FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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- When does the 2014/2015 Grading Policy take effect?
- Do I have to be assessed under the 2014/2015 Undergraduate Grading Policy ?
- I am a UWI continuing student, does the 2014/2015 Grading Policy apply to me?
- I am a first time student to UWI, does the 2014/2015 Undergraduate Grading Policy apply to me?
- I am a re-entry student to UWI, does the 2014/2015 Grading Policy apply to me?
- Does the 2014/2015 Grading Policy apply to all undergraduate programmes?
- My programmes already has a pass mark of 50%, does the 2014/2015 Grading Policy apply to me?
- What if I am not sure if the 2014/2015 Grading Policy applies to my programme of study?
- Are grades earned under the 2003-2013 regulations to be converted?
- What grades are used in the calculations of Grade Point Average?
- What grades are not used in the calculations of the Grade Point Average?
- Why do the Cumulative GPAs have to be converted for continuing students enrolled in programmes governed by GPA regulations?
- What Cumulative GPA values will be converted for continuing students enrolled in programmes governed by GPA regulations?
- How will this conversion work?
- Can I calculate my GPA on my own?
- As a continuing student enrolled in a programme governed by GPA regulations, will converting my Cumulative GPAs place me at a disadvantage in comparison to my status under the previous grading policy?
- Will the 2014/2015 Grading Policy impact the Dean’s List policy?
- Will the 2014/2015 Grading Policy impact degree requirements?
- Will the 2014/2015 Grading Policy impact graduation requirements?
- Can I graduate with a GPA of less than 2.0?
- Are instructors required to use the new marking guidelines with the passing grade of 50%?
- When will instructors be required to use the new marking guidelines with the passing grade of 50%?
- How will the converted GPA values be represented on my official and unofficial transcript?
- Will I be able to easily understand how Cumulative GPA values were calculated on the official and unofficial transcripts?
- As a continuing student, I am concerned that institutions to which I am sending my transcript will not be able to understand how the Cumulative GPA values were calculated on the official transcript.
- Will the conversion diminish the value of my degree in the eyes of the higher education section internationally?
- When does the 2014/2015 Grading Policy take effect?
- Do I have to be assessed under the 2014/2015 Undergraduate Grading Policy?
- Continuing Students as of 2014/2015
- New first time students 2014/2015 and onwards
- Re-entry students to the UWI
- I am a UWI continuing student, does the 2014/2015 Grading Policy apply to me?
- Engineering students enrolled prior to academic year 2014/2015
- Engineering students enrolled prior to academic year 2014/2015
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery
- Doctor of Dental Surgery
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students enrolled prior to academic year 2011/2012
- I am a first time student to UWI, does the 2014/2015 Undergraduate Grading Policy apply to me?
- I am a re-entry student to UWI, does the 2014/2015 Grading Policy apply to me?
- Does the 2014/2015 Grading Policy apply to all undergraduate programmes?
- Engineering students enrolled prior to academic year 2014/2015
- Engineering students enrolled prior to academic year 2014/2015
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery
- Doctor of Dental Surgery
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students enrolled prior to academic year 2011/2012
- My programmes already has a pass mark of 50%, does the 2014/2015 Grading Policy apply to me?
- What if I am not sure if the 2014/2015 Grading Policy applies to my programme of study?
- Are grades earned under the 2003-2013 regulations to be converted?
- What grades are used in the calculations of Grade Point Average?
- Grade assigned when student is disqualified from examination on account of breach of the Regulations
- Grade assigned when a student is absent from an examination without a valid reason
- Grade assigned when a student has failed to satisfy the Examiner in the coursework component of the course
- Grade assigned when a student has successfully completed the coursework requirement but has failed to satisfy the Examiners in the examination component of the course
- Grade assigned when a student has failed to successfully complete the oral examination which forms part of the assessment of the course
- Grade assigned when a student has failed to successfully complete the practical examination which forms part of the assessment of the course
- Grade assigned when a student has failed to successfully complete the theoretical examination which forms part of the assessment of the course
- What grades are not used in the calculations of Grade Point Average?
