Satisfactory Progress - Doctoral Students

UBC Calendar: https://vancouver.calendar.ubc.ca/campus-wide-policies-and-regulations/grading-practices/introduction

Form: Graduate Unsatisfactory Academic Progress Recommendation

Doctoral students must achieve a minimum of 68% (B-) in all courses taken for credit. If you obtain a grade of less than 68% (B-), discuss this with your graduate program. If your program recommends, and the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies approves, you may be allowed to repeat the course for higher standing or take an alternate course.

If you have to repeat a failed required course, you must obtain a minimum mark of 74%. Higher minimum marks may be required by your graduate program or the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

If you do not improve your grade by repeating the course or taking an alternate course and obtaining a satisfactory grade, you may be required to withdraw from your graduate program.

If progress in your research is unsatisfactory, you may be required to withdraw. You will be informed of unsatisfactory academic progress in writing before any action regarding withdrawal is taken.

For doctoral students registered in the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Fail (F) for individual courses is defined as below 68%. Some graduate programs may require a higher passing grade for specific courses, so check with your program for additional information.

Grading Scale
Percentage (%) Letter Grade
90-100 A+
85-89 A
80-84 A-
76-79 B+
72-75 B
68-71 B-
0-67 F (Fail)

 If you repeat a course, both marks will appear on your transcript. The higher mark will be used to determine promotion in a program and in any decision to admit you to or withdraw you from a program. For all other purposes, averages will be calculated using both marks.

All doctoral students must be admitted to candidacy within 36 months from the date of initial registration. If you are not admitted to candidacy within this time period, you will be required to withdraw from your program. Extensions may be granted under exceptional circumstances and with the permission of the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.