What is a grade point average (GPA)?
What items are used to calculate a GPA?
Does BJU calculate more than one GPA?
What is the minimum GPA requirement to
earn a degree from BJU?
When is transfer work included in my GPA?
What do I need in quality points if my cumulative GPA is below a
2.0?
What is a grade point average (GPA)?
A grade point average (GPA) is a
student’s overall average grade for all coursework taken through BJU during a semester or summer session or by distance
learning.
What items are used to calculate a GPA?
Quality points
and credits attempted are used to calculate a GPA.
Quality Points: Each grade you earn carries a number
value (quality points) that is then used to calculate your GPA. Quality points
for each grade are as follows: A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F = 0, P = 0
Credits
Attempted: Each course you attempt
has a certain number of credits (class hours) that are used to calculate your
GPA. (Credits are earned with grades of
D or better for a course.)
Examples: Vo 101 Voice Class (1 credit); Thr 225 Appreciation of Theatre & Film (2 credits); Hi
101 The Making of the Modern World (3 credits); Bio 100 General Biology (4
credits).
These grades
indicate what took place in courses where a standard grade was delayed or not
earned.
·
I indicates
incomplete. An incomplete grade carries
no quality points and will therefore impact the GPA until the final grade is
recorded and corresponding quality points are earned. Both the incomplete and final grade is
reported on the academic record.
· W indicates withdrawn from a class during the
withdrawal period and/or a term and does not impact the GPA.
· WF indicates withdrawn failure during a term and does
not impact the GPA.
·
AU indicates auditing a
class. The purpose of auditing a class
is for individuals:
o
interested
in a topic to gain personal knowledge of a subject for continuing education or
o
to
refresh their understanding of a topic for a better foundation.
Audited courses carry no credit and do not impact the
GPA, although the course will count on a student’s load, and do not satisfy
degree requirements. An audited course
may not be repeated for credit.
· NR indicates not reported. A not reported grade carries no quality
points and will therefore impact the GPA until the final grade and
corresponding quality points are earned.
· CR indicates credit earned and does not impact the GPA.
To determine
the total quality points earned for each of your classes, multiply the credits
attempted by the quality points for the grade you earned. Quality points per credit for each grade are
as follows: A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F = 0, P = 0.
Examples:
If you
attempted a 4-credit course and earned a grade of A (4 quality points), a total
of 18 quality points would be earned.
If you
attempted a 3-credit course and earned a grade of A (4 quality points), a total
of 12 quality points would be earned.
If you
attempted a 2-credit course and earned a grade of A (4 quality points), a total
of 8 quality points would be earned.
If you
attempted a 1-credit course and earned a grade of A (4 quality points), a total
of 4 quality points would be earned.
Sum of Quality Points ÷
Sum of Credits Attempted = GPA
1. Add together all the quality points you earned
for each course.
2. Add together all of your credits attempted for each course.
3. Divide the sum of the quality points by the
sum of the credits attempted.
Example: Based upon a 2.0 minimum GPA degree
requirement with grades A through F and varying credits attempted. This GPA reflects a quality point deficiency.
|
Catalog Number |
Course Title |
Credits Attempted |
Grade [Quality Points] |
Credits Earned |
Quality Points Earned |
2.0 Degree Quality Points +/- |
|
Uni 101 |
Pathways |
3 |
A [4] |
3 |
12 |
+6 |
|
En 102 |
Composition & Rhetoric |
3 |
B [3] |
3 |
9 |
+3 |
|
Bi 205 |
Creation to New Creation |
3 |
C [2] |
3 |
6 |
0 |
|
Hi 101 |
Making of Modern World |
3 |
D [1] |
3 |
3 |
-3 |
|
Bio 100 |
General Biology I |
4 |
F [0] |
0 |
0 |
-8 |
|
Semester Totals |
16 |
|
12 |
30 |
-2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GPA |
|
|
Previous
Totals |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
Semester
Totals |
16 |
|
12 |
30 |
1.87 |
|
|
Cumulative
Totals |
16 |
|
12 |
30 |
1.87 |
|
30 (quality points) ÷ 16 (credits attempted) =
1.87 (GPA)
What is the difference between
credits attempted and credits earned?
