Grade point average (GPA) calculations
Sessional GPA and cumulative GPA will appear on both the official transcript and the administrative transcript.
Sessional GPA
Your Sessional GPA is used to assign academic standing. More on academic standing.
Sessional GPA is calculated at the end of a session (Winter: September to April, Summer: May to August).
Sample sessional GPA calculation
An example calculation is shown below. Use your Administrative Transcript to find your grades and the unit values for a course.
|
Grade |
Grade Point |
|
Unit Value |
|
Course Points |
Note |
|
B+ |
6 |
x |
3.0 |
= |
18.0 |
DUP |
| This course has a duplicate note "DUP". Although no units were awarded for the course it is still used in the GPA calculation. | ||||||
|
B |
5 |
x |
3.0 |
= |
15.0 |
|
|
C+ |
3 |
x |
3.0 |
= |
9.0 |
(DEF) |
| Originally graded as "DEF" changed to C+. The grade obtained for a deferred course will be used in calculating the sessional GPA. If a deferred course is not completed, the final grade for the course becomes N. | ||||||
|
COM |
N/A |
x |
N/A |
= |
N/A |
|
| Courses bearing the grade COM may or may not be assigned credit. The COM grade is ignored in the calculation of the sessional GPA. | ||||||
|
E |
0 |
x |
1.5 |
= |
0.0 |
|
| Any passing grade obtained on a supplemental examination will be shown in your academic record with a grade point value of 1 (corresponding to a D) and will be taken into account in the determination of the graduating average and the class of degree. It will not affect the sessional GPA. | ||||||
|
B+ |
6 |
x |
1.5 |
= |
9.0 |
|
|
A- |
7 |
x |
1.5 |
= |
10.5 |
|
|
INP |
N/A |
x |
N/A |
= |
N/A |
|
| Courses bearing the grade INP are ignored in the sessional GPA calculation. | ||||||
|
N |
0 |
x |
1.5 |
= |
0 |
|
|
Total |
|
|
15.0 |
|
61.5 |
|
The sessional GPA is calculated as follows:
- Multiply Grade Point X Unit Value for each course = Course Points
- Divide Total Course Points ÷ Total Unit Value = Sessional GPA
- Exclude courses graded as COM, INP, N/X or F/X from the calculation.
- Include courses that receive an F or N grade in the calculation.
- Include duplicate (DUP) or mutually-exclusive (M/X) courses in the calculation, even though no credit is awarded.
With the exception of the COM and INP courses, the sessional grade point average is based only on courses which have a unit value (e.g. LING 099 is graded, but does not carry any unit value).
GPA calculation: Total course points (61.5) ÷ Total unit value (15.0) = 4.10
Cumulative GPA
Undergraduate, excluding Law
The cumulative GPA, which normally appears at the end of a transcript, is based on courses taken or challenged in sessions where a final sessional grade point average has been determined.
Courses with grades of COM, F/X, N/X; courses taken on exchange since Summer 2013 and undergraduate supplemental grades are excluded from the calculation.
Law
The Law cumulative GPA, which normally appears at the end of a transcript, is based on courses taken in sessions where a final sessional grade point average has been determined except where a revised grade point average exists. In these cases the revised GPA is used. Excluded courses are those with grades of COM, F/X, N/X.
Undergraduate, including Law
If a student takes courses beyond a first undergraduate degree, or transfers to the JD program, a further cumulative GPA will be calculated that excludes those courses completed prior to the granting of the first degree or entry to the JD program.
Sample cumulative GPA calculation
Use your Administrative Transcript to find your sessional GPA.
|
Session |
Units |
GPA |
Course points |
||
|
Winter 2013-2014 |
12.0 |
x |
6.50 |
= |
78.00 |
|
Winter 2014-2015 |
13.5 |
x |
7.33 |
= |
98.96 |
|
Winter 2015-2016 |
12.0 |
x |
8.25 |
= |
99.00 |
|
Winter 2016-2017 |
12.0 |
x |
8.13 |
= |
97.56 |
|
Winter 2017-2018 |
7.5 |
x |
9.00 |
= |
67.50 |
|
Total |
57.0 |
|
|
|
447.02 |
GPA calculation: Total course points (447.02) ÷ Total units (57.0) = 7.74
Projected GPA, term GPA and graduating GPA do not appear on either the official transcript or the administrative transcript. These GPA values are used internally for administrative purposes.
Projected GPA
A projected GPA is calculated when there are ungraded and/or deferred courses in a session.
It is a worst-case scenario GPA, whereby courses with no final grade are assumed to have a grade value of 0 (i.e. a failing grade).
A projected GPA is not shown on your transcript but is used internally to determine the academic standing that will be assigned if all ungraded/deferred courses are failed.
An unsatisfactory projected GPA can block you from accessing future registration until it can be shown that sufficient grades and academic standing can be achieved.
Depending on your academic standing at the start of the session, a projected GPA can result in several outcomes:
|
Academic standing at start of session |
Projected sessional GPA |
Registration |
Anticipated standing: worst-case scenario |
|
In good standing |
2.00 or greater |
No |
In good standing |
|
1.99 or less |
No |
University probation |
|
|
University probation |
2.00 or greater |
No |
In good standing |
|
1.99 or less |
Yes |
Required to withdraw |
A projected GPA is calculated in the same way as a sessional GPA, but before the session is complete.
