Dean of Students
Information Sheet
Calculating Your Grade Point Average
What is Grade Point Average (GPA)?
The Grade Point Average (GPA) of a student is a calculation which reflects the overall grades of a student. It is based on undergraduate units completed at Macquarie University and does not take into account credit points granted for advanced standing or non-award study. Although there are two GPA calculations below which represent Macquarie University's changed grading system there is only one GPA for each student.
The GPA is used for academic advising in several areas such as:
- Unit prerequisites
- Admission to Bachelor degree Honours programs
- Transferring from one Macquarie degree program to another where there is an internal transfer policy
- Admission to restricted areas of study, such as Accounting, Economics and Psychology
Calculation of the Grade Point Average
The grade point average (GPA) for grades obtained prior to 2001 is calculated as follows:
GPA = (4a + 3b + 2c + 1cq + 0f) divided by e where
| a | is the number of credit points gained at A grade |
| b | is the number of credit points gained at B grade |
| c | is the number of credit points gained at C grade |
| cq | is the number of credit points gained at CQ grade, |
| e | is the total number of credit points for which a student is effectively enrolled (excluding units with W or P) |
| f | is the number of credit points gained with an F grade |
The grade point average (GPA) for grades obtained from 2001 is calculated as follows:
GPA = (4w + 3x + 2y + 1z + 0f) divided by e where
| w | is the number of credit points gained at HD and D, |
| x | is the number of credit points gained at CR, |
| y | is the number of credit points gained at P, |
| z | is the number of credit points gained at PC, |
| e | is the total number of credit points for which a student is effectively enrolled (excluding units with W or any other grade not included in the above formula) |
| f | is the number of credit points gained with an F grade. |
The grade point average of an applicant who has been enrolled for the BA DipEd, BBA DipEd, BCom DipEd, BEc DipEd or BSc DipEd course will be calculated on the basis of the entire program and not just on the level of performance for the BA, BBA, BCom, BE or BSc degree.
It is important to note that the GPA is based on your entire academic record at Macquarie. That is the GPA includes all units in any degree program ever taken by you at Macquarie. Repeating units does not remove previous failed units from your transcript. It is not a semester based calculation.
A GPA calculator can be accessed from the Macquarie University Undergraduate Studies Section web page at http://www.reg.mq.edu.au/Undergrad