Satisfactory / Unsatisfactory Option

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Option may be used only for the following groups of courses ONLY:

  • Complementary Studies courses (Group A Impact of Technology on Society and Group B Humanities and Social Sciences, Management Studies and Law)
  • Natural Science Complementary Courses in Computer and Software Engineering
  • Elective Courses (for Bioengineering and Mechanical Engineering students from CEGEP and Architecture students)

Students MUST code courses under the S/U OPTION at the time of registration on MINERVA. The Option will NOT be added manually to a student's record after the Drop/Add deadline.  Once the option is selected, and the course change deadline has passed, you may still remove the option up until the Withdrawal with no refund deadline.

You CANNOT use the S/U option for Technical Complementaries, Lab Complementaries, Complementary Courses in Architecture, Elective courses in Electrical, Computer, & Software, or courses in any other category of the Engineering programs.

  • Under no circumstances can you use this option for a REQUIRED course or for courses to be used to satisfy the requirements for a MINOR. 
  • Engineering/Architecture students should be aware that a C grade must be achieved in order to pass a course under the University Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Option. However, the Faculty of Engineering accepts a D grade as a pass in a complementary course ONLY when the course is taken in the conventional manner (D grade appears). Reminder: once a grade has been submitted under the option, the option will not be reversed under any circumstances.
  • Only one course (3 credits) per term, to a maximum of 10% of a student's credits taken at McGill may be taken this way.
  • Grades will be reported in the normal fashion by instructor and those grades of a C will be converted to Satisfactory and grades of D and F will be converted into Unsatisfactory.
  • The courses taken under this option will be excluded from the GPA, but they will be included in the number of credits.

Note: To be considered for awards/scholarships/renewal of awards, students must complete at least 27 credits in the regular academic session, exclusive of courses completed under this option.

If the S/U option is selected for a core course and not reversed by the Course Change deadline, the Student Affairs Office will remove reverse the option and notify the student of the change.


S/U Policy for Fall 2020/Winter 2021
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