Repeating courses: FAQ

Current undergraduate students who have repeated a course and received a higher grade on a previous attempt will notice a change applied to their audit.  As per academic regulations outlined in the undergraduate calendar, the ‘most recent attempt’ at a course previously counted in the audit regardless of whether the grade was higher or lower.  The Senate has approved the use of the ‘best grade’ in cases where a student has repeated a course (with a few exceptions).

In the case where a student has repeated PSYC 1001 and received a letter grade of C on the first attempt at PSYC 1001 and a letter grade of D+ on the second attempt at PSYC 1001:

• Under previous academic regulations, the most recent attempt would have counted in the audit.  The letter grade of D+ would have counted in the audit although it was the lower grade.  The first attempt at the course would have been forfeited and would not have been able to count in the audit.
• With the use of the ‘best grade’ applied to the audit, the letter grade of C will count in the audit instead of the lower grade of D+ and the second attempt would be forfeited in the audit.

Use of the ‘best grade’ will not allow multiple attempts at the same course to count in the audit.  With a few exceptions, if a student repeats a course only one attempt at the course may count in the audit.

There are three cases in which the use of the ‘best grade’ will apply:

1. Use of the ‘best grade’ will apply in cases where a student has repeated a course with an identical course number.

Example: A student who attempts 0.5 credit PSYC 1001 and repeats 0.5 credit PSYC 1001 in a subsequent semester will be permitted to count the ‘best grade’ in the audit.

2. Use of the ‘best grade’ will apply in cases where a student has repeated a cross-listed course. Courses with a notation of ‘Also Listed As’ are deemed cross-listed due to sufficient similar content and they appear in the Undergraduate Calendar.

Example: A student who attempts 0.5 credit SOCI 3060 and attempts 0.5 credit DBST 3060 in a subsequent semester will be permitted to count the ‘best grade’ in the audit because these courses are cross-listed in the undergraduate calendar. 

3. Use of the ‘best grade’ will apply in cases where a student has attempted a first-year 1.0 credit course that has been replaced by two 0.5 credit courses and are deemed equivalent in content.

Example: A student who attempted 1.0 credit ECON 1000 and subsequently attempts 0.5 credit ECON 1001 and/or 0.5 credit ECON 1002 may choose to count the ‘best grade’ in the audit.  In these cases, students must follow up with their departmental advisor or the Academic Advising Centre.

A few exceptions will apply to the implementation of the ‘best grade’:

1. Use of the ‘best grade’ will not be applied to the records of students who have graduated from Carleton University.
2. Use of the ‘best grade’ will apply to the audit of current students in the Bachelor of Engineering except in cases where the most recent attempt resulted in a failing grade. In these cases, students are encouraged to review information posted on the Academic Support Office Engineering Regulations webpage and follow up with EngAcadSupport@carleton.ca if they have further questions.

Use of the ‘best grade’ will not apply in cases where a student attempts a course with a preclusion that is not a direct repeat; a cross-listed course; or a first-year 1.0 credit course that has been replaced by 0.5 credit courses and deemed to be equivalent in content.  A ‘preclusion’ means that the content of a course is deemed too similar to the content of a different course and students cannot receive credit for both courses.  If a student attempts a course that precludes credit for a course they have completed, the most recent attempt will count in the audit.  This scenario will not apply the use of the ‘best grade.’

Use of the ‘best grade’ will benefit most undergraduate students.  By counting the ‘best grade’ (as opposed to the most recent attempt at a course), students’ CGPA or CGPAs may increase on their audit.  This change may also put students further ahead in their degree.

Example: In cases where a student completed a course and subsequently received a lower grade when they repeated the course, the higher grade may be included in CGPA calculation(s).

In cases where a student successfully completed a course and subsequently repeated the course and received a discredit (failing grade), the completed course may be able to count for credit.

Implementation of the ‘best grade’ will be effective 2020-2021 and will apply retroactively to the audit of all undergraduate students (with a few exceptions) without regard for the date when courses were completed.  Course(s) completed prior to 2020-2021 may be allowed to move into the audit in order to count the ‘best grade’.

