See also: Grade Point Average (GPA) Policy
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S*/U*) Grading Option

Repeating Courses

Certain courses may be repeated for degree credit (credit toward graduation); examples include some art courses, applied-music courses, selected topic courses (x93), fieldwork courses (x94), independent study (x95), and modular courses (x99). If a course is repeatable for credit, its description will indicate so.

For all other courses, including courses transferred as direct equivalents to New Paltz courses, degree credit can be earned only once. A student may, however, wish to repeat a course to meet a prerequisite, fulfill a major or degree requirement, or improve his or her GPA. The following restrictions on repeating a course apply:

  • A course may be attempted no more than two times. An "attempt" means the student earned a grade of A-F, S/F, S*/U*, H, or R, or withdrew from the course (noted on the transcript as W). Simply put, if a student is registered for a course at the end of the Add/Drop period (typically ten days into the semester), the student is considered to have attempted the course regardless of his or her attendance, final grade, or subsequent course withdrawal.
  • A student who has a compelling reason to attempt a course for a third time may present his or her case to the dean of the college or school that houses the course. If a student is permitted to take a course for a third time, all grades earned for the course will be averaged.
  • If a student successfully repeats a course that is equivalent to one for which transfer credit was awarded, credit for the New Paltz course will replace the transfer credit.
  • If a student repeats more courses than the number for which grades can be replaced (see below), all grades earned for the additional repeated courses will be averaged in calculating the student's GPA.
  • Students receiving or interested in applying for financial aid should be aware that repeated courses may adversely affect their satisfactory progress. Check with the Office of Student Accounts for details.

Whenever a student takes a course a second time, the Grade Replacement Policy applies.

Grade Replacement Policy

  • When a student takes a course a second time, both the first and second grades will appear on the transcript; however, only the second grade will contribute to the student's cumulative GPA - i.e., the second grade will replace the first in the GPA calculation.
  • The number of grades that may be replaced in a student's GPA calculation is limited and based on the student's status at matriculation:
    • A student who began at New Paltz as a freshman or who entered New Paltz with fewer than 60 pre-matriculation transfer credits may replace four grades under the policy;
    • A student with 60 or more pre-matriculation transfer credits may replace two grades under the policy. [Policy revision effective Fall 2012, updated Fall 2014; clarification added Spring 2020]
  • If a student repeats more courses than his or her grade-replacement limit allows (four or two, as noted above), all grades earned for the additional repeated courses will be averaged with all other grades in the student's cumulative GPA.
  • The Grade Replacement Policy does not apply to graduate courses or to courses that may be repeated for degree credit (e.g., selected topic courses (x93), independent study (x95), modular courses (x99), and most fieldwork (x94), practicum, and applied music courses). Grades in these courses may not be replaced.
  • Except for F and F*, grades that do not carry "quality points" (S, S*/U*, W, H, R, or I*1) cannot be replaced or averaged because they are not used for GPA calculation.
    • Thus, if a student elected the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S*/U*) Grading Option the first time a course was taken, the Grade Replacement Policy does not apply.
    • If a student selects the S*/U* Grading Option the second time a course is attempted, the grade of "S*" or "U*" will not replace the first grade in the cumulative GPA calculation. If the student subsequently elects to convert the S*/U* into a letter grade that carries quality points, that grade will fall under the grade replacement procedures described above.

The Grade Replacement Policy applies only to courses taken at New Paltz. Therefore, retaking a course at another institution and transferring it back to New Paltz does not affect the grade at New Paltz. Further, only credits, not grades, transfer.

1

I* (Permanent Incomplete) applies only to I-graded courses taken in a student’s last semester at New Paltz that are not needed to fulfill any college, curriculum, major, or minor requirement. I* is noted on a transcript after the student's written request to convert the Incomplete to a permanent Incomplete is granted.