The SFSU course repeat policy was developed in response to Executive Order 1037: Grading Symbols, Minimum Standards Governing the Assignment of Grades, Policies on the Repetition of Courses, Policies on Academic Renewal, and Grade Appeals.
Undergraduate students may repeat a maximum of 16 units of coursework taken at San Francisco State University for the purpose of excluding the original grade from grade point determination (i.e. grade forgiveness). When a course is repeated, up to the 16-unit limit, the lower of the two grades is “forgiven” from the GPA calculation.
A student who has enrolled in a course and received any grade other than an AU or W may repeat the course only once more, unless the course is described in the current SF State Bulletin as repeatable for credit.
You may withdraw from a maximum of 18 units during your SFSU undergraduate career. A WM (Withdrawal for Extenuating Circumstances) grade is granted for approved withdrawal under serious and extenuating circumstances and does not affect your GPA.
At least 120 semester units are required for the bachelor's degree. The number of community college units that count towards the 120 is capped at 70 (semester) or 105 (quarter). If you completed additional community college units, GE requirements met by any of your college-level transfer courses will be honored.
The TCR displays information about courses taken at other institutions, and how SF State awards credit for those courses. Also, the TCR displays information about external examinations (Advanced Placement, for example). These are exams that typically earn credit towards a bachelor's degree, depending on the scores and content.
SF State recognizes baccalaureate-level credit earned at regionally accredited U.S. institutions. This includes Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and College Level Examination Program credit, subject to qualifying scores and subject matter. And, other types of transfer credit can apply to the degree.
It is possible to repeat a course. Keep in mind that the units you earned for the course you took previously will be subtracted from your overall transferable units. This normally occurs at the end of the semester during which you repeat the course at SF State.
Repeat a course and have the old and new grades calculated into your grade point average.
Repeat a course and have only the new grade calculated into your grade point average. Even though the old grade stays on your record, it is not factored into your GPA.
Download the printable Course Repeat and Forgiveness Guide to use in advising undergraduate students.
You may withdraw from a maximum of 18 units during your SFSU undergraduate career. A WM (Withdrawal for Extenuating Circumstances) grade is granted for approved withdrawal under serious and extenuating circumstances and does not affect your GPA.
When you no longer plan to complete a class that you are enrolled in, you must drop or request to withdraw from the class. It is your responsibility to drop or to request to withdraw by the deadline to be eligible for a full or prorated refund.
If your request to withdraw from a course or courses was denied, you may appeal this decision by the last day of finals of that term . Submit a brief statement including the following to the Registrar’s Office by the last day of finals:
From the thirteenth week through the last week of instruction, students may only request to withdraw in cases, such as accident or serious illness, where the cause of withdrawal is due to circumstances clearly beyond the student's control and the assignment of an Incomplete is not practicable. Such requests require documentation, as well as approval from the instructor, the chairperson of the department offering the class, and the Dean of Undergraduate Education and Academic Planning.
Be aware that withdrawing from one or more classes may negatively affect your financial aid (your Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and your financial aid eligibility). Complete the online request to withdraw in your Student Center to withdraw from one or more classes. (See “ Request to Withdraw .”)
At SF State, dropping a course is the student’s responsibility. However, faculty are authorized to instructor-drop students who do not attend the first class meeting, who do not meet the course criteria, or who do not participate in the course as required during the drop period. To drop a class:
Dropped courses do not appear on your academic transcript, do not count toward your attempted units for a given term, and do not count toward the Undergraduate Withdrawal Limit. Please refer to the Dates & Deadlines page on the Registrar’s website for specific drop deadlines. At SF State, dropping a course is the student’s responsibility.
Students repeating a class for the second time (i.e. attempt a class for third time) or more must submit the Repeat a course more than 2 times petition (DocuSign) with all required documentation and signatures. The deadline to register for any repeated courses is the Last Day to Add of the term.
Grade forgiveness is the circumstance in which a new grade replaces the former grade with respect to the Grade Point Average (GPA) calculation. The original grade remains on the transcript. However, the student's GPA will be refreshed using points earned by the new grade, regardless if the new grade is higher or lower than the original.
Students who received a "W" in their first attempt at a course are not considered to be repeating a course. They can register anytime during the Advance Registration period.
Students are not allowed to repeat a course in which they already earned a passing grade, unless the course is designated as 'repeatable for credit'. Please see the Repeat Policy ...
After the pool of Grade Forgiveness units have been depleted or used to the fullest extent allowable, the repeated grade shall not replace the original grade. Instead grade points and units from all attempts shall be calculated in the student's SJSU cumulative GPA and overall GPA.
Students may repeat an individual course for grade forgiveness no more than one time .
Students may repeat a maximum of 16 units for grade forgiveness. Courses taken prior to Fall 2010 will not count towards the 16 units of grade forgiveness.
Incomplete Grades and Repeat Policy. Students may not repeat courses where an “I” grade has been previously assigned unless the “I” grade has lapsed or a grade of “C-” or lower has been assigned.
Students may not repeat courses where a grade of “C” or higher was previously received unless the course may be taken more than once for credit, or whose academic program – major requires a grade higher than a “C” .