Last updated: April 8, 2020 at 6:39 pm
Academic Calendar Dates: Classes that Run from Jan. 13-May 13, 2020
| EVENT | NORMAL CALENDAR | UPDATED CALENDAR |
| Deadline to select a Letter Grade, Pass/No Pass Grade or No Record (only available in spring 2020) | January 31 | May 27 |
| Last day to drop a class with a mark of ‘W’ | April 10 | May 1 |
| Spring semester classes end | May 1 | May 1 |
| Study days | May 2-5 | May 2-5 |
| Final examinations | May 6-13 | May 6-13 |
* For specific dates for courses following other dates, please check the USC Schedule of Classes.
General Questions
Spring 2020 Semester
USC will conduct classes online or remotely for the remainder of the spring semester. View additional resources.
USC adheres to the guidance from the Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which is a unit within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that oversees the F-1 international student visa program. Due to the rapidly evolving situation with COVID-19, SEVP issued guidance to universities that allows for increased flexibility to ensure international students can continue their academic progress. Universities can implement temporary adjustments such as moving to online instruction without negatively impacting the immigration status of enrolled international students.
We have a 24/7 hotline available for our students, parents, faculty and staff to answer questions and if needed, connect them to the appropriate department. It is (213) 740-6291. You can also email covid19@usc.edu.
Please view the latest updates from USC's Office of Research.
Communication between students and advisors/university offices is best handled through email.
All classes are currently expected to have a final summative experience or exam offered during the scheduled time listed on the Final Examinations Calendar. These assessments may be adjusted to an online, remote or take-home format as appropriate. Your instructor will communicate the expectations and format of the final experience for each class. Final examinations will go on as listed on the Final Examinations Calendar.
The USC Libraries offer extensive resources and expertise that support online teaching, research, and learning – even if the physical buildings remain closed for now.
Subscription journals and databases, digital collections, remote research help, and many other library services and programs remain available. The libraries also make available several streaming services, including music and film collections.
Faculty may schedule information literacy and other library instruction for their classes, and subject specialists can help students with research projects and other coursework via Zoom.
The most current information on USC Libraries’ services, collections, and programs is available at libraries.usc.edu/coronavirus. Students and faculty with questions about library resources can contact the libraries remotely through email and chat services.
Yes, USC ITS instituted several Zoom security changes to ensure a safe, protected and inclusive online learning environment.
Given the uncertainty of when the campus will open again, all in-person summer programs and associated in-person activities will move to online offerings through the end of the first summer term. In addition, there will be no summer learning abroad programs. In late April, we will evaluate if we can have in-person on-campus activities for the second summer term. We will go back to our regular grading policies for the first term of the summer session.
Correct. The university wants to provide you with significant flexibility during this challenging time so that you can make an informed decision that best suits your individual circumstances.
The deadline to make a final decision on a Letter grade, Pass, or No Record is May 27. No changes will be allowed after May 27. Petitions submitted after May 27 requesting a grade option change will not be approved.
Undergraduate & Graduate Students: No Record & Withdrawal Questions
Spring 2020 Semester
No Record (NR) means that there is no record of a class taken on a student’s official USC transcript. The course and the NR mark will appear only on the student’s STARS report and in OASIS.
No, there will be no refunds for courses for which you choose the No Record option.
You should consult with the financial aid office to verify that electing No Record will not impact a merit scholarship. If you were awarded a department scholarship, check with your department advisor.
You can elect the No Record option through May 27, 2020.
Yes, you will have to retake the course.
Generally, courses with a grade option of No Record will not affect financial aid eligibility. Where a No Record mark impacts pace of progression or the terms of an SAP contract, the financial aid office may request a revised academic plan that accounts for additional course work in future semesters.
No, the course for which you choose No Record will not appear on your official transcript, but you will see the course and the NR mark on your STARS report and in OASIS.
No. Honors are based on your cumulative GPA, and courses with a mark of NR do not contribute to the GPA calculation.
No. There is no limit to the number of No Record units a student can take, but it is very important to understand that No Record courses do not count toward graduation requirements.
No Record means that there is no record you took a specific course, so the course will not appear on your official transcript. During these challenging times, depending on your individual circumstances, it may be a helpful option for you. It can also help your Grade Point Average (GPA), as the NR grade will not count against your GPA the way that grades of D and F decrease your GPA.
A course for which you choose No Record does not count toward degree completion. If the course is a graduation requirement, you should consider taking it for the Letter grade or Pass options. If you take a course required toward your degree with No Record, you will need to re-take the course.
A withdrawn course will appear on your official USC transcript along with a mark of W, whereas a course for which you choose No Record will not appear on your official transcript.