- Grade indicates that failure in an examination is attributed to medical reasons as supported by a certificate from an authorized medical practitioner
- Grade assigned when student has made progress in a course but at the end of the semester has not finished the work required to receive a letter grade.
- An ‘I’ grade is not counted in credit hours earned, or quality hours until a letter grade is reported.
- If neither a letter grade nor notification of an extension of time is received by the Registry from the Office of Dean, the ‘I’ grade is replaced by an ‘F3’ grade at the end of the first six weeks into the next semester.
- An extension of time may be granted but shall not normally extend beyond the end of the semester in which the extension is granted.
- Any remaining ’I’ grade at the end of the period of extension will be deemed an ‘F3’
- Grade assigned when a dissertation, thesis, project, student teaching, practicum, internship, proficiency requirement, or other course intended to last more than one semester is not completed during the semester in which the student is registered.
- The ‘IP’ grade must be replaced with an appropriate grade on completion of the course.
- Grade assigned when a student has failed a course taken on a pass/fail basis
- Grade assigned when a lecturer fails to submit grades by the published deadline, through no fault of the student.
- Grade assigned when a student has been permitted to audit a course but has not done so satisfactorily
- Grade assigned when a student has pass a course taken on a Pass/Fail basis.
- Grade used for matriculation purposes or the satisfying of prerequisites only
- Grade assigned when the course has been taken in accordance with Regulation 13
- Why do the Cumulative GPAs have to be converted for continuing students enrolled in programmes governed by GPA regulations?
- What Cumulative GPA values will be converted for continuing students enrolled in programmes governed by GPA regulations?
- Total Institution
- Total Transfer
- Overall
- Degree
- How will this conversion work?
- Can I calculate my GPA on my own?
- As a continuing student enrolled in a programme governed by GPA regulations, will converting my cumulative GPAs place me at a disadvantage in comparison to my status under the previous grading policy?
- Will the 2014/2015 Grading Policy impact the Dean’s List policy?
- Will the 2014/2015 Grading Policy impact degree requirements?
- Will the 2014/2015 Grading Policy impact graduation requirements?
- Can I graduate with a GPA of less than 2.0?
- Are instructors required to use the new marking guidelines with the passing grade of 50%?
- When will instructors be required to use the new marking guidelines with the passing grade of 50%?
- How will the converted GPA values be represented on my official and unofficial transcript?
- Will I be able to easily understand how Cumulative GPA values were calculated on the official and unofficial transcripts?
- As a continuing student, I am concerned that institutions to which I am sending my transcript will not be able to understand how the Cumulative GPA values were calculated on the official transcript.
- Will the conversion diminish the value of my degree in the eyes of the higher education sector internationally?
The 2014/2015 Grading Policy takes effect from Semester I of the 2014/2015 academic year.
Yes, if you are enrolled in an undergraduate programme governed by GPA regulations, with the exception of the Faculty of Engineering. Specifically, if you fall under the following categories of students, the new GPA Policy applies:
Yes, if you are enrolled in an undergraduate programme governed by GPA regulations as of August 1st, 2014, the 2014/2015 Grading Policy applies to you. The only exceptions are continuing students enrolled in the following programmes.
Mona Campus:
St. Augustine Campus:
The 2014/2015 Grading Policy applies to all new first time undergraduate students entering the university from academic year 2014/2015 onwards and who are enrolled in programmes governed by GPA regulations.
If you are enrolled in a programme governed by GPA regulations, the 2014/2015 Grading Policy applies to you.
For students re-entering to complete a programme of study, a conversion method will be applied to the Degree GPA and Cumulative GPA values carried forward from the previous grading policy.
For students re-entering into a new programme of study, credits and exemptions where applicable will be granted towards the new degree. Credits and exemptions granted for advanced level courses will not be included in the GPA calculations.
The 2014/2015 Grading policy applies to all undergraduate programmes at the Cave Hill and Open campuses.
At Mona and St. Augustine campuses, it is applies to all undergraduate programmes, except the following:
Mona Campus:
St. Augustine Campus:
Yes, the new regulations will apply to you however, your degree and Cumulative GPA values carried forward from the previous grading system will not be converted as they were obtained with a 50% pass mark.
