Repeating Courses

If you have earned a letter grade less than "C" in any course, you can repeat it to try to improve your grade point average or to satisfy a requirement. There are strict guidelines for repeating courses, and these are explained in the General Catalog.  You may also repeat a "NP" earned in any course.

If I get lower than a C in a course, do I have to repeat it?

Not necessarily. At the time of graduation, you must have earned a minimum UC grade-point average of 2.0 in three categories: overall, in your total major, and in your upper-division major. Sometimes, it is both easier and more rewarding to let the grade stand in a course that has been difficult for you, so that you can concentrate on earning high grades in new courses to raise your GPA to the required level. However in the following four circumstances you must repeat a course:

  • You must repeat Writing 1 until you earn a grade of C or better to satisfy the Entry Level Writing Requirement.
  • You must repeat a course that you have failed if it is specifically required for graduation.
  • You must repeat any course in which your grade does not meet the minimum requirement in your major.
  • You must repeat a course if your grade is not high enough to fulfill the prerequisite for another course that you wish to take.

If my grade is lower the second time I take a class, can I choose to keep the first, higher grade?

The most recent grade is the one that is used to calculate your GPA. In this case that would mean the lower grade will be used in your GPA calculation.

When I repeat a course, must I use the same grading option I chose the first time?

You can choose either grading option when repeating a course, although remember that you must choose letter grading for courses you intend to apply to your major.

If I repeat a course as an excess, what happens to my GPA?

Once you've repeated 16 letter-graded units, all attempts of each subsequently repeated course are used in calculating your GPA.

Grade-Point Average (GPA) and Grade-Point Balance Calculator

Use the GPA & GPB Calculator to calculate your GPA and grade-point balance.