Parent rules: Academic Rules
Responsible officer: Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Designated officer: Director, Student Administration
Approving authority: Academic Board
Approval: 24 October 2008
Last amended: 24 October 2008
Effective starting date: 1 July 2009
Any policies replaced by this policy: 
Policy number: AB8
Related policies: 
Due date for next review:

Part A:  Preliminary

1. Purpose of policy

This policy sets out the purposes for which the Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated at the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) and the principles to be employed in determining a GPA. The policy also includes information on the automatically calculated GPAs which appear on a student’s record; and other GPAs which may be manually calculated.

2. Application of policy

2.1 This policy applies to all staff of the University of the Sunshine Coast and its decision-making and advisory bodies.

2.2 The policy applies to all coursework award programs offered by the University.

3. Definitions

In this policy the following definitions apply:

Cross-institutional enrolment means an enrolment in a course(s) in another institution, which, on successful completion, may be credited to a program at the University.

Grade means a representation of the overall level of attainment achieved by a student in a course.

Official Student Record means the official University printed document that provides an accurate statement of the official information held by the University and which satisfies the University's responsibilities to the student and other third parties (including other universities) for adequate and appropriate representation of relevant information about a student's academic and academic related activities at the University.

Part B:  Policy

4. Purposes for calculating a Grade Point Average (GPA)

4.1 A GPA is calculated for the following reasons:

• So that it may be made available to students to provide an indicator of their academic progress.
• So that it may be used by the University as an indicator to assist in determining academic merit of individual students at the University of Sunshine Coast.
• So that it may be made available to other institutions or professional bodies where a GPA is required.

4.2 Internally, GPAs can also be used as a measure of academic merit to assist with other activities including: 

• assessing the eligibility of an applicant for admission;
• awarding of a scholarship;
• determining the grade of honours; and
• the awarding of a prize or other merit award such as a Chancellor’s medal.

4.3 For each student enrolled in a coursework program, the University will calculate a GPA at the end of the following teaching periods: Semester 1, Semester 2 and Summer based on the student’s grades in all courses taken in their current program.

5. Calculation

5.1 The value for the grade achieved for each course is multiplied by the number of units (study load or weighting) for that course. These weighted grade values are totalled and then divided by the total number of units undertaken in a program (subject to the inclusions and exclusions listed in 5.2 and 5.3 below).

GPA = The sum of G multiplied by U, then divided by T

where T is the total unit value of all courses undertaken
where G is the grade value achieved in each course
where U is the unit value of each course

5.2 Inclusion of studies in the calculation of the GPA

5.2.1 The following are included in the calculation of the GPA:
(a) all courses where the following formal University grades and grade notations have been awarded:

(b) all grades for completed courses including any failures that have been later redeemed with a passing grade are counted in the calculation.
(c) all grades for specified credit for designated courses, when the original studies were completed at the University.

5.2.2 When a determination needs to be made on which courses and their grades should be included as specified credit transfer, the selection will be based on those that best advantage the student’s GPA.

5.3 Exclusion of studies in the calculation of the GPA

5.3.1 The following courses and grades are not included in the GPA:
(a) The following grades and grading notations are not included in the calculations:

• Pass Ungraded (PU)
• Withdraw Without Penalty (WN)
• Incomplete (IN)
• Grade Pending (GP)
• Special Examination (SE)
• Supplementary Assessment (Examination) (SU)
• Supplementary Assessment (Other) (SA)
• Not Examined (NE)
• Result Withheld (RW)
• Exemption (EX)

(b) studies completed as a Cross-institutional enrolment or as part of the Global Opportunities Program (GO).

5.4 Combined degree programs
A student enrolled in a combined degree will receive a single GPA calculated on all studies required for the combined program of study.

6. Official Student Record

6.1 On a student’s official student record, for each program a GPA is calculated at the conclusion of the following teaching period: Semester 1, Semester 2, and Summer in which the student has completed courses.