Repeated Courses

The university adopted a new repeat policy for undergraduate students effective Fall 2025. Students should pay careful attention to the policy application to understand how the policy may relate to their academic record.

Repeat Policy

Certain courses are specifically designated in the university catalog as courses that may be repeated for credit. With the exception of these specially designated courses, no course in which a student receives a grade of “A”, “B”, “C”, “G”, “I” or “P” may be repeated except as an audit.

Any course in which a student receives a grade of “D”, “F”, “R” or “W” may be repeated for a grade; if a course with a grade of “D” or “F” is repeated, both the initial grade and subsequent grade(s) appear on the transcript. Credit is awarded once and only the most recent grade is computed into the grade point average. Courses repeated via transfer credit will not result in a change in GPA.

Students may not elect to repeat any single course more than one time. Students are responsible for ensuring they do not register for a non-repeatable course more than once.

The repeat policy is also located in the Academic Regulations section of the Undergraduate Catalog.

Policy Application

The following guidance is intended to assist students and advisors in understanding how the repeat policy is applicable across a variety of academic records. Example grades and courses are provided to demonstrate how the policy may be applied, but not all potential scenarios are represented below.

An undergraduate student may not register for and repeat a course in which a credit was earned with a grade of C- or higher.
An undergraduate student who fails a course and does not earn credit may register for it again.
An undergraduate student who earns credit for a course with a grade of D+, D, or D- may register for it again.
When a course with a grade of D+, D, D-, or F is repeated, the initial grade and the subsequent grade appear on the transcript. Credit is removed from the initial attempt and awarded for the second attempt. Only the most recent grade is computed in the GPA.
If the initial grade is an F and is repeated for an F, the subsequent F replaces the initial F. Then, if it is again repeated and credit is earned, the new grade replaces the F. In all cases, the newest grade is the one that counts.
- Initial F > Repeat for F
  - Only one F is calculated in the GPA.
- Initial F > Repeat for F > Repeat for D-
  - D- is calculated in the GPA.
Once the student has repeated the course once (and earned credit), the student may not repeat the course again.
Note: PATH will not block students from continuous registration in subsequent repeats of D grades. If students register, the University Registrar’s Office will manually drop students from courses they are ineligible to repeat.
- Initial F > Repeat for F > Repeat for D-
  - D- is calculated in GPA; no additional repeats permitted.
- Initial D- > Repeat for D
  - D is calculated in GPA; no additional repeats permitted.
If a student initially earns credit then repeats the course and fails it, the student no longer has credit for the course. It may not meet requirements, satisfy pre-reqs, etc. The most recent grade always counts. The student may, however, reengage the repeat process.
- Initial D > Repeat for F
  - F is calculated in GPA; student loses credits; student may repeat
- Initial D > Repeat for F > Repeat for D
  - Final D is calculated in GPA; no additional repeats permitted.
Once a student registers for a course in which credit was earned with a D+, D, or D-, the student is abandoning credit for the original attempt upon receipt of a final grade in the subsequent attempt. A student may not elect to have the original credit and grade apply in lieu of the most recent attempt.
Courses which are designated as repeatable courses, but for which there are rotating topics (Special topics, COLL 150s, etc.) are treated as discrete courses by topic. This repeat policy applies only to repeats of the same discrete topic.
- CHEM 150 (Emerging Diseases) – Initial D
  - Can repeat CHEM 150 (Emerging Diseases) to meet the requirement and result in GPA change.
  - Can register for CHEM 150 (Great Discoveries) to meet the requirement, but does not result in GPA change.
  - Can register for ECON 150 (or any other 150) to meet the requirement, but does not result in GPA change.
Students may not repeat a course for which they have received transfer credit. A student may not transfer a course for which they have earned credit, regardless of grade.
- Thus, a student may not transfer in a course subsequent to earning a D+, D, or D- at W&M, nor may a course completed via transfer result in a change to the GPA.
For students enrolled in the University of St Andrews Joint Degree Programme, the repeat policy applies only to courses completed at W&M, not at St Andrews.
- Courses initially completed at W&M may be repeated at W&M, in accordance with the policy. They may not be repeated at St Andrews.
- Courses initially completed at St Andrews may not be repeated.
For students repeating variable credit courses, the initial course and the repeated course must carry the same credit hours.
This rule does not apply for non-degree-seeking students.

Questions about impacts to tuition and fees?

Any questions about tuition and fee charges should be directed to [[w|bursar,Student Accounts]].

Questions about impacts to Veterans Educational Benefits?

Any questions about impacts to VA Benefit course certification should be directed to the [[w|vabenefits,Veterans Benefits Coordinator]].