists available to the left.
Pass/Fail Exceptions:
- A student may take one of the following pass/fail courses in addition to another pass/fail course in the same semester. The credits for both courses will count against the limit of six credits that can be taken pass/fail:
- Animal Protection Litigation (2 credits)
- Externship (2 credits)
- Introduction to Scholarly Editing (1 credit)
- Introduction to Scholarly Note Writing (1 credit)
- U.S. Voting Rights: A Practical Perspective (2 credits)
- Wrongful Convictions (2 credits)
- The following courses may be taken pass/fail in addition to another course in the same semester that the student is also taking pass/fail, but credits for the courses below will not count against the limit of six credits that can be taken pass/fail:
- Ethics & Professional Identity (1 credit)
- International Law Perspectives (1 credit)
- Law Fellow Seminars (4 credits)
- Sacred Violence: Torture, Terror and Sovereignty (1 credit)
- Spanish for Lawyers Across Latin American Legal Systems (1 credit)
- USLD Teaching Assistant Seminar (2 credits)
- Week One courses (1 credit)
Career Services
One issue you will want to consider before you elect to take a class
pass/fail is whether
prospective employers will be concerned about your taking a course
pass/fail. Before making its recommendation, the Academic Standards
Committee consulted with Gihan Fernando, Assistant Dean for Career
Services. Mr. Fernando concluded there would probably not be much
impact on large firm hiring, although students should be aware that
some might view negatively a pass/fail grade in a core course. Similarly,
government agencies and boutique law firms would be concerned if a
student had a pass/fail grade in a course relevant to the primary
focus of the firm or agency's work. Finally, Mr. Fernando thought
that there might be some impact on judges who are grade conscious
and who hire clerks in their 3L/4E year. Before you have to make any
decision on whether to take a course pass/fail, you will have an opportunity
to consult with Career Services so that you can make a thoughtful,
informed decision.
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