Please check with your faculty office to confirm whether the 2014 /2015 Grading Policy applies to your current programme of study.
Grades earned under the 2003-2013 regulations will not be converted. Only your degree and cumulative GPAs will be converted.
As a student, you should be aware of the grades used in the calculations of Grade Point Average. They are as follows:
| Grade | Mark% | Description |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 90-100 | Exceptional |
| A | 80-89 | Outstanding |
| A- | 75-79 | Excellent |
| B+ | 70-74 | Very Good |
| B | 65-69 | Good |
| B- | 60-64 | Satisfactory |
| C+ | 55-59 | Fair |
| C | 50-54 | Acceptable |
| F1 | 40-49 | Unsatisfactory |
| F2 | 34-39 | Weak |
| F3 | 0-29 | Poor |
| DIS | Disqualified | |
| EI | Examination Irregularity |
|
| FA | Failed Absent |
|
| FAS | Failed Absent Supplemental | |
| FC | Failed Coursework |
|
| FE | Failed Examinations |
|
| FO | Failed Oral |
|
| FP | Failed Practical |
|
| FT | Failed Theory |
|
| FTS | Failed Theory Supplemental | |
| FWS | Failed Supplemental Examination Granted |
As a student, you should be aware that the following grades are not used in the calculations of Grade Point Average:
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| AB | Absent for acceptable reasons other than a medical problem |
| AM | Absent Medical |
| AMS | Absent Medical Supplemental granted |
| CR | Credit |
| DB | Debarred |
| DEF | Deferred |
| EC | Exception with credit |
| EQ | Examination Query |
| EX | Exemption |
| FM | Failed Medical |
| FMS | Failed Medical Supplemental |
| FWR | Failed with Resit |
| I | Incomplete |
| IP | In Progress |
| LW | Late Withdrawal |
| NCR | Not for Credit |
| NFC | Not for Credit |
| NP | Not Passed |
| NR | Not Reported |
| NV | Not Successfully Audit |
| P | Pass |
| PC | Preliminary Credits |
| V | Audited
|
| W | Withdrawal |
Changes in the grade bands, quality points and associated percentage marks, and the passing mark under the 2014/2015 Grading Policy mean that grades earned and in turn, GPAs calculated under the previous grading policy, would not equate to those calculated under the new 2014/2015 Grading Policy. The conversion of the Cumulative GPA for continuing students must be done to ensure parity between the GPA associated with previous coursework and that associated with course work undertaken under the new Grading Policy.
The Cumulative GPAs that will be converted are as follows:
There will be a conversion method applied to the Degree GPA and Cumulative GPA values carried forward by continuing undergraduate students from the previous grading policy, in order to derive an appropriate GPA for each student under the new grading policy. The guidelines of the 2014/2015 Grading Policy will then be in effect for all future courses of study.
The Degree GPA is used to determine your class of degree awarded at the end of your programme of study. It is based on grades earned at the advanced level of study (II, III, etc.). Exceptions are undergraduate programmes where computation is based on grades earned at all levels of study. The Cumulative GPA represents your overall performance in your programme of study, taking into account grades earned at all levels (I, II, III, etc.) of study.
The conversion will take effect in three phases as follows:
Phase 1 will be implemented 1st August, 2014 and will involve the conversion of students’ Degree GPA. The conversion is based on the GPA bands associated with the class of degree under the previous Grading Policy. In order to ensure an appropriate conversion, each band is associated with its own conversion formula, (termed “Basic Formula 1”). This initial conversion will be done at the end of the 2013/2014 academic year. Beginning August 1, 2014, all continuing students will be notified of their new Degree GPA via a letter posted in their Banner account (MySecureArea). Students in the Open Campus will be notified via a letter posted in their Student Portal (My Exams).
Phase 2 is the conversion of Cumulative GPA which will be done in January 2015, when grades for the term are officially declared. In this phase, the Cumulative GPA from courses taken prior to 2014/2015 and that are applicable to a student’s current programme of study will be converted to be on par with the 2014/2015 grading Policy. Using a formula, this converted Cumulative GPA will then be combined, with the Cumulative GPA under the 2014/2015 grading policy, to obtain the new Cumulative GPA for the term. This process is repeated for each successive term under the 2014/2015 policy, until the student graduates or withdraws from the institution.
