Grading
Letter grades (A, B, C, D, F), including plus and minus grades, indicate the level of scholarship earned in each course. Once a degree has been posted to the official transcript, no grade change is allowed.
Several designations carry no grade-point value and have no effect on the GPA: CR (Credit, on a Credit/No Credit basis; also used for Advanced Placement credit), P (Pass, on a Pass/No Credit basis), NC (No Credit, no earned credit either), H (Audit, no unit credit), IP (In Progress, replaced by the earned grade once the course is completed, or by an F if never completed), and W (Withdrawn).
I (Incomplete) is given only for extraordinary circumstances when about 50% or more of the coursework is done; until made up (by the end of the next regular semester), it is treated as an F for GPA and financial-aid/eligibility purposes.
Source: Academic and General Policies, § Grading (2026-2027 catalog) — verified Sep 2026
Repeated Courses, Freshman Forgiveness, and Pass/No-Credit
A course passed with C or above may not be repeated. A course failed with below a C may be repeated at PLNU; the lower grade stays on the transcript but is dropped from the GPA calculation, and only the higher grade's units count toward the degree.
Freshman Forgiveness: a non-transfer student who fails a course of up to 5 units in their first semester may receive an NC grade for it instead and is placed on academic warning; transfer students with more than 12 transferred units, and LEAP students entering with conditional status, are not eligible.
Pass/No-Credit option: after completing at least 24 semester units, an undergraduate may elect Pass/No-Credit for one elective course per semester, up to 12 units total toward graduation; the election is made by the last day to add classes and cannot later be changed.
Source: Academic and General Policies, §§ Repeated Courses / Freshman Forgiveness / Pass/No-Credit Option — verified Sep 2026
Academic Standing
Good academic standing requires a minimum cumulative 2.000 GPA (first-time freshmen need at least 1.800 in their first semester). A student whose cumulative GPA is at or above 2.000 but whose semester GPA falls below 2.000 is placed on academic warning (limited to 13 units, 9 in summer). A student whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.000 is placed on academic risk under the same unit limit; failing to earn a 2.000 semester GPA the next term can lead to dismissal.
Academic dismissal follows two consecutive semesters with both cumulative and semester GPA below 2.000. Readmission requires at least one Fall or Spring semester away, 12 pre-approved units completed elsewhere, and transcripts showing a 2.000 or better cumulative GPA at the other institution.
Source: Academic and General Policies, § Academic Standing (Good Academic Standing / Warning / Risk / Dismissal / Readmission) — verified Sep 2026
Academic Honors
Dean's List: each semester, students who earn a 3.500 or higher session GPA in at least 12 earned PLNU in-residence units are recognized; transfer, Study Abroad, and other off-campus program grades do not count toward eligibility.
Honors Scholars: during senior year, a student who has shown exceptional scholarship and research capacity may propose an honors project; completing it satisfactorily earns the Honors Scholar classification.
Source: Academic and General Policies, § Academic Honors (Dean's List / Honors Scholars) — verified Sep 2026
Transfer Credit Limits
A combined maximum of 70 units may transfer to PLNU from community colleges, AP, CLEP, and IB; all such units are treated as lower-division and cannot satisfy an upper-division requirement.
Units from an unaccredited institution are normally not accepted; a limited number (up to 12 semester units) may be petitioned after the student has completed at least 12 units at PLNU with a 2.000 GPA or higher.
Source: Academic and General Policies, §§ Transfer Limitations / Transfer from Non-Accredited Institutions — verified Sep 2026