Grades and Grading

Grades are posted to your CalCentral academic record by the Office of the Registrar shortly after the close of the semester. You may access your final grades via CalCentral once they have been posted. Individual grades are not given out by the School of Social Welfare.

GPA Requirement for Graduation

In order to graduate, Social Welfare majors must earn a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 in both the core Social Welfare classes, and in the elective social science classes taken to fulfill major requirements.

For complete information and policies on grades, grading and GPA calculation, please see the Berkeley Academic Guide to Academic Policies: Grades.

Grading Options

For information and guidance about Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grades, please visit L&S Advising > Grading Options: Letter Graded and Pass/No Pass.

Incomplete Grades

The grade 'I' for Incomplete may be assigned if your work in a course has been of passing quality, but is incomplete for reasons beyond your control. Prior arrangements must be made with the instructor because in assigning the 'I' grade, the instructor is required to specify the reasons to the department chair. Incomplete grades can only be granted by instructors and instructors are under no obligation to grant students an incomplete grade.

Although 'I' grades are not counted in computing the GPA, it is important to remove them quickly. In cases where an instructor agrees to assign an 'I' grade, it is important to arrive at an agreement about exactly what is required in order to finish the course with the instructor. For information on how to remove an 'I' grade, please review the Office of the Registrar's procedures for Incomplete grades.

For Incomplete grade guidelines, deadlines and FAQs, please visit L&S Advising > Incomplete Grades.

Repeating a Core Class to Improve a Grade

College of Letters and Science policy allows a student who received a grade of D+, D, D-, or F to repeat the class one time only in order to improve the grade. Social Welfare students are advised that due to the impacted nature of the major, enrollment in all core classes for the major is prioritized for those taking the class for the first time, and there may not be seats available in the next offering of a core class for students wishing to repeat the class. For more information and policies on repeating courses, please visit L&S Advising > Course Repeats.

Grade Grievances

If you feels you have a valid grievance about an assignment or final grade, the first step is to meet with your class instructor to discuss the grievance with the hope of resolving the issue. You may also speak with the Student Ombuds. If your issue is not resolved, you may be able to initiate a formal appeal through the academic department where you received the grade. You should consult with the Social Welfare Undergraduate Major Adviser or Assistant Dean for Admissions and Student Services for advice and assistance.

For more information on grounds for a grievance and the appeal process, please visit the Berkeley Academic Guide > Grades Policy and the Academic Senate's Procedures for Grade Appeals.