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Repetition of Courses

Certain courses may be repeated for credit, and are identified in the course descriptions in this catalog. Repetition of any course other than these is subject to certain regulations, which pertain only to courses completed in the University of California. This policy excludes courses taken through UC Extension, except for UCSB courses completed by Open University through Professional and Continuing Education fall 2000 or later and accepted toward the degree. The regulations are as follows:

  1. A student may repeat only undergraduate-level courses in which a grade of C-, D+, D, D-, F, or NP was awarded. A student may repeat only graduate-level courses in which a grade of B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F, or U was awarded. Such courses may be repeated for letter or passed/not passed grades if the courses are so offered and if the student is eligible for that option. In no case, however, shall an NP or U grade replace an earlier letter grade in the computation of the grade-point average. A course in which an NP or U has been received may be repeated on a letter-grade basis if so offered.

  2. Students who wish to repeat a course more than once must obtain the prior approval of their college dean at the time of registration.

  3. Degree credit for a course will be given only once, but the grade assigned at each enrollment will be permanently recorded on the student’s transcript.

  4. In computing the grade-point average of an undergraduate student who repeats courses in which grades of C-, D+, D, D-, or F were received, only the most recently earned grade and grade points in each course will be used for the first 16 units repeated (unless the new grade is NP). Second attempts of W graded courses will not be added to this repeat total. In the case of repetitions beyond the 16 units, both initial and repeated grades will be used in the computation of the grade-point average. All grades, however, remain a part of the student’s permanent record.

  5. In computing the grade-point average of a graduate student who repeats courses in which grades of B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, or F were received, only the most recently earned grade and grade points in each course will be used for the first 16 units repeated (unless the new grade is U). In the case of repetitions beyond the 16 units, both initial and repeated grades will be used in the computation of the grade-point average. All grades, however, remain a part of the student’s permanent record.

  6. Undergraduate students who plan to repeat a UCSB course at another UC campus, or vice versa, must petition the dean of their college to establish the equivalency of the courses prior to the intended repetition.

  7. Students must indicate repeats at the time of registration and when adding courses to their study load.

  8. Since many graduate courses are routinely repeated for credit or to earn a better grade, graduate students must consult their academic department if they wish to repeat a class for the purpose of substituting the second grade for the first.