Since the Ph.D. program is not based solely on conventional academic courses, it is difficult to associate grades with a student's accomplishments. Also, for students who complete the program, grades are largely irrelevant; graduates are judged primarily on their professional achievements and the experience they have gained during the program, and on the basis of recommendations from members of the faculty.
The Ph.D. program keeps an internal record of various information about a student's performance, such as final grades given in graduate courses. This information is used at the Black Friday meeting. This information does not go on the student's university transcript.
Once the required coursework is completed, students register only for a blanket course (e.g., ``Reading and Research'') covering all their program activities for that semester, for which they receive a Pass/No Pass grade.
CSD Ph.D. students may formally register for graduate or undergraduate courses in other departments, in which case they are subject to the grading policies of the University and the department offering the course. The CSD faculty may on occasion require that a student take a course for a grade.
Students enrolled in other programs, but taking courses in CSD, are assigned either a letter grade or a ``Pass/Fail/No Grade,'' at the option of the instructor. When a letter grade is required by the student's home department in order to receive credit toward the degree, the policy of the home department will be respected.