Grading System
Academic standing and eligibility for graduation are determined by both the number of courses completed and the grades achieved. The system used at Barnard is as follows:
| A+, A, A- | Excellent |
| B+, B, B- | Good |
| C+, C | Satisfactory |
| C-, D | Unsatisfactory but passing |
| F | Failure |
| P | Passed without a specific grade on student's election of P/D/F option |
| P* | Passed in a course for which only a grade of P or F is allowed |
| I | Incomplete |
| X | Absence from final examination |
| Y | For the first half of a two-semester course in which the grade for the second semester is the grade for the entire course |
| W | Approved withdrawal after "drop" deadline |
| UW | Withdrawal from a course without official notification to Registrar |
Pass/Fail grades are recorded for all students in certain courses, e.g., physical education. Pass/Fail grades for individual students are subject to regulations described below.
In the computation of grade point averages, marks for courses are awarded on the following scale:
- A+ = 4.3
- A = 4.0
- A- = 3.7
- B+ = 3.3
- B = 3.0
- B- = 2.7
- C+ = 2.3
- C = 2.0
- C- = 1.7
- D = 1.0
- F = 0
In order to be recommended for the degree, a student must maintain a cumulative average of 2.0 (C) for 122 (121 for transfer students) or more points completed with passing grades. At the end of each term all records are examined. Normally only those students who have completed 12 points with cumulative averages of 2.0 or above are permitted to remain in college. Students whose work falls below the cumulative average of 2.0 may be permitted to continue at Barnard with probationary conditions at the discretion of the Committee on Programs and Academic Standing.
Courses in which the student receives the grade of D may not be counted toward the major requirement or the minor option. Courses graded D that are retaken for a higher grade will not receive degree credit when repeated. Both enrollments and grades appear on the transcript.
Pass/D/Fail Option
A student may elect the Pass/D/Fail option by submitting a Request for Pass/D/Fail online, via the Barnard student portal, before the absolutely firm deadline published in the Academic Calendar. Under the Pass/D/Fail option the student is held responsible for fulfilling all course requirements. A grade of D or F is not converted. A student cannot elect the Pass/D/Fail option after the deadline and cannot revoke it after the deadline, but a student can request that a P grade be uncovered (see below). The complete rules and instructions are available on the Registrar's Office website.
Of the 122 points required for the degree, a maximum of 23 points of course work may receive a grade of Pass. (Please note: Academic Year 20-21 Classes in which students elected Pass/D/Fail will be excluded from the overall 23-point maximum.)
Mandated grades of P* (e.g., for Physical Education) are not included in the 23-point total; students may elect the Pass/D/Fail option in 23 points over and above mandated P grades. (For transfers, the maximum is 22 points.)
The P/D/F option cannot be elected for any course designated to count toward the major or the minor.
No limitation is placed on the number of Pass grades that may be recorded in a single term, except those rules that apply to Dean’s List, to eligibility for financial aid, and to the overall 23-point maximum.
Grades of P are not included in the grade point average. Grades of D or F, whether or not received under the Pass/D/Fail option, are included in the GPA calculation.
The request for a course to be graded under the Pass/D/Fail option is irreversible. No request will be honored after the deadline. No request filed before the deadline can be reversed after the deadline. However, students may uncover their grades in any course that they initially elect to take P/D/F; they must request the uncovering no later than the registration deadline of the semester following the one in which the P/D/F course was taken (i.e., the second Friday of the following semester). Caveats: Graduating seniors cannot uncover P/D/F grades in their final semester. (If a graduating senior elected P/D/F in a course that is required for the major, the Registrar's Office will uncover the grade the month before graduation, but the student cannot uncover any P/D/F grades for their final semester.)
The 23-point cap is a cap on points the student elected to take P/D/F. Even if a student has chosen to uncover grades for some of those points, the student still cannot elect P/D/F in more than 23 points (or 22 for transfers). For example, If a student elected p/d/f for 15 points and uncovered 10 of them, they can elect only 8 more points P/D/F, even though they have only 5 points of P grades remaining on their record. Note: The uncovering policy took effect in fall 2016, for courses elected P/D/F in that semester. It is not retroactive to earlier semesters.
Incompletes
Students with compelling circumstances who are unable to complete a course due to outstanding coursework (other than the final exam) may request a grade of Incomplete from their instructor. The student should submit an Application for Incomplete, approved by their instructor, by the last day of the Reading Period for the class. (In a course without a final examination, the deadline is the day before the final paper is due if that date precedes the last day of the Reading Period.)