Credits attempted are
earned with grades of D or better for a course.
Earned credits are not used to calculate your GPA but count toward the
total credits required for a degree.
Your GPA can be found in
StudentCentral on your profile page, checksheet and grade reports and on your
academic record (transcript).
Graduate Student
GPA
· Your checksheet cumulative
GPA includes all graduate level courses.
· Your grade report cumulative
GPA includes all course work (undergraduate and graduate level) beyond your
undergraduate degree.
· Your academic record
(transcript) includes:
· A cumulative GPA of all
course work (undergraduate and graduate levels) beyond your undergraduate
degree.
· A final cumulative GPA is
calculated at the end of the term your degree is conferred. This final cumulative GPA includes only BJU
graduate level course work.
Does BJU calculate more than one GPA?
Yes. You will find the following grade point
averages in the corresponding locations.
Each gives you a different GPA based upon what coursework is included in
the GPA.
|
GPA |
StudentCentral |
Academic Record |
||
|
Profile Page |
Checksheet |
Grade Report |
||
|
Term (semester, summer session or distance
learning) |
See Probation
Status history |
|
X |
x |
|
Cumulative (overall at BJU) |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Major courses including transfer work |
|
X |
|
|
|
All courses including approved transfer
work |
|
X |
|
X* |
|
All courses including non-approved
transfers+ |
|
X |
|
|
*For a bachelor’s degree,
a final GPA is calculated at the end of the term your degree is conferred. This final GPA includes all approved transfer
work.
+Used for financial aid
verification.
What is the minimum GPA requirement to
earn a degree from BJU?
To earn a degree from BJU
a student must meet the minimum BJU cumulative GPA requirement for the degree
level as well as all course requirements.
· Undergradate Certificates, 2.0 cumulative GPA (C average)
· Associate, 2.0 cumulative GPA (C average)
· Bachelor’s, 2.0 cumulative GPA (C average)
· Graduate Certificates, 2.6 cumulative GPA (C+ average)
· Master’s, 3.0 cumulative GPA (B average)
· Master of Divinity, 2.6 cumulative GPA (C+ average)
· Doctorate, DMin 3.0
cumulative GPA (B average); PhD 3.5 cumulative GPA (B+ average)
When is transfer work included in
my GPA?
Transfer work is not
initially included in your cumulative GPA. Grades and earned credits that
transfer from approved institutions are posted on your academic record and
checksheet; however, these grades are not immediately calculated into your BJU
cumulative GPA.
For associate and
baccalaureate students, your final cumulative GPA is calculated at the end of
the term your degree is conferred. This final cumulative GPA includes all
approved transfer work and is used for determining graduation honors and class
rank.
For graduate students,
transfer work is not calculated into one’s final cumulative GPA.
Attempted credits
and quality points earned are calculated into your GPA for each attempt of the
same course. Earning a better grade does
not remove a poor grade earned for the same course from your academic record or
GPA. In effect, the two grades are
averaged together in the cumulative GPA.
Credits are eared with grades of D or better. If a course is repeated, credits may not be
earned twice.
A quality point surplus
(+) occurs when you have earned appropriate grades to gain additional quality
points above the minimum GPA degree OR major/program requirement.
A quality point deficiency
(-) occurs when you have not earned appropriate grades to gain enough quality
points to achieve the minimum GPA degree OR major/program requirement.
Example: For a 2.0 minimum GPA degree requirement, you
need to earn twice as many quality points as your credits attempted.
If your GPA is
2.1 or higher, you have a quality point surplus because you earned grades of B
or A.
If your GPA is
1.9 or lower, you have a quality point deficiency because you earned grades of
D or F.
