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Transcript Supplement

See below for explanations of consortial agreements and credit, grading systems and transcript notations not currently in use but still published on original transcripts from the relevant eras.

College credit

  1. September 1942 to August 1969 - on quarter system (exception - during World War II 1942-45, Navy V-12 Program was on trimester system). A quarter hour (or a semester hour) was the work done in a fifty-minute lecture or recitation once a week for a quarter (or a semester), or a laboratory for a minimum of two hours a week for a quarter (or a semester); 2 semester hours equal 3 quarter (or term) hours. September 1942 to August 1969 - on quarter system (exception - during World War II 1942-45, Navy V-12 Program was on trimester system).

  2. Previous to September 1942 - on semester system (exception - year 1918 - 19 on term system same as a quarter system). A minimum of 180 quarter hours (or 120 semester hours) was required for graduation.

Explanation of grades and grade points

Time period School and/or program
September 1947 – August 1982 Undergraduate
September 1982 – August 2004 The Graduate School (D grade not used)
September 1947 – December 2004 Bienen School of Music (graduate programs)
September 1947 – August 1996 McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science (graduate programs)
September 1947 – Present Kellogg School of Management
September 1947 – August 2005 School of Communication (graduate programs)
September 1947 – September 1986 Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications (graduate programs)
September 1947 – February 2005 School of Education and Social Policy (graduate programs)
January 1979 – August 1990 School of Nursing
Grade points Grade
4 A | Excellent
3 B | Good
2 C | Satisfactory
1 D | Poor by passing (not used for students in The Graduate School)
0 F | Fail (or dropped without permission)
Time period School and/or program
June 1927 – August 1947 All schools
June 1927 – August 1982 The Graduate School
Grade Points Grade
7 A | Superior
6 A- | Superior
5 B | Good
4 B- | Good
3 C | Fair
2 C- | Fair
1 D | Poor, barely passing
0 E | Condition, removable by "second examination" to a grade not higher than D (discontinued Sept. 1945)
0 F | Fair (or dropped without permission)
Time period School and/or program
Previous to June 1927 All schools
Grade points Grade
3 A | Superior
2 B | Good
1 C | Fair
0 D | Poor
0 E | Condition, removable by "second examination"
-1 F | Failure, no credit

Transcript abbreviations and symbols

Symbol/abbreviation What does it mean?
* Grades received by special report
# Duplication
## Not applicable toward degree
Abs. Absent from examination; grade subject to make-up examination
Aud. Auditor
Cr. Work completed satisfactorily
Drp. Course dropped with permission, no penalty if work to date of dropping was C or better.
D.W.P. Dropped with permission; F grade
Inc. Incomplete
Prov. Provisional grade
Z Dropped without permission - counts as "F" (discontinued September 1962)

Consortial agreements

Northwestern University articulated credit for courses taken via Semester Online during the 2013-14 academic year. Contact the Office of the Registrar for additional questions.

Northwestern articulates credit for courses taken via the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) agreement. For details visit www.cic.net/home

Spring 2020 grading

A global health emergency during Spring 2020 required significant changes to university operations that affected student enrollment and grading. The P/NP grading scheme was adopted for all undergraduate courses during the Spring 2020 quarter.