Course Repetition — GPA Relationship (Policy 3190)
University Policy 3190
Download a Printable Version of Policy 3190
Effective Date
March 1987
Last Revision Date
March 2014
Responsible Party
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, (208) 426-1212
Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, (208) 426-2384
Office of the Registrar, (208) 426-4249
Scope and Audience
This policy applies to all University students.
Additional Authority
University Policy 3170 (Limit on the Number of Withdrawals)
1. Policy Purpose
To establish policy concerning courses repeated and their effect on the GPA.
2. Policy Statement
Students may repeat a course if the grade received in their initial enrollment does not meet necessary requirements. A student’s grade point average (GPA) is affected by repeating courses. The university allows for a maximum number of repeats on the official academic record and a maximum number of withdrawals (see University Policy 3170 – Limit on the Number of Withdrawals).
3. Undergraduate Guidelines
Effective Spring 2014 semester, once a student has been given a grade in a course, that course can be repeated in an attempt to earn a better grade provided space is available.
3.1 Overall Repeat Maximum
While earning an undergraduate degree, the maximum number of overall course repeats is six (6), not including repeatable courses. For the purposes of counting the overall repeat maximum neither Ws nor CWs count. Once a student has exhausted six (6) repeats:
a. The students must either meet with the department of their current major to receive permission to continue in the major or declare a new major. If declaring a new major, the student must select a major that can be completed without incurring additional repeats.
b. The maximum number of six (6) repeats is not reset with a change of major.
3.2 Individual Course Repeat Maximum
a. A student can attempt an individual course a maximum of two (2) times, unless the course is a repeatable course.
b. Third or subsequent attempts require approval of the academic advisor of the student’s major and the chair of the department offering the course. For the purposes of counting individual Course Repeats, Ws and CWs count in the number of attempts.
4. Graduate Guidelines
Graduate students who complete a course for credit may attempt to repeat that course once with written approval from the graduate program coordinator.
5. Exceptions to the Repeat Count
a. Regular session courses dropped within the first ten (10) days of the semester are excluded from the course repeat maximum (see the Academic Calendar for drop deadlines for other sessions.)
b. Courses that can be taken multiple times for additional credit (per the University catalog) are also excluded from the course repeat maximum.
c. Courses repeated at other institutions prior to transfer are excluded from the overall course repeat maximum.
d. Repeat maximums in a first undergraduate degree do not apply to a second undergraduate degree. Students completing a second undergraduate degree are allowed a new repeat maximum of six (6) courses.
e. Remedial courses (e.g., MATH015, MATH025, ENGL90) are excluded from the registration maximum.
6. Course Repeat – GPA Relationship
a. If a student repeats a course, the student may count toward the degree only the number of credits that would have been received had the course been taken only once, except for courses approved to be taken multiple times (See Section 3.3.b.). When a course is repeated, all grades will appear on the Boise State University transcript. Prior learning credits cannot be used to repeat a class.
b. Courses repeated prior to the Fall 1995 semester use a grade replacement policy. Only the most recent grade was used in calculating the cumulative GPA.
c. Courses repeated Fall 1995 semester through Summer 2001 session used a grade averaging policy. Courses repeated will be averaged, using both grades in the calculation of the GPA.
d. Beginning Fall 2001 semester, courses repeated will use a grade replacement policy except for courses that are repeatable courses. Only the most recent grade will be used in calculation of the cumulative GPA.
e. Grades for Repeatable Courses are not replaced when the course is repeated. All grades for repeatable courses count toward calculation of GPA.
7. Related Information
Academic Calendar
https://www.boisestate.edu/registrar/boise-state-academic-calendars/
Graduate Catalog
https://www.boisestate.edu/graduatecatalog/
Undergraduate Catalog
https://www.boisestate.edu/registrar-catalog/
Revision History
July 1995; January 1999; July 2001; November 2001; December 2008; September 2010; April 2012; December 2012; March 2014