Your quality point surplus
or deficiency can be found in StudentCentral on your checksheet under the
Quality Point +/- column. The quality
point surplus or deficiency is based upon the minimum GPA degree OR major/program
requirement.
A running account for each
term can be found on your Profile page under Probation Status history which is
based upon the minimum GPA degree requirement.
Additional quality points
are gained by earning grades better then
the minimum GPA degree requirement.
Example: For a 2.0 minimum GPA degree requirement,
earning grades of B or A would gain additional quality points toward depleting
your deficiency (as shown in the following chart).
|
Credits
Attempted |
Grade
[Quality Points] |
Quality
Points Earned |
Quality Point Difference
+/- (2.0 GPA) |
|
|
3 |
A [4] |
12 |
+6
additional above minimum |
Surplus |
|
3 |
B [3] |
9 |
+3
additional above minimum |
Surplus |
|
3 |
C [2] |
6 |
0 = No additional gain or loss |
Minimum Requirement |
|
3 |
D [1] |
3 |
-3 loss
below minimum |
Deficiency |
|
3 |
F [0] |
0 |
-6 loss below
minimum |
Deficiency |
Additional
quality points earned by grades of B or A can be canceled out
if grades of D or F are also earned.
Example: With two 3-credit courses, earning a grade of
B in one course earns 3 additional quality points above the minimum and earning
a grade of D in the other course results in a loss of 3 quality points below
the minimum. Therefore, no additional
gain or loss in quality points is achieved.
What do I need in quality points if my
cumulative GPA is below a 2.0?
To gain additional quality
points you would need to earn grades of B or A and avoid grades of D or F. While grades of C would maintain the status
quo, a combination of grades of C, B, or A would keep you from losing
additional quality points while making progress toward working down your
deficiency to earn a 2.0 cumulative GPA.
Example: If you attempted 15 credits and earned 25
quality points, your GPA would be 1.6.
You needed a total of 30 quality points to have a 2.0 GPA and are
therefore deficient 5 quality points.
Earning an additional 5 quality points to deplete your deficiency would
require a minimum of 5 credits of grades of B with no additional D or F
grades.
The following
chart shows the number of additional quality points or loss of quality points per one attempted credit. The more credits attempted per course, the
greater the number of additional quality points with grades of B or A or loss
of quality points with grades of D or F.
|
Credit Attempted |
Grade [Quality
Points] |
Quality
Points Earned |
Quality Point Difference
+/- (2.0 GPA) |
|
|
1 |
A [4] |
4 |
+2
additional above minimum |
Surplus |
|
1 |
B [3] |
3 |
+1
additional above minimum |
Surplus |
|
1 |
C [2] |
2 |
0 = No additional gain or loss |
Minimum Requirement |
|
1 |
D [1] |
1 |
-1 loss
below minimum |
Deficiency |
|
1 |
F [0] |
0 |
-2 loss
below minimum |
Deficiency |
Example: If you are deficient 10 quality points, you
would need to earn a minimum of 10 credits of grades of B (+1 additional
quality point for each credit) over one or more semesters to deplete the
deficiency, provided no additional grades of D or F are earned.
On the undergraduate
level, if you earn grades of D or F and your cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 (C
average), a quality point deficiency is incurred and
you will be placed on a 16-hour limited load, academic probation or strict
academic probation.
Example: If at the end of a semester you have a 1.9
cumulative GPA with a quality point deficiency of one, you would be placed on a
16-hour limited load for the next semester.
A quality point deficiency of 9 or more could place a student on
academic probation.
An early start
to a higher GPA (with a surplus of quality points) and maintaining that GPA is
the best means to ensure a high GPA upon completion of a degree.
The longer a
student maintains a specified GPA range, the greater the number of credits
attempted with better grades needed to raise one’s GPA to a higher level. The length of time necessary to earn the better
grades is dependent upon the success of the student.
|
GPA |
Overall Average Grade |
Quality Points Needed |
|
2.0 |
C |
Twice as
many as credits attempted |
|
3.0 |
B |
Three
times as many as credits attempted |
|
4 |
A |
Four
times as many as credits attempted |
Midterm
Progress Reports during the semester provide you with the opportunity to assess
your overall academic progress in addition to graded quizzes/tests/projects and
any communication from your professors about your progress in individual
courses.