The third and final phase will involve the computation of Final Degree and Cumulative GPAs and will take effect in January 2015. During this phase, there will be a conversion of the students’ Final Degree and Cumulative GPA values as a representation of their overall performance. This information – Total Institution, Total Transfer, Overall and Degree GPAs - is listed as “Transcript Totals” on the official and unofficial transcripts.
Yes. To reassure themselves about the conversion process and become familiar with applying the formulae, students are encouraged to use the GPA Calculator to calculate their degree and cumulative GPAs. The GPA calculator is available via the Student Portal (My Exams) for Open campus students and via MySecureArea (Banner) for all other campuses.
No. The University has gone to great lengths to ensure that conversion of GPA values will not place students at a disadvantage under the new grading policy. To ensure the accuracy of the GPA conversion, the University has utilized a method called ‘linear Interpolation’. Our mathematicians, Examination Registrars, measurement specialists, academics and technical personnel were all involved in the process, to ensure the appropriate level of input, review and consideration to this critical exercise.
Yes. The 2014/2015 Undergraduate GPA policy will impact the Dean’s List policy as the minimum GPA requirement is now 2.0. As Dean’s List policies are specific to each Faculty, please check with your Faculty for the latest guidelines in relation to the 2014/2015 Grading Policy.
Yes. The University’s requirements of a minimum Degree GPA for undergraduate degrees has changed from 1.0 to 2.0.
Undergraduate students who matriculate to the University in August 2014 and after must earn a minimum Grade Point Average of 2.0 in their major/minor/certificate requirements. Continuing undergraduate students as of the 2014/2015 academic year must also earn a Degree Grade Point Average of 2.0 in order to graduate. Note that individual department, college, school or programme requirements may exceed this minimum.
All other existing requirements, both faculty and university, that are based on any calculated GPA will continue under the 2014/2015 policy.
Yes. The University’s requirements of a minimum Degree GPA for undergraduate degrees has changed from 1.0 to 2.0.
Undergraduate students who matriculate to the University in August 2014 and after must earn a minimum Grade Point policy of 2.0 in their major/minor/certificate requirements. Continuing undergraduate students as of the 2014/2015 academic year must also earn a Degree Grade Point Average of 2.0 in order to graduate. Note that individual department, college, school or programme requirements may exceed this minimum.
All other existing requirements, both faculty and university, that are based on any calculated GPA will continue under the 2014/2015 policy.
No. The University’s requirements of a minimum GPA for undergraduate degrees has changed from 1.0 to 2.0 therefore, you cannot graduate with a GPA of less than 2.0. Note that individual department, college, school or programme requirements may exceed this minimum.
Yes. All Faculties are required to use the new marking guidelines with the passing mark of 50%. As a part of the general implementation process for the new 2014/2015 Grading Policy, the Centres for Training and Learning (CETL) at every Campus have already begun in-depth training of lecturers and part-time lecturers about the changes being introduced, including the change to the passing grade.
All faculties will be required to implement the new marking guidelines beginning with courses in Semester 1 of the 2014/2015 academic year. Exceptions are continuing students enrolled in undergraduate Engineering programmes.
Details of the formulae applied to the values associated with coursework under the previous grading policy will be clearly outlined on your unofficial transcript.
Great care was taken in revising the layout of the official and unofficial transcripts, so that all stakeholders within and outside of the institution can easily understand the conversion used to derive the Degree and Cumulative GPAs for students assessed under both grading systems.
The calculation of the Cumulative GPAs at the term level will be clearly defined for institutions assessing your transcript. Application of the conversion formulae to GPA values at the transcript totals level is denoted by an asterisk on the official transcript. Furthermore, a detailed explanation of the GPA calculations is also provided on a separate page. We are certain that these measures, along with the transcript legend are adequate for an objective assessment of your academic performance at UWI.
This conversion will not diminish the value of your degree. The conversion under the new 2014/2015 Undergraduate GPA policy more closely aligns the University’s practices with international norms and best practice.