Sample projected GPA calculations
|
Grade |
Grade point |
|
Unit value |
|
Course points |
|
D |
1 |
x |
3.0 |
= |
3.0 |
|
C |
2 |
x |
1.5 |
= |
3.0 |
|
C+ |
3 |
x |
1.5 |
= |
4.5 |
|
No grade |
0 |
x |
1.5 |
= |
0 |
|
No grade |
0 |
x |
1.5 |
= |
0 |
|
Total |
|
|
9.0 |
|
10.5 |
GPA calculation: Total course points (10.5) ÷ Total unit value (9.0) = 1.17
If this student was on university probation at the start of the session, they would be blocked from registering in a future session because their projected GPA is below the minimum 2.00 required to clear their probation status.
As more courses are completed, the projected GPA will be updated:
|
Grade |
Grade point |
|
Unit value |
|
Course points |
|
D |
1 |
x |
3.0 |
= |
3.0 |
|
C |
2 |
x |
1.5 |
= |
3.0 |
|
C+ |
3 |
x |
1.5 |
= |
4.5 |
|
B |
5 |
x |
1.5 |
= |
7.5 |
|
No grade |
0 |
x |
1.5 |
= |
0 |
|
Total |
|
|
9.0 |
|
18.0 |
GPA calculation: Total course points (18.0) ÷ Total unit value (9.0) = 2.00
The projected GPA is now 2.00 and this student will be permitted to register.Term GPA
Use your Administrative Transcript to find your term GPA for each term of the Winter Session when all final grades have been received.
Term GPA is calculated the same way as sessional GPA.
The term GPA is based on all courses taken or challenged in that term which have a unit value. The first half of a year-long course and courses bearing the grade COM, INP, N/X, or F/X are excluded from the term GPA calculation.
Term GPA is not used in the determination of academic standing and does not appear on the Official Transcript.
At the undergraduate level, except for Law, supplemental grades are not included in the term GPA; Law supplemental grades are included in the term GPA.
Graduating GPA
Your graduating GPA is used to determine if your degree is granted ‘With Distinction’. It does not display on your official transcript.
The graduating GPA of a student in a bachelor’s degree program (other than BEng, BSEng, and Law) is determined as the weighted average of the grade values assigned to senior level courses.
Senior level courses are 300 and 400 level, and in Education 700 level courses, other than COM-graded courses, taken or challenged at UVic. Courses at the 500 level may be included in the graduating average if they are accepted as credit towards the undergraduate degree.
A course which has been used to satisfy the requirements for one degree, or which has been used in the calculation of the student’s graduating GPA for one degree, cannot be used for credit towards another degree.
Sample graduating GPA calculation
| Course | Grade | Note | Grade point | Unit value | Course points used in Graduating GPA | ||
|
MUS 326 |
B |
5 |
x |
1.5 |
= |
7.5 |
|
|
HIS 345 |
B |
5 |
x |
1.5 |
= |
7.5 |
|
|
HIS 351 |
A- |
7 |
x |
3.0 |
= |
21.0 |
|
|
POL 320 |
B+ |
6 |
x |
3.0 |
= |
18.0 |
|
|
HIS 343 |
B |
5 |
x |
3.0 |
= |
15.0 |
|
|
POL 313 |
B |
5 |
x |
1.5 |
= |
7.5 |
|
|
HIS 394 |
B |
5 |
x |
1.5 |
= |
7.5 |
|
| HIS 366 | C+ | 3 | x | 1.5 | = | 4.5 | |
| POL 465 | A | 8 | x | 3.0 | = | 24.0 | |
| ENG 376 | C | 2 | x | 3.0 | = | 6.0 | |
| SOC301 | D | 1 | x | 3.0 | = | 3.0 | |
| PSY330 | B- | 4 | x | 3.0 | = | 12.0 | |
| PSY330 | A | DUP | 8 | x | 3.0 | = | 24.0 |
| PSY315 | B | 5 | x | 3.0 | = | 15.0 | |
| PSY 331 | F | 0 | x | 3.0 | = | 0.0 | |
| SOC 305 | E | 0 | x |
3.0 (not used in total) |
= | 0.0 (final SUP grade used) | |
| SOC 305 | B | SUP | 1 (SUP grade counted as D grade equivalent ) | x | 3.0 | = | 3.0 |
| Total | 40.5 | 175.5 |
The graduating GPA is calculated as follows:
- Grade point x Unit value for each senior registered course = Course points.
- The sum of Course points = Total Course Points.
- The sum of Unit values = Total Number of Registered Units. COM and INP courses are not counted in total Registered Units.
- Graduating GPA = Total Course Points ÷ Total Number of Registered Units.
GPA calculation: Total Course Points (175.5) ÷ Total Number of Registered Units (40.5) = 4.33
For more information on grades visit the grades page for current students.
Undergraduate grade scale conversions
UVic operates on a 9 point/letter grade scale based on a standardized percentage/letter grade equivalency. Read more in the academic calendar.
If you are considering transferring to another institution, you may want to see how the UVic grading scale converts to that institution's grade scale.