Midterm Progress Reports
also indicate a term GPA and how the reported grades tentatively impact your
cumulative GPA.
Midterm
Progress Reports are tentative and available under the Academics menu option, Report Cards, prior to the final grade
reporting period. Only your final grades and GPA are
recorded on your academic record and your cumulative GPA will determine any
academic limitation for next semester.
Grades
not included on a Midterm Progress Report include
either courses scheduled for only the second half of the semester or courses
that do not require a midterm grade based upon the nature of the course (i.e.,
internships, seminars, etc.).
The Midterm Progress Report
term and cumulative GPAs are not impacted by no grade being reported. These GPAs are calculated based upon credits
attempted for what is reported and not credits attempted for the term.
A student may repeat courses based upon
the Undergraduate and Graduate Academic Policies below. The grades for each course attempt will
remain on the student’s academic record; however, only the grade achieved in the
second attempt will count toward the student’s grade point average.
A student who desires academic
forgiveness must submit an Academic Forgiveness Request form available at the
Student Services Hub (located at the Student Center on campus) to the
Registrar’s Office. All requests must be made prior to the conferral of the
student’s degree. Both the original course and the repeated course must be
taken at BJU.
Academic forgiveness does not apply to a
student’s Satisfactory Academic Progress eligibility required to receive
financial aid. According to Federal Student Aid program regulations, all
credits attempted and all grades earned must be used
to calculate a student’s cumulative GPA and completion rate to confirm
eligibility for financial aid.
Undergraduate Academic Forgiveness
Policy: An
undergraduate student is permitted to repeat up to six credits of courses in which
the student earned a grade of D or F and up to three credits of courses in
which the student earned a grade of C- or above to improve his or her
cumulative grade point average. A student may repeat each of these courses once
under this policy. The grades for each course attempt will remain on the
student’s academic record; however, only the grade achieved in the second
attempt will count toward the student’s grade point average. Use of the
forgiveness policy for a prior semester will not affect the academic
restriction for that semester.
The Academic Forgiveness Policy does not
apply to:
•
Repeating
a course that is a prerequisite for a course that the student has completed
with a grade of D or better
•
Repeating
or replacing a course requirement by a course
substitution or transfer work
•
Courses
designated as repeatable (e.g., ensembles, music lessons, etc.)
•
Program
capstone courses
•
Any
course in which the student was previously found in violation of the academic
integrity policy.
Graduate Academic Forgiveness Policy: A graduate student who receives a grade
lower than a B- in a course may repeat the course.
•
A
student in a master’s program may repeat up to six credits of courses.
•
A
student in the Master of Divinity program may repeat up to 12 credits of
courses.
•
A
student in a doctoral program may repeat up to three credits of courses.
A student in these programs may repeat each
of these courses once under this policy. The grades for each course attempt
will remain on the student’s academic record; however, only the grade achieved
in the second attempt will count toward the student’s grade point average. Both
the original course and the repeat course must be taken at BJU. Use of the
repeat policy for a prior semester will not affect the academic standing for
that semester.
If a student pursues a master’s degree,
completes that degree and begins a Master of Divinity degree, any use of the
forgiveness policy in pursuit of the first master’s degree will count toward
the total number of uses of the forgiveness policy allowed under the Master of
Divinity degree. If a student is pursuing a master’s degree, and changes to
another degree with or without completing the first degree, any use of the
forgiveness policy in pursuit of the first degree will count toward the total
number of uses of the forgiveness policy allowed under the second degree.
The Academic Forgiveness Policy does not
apply to:
•
Repeating
or replacing a course requirement by a course substitution or transfer work
•
Any
course in which the student was previously found in violation of the academic
integrity policy.