Example: In the case of a student who completed PSYC 1001 in fall 2018 with a grade of C and repeated PSYC 1001 in fall 2019 and earned a grade of D will notice the 0.5 credit completed in fall 2018 (with the higher grade) replace the fall 2019 attempt in the audit even though the courses were completed prior to 2020-2021.

While changes to the audit will be retroactive, use of the ‘best grade’ will not impact previous academic decisions.  The use of the ‘best grade’ may benefit students at the 2021 Academic Performance Evaluation and/or future evaluations.  However, academic decisions received at previous Academic Performance Evaluations will not be reviewed on the basis of academic regulations that applied at the time.

The audit will automatically apply the ‘best grade’ on April 5, 2021.  Students are encouraged to run their audit in Carleton Central.  In most cases, students will not need to request that the ‘best grade’ be applied to their audit.  Exceptional situations where students would need to request the ‘best grade’ are outlined below.

There are three exceptions where students would need to formally request that the ‘best grade’ count in the audit:

1. SAT GRADES: In cases where a student has requested a SAT grade (due to COVID) and subsequently repeats the course and earns a letter grade, the student will need to submit a request if they prefer the course with the letter grade count in the audit.  Students will need to contact the Academic Advising Centre or their departmental advisor for consultation.
2. TRANSFER CREDITS: In cases where a student has received a transfer credit and subsequently repeats the course at Carleton, the student will need to submit a request if they prefer the Carleton credit to count in the audit.  Students will need to contact the Academic Advising Centre or their departmental advisor for consultation.
3. In cases where a student has attempted a 1.0 credit course and subsequently attempts a 0.5 credit course that replaced the 1.0 credit course (and is deemed to be equivalent), the student will need to submit a request if they prefer the ‘best grade’ count in the audit. Students will need to contact the Academic Advising Centre or their departmental advisor for consultation.

Before contacting us, please run your audit on Carleton Central.  In most cases, a student’s audit will automatically apply the ‘best grade’.  Three exceptions where students will need to contact their departmental advisor or the Academic Advising Centre are listed above.

Students should contact the Academic Advising Centre when they have concerns about meeting minimum CGPA requirements for the Academic Performance Evaluation and/or graduation.  We work with students to develop strategies for meeting requirements and will advise on how use of the ‘best grade’ will impact your audit.

The Academic Advising Centre can be reached at academicadvising@carleton.ca. Students can also connect with an advisor using our Advising Request Form.

Use of the ‘best grade’ will not apply to the transcript, which is the official record of a student’s studies at Carleton University.  Unlike the audit, the transcript lists every attempt at a course in chronological order.  Therefore, use of the ‘best grade’ will not impact transcripts.

Use of the ‘best grade’ will apply to audits for Special students who have not previously studied in a degree program at Carleton University.

For Special students who have previously studied in a degree program but are not currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree:

1. Use of the ‘best grade’ will apply if a Special student has attempted a course since their admission to Special studies and repeats the course during the same period of Special studies.

Example: A student was admitted to Special studies after studying in a degree program.  The student attempts 0.5 credit PSYC 1001 as a Special student and repeats 0.5 credit PSYC 1001 as a Special student.  The ‘best grade’ will apply.

2. Use of the ‘best grade’ will not apply if a Special student has completed a course prior to their studies as a Special student and repeats the course as a Special student. In this case, the most recent attempt at the course as a Special student will count in their audit as a Special student.  If a Special student is re-admitted to degree studies, the audit will apply the ‘best grade’ rule.

Example: A student attempted 0.5 credit PSYC 1001 as a degree student.  The student was admitted to Special studies and attempted 0.5 credit PSYC 1001 as a Special student.  The ‘best grade’ will not apply to their audit as a Special student.  However, if the student is re-admitted to degree studies, the ‘best grade’ would be applied to their audit at that point.