Note: This is the 2024–2025 eCalendar. Current program and course information is now found in the McGill Course Catalogue at https://coursecatalogue.mcgill.ca/.
Courses Taken under the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) Option
The principle of the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) option is to encourage you to take courses outside the area of your specialization with the view of enabling you to acquire knowledge and skills in a variety of fields.
Where permitted by faculty and program regulations, you may take one elective course per term to be graded under the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) option, to a maximum of 10% of your credits taken at McGill to fulfil the degree requirements. You are responsible for selecting the S/U option on the correct course amongst all courses you are registered for, and that the course is eligible for the option per faculty and program regulations. For more information, refer to the appropriate faculty note below.
If you decide to have an elective course graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U), you must do so before the course change deadline on Minerva as part of the Student Menu > Registration Menu > Quick Add or Drop Course Sections Menu.
Once the option is selected, and the course change deadline has passed, you may still remove the option up until the "withdrawal without refund" deadline.
When adding or removing the S/U option to a course, you are encouraged to return to the "course grade mode" drop down menu to ensure that the S/U option has been selected or removed appropriately. You are responsible for confirming that the S/U option has been applied or removed.
Note for multi-term courses: You must select the S/U option by the course change deadline of the first part of the course. Once selected, you may remove the S/U option until the "withdrawal without refund" deadline for the course in question. For multi-term courses, the "withdrawal without refund" deadline normally coincides with the add/drop deadline of the term in which the second part of the course is held.
The instructor will report grades in the normal fashion.
- Grades of A through C are converted to “Satisfactory” (S)
- Grades of D, F, and J are converted to “Unsatisfactory” (U)
The courses taken under the S/U option will be excluded from the grade point average (GPA) calculations, but they will be included in the attempted credits total. Credits for courses with a final grade of S will also be included in the number of credits earned.
Note: To be considered for in-course awards, including Dean's Honour List designations, and/or the renewal of entrance scholarships, you must complete at least 27 graded credits in the regular academic session (unless otherwise stated by your faculty), not including courses completed under the S/U option.
Note: The S/U option is not available via Minerva to Visiting, Exchange, or Quebec Inter-University Transfer Agreement (IUT) students. These students must first contact their home university to ensure that a course taken under the S/U option is acceptable to their home university and that the credits are transferable. After receiving approval from their home university and before McGill's course change deadline, they must then consult their McGill Faculty Student Affairs Office for approval.
Note: Special Students are not eligible to select the S/U option.
Note for Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, Arts, B.A. & Sc. and Science: Freshman/foundation year (U0) students are not eligible to select the S/U option.
Note for Engineering:
- B.Eng. students may use the S/U option for Complementary Studies courses (i.e., Group A Impact of Technology on Society and Group B Humanities and Social Sciences, Management Studies and Law), Natural Science Complementary Courses (for Computer Engineering students from CEGEP and all Software Engineering students), and Elective Courses (for Mechanical Engineering students from CEGEP). You cannot use the S/U option for courses in any other category of the Engineering programs. If you choose not to use the S/U option, a grade of D is acceptable as a pass for these Complementary Studies courses.
- B.Sc.(Arch.) students may use the S/U option for elective courses taken outside the School of Architecture. You cannot use the S/U option for courses in any other category of the Architecture program. If you choose not to use the S/U option, a grade of D is acceptable as a pass for these elective courses.
- You cannot use the S/U option for courses that are taken to satisfy a minor.
Note for Law:
- The S/U option is available for Law and non-Law electives and Law complementary courses within the BCL/JD. program.
- The S/U option is limited to one course in the BCL/JD. program for a maximum of 4 credits.
- Students are not permitted to choose the S/U option for required courses.
- The S/U option is not permitted for courses that are taken to satisfy a minor.
Note for Management: The S/U option is not available on Minerva for Management students. Requests for the S/U option can only be made during the official add/drop period. Please contact the BCom Office (mcgill.ca/desautels/programs/bcom/contact-us) for details on the conditions that apply.
Note for the M.D.,C.M. program: The M.D.,C.M. program functions on a pass/fail system. Your final grade for each course is recorded on your university transcript as S satisfactory (pass) or U unsatisfactory (fail). Refer to The Faculty of Medicine's Assessment System for further details.
Note for Schulich School of Music: Music students may use the S/U option for elective courses taken outside the Schulich School of Music (non-music courses). Please note that the S/U option is not permitted for courses that are taken to satisfy a major or a minor.
Note for Nursing: The S/U option is not available to B.N.I. and B.Sc.(N.) students for required courses.
Note for Physical and Occupational Therapy: The S/U option is not available to Physical and Occupational Therapy students.
For further information, contact your departmental advisor or Student Affairs Office, as appropriate.
Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2024-2025 (last updated Apr. 10, 2024) (disclaimer)
Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2024-2025 (last updated Apr. 10, 2024) (disclaimer)