The No Record option allows you to omit courses and grades that you do not want to appear on your official transcript for the spring 2020 semester. Unless you want to demonstrate on your official transcript that you took and withdrew from a course, selecting the No Record mark is a better option.
Withdrawing with a mark of W is a better option for students who must file a Tuition Refund Insurance claim due to medical circumstances, as the insurance carrier requires the student to withdraw from classes with a mark of W.
Graduate and professional students should check with their individual school.
As a course taken for a mark of No Record does not count toward graduation requirements, if you are repeating a course under Freshman Forgiveness, you should not elect the No Record option.
Yes, you should consider using the No Record option. If you are in doubt, you should discuss the matter with your academic advisor.
You should wait to see your final grade in OASIS and discuss with your academic advisor (if necessary) before making the decision to elect the No Record option.
International students need to maintain full-time enrollment unless approved for Reduced Course Load (RCL) or Leave of Absence by USC's Office of International Services. If you elect No Record for a class and remain in at least 12 units of Letter graded or Pass/No Pass options, you will maintain full-time enrollment status and immigration status. If you are considering the No Record option, consult with an advisor in the Office of International Services (ois@usc.edu) prior to selecting this option.
No. The No Record option will only be available for the spring 2020 semester.
The VA only pays for degree applicable courses. Courses with a No Record mark may impact VA benefits since courses would no longer be degree applicable. To date, the VA hasn’t confirmed any changes to this rule due to COVID-19. To confirm, please call 888-GIBILL-1.
Currently, the VA does pay for a repeat course — so long as it is degree applicable — to help boost your GPA.
You can change any course to No Record on Web Registration in the myCourseBin screen on or after May 4, 2020. No changes will be allowed after May 27, 2020.
We remain committed to the success of our students, and our faculty will continue to provide high-quality instruction online or remotely for the remainder of the spring semester. They are dedicated to delivering the best possible academic experience for our students regardless of the location. At this time, we are adhering to our standard policy and will not provide tuition reimbursement for students who withdraw from classes.
Yes, withdrawing from a course now will result in a W on your official transcript.
Yes, the university has extended the withdrawal deadline to May 1 for courses currently underway.
Undergraduate Students: Pass/No Pass Questions
Spring 2020 Semester
For any spring 2020 course, you have the option to change the grade option through May 27. At the conclusion of the semester, faculty members will grade you according to the grade option you selected in Web Registration for each course. For any classes for which you select the Pass/No Pass option, a final grade of C- or above will be reflected on your record as a Pass.
Courses taken Pass/No Pass will still count towards pace of progression and maximum time frame for Satisfactory Academic Progress. Grades of Pass/No Pass will not impact GPA; however, a No Pass grade can negatively impact pace of progression. Please review the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy for more details.
USC allows undergraduates to take up to 24 units of Pass/No Pass. However, even if you exceed the 24 unit limit of Pass/No Pass grades with your spring 2020 courses, the courses count toward all USC major, minor, and university requirements.
You may want to consult with your advisor, or opt to earn letter grades for your courses.
The deadline to select the Pass/No Pass option is May 27.
Progressive degree program students are a separate intermediate category between undergraduate and graduate students. The policy for progressive degree undergraduate coursework is as follows:
Undergraduate coursework may be taken Pass/No Pass in the spring 2020 semester. The minimum passing grade for undergraduate courses taken Pass/No Pass is a C- equivalent.
The policy for graduate coursework will follow the guidelines set by each individual school. Please check with your school for the graduate grading policy for spring 2020.
You can change your grade option all the way through May 27, 2020. The grade option elected for a course on May 27, 2020 is final.
Graduate Students: Pass/No Pass Questions
Spring 2020 Semester
Courses taken Pass/No Pass will still count towards pace of progression and maximum time frame for Satisfactory Academic Progress. Grades of Pass/No Pass will not impact GPA; however, a No Pass grade can negatively impact pace of progression. Please review the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy for more details.
The Pass/No Pass grade is not counted in your grade point average nor used in the determination of honors. For any classes for which you select the Pass/No Pass option, a final grade of B or above will be reflected on your record as a Pass.
Doctoral Students: General Questions
Dissertation checklists and manuscripts are submitted electronically via Thesis Center and are not affected by the location of the student.
Remote participation in the oral portion of a qualifying exam is always an option for a limited number of committee members. With the approval of the student, committee chair, and the dean of the school, the defense can be conducted entirely through Zoom or other videoconferencing tools. The standard rules apply to the exam. This means that all committee members must be part of the same exam “meeting,” whether they are on campus or remote.