Calculating Grade Point Average
Portland State University computes current term and cumulative G.P.A. according to the following scale:
| A = 4.00 | C = 2.00 |
| A- = 3.67 | C- = 1.67 |
| B+ = 3.33 | D+ = 1.33 |
| B = 3.00 | D = 1.00 |
| B- = 2.67 | D- = 0.67 |
| C+ = 2.33 | F = 0.00 |
To calculate G.P.A. for one term:
- Multiply the point value of the letter grade (see scale above) by the number of credit hours. The result is the grade points (quality points) earned.
- Total the credit hours for the term; total the quality points for the term.
- Divide the total quality points by the total credit hours. The result is the G.P.A. for the term.
To calculate cumulative G.P.A.:
- Follow steps 1 and 2 above for each term.
- Total the credit hours from all terms; total the quality points from all terms.
- Divide the total quality points for all terms by the total credit hours for all terms. The result is the cumulative G.P.A.
Example:
| Term 1 | Term 2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| B- | 3 credits | B- | 4 credits |
| C | 3 credits | A- | 5 credits |
| A | 2 credits | B- | 3 credits |
| C- | 3 credits | B | 4 credits |
| D+ | 4 credits | ||
Term 1 Calculation:
B- = 2.67 x 3 credit hours = 8.01 quality points
C = 2.00 x 3 credit hours = 6.00 quality points
A = 4.00 x 2 credit hours = 8.00 quality points
C- = 1.67 x 3 credit hours = 5.01 quality points
D+ = 1.33 x 4 credit hours = 5.32 quality points
Add the number of quality points for term 1:
8.01 + 6.00 + 8.00 + 5.01 + 5.32 = 32.34 quality points.
Add the number of credit hours for term 1:
3 + 3 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 15 credit hours.
Divide the total quality points by the total credit hours:
32.34 / 15 = 2.15 G.P.A.
Term 2 Calculation:
C+ = 2.33 x 4 credit hours = 9.32 quality points
A- = 3.67 x 5 credit hours = 18.35 quality points
B- = 2.67 x 3 credit hours = 8.01 quality points
B = 3.00 x 4 credit hours = 12 quality points
Add the number of quality points for term 2:
9.32 + 18.35 + 8.01 + 12 = 47.68 quality points.
Add the number of credit hours for term 2:
4 + 5 + 3 + 4 = 16 credit hours.
Divide the total quality points by the total credit hours
47.68 / 16 = 2.98 G.P.A.
Cumulative G.P.A. Calculation:
Add the quality points for all terms:
32.34 (term 1) + 47.68 (term 2) = 80.02 quality points.
Add the credit hours for all terms:
15 (term 1) + 16 (term 2) = 31 credit hours.
Divide the total credit hours for all terms by the total quality points for all terms:
80.02 / 31 = 2.58 G.P.A.
General G.P.A. Information
- Only courses graded on an A-F basis are used in calculating G.P.A. Courses taken as Pass/No Pass (P/NP), credit-by-exam, correspondence, and audit are not included.
- The G.P.A. calculation never includes transfer work from other colleges.
- Separate G.P.A.s are printed on transcripts for undergraduate courses and for graduate courses.