The remaining coursework must be submitted to the instructor by the Incomplete deadline, which is four months after the end of the term (for fall classes, the deadline is April 15; for spring classes, the deadline is the first day of classes in the following fall term) or by the deadline set by the instructor if earlier. If the remaining work is not submitted by the deadline, the student will receive a grade with the missing work averaged in as an F. This grade will be automatically posted by the Registrar’s Office four weeks after the final incomplete deadline for the semester.
Beginning in academic year 2021-2022, the student will initially receive a temporary grade of I for the class. Once the work is received and graded, the final letter grade will replace the I on the student transcript (e.g. B+).
If a student has completed all coursework except the final exam, they can seek approval for a Deferred Exam.
Students can view their grades and unofficial transcripts in the Barnard student portal.
All copies of official transcripts are sent only at the request of the student in compliance with FERPA, and are subject to the $7 fee and five business day turnaround time. Transcripts can be sent by FedEx or Express Mail for an additional fee. Transcripts can be sent in paper or secure pdf format. Students and alumnae can request transcripts here. Barnard cannot send copies of transcripts from other schools that the student attended; they must be requested directly from the other institution.
Dean’s List
Effective fall 2013: To be eligible for Dean's List, a student must be enrolled at Barnard, on Morningside Heights (or on a Columbia program abroad) and complete at least 12 letter-graded points with a minimum grade point average of 3.60 for the term. (P-graded points are excluded.) The grade point average will be based on all letter grades in the A to F range.
During academic year 2020-21 and 2021-22, incoming first-years will be required to complete at least 9 letter-graded points with a minimum grade point average of 3.60 for the term. (P-graded points are excluded.)
Spring 2020: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the mandatory pass/fail grading policy, there was no dean's list for spring 2020.
Prior to fall 2013: To be eligible for Dean's List, a student must be enrolled at Barnard for both terms and complete at least 12 letter-graded points each term of an academic year with a minimum grade point average of 3.4 for the academic year. (P-graded points are excluded.) The grade point average will be based on all letter grades in the A to F range.
College Honors
The Faculty awards honors to students who complete work for the degree with distinction (cum laude), with high distinction (magna cum laude), and with highest distinction (summa cum laude).
Honors are determined by a student’s final cumulative Barnard GPA, with the top 5 percent of the graduating class being awarded summa cum laude, the next 10 percent being awarded magna cum laude, and the remaining 20 percent awarded cum laude. Beginning with the February and May 2022 graduating classes, study at other institutions (transfer, summer school, study leave) will not be factored into a student’s Latin honors eligibility.
The minimum grade point averages that determine eligibility for each category of Latin Honors may change with each May’s graduating class. Those same criteria will be applied to the following February and October graduating classes. (For example, the criteria for each category of honors for the May 2022 class will also be applied to the October 2022 and February 2023 graduating classes.)
For students graduating during academic year 2020-21, the minimum averages receiving honors were as follows: 3.97 for summa cum laude, 3.88 for magna cum laude, and 3.76 for cum laude. These criteria were applied to the degree dates of October 2020, February 2021, May 2021, and June 2021. Due to the unique circumstances of the 2020-21 academic year and the addition of a summer semester, these averages will also be applied to October 2021 and February 2022 graduates. Beginning with the May 2022 graduating class, the criteria will be reset based on the applicable 5 percent, 10 percent, and 20 percent cutoffs.
Latin honors appear on both the transcript and the diploma.
Departmental honors are awarded for distinguished work in the major to no more than 20% of graduates, as nominated by their major departments, and conferred by the Committee on Honors. Departmental honors display on student transcripts but not diplomas.
The Barnard section of the Columbia University chapter of Phi Beta Kappa was founded in 1901. Election to the national honor society is a recognition of scholarship, and Barnard students of exceptionally high standing are eligible. Junior election will require a minimum of 86 completed points, and senior election, 102. Students do not apply for membership; they are elected by Barnard faculty members who are themselves members of Phi Beta Kappa.
Eligibility for Student Government Offices
To be a candidate for election to a student government office, a student must be in good academic standing and free of disciplinary action for at least one year.
Eligibility for Intercollegiate Athletics
Any student at Barnard College, Columbia College, the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, or the School of General Studies who is pursuing the undergraduate program or a combined program toward a first degree is eligible for intercollegiate athletics, provided that certain conditions are met. To be eligible for athletic activities, a student must:
- be a candidate for a bachelor's degree;
- be registered for at least 12 points of credit per semester;
- be in satisfactory academic standing;
- have passed by the beginning of the academic year 24 points if in the second year, 52 points if in the third year, or 86 points if in the fourth year;
- have attended the University for not more than eight terms;
- not have completed the requirements for a bachelor’s degree.
An eligibility form must be filed with the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, which consults with the Registrar to determine eligibility.