Determining GPA- Undergraduate

Policy Purpose

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The purpose of the policy is to stipulate what credit and grades are included in the GPA calculation.  

• Policy Statement

   

  I.    The overall GPA* (includes all institutional and articulated transfer coursework, excluding pre-college level courses) is used to determine:

  • required GPA for graduation
  • graduation honors
  • term honors

   

  II.    The overall combined GPA* (Includes all institutional and articulated transfer coursework and includes pre-college level courses) is used to determine:

  • suspension and probation
  • financial aid eligibility
  • athletic eligibility

   

  III.    The following kinds of grades are not included when calculating the GPA:

  P	(Pass)
  CR	(Credit)
  I	(Incomplete)
  Au	(Audit)
  W	(Withdrawal)
  WF	(Withdrawal Failing)
  NR	(Not Reported)

   

  IV.    Grades and credits attempted or earned in the following are not included in the GPA:

  • remedial and developmental courses
  • courses from which the student withdrew in good standing
  • courses transferred to ETSU on or after August 1, 2015
  • courses taken on a pass/fail (P/F) basis in which the student earns a P. Although passing grades (P) and credits earned in courses taken on a pass/fail basis are not included in GPA calculations, failing grades (F) and credits attempted in such courses are included.

   

  V.    ETSU follows prescribed state practices for calculating the GPA needed for continuing eligibility for the Tennessee Lottery Scholarship Program, which includes all courses taken after graduation from high school.

  *Does not include transfer coursework received on or after August 1, 2015.

• Authority

   N/a
• Definitions

  Grade Point Average	The grade point average (GPA) equals the total of all quality points earned in all courses attempted, divided by the total number of credits attempted.
  Quality Points	Quality points earned in a course are based on the final grade in the course multiplied by the credits earned.
  Quality Point Grade Values	Final Grade Quality Points A 4.0 A- 3.7 B+ 3.3 B 3.0 B- 2.7 C+ 2.3 C 2.0 C- 1.7 D+ 1.3 D 1.0 F 0.0 FN 0.0

• Policy History

  Approved:    September 21, 2018 

  Revised:       January 22, 2019

• Procedures

  The grade point average (GPA) is computed as follows:

  • Quality Points earned in a course x course credits = Quality Points for course
  • Sum of quality points for all graded courses = Total Quality Points
  • Total quality points divided by all credits attempted = GPA

  Example:

  Course		Grade	Credits		Quality  Points		Quality Points for Course
  ENGL	1010	B	3	x	3	=	9
  CHEM	1030	A	4	x	4	=	16
  HIST	2010	C	3	x	2	=	6
  MATH	1530	C	3	x	2	=	6
  CSCI	1100	A	3	x	4	=	12
  Total			16				49

   

                  49 Quality Points divided by 16 credits = GPA of 3.06

  The GPA calculations for majors and minors are based on grades earned in the courses that meet the requirements for the major and the minor.

• Procedure History

  Approved:    September 21, 2018 

  Revised:       January 22, 2019

   
• Related Form(s)

  N/a

• Scope and Applicability

   Primary:        Academics
  Secondary:    Students