- Unit value - Select the desired number of units from the drop-down menu. Half-units are allowed. If the course has variable units, enter a range of units for the lowest to highest possible unit values. Discrete units mean the course can be offered at two different unit values, such as 2 or 4, depending on the requirements. Unit value is based on work hours, which are entered on the Formats page.
- A change in units is often accompanied by a change in instructional format. Enter any format changes on the Formats page.
- A change in units is often accompanied by a change in instructional format. Enter any format changes on the Formats page.
- Grading option – Select the desired grading option. If the grading option is letter grade, the default for enrolling students will be letter grade. However, regulations give students in good academic standing the option to take courses on a P/NP or S/U basis (see Berkeley Division Regulation A204 for additional limitations). If the course must be taken for a letter grade for a degree requirement, you may indicate that in the course description, but you cannot prevent students from opting to take the course P/NP or S/U.
- If the grading option is P/NP or S/U, students will only be able to take the course P/NP or S/U. They will not be able to opt to receive a letter grade.
- While rarely used, there are alternative grading options for special types of courses such as freshman/sophomore seminars of multi-term courses. See the COCI Handbook Section 3.3 for more information on grading options.
- The matrix below outlines the grading options in CMS and what values in Campus Solutions (CS) they translate to:
CMS Grading Field
CS Grading Option
Letter Grade
Student Option, Enrolled Passed / Not Passed, or Enrolled Satisfactory / Unsatisfactory
Passed/Not Passed
Passed/Not Passed
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
Other: Letter Grade Only**
Graded
Other: Instructor will decide
Student Option, Passed/Not Passed, or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
Other: Part of a two-course series: Part 1 of 2
Multi-Term Course: Not Graded
Other: Part of a two-course series: Part 2 of 2, Offered for Letter Grade
Student Option, Enrolled Passed / Not Passed, or Enrolled Satisfactory / Unsatisfactory
Other: Part of a two-course series: Part 2 of 2, Offered P/NP or S/U
Passed/Not Passed or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
**Other: Letter Grade Only is required exclusively for Reading and Composition courses.
- Final exam status – Undergraduate courses: In the Credit section, select the appropriate final exam status from the three options:
- Written Exam: Select this option if a written final exam is conducted during the scheduled final exam period. This is standard for undergraduate courses. When this option is selected you will need to designate if the course will require a common final exam group. Common final exam groups are used by a very small subset of courses on campus. Typically this is only available for courses that have a special circumstance requiring all sections of the course to host a final exam during the same day and time block. If your course does not need to be part of a common final exam group, select no. If your department has already arranged with the Office of the Registrar’s Classroom Scheduling unit to be part of a common final exam group for this course, select yes. Please contact Classroom Scheduling at scheduling@berkley.edu(link sends e-mail) with questions about common final exam groups.
- Alternative Final Assessment: Select this option if a project, paper, performance, or other forms of assessment is required in lieu of a written exam during final exam week. You will need to provide a rationale to describe the type of alternative final assessment. When indicating that the course will utilize an alternative final exam, please select if this assessment will need to be part of the regularly scheduled final exam group or not from the provided options. This will allow the Classroom Scheduling unit to be able to make resource and allocation decisions during the final exam room assignment window. An example of an alternative method of final assessment that would need to be assigned a final exam group is a final project that will be presented during the final exam period.
- No final exam: If an alternative method of final assessment will be used, describe it briefly in the box below the final exam field (e.g., ten-page term paper, take-home exam, final project, and presentation). The final assessment should be described in detail in the syllabus. If there is no final exam, provide a rationale for this choice in the box below the final exam field. See the COCI Handbook's Section 2.1.3 for more information on final examinations.
- Final exam status – Graduate courses: A final examination is not required for graduate courses. If a final exam is being offered and a room is required for final exam group assignment select the checkbox in this section. By selecting this checkbox, your department is indicating that a room will be required during the final exam week for the course.