Policies Governing Retaking a Course

Students who receive an F in a course may retake the course for credit. Both the new grade and the original F will be tabulated into the final g.p.a.; credit will be awarded if the student receives a passing grade. 

Students who fail a course that is required for a major should think carefully before taking the course again, since poor performance in an introductory course may indicate a need to consider another major.

Some students opt to repeat a course in order to demonstrate their ability to achieve a better grade. If a student retakes a course for which that student has previously received a passing grade (including a P in a pass/fail course), the second grade will be recorded on the transcript, but it will not be counted in the student's cumulative average, and no additional credit will be awarded for it.

Please note: A few courses offered at Penn are sufficiently alike that the College will not grant credit for both if both are taken. The registration system will not allow students to enroll in a course that is mutually exclusive with a course they already have credit for. These include, but are not limited to:

  • PHYS 0101 and PHYS 0150
  • STAT 1010 and 1110
  • MATH 1410 and MATH 1510.

Students should consult with an advisor in the College Office if there are any questions.