Academic calendar
This semester system started fall 1999 for all University of Minnesota campuses. Prior to fall 1999 the University used a quarter system with these exceptions: Law school started on semesters fall 1981, and some College of Continuing and Professional Studies courses were taught on a semester calendar but the credits reported as quarter credits.
Accreditation
The University of Minnesota is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of College and Schools.
Course (class) numbering system (from fall 1999)
- 0000 to 0999 remedial courses
- 1000 to 1999 primarily for undergraduates in first year
- 2000 to 2999 primarily for undergraduates in second year
- 3000 to 3999 primarily for undergraduates in third year
- 4000 to 4999 primarily for undergraduates in fourth year, may be applied to a Graduate School degree with approval by the student’s major field and if taught by a member of the graduate faculty or an individual authorized by the program to teach at the graduate level
- 5000 to 5999 primarily for graduate students but third and fourth year undergraduates may enroll
- 6000 to 7999 for post-baccalaureate professional degree students
- 8000 to 9999 for graduate students
Prior course numbering systems
For fall 1970 through summer 1999 (course numbering prior to 1970 is noted in parentheses):
- 0000 to 0999 noncredit courses
- 1000 to 1999 (01-49) introductory courses primarily for freshmen and sophom*ores
- 3000 to 3999 (50-99) intermediate courses primarily for juniors and seniors
- 5000 to 5999 (100-199) advanced courses primarily for juniors, seniors, and graduate students
- 8000 to 8999 (200 and higher) for graduate and professional school students
Credit
- Starting fall 1999 – units are semester credit
- Prior to fall 1999 – units generally are quarter credit (see calendar for exceptions)
- Thesis credit – an asterisk (*) will appear following the course title of courses numbered 8777, 8888, or 8999 if the degree award is shown
An asterisk (*) indicates graduate credit taken though College of Continuing and Professional Studies (College of Continuing Education prior to fall 2017).
Grading policy
View UMN's grading and transcripts policy.
Grading definitions
A – achievement that is outstanding relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements
B – achievement that is significantly above the level necessary to meet course requirements
C – achievement that meets the course requirements in every respect
D – achievement that is worthy of credit even though it fails to meet fully the course requirements
E – achievement that is significantly greater than the level required to meet the basic course requirements but not judged to be outstanding
F (or N) – represents failure (or no credit) and signifies that the work was either (1) completed but at a level of achievement that is not worthy of credit or (2) was not completed and there was no agreement between the instructor and the student that the student would be awarded an I (see also I)
H – Honors (used by Law School and Medical School only)
I – (Incomplete) assigned at the discretion of the instructor when, due to extraordinary circ*mstances, e.g., hospitalization, a student is prevented from completing the work of the course on time. Requires a written agreement between instructor and student
K – assigned by an instructor to indicate the course is still in progress and that a grade cannot be assigned at the present time
LP - low pass (used by Law School only)
NG – no grade required
NR - grade not reported
O – represents outstanding achievement for Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine programs
P – achievement designating passing work
Q – achievement designating passing work
R – a course related registration symbol
S – achievement that is satisfactory, which is equivalent to a C- or better for undergraduate students (C or better on the Duluth campus). Graduate and professional programs may establish higher standards for earning a grade of S.
T – test credit
V – registration as an auditor or visitor (a non-grade non-credit registration)
W – entered by the registrar’s office when the student officially withdraws from a course after the second week
X – reported by the instructor for a student in a sequence course where the grade cannot be determined until the sequence is complete – the instructor is to submit a grade for each X when the sequence is complete
Y – assigned from Fall 1929 to Summer 1959 to indicate the student canceled while doing passing work
Z – assigned from Fall 1929 to Summer 1959 to indicate the student canceled while doing failing work
On the Twin Cities campus from Fall 1972 through Summer 1977 and on the Morris campus from Fall 1972 through Summer 1985, the official University transcript included only positive academic achievements. Courses in which the student received a grade of N or a registration symbol of I or W did not appear on the transcript.
Grade/numeric point average formula
Effective Fall 1997, grade point values were standardized for the University. All units except Law use: A = 4.000, A- = 3.667,B+ = 3.333, B = 3.000, B- = 2.667, C+ = 2.333, C = 2.000, C- = 1.667, D+ = 1.333, D = 1.000, F = 0.000, I = 0.000, K = 0.000, X = 0.000. Effective Fall 2004, the Twin Cities campus Law School uses University standard grading, with the addition of A+ = 4.333 and excluding D+.
Before 1997, most units did not use +/-. But the Duluth campus and the School of Management used: A = 4.0, A- = 3.6, B+ = 3.3, B = 3.0, B- = 2.6, C+ = 2.3, C = 2.0, C- = 1.6, D+ = 1.3, D = 1.0, F = 0.0 and the Twin Cities General College used A = 4.0, A- = 3.6, B = 3.2, B- = 2.8, C+ = 2.4, C = 2.0, C- = 1.6, D = 1.2, D- = 0.8, F = 0.0
Prior to Fall 2004, the Twin Cities campus Law School used a numeric rather than a grade point average for the juris doctor (J.D.) degree program. Grades ranged from 4-16 points based on the following: 14-16: Excellent/Outstanding; 11-13: Substantially better than average; 8-10: Minimally acceptable; 5-7: Inadequate (credits count towards degree completion, and NPA); 4: Failing; 0: Non-performance. Classes for which a 0 grade was earned are not included in NPA calculation. Grades earned in the LL.M. (Master of Laws) program were: A=4.00, B=3.00, C=2.00, D=1.00, F=0.00. No +/- distinctions are given.
Symbols following course numbers
C – certificate credit
E – on Duluth campus, registration in Continuing Education, or on Twin Cities campus, an MBA course
G – honors course for extra credit
H – honors course
J – evening MBA course for extra credit
K – evening MBA course by independent study
L – honors course by independent study
M – extra credit by independent study
Q – evening MBA extra credit by independent study
R – honors extra credit by independent study
S – semester registration (pre-1999)
T – semester honors course (pre-1999)
U – special term course taken for extra credit
V – honors and writing intensive
W – writing intensive
X – extra credit
Y – independent study
Z – special term registration
Additional notations
- Canceled means all course registration was canceled (i.e., dropped) before the end of the second week of the term.
- Degree with distinction indicates graduation with high GPA; degree with honors (laude) indicates completion of honors program.
- Second Language Proficiency means demonstrated intermediate proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
