For various reasons, students may find themselves unable to complete their coursework by the end of the quarter and may need to make formal arrangements with the instructor to take a grade of "I", Incomplete, in that class. Instructors are not required to grant a grade of "I" and will adhere to program specific policies about granting a grade of “I”. Students should use the Incomplete Request Form found on the divisional website to communicate with their faculty.

If the instructor agrees to grant a grade of "I" to reflect that the course work is incomplete, the instructor will indicate in writing (via the Incomplete Request Form) what work remains to be completed, the deadline to complete the outstanding work, and what the grade will be if the student fails to complete that work by the deadline.

A grade of "I" cannot be carried from one academic year into the next academic year. If no specific deadline for the course work to be completed is set by the course instructor, the default deadline for completion of the work is the start of the autumn quarter of the next academic year.  The course instructor is expected to evaluate the completed work as quickly as feasible upon receipt. After the work has been completed, and when a quality grade is submitted with the Office of the Registrar before the start of the autumn quarter of the next academic year, no intervening “I” will be recorded.

If the work is not completed by the deadline set by the instructor or by the start of the autumn quarter of the next academic year, a grade of “UW” will be recorded. A “UW” indicates an “Unofficial Withdrawal” and bears no point value and does not confer credit. Students may be required to take a new course to fulfill the given program requirement. If coursework is provided after a UW is given, faculty have a limited time in which they may change the UW to a quality grade.

Additionally, a student may choose not to complete the coursework for a given class for a variety of reasons. In this instance, a student may formally request from the instructor prior to the end of the quarter, a grade of “R,” which means “Registered” or “Audit.” This status has no point value and does not confer credit. Grades of “R” are either assigned by the instructor or arranged in advance by the student via the registration process. Instructors are not required to grant a grade of "R” if requested outside of the registration process. Students may be required to take a new course to fulfill the given program requirement.

This policy conforms to other divisional and university requirements.

Academic departments may have additional and stricter requirements as it pertains to this policy that students must adhere to during their program.

NGR or blank grade coursework 

Further, when an NGR or blank grade is reported on the student’s academic record, the work can be completed for a quality grade before the start of the autumn quarter of the next academic year. If the work is not completed by the start of the autumn quarter of the next academic year, a grade of “UW” will be recorded. If coursework is provided after a UW is given, faculty have a limited time in which they may change the UW to a quality grade.