Grading and Grade Point Averages (GPA)
Instructors may submit final grades as either letter grades or in percentages, but the official grade in each course, which is displayed on the transcript is the letter grade. Where appropriate, a class average appears on transcripts expressed as the letter grade most representative of the class performance. In such cases, the class average is calculated for courses, where the total number of grades in all its course sections is 25 or more, and the grades have a grade point (e.g. grades of S, U, or P do not have grade points).
Since Fall 2002, the University has only used letter grades on transcripts and verification forms.
Grades A through C represent satisfactory passes, D a conditional (non-continuation) pass, and F a failure. Certain courses have been approved for Pass/Fail (P/F) grading. Students may also designate elective courses to be graded under the S/U option. See Courses Taken under the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) Option.
For a course to be graded P/F, a proposal must be approved by the Program Director, approved by the Faculty Curriculum Committee, and approved by the Subcommittee on Courses and Teaching Programs (SCTP). Courses that are approved to be graded P/F must indicate this in the course syllabus. Pass/Fail grading applies to all students in a course section and cannot be selectively added to individual students.
Grades of Pass are not included in the GPA calculation and as such are not normally applied to required courses. Grades of F are included in GPA calculations. However, both grades of P and F are included in the count of completed credits for determining eligibility for scholarships and awards.
Please refer to the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory option for information on that grading option for students.
You must obtain a grade of C or better in courses that you take to fulfil program requirements. You may not register in a course unless you have passed all the prerequisite courses with a grade of C or better, except by written permission of the appropriate department chair.
Grades | Grade Points | Numerical Scale of Grades |
---|---|---|
A | 4.0 | 85 – 100% |
A- | 3.7 | 80 – 84% |
B+ | 3.3 | 75 – 79% |
B | 3.0 | 70 – 74% |
B- | 2.7 | 65 – 69% |
C+ | 2.3 | 60 – 64% |
C | 2.0 | 55 – 59% |
D | 1.0 | 50 – 54% |
F (Fail) | 0 | 0 – 49% |
The University assigns grade points to letter grades according to the above table. Your Academic Standing (e.g., satisfactory, probationary), which is your academic status at the end of each term, is determined by a grade point average (GPA), which is calculated by multiplying the course credit by the grade points and dividing the sum by the total GPA course credits. The GPA result is truncated by two decimal points and not rounded up to the nearest decimal point. For example, a GPA of 3.596 will display on the transcript as 3.59 and is NOT rounded up to 3.60.
GPA course credits are the credits of courses with final grades that are assigned grade points according to the table above (e.g, a 3-credit course with a final grade of A has 3 GPA course credits, but a 3-credit course with a final grade of P has no GPA course credits because a grade of P does not have a grade point value).
The term grade point average (TGPA) is the GPA for a given term calculated using all the applicable courses at the same level in that term. The cumulative grade point average (CGPA) is the GPA calculated using your entire record of applicable courses at McGill at the same level; if you change levels, e.g., from undergraduate to graduate, the CGPA starts again.
This policy took effect in January 2003. Prior to January 2003, if your degree program had changed—e.g., from B.Sc. to B.A.—the CGPA calculation restarted again. For students with academic information prior to Fall 2002, who are registered in a different program or in a different level post-Fall 2002, the transcript displays a special message regarding the CGPA restarting.
If you repeat courses, all final grades are included in the GPA calculation. Therefore, grades of D or F continue to be used in the CGPA calculation even after you repeat the course or if you take a supplemental examination. Note that credits are only granted once for a repeated course regardless of the passing grade.
You must obtain a minimum CGPA of 2.00 to be considered for graduation with a McGill degree.
- whether there will be a final examination in the course;
- how term work will affect the final grade in the course;
- how term work will be distributed through the term;
- whether there will be a supplemental examination in the course, and if so, whether the supplemental exam will be worth 100% of the supplemental grade, or whether term work will be included in the supplemental grade (courses with formal final examinations must have supplementals);
- whether students with grades of D, F, J, or U will have the option of submitting additional work, and, if so, how the supplemental grade will be calculated with the extra work (applicable only to students in Science and B.A. & Sc.).
Grades have the following designations: | |
---|---|
A, A- | Very Good |
B+, B, B- | Good |
C+, C | Satisfactory |
D | Conditional Pass |
F | Fail |
Grading and Grade Point Averages (GPA): Other Grades
Grading and Grade Point Averages (GPA): Other Grades
Other Grades | ||
---|---|---|
J |
— |
unexcused absence (failed); the student is registered for a course but does not write the final examination or complete other required work; calculated as a failure in the TGPA and CGPA |
K |
— |
incomplete; instructor has extended the deadline for submission of work in a course |
KE or K* |
— |
further extension granted for submission of work in a course, approval from the Faculty SAO may be required |
KF |
— |
failed to meet the extended deadline for submission of work in a course; calculated as a failure in TGPA and CGPA |
KK |
— |
completion requirement waived; not calculated in TGPA or CGPA; Associate Dean approval is required. |
L |
— |
approved to write a deferred examination in a course |
LE or L* |
— |
permitted to defer examination for more than the normal period |
NR |
— |
no grade reported by the instructor (recorded by the Registrar) |
P |
— |
pass; not calculated in TGPA or CGPA |
Q |
— |
course continued in next term (applicable only to courses taken pre-Fall 2002) |
S |
— |
satisfactory; equivalent to C or better in an elective course; not calculated in TGPA or CGPA (See Courses Taken under the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) Option) |
U |
— |
unsatisfactory; equivalent to D or F in an elective course; not calculated in TGPA or CGPA (See Courses Taken under the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) Option) |
W |
— |
withdrew; a course dropped, with permission, after the Course Change deadline; not calculated in TGPA or CGPA |
WF |
— |
withdrew failing; a course dropped, with special permission in an exceptional case, after faculty deadline for withdrawal from course, the student's performance in the course at that stage being on the level of an F; not calculated in TGPA or CGPA (Not used by Music.) |
WL |
— |
faculty permission to withdraw from a deferred examination; not calculated in TGPA or CGPA |
NA or && |
— |
grade not yet available |
W- - or - - |
— |
no grade; student withdrew from the University, not calculated in TGPA or CGPA (applicable only to courses taken pre-Fall 2002) |
Unexcused Absences
Grading and Grade Point Averages (GPA): Unexcused Absences
All students who miss a final exam or do not complete other required work in a course are given a J grade. You then have the following options:
-
Ask to be assigned a grade based only on the grades earned for your
work submitted up to, but not including, the final exam or other required course work.
The grade earned is calculated by adding the grades obtained on the individual pieces of work and a grade of 0 for the portion of the final grade allocated to the final exam or other required course work. This option is not available if the professor stipulated in the course outline that the final exam or other course work is a required part of the evaluation.
- Request a deferred exam if you have the appropriate reasons and documentation.
- Apply for a supplemental exam if permitted by your faculty.
You must request option 1 no later than four months after the end of the examination period of the original course.
You must request option 2 by the faculty deadlines as indicated in Final Examinations: Deferred Exams.
You must request option 3 by the faculty deadlines as indicated at mcgill.ca/exams.
If you wish to appeal a J grade, you should write to your Associate Dean or Director.