Repeated Courses

This is an archived copy of the 2023-24 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.ndsu.edu.

At NDSU, repeating a course is defined as retaking the same course on a student's NDSU academic transcript in an attempt to improve a grade. The course repeat option is available to students who have not graduated. Repeats are processed at the end of a semester after grades have been posted. Exceptions to this repeated courses policy are not considered due to the GPA impact of the NDSU student record. The following criteria applies: 

  1. Credit earned in any given course (or equivalent course) is applicable to a degree requirement only once.
  2. If a course is completed at NDSU first and an attempt is made to repeat that course at another institution, the credit is considered duplicate and is not eligible for transfer back to NDSU.
  3. An NDSU student may register for a Tri-College course to repeat a course previously taken at NDSU; Tri-College rules and restrictions apply.
  4. All grade entries remain on the student's academic record, but only the credits, grades and related honor points for the most recent attempt are calculated in the cumulative grade point average and credits for graduation.  Students forfeit the previous letter grade no matter what letter grade was earned. Previous letter graded attempts are excluded from cumulative totals and marked as 'Repeat Excluded' on the record.The most recent letter graded course is marked 'Repeat Included' on the record.
  5. There is no limit to the number of different courses that may be repeated unless otherwise restricted by an academic department.
  6. Courses initially taken with A-F letter grading may not be repeated if the pass-fail grading option is elected in the repeat attempt.
  7. The course repeat option to improve the cumulative GPA is only available to students who have not earned a degree. Repeat attempts made in semesters following a degree posting will remain on the academic record along with the new grade, but the credit and honor points are excluded from GPA and credit calculations. The repeated course will be marked "Repeated: Post Degree-Not Included in Cum Totals."

NOTE: Repeating courses has impacts to financial aid eligibility and can effect a student's completion rate.