<p>Could someone please clarify the pass/fail option for an engineering degree student? Some references that I read talk about 'no pass/fail option may be used for degree required courses, required liberal ed. courses and degree required technical electives.' OK - if I understand that right, that would leave, ummm...... no course available for an engineering student to use the pass/fail option on. Unless I am misunderstanding the term 'degree required course', for instance; Math 2224 is required for Engineering Science and Mechanics, but it is not an ESM dept course, would taking Math 2224 as pass/fail an option.</p>
<p>You’re correct in your understanding for degree required course. If a course is listed on the degree checksheet, then it can’t be taken Pass/Fail. The Pass/Fail option has been explained as a way to encourage students to take electives or courses of interest to them without worrying about their GPA. The course would most likely be for enrichment purposes, it won’t count toward degree requirements. So a student can still take classes within their department (as long as it’s not required) for Pass/Fail.</p>
<p>I’m not too familiar with engineering courses, so unfortauntely I can’t give an engineering example. In Psychology, we had 3 courses that were specifically required, and then we could select the rest to fulfill the upper level/seminar requirements. So if I wanted to take Psyc 4024 as a Pass/Fail course, I was allowed to do so, but it wouldn’t count toward the required number of upper level courses I had to take to get my degree.</p>
<p>Sorry if this isn’t the best explanation, maybe someone with more familiarity with engineering courses could help more!</p>
<p>Can a pass/fail course count as an elective credit?</p>
<p>financiallylost - thanks, that’s what I thought. </p>
<p>LaureenMT - No, Liberal Arts (or core) required electives from the different ‘areas’ cannot be taken pass/fail either. From what I could tell, it was only ‘free electives’ that could be taken pass/fail. I don’t know about other degrees but for Engineering there is absolutley no room (for the average person) on a students schedule for taking any ‘free electives’, everything on the face of that degree/course checklist is required and is packed full. Maybe a few students campus wide can make use of this option, but I wouldn’t think many could. </p>
<p>Bummer, seemed like a nice option to ease some of those 18/17 credit semester loads. Kind of a tease after reading the fine print and all the restrictions.</p>
<p>There is (or at least was as of 2010) one elective that was pass/fail that counted as a core, but it was one specific class and it was only offered that way. I believe it was Theater Appreciation.</p>