Grading System

The Divinity School uses the following grading system:

Honors (H) = Exemplary
Honors minus (H–) = Excellent
High Pass plus (HP+) = Very Good
High Pass (HP) = Good
High Pass minus (HP–) = Satisfactory
Low Pass (LP) = Marginally Passable
Fail (F)
Credit (CR)
No Credit (NC)
Withdrew (W)

If the YDS grading system were to be translated into a traditional grading system on the graduate level, Honors would represent a strong A and A+; Honors minus, A–; High Pass plus, B+; High Pass, B; High Pass minus, B–; Low Pass, C.

There is also a Credit/No Credit system. The Credit/No Credit option for a course may be chosen by the instructor, in which case the entire class will be graded thus, unless individual students in such a course obtain the instructor’s approval to take the course on the regular grading system. Conversely, a student taking a course graded on the regular grading system may request the instructor’s approval to be graded Credit/No Credit. The grade of CR in the Credit/No Credit system requires achievement at the level of HP– or better. Requests for departures from the grading systems under which courses are taught must be made on a form supplied by the registrar’s office. In Credit/No Credit courses, a student may request to take a course on the regular grading system only during the first two weeks of the term. In courses graded on the regular system, the request to receive a Credit/No Credit grade must be made during the first six weeks of the term. Once these deadlines have passed, no such requests can be rescinded.

In both grading systems, the W is to be used only under extraordinary circumstances by permission of the associate dean of academic affairs in consultation with the Professional Studies Committee. Students who receive one or more LP, F, or NC grades in a given term are subject to being placed on academic warning or academic probation (see section on Academic Deficiencies). YDS does not calculate GPA or class rank.

Grade Changes

Once submitted, a grade may not be changed by the instructor except:

  1. In the event of a computational or clerical error, or
  2. After a reevaluation of a student’s work in consultation with the associate dean of academic affairs.