Pass/No Pass Grading

The Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading option is designed to encourage students to explore courses in areas where they feel they have an interest but no special competence. Some of these courses may be taken for a letter grade. P/NP is not the same as auditing and students who plan to transfer to a four-year institution should not choose the Pass/No Pass grading option. Many transfer institutions will not accept Pass/No Pass graded courses to be applied toward major, minor, and general education requirements. Check the catalog of the transfer institution and/or see a counselor for further information. 
Students may select the Pass/No Pass option via myGateway instead of a letter grade through the last day of a term (see below for instructions). Students who are planning to transfer to the University  of California and the California or the California State University systems should be aware that they require courses taken to satisfy a major to be completed with a letter grade and many transfer institutions restrict the number of transfer units that may be taken as Pass/No Pass.

The following policies govern Pass/No Pass grading at Cypress College:

P — Pass will reflect performance equivalent to a “C” or better under the letter grade system. Pass (P) grades will award units completed but will not be computed into the grade point average.

NP — No Pass will reflect performance not equivalent to a “C” or better under the letter grade system. No Pass (NP) grades will not be counted into the grade point average but will be entered into calculations for progress probation and progress dismissal.

  1. Students who choose the of Pass/No Pass grade option may enroll in up to six units each semester, however, a maximum of twelve units of Pass/No Pass courses (excluding COUN 140 C and work experience) will be allowed at Cypress College.
     
  2. All units earned as Pass/No Pass shall be disregarded in determining a student’s grade point average at Cypress College.
     
  3. The units earned on a Pass/No Pass basis shall be counted toward the AA or AS 60-unit requirement.
     
  4. If a course is transferable with a letter grade, it may be also transferable with a credit grade subject to the limitations imposed by the transfer institution. See the catalog of the transfer institution and/or a counselor for further information.
     
  5. The option for Pass/No Pass is irreversible once the selection is made via myGateway. 

Students are strongly encouraged to meet with a counselor before deciding to take a course with the P/NP grading option. Not all courses that are graded P/NP are transferrable.

Students may choose the P/NP grading option for courses that are already approved for this grading method. To choose P/NP, please take the following steps:

  1. Log in to myGateway using your student ID and password.
  2. In the Registration Tools box, click "Update Pass/No Pass and change variable units."

The above procedure is available directly to students through the last day of the semester for 16-week classes, and until the date of the last class meeting for late start classes. After these deadline but before a grade has been received, students may submit a Petition for Exception to request that a course be taken with the Pass/No Pass Grading option.