Progress Toward the Degree: Resolving Incompletes

Faculty Rules state that undergraduates may not receive the degree with a grade of Incomplete on the record. You must resolve all Incompletes before the end of your final term, preferably long before.

There are four ways to resolve an Incomplete. You may:

• Complete the work, and receive a final grade.
• Repeat the subject in a later term. If you pass the subject in a later term, the I grade remains in the earlier term but it will not prevent you from graduating.
• Not complete the work. In this case you will receive a final grade based on the work you completed by the end of the term when the Incomplete grade was assigned (the "default grade").
• Not complete the work, and petition the CAP to retroactively drop the subject from your record.

Petitioning to Drop an Incomplete

If you are considering a petition to Late Drop an Incomplete, note that the Committee rarely approves such petitions. You have an obligation to complete your work and receive a grade for each subject, regardless of whether the subject fulfills a requirement or is an elective. All students are given adequate time to complete their Incompletes. The CAP will not drop an Incomplete simply because you neglected it over a long period of time.

If you and your advisor believe there are legitimate reasons for the CAP to allow a Late Drop, you may submit a petition. Details are in the Petition Process section.

Download Late Drop an Incomplete Petition (PDF)

If a petition to Late Drop an Incomplete is denied and a default grade has not been awarded, you must ask the instructor to submit a grade for the subject. If the instructor is unavailable, contact the undergraduate academic administrator for the subject in question. The Incomplete will be resolved when the Registrar's Office receives a grade for the subject.