Important Registration Policies

As members of the University community, students are also responsible for adhering to the principles and spirit of the Code of Academic Integrity. Penn believes strongly in the importance of academic integrity. Students who violate its precepts are subject to punishment through the judicial system. Ignorance of the rules is no excuse. If a student is unsure whether his or her action(s) constitute a violation of the Code of Academic Integrity, it is that student’s responsibility to consult with the instructor to clarify any ambiguity.

The best strategy for maintaining academic integrity is to avoid situations where academic dishonesty might occur. When in doubt, cite. There are many publications, such as the Chicago Manual of Style or the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (which has been placed in Rosengarten Reserve by the Honor Council), that provide information about methods of proper citation. Failure to acknowledge sources is plagiarism, regardless of intention.

• Consult with instructors about assignments.
• Plan ahead to leave sufficient time to complete work.
• Contact the Weingarten Learning Resources Center for help with time management and study strategies.

For more information, consult the Office of Student Conduct.

If a course is full, closed, or restricted to certain students it may be possible for a student to be admitted to the course by means of a permit. If you have unsuccessfully attempted to register for a course please contact the instructor about obtaining a permit. If the instructors grants you permission into the course you will need to contact registration@nursing.upenn.edu to issue the permit for Nursing Courses.  For courses outside the School of Nursing you will need to identify the appropriate office to issue the permit.  

In all these cases, if a permit is issued, it will appear on the “Register for Courses” screen of Penn InTouch, along the right margin. When it does so, the student will be able to add the course using the normal process. Students should be aware that unclaimed permits will expire, so they should be sure to claim the permit as soon as it is issued.

All course grading policies are at the discretion of individual course instructors. The grade point average (GPA) is tabulated at the end of every semester and is established on a scale in which:

 A+ = 4.0 C+ = 2.3 A = 4.0 C = 2.0 A- = 3.7 C- = 1.7 B+ = 3.3 D+ = 1.3 B = 3.0 D = 1.0 B- = 2.7 F = 0.0

To calculate GPA, the following formula should be used: GPA = [SUM (C.U. x GRADE)] ÷ TOTAL C.U.s

The notations of NR and GR indicate that the grade has not been received by the Registrar. All NRs (instructor did not submit grades for the course) and GRs (instructor did not enter a grade for the student in question) must be cleared from the student’s transcript before graduation.

For more information on grades please refer to the student handbooks.

Grades are due from faculty as follows:

Fall Term - Due the first working day in January after the winter break.

Spring Term - Due by 12:00 noon 3 days from the last day of final exams.

Summer Sessions - Due by 12:00 noon 3 days from the last day of the session class.

More information about University Grading Policies can be found here.

The decision to grant an Incomplete or not is solely that of the instructor teaching the course.

Unfinished coursework may result in an F grade.

If the work for a course is incomplete as a result of the student’s unexplained failure to hand in assigned work or to take the final examination at the regularly scheduled time, the instructor will issue a grade of F for the course. If an Incomplete is not made up by the deadline below, it will become an F.

In registering for courses, students may choose between normal grading status (receiving a letter grade) and pass/fail.

• In courses taken on a pass/fail basis, a passing letter grade (any grade above an F, including a D) assigned by the instructor is converted to P by the Registrar’s Office and entered on the student’s transcript. P is not calculated into the cumulative average, but an F is entered as a 0.0 and does affect the grade point average. Instructors are not informed by the Registrar as to who is enrolled on a pass/fail basis.
• Courses taken to fulfill any Sector Requirement, the Major Requirement or requirements for a minor cannot be taken pass/fail. Other restrictions may exist for certain courses that prevent a student from taking the course pass/fail.
• Students (undergraduate) may take no more than 4 c.u. of coursework pass/fail, though advisors generally recommend against this many.
• Students may change the grading status of a course from normal to pass/fail (or vice versa) in Penn InTouch through the end of the fifth full week of classes.

Freshmen are strongly advised not to take courses on a pass/fail basis.

Independent study opportunities in nursing are available to the self-directed, motivated student to expand his/her knowledge in an area of particular interest. The student must plan and receive approval for the independent study project with and from a faculty preceptor during the semester before the study is to begin.

Students wishing to pursue an independent study will need to review the requirements and complete the approval form. More information can be found in the Registration & Student Record Forms page.