Undergraduate / Advising & RegistrationPass / No Credit Option
McCormick undergraduates may take a maximum of eight (8) quarter courses under the Pass / No Credit (P/N) option, and use these courses toward a degree.
- During the freshman and sophomore years, only one (1) course may be taken in any quarter under the P/N option.
- Junior, pre-senior, and senior students are not subject to any limitations in a given quarter, other than the overall guidelines.
Ineligible Courses
The following courses may NOT be taken P/N:
- Required mathematics
- Basic science
- Basic engineering
- Engineering Analysis
- Design Thinking & Communications (formerly Engineering Design and Communications) -- including the speaking requirement
Refer to the P/N Grade Option Policy to determine which (if any) courses in your major program can be taken P/N.
Non-Northwestern Courses
Non-Northwestern University courses that were taken for a grade (but which will appear without a letter grade on the student's transcript, nevertheless) may be exempted from P/N restrictions.
Students should secure approval for this exemption via a curriculum petition before applying such credits against their degree requirements.
How to Take a Course P/N
If you decide you wish to take a course P/N, you normally can do so via CAESAR.
Please note: to take some courses P/N, students need to get approval from the Undergraduate Engineering Office in Tech L269. This ensures that students do not choose to take a course P/N, intending to use it for a degree requirement, only to find out later that earning a "Pass" will not fulfill the requirement.
Students must check with the Undergraduate Engineering Office before taking the following courses as P/N:
- ANY engineering course
- Math
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Physics
- Astronomy
Deadline to Take Courses P/N
Friday of the third week of the quarter.
Contact the Office of the Registrar to confirm deadlines.
https://www.registrar.northwestern.edu/registration-graduation/registration/index.html