Policy 205.06 Calculation of Grade-Point Average for Inclusion on Transcripts and Transcript Requests

Owner: Senior Vice President and Chief Academic Officer

1. Introduction

   UMGC conforms to the Board of Regents Policy III-6.00 Policy on Academic Transcripts and Financial Aid Records, approved on January 11, 1990, and issues transcripts in accordance with this Policy.

2. Calculation of the GPA

   1. The unit of credit is the semester hour, which is equivalent to a subject pursued 60 minutes a week for one semester. Most courses carry three semester hours.

   2. "Resident credit" is credit earned from UMGC. Effective Spring 1992, undergraduate credit awarded through portfolio evaluation in the UMGC EXCEL Through Experiential Learning program, which documents prior learning, is considered resident rather than transfer credit. Only resident credit is included in the calculation of the GPA.

   3. "Institutional credit" is credit that may not be applied toward graduation, but may be assigned value for purposes of semester load and tuition. Institutional credit is included in the GPA and in determining eligibility for financial aid and veterans educational benefits. Students required to take institutional credit do so in addition to the graduation credit required for the degree.

   4. Cumulative (not individual semester) GPAs are included on UMGC transcripts.

   5. The grades of A=4 quality points, B=3 quality points, C=2 quality points, and D=1 quality point are included in computation of the GPA.

   6. The grades of F=0 and FN (Failure-Non attendance) =0 are also included in the computation of the GPA. The FN grade means a failure in the course because the student has ceased to attend and participate in course assignments and activities. It is assigned when the student ceases to attend class but has not officially withdrawn. The FN grade is treated as an F in calculating the grade-point average.

   7. The FN grade is assigned:

      1. When the student registers but never appears.

      2. When the student did submit some early assignments, as long as s/he totally ceased attendance and participation in the first 60 percent of the semester (see the list below for cutoff points).

      3. For any other semester or term duration not listed above, assignment of an FN grade will follow the 60% rule stated above.
         Please refer to the Academic Calendar to assess specific dates for when the FN Grade is assigned.
         For failure solely based on academic performance or failure including such nonattendance but after the FN cutoff date, the F grade is used.

   8. The grade of D is not awarded in graduate courses.

   9. The grades of P ("passing") and S ("satisfactory") are minimum passing grades and carry credit, but are not included in computation of the GPA. RT ("repeat through transfer") carries credit but is not included in computation of the GPA

   10. The grades of I ("incomplete"); W ("withdrew"); AUD, T, or AU ("audit"); H (a course taken out of sequence); G (grade pending); and R (a repeated course) carry no credit and are not included in the computation of the GPA

   11. Except when a course is designated in its catalog course description as repeatable for additional credit, credit is granted only once for the same course and the higher grade is used in determining the GPA

   12. The GPA is calculated by

       1. Multiplying the quality-point value of the grade for each course by the number of credits the course carried

       2. Determining the total number of quality points earned; and

       3. Dividing the total number of quality points by the number of credits attempted

   13. GPAs are computed separately for each degree after the first bachelor's degree. Only courses applied toward a second bachelor's degree are computed in the GPA for that degree, even if the student earned a first degree at UMGC; and only courses applied toward a master's degree are computed in the GPA for that degree, even if the student earned a bachelor’s degree at UMGC.

3. Transcript Requests

   Students who wish to request copies of their UMGC transcript may request transcripts online or contact Academic Operations at the last UMGC location from which the students' courses originated.