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Measures of Academic Achievement Policy

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This Policy outlines the methods used by the University of Canberra (University) to measure academic achievement, the Grade Point Average (GPA) and the Weighted Average Mark (WAM).

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Section 2 - Scope

(2) Information on the automatically calculated GPA and WAM which appears for each course of study on a student’s record, and other GPAs and WAMs which may be manually calculated is included in this Policy.

(3) Cumulative GPA calculations are displayed for every course of study.

(4) Cumulative WAM calculations are displayed on every course of study commenced from Semester 2, 2012 onwards.

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Section 3 - Principles

General Principles of the Measures of Academic Achievement at the University

(5) The purposes for measures of academic achievement are:

  1. that they may be used by the University as an indicator to assist in determining academic merit of individual students at the University
  2. that they may be made available to students to provide an indicator of their academic progress, and
  3. that they may be made available to other institutions where a GPA or WAM is required.

(6) Other GPAs or WAMs can also be used as a measure of academic merit to assist with other activities, potentially with a calculation subject to the particular requirements of the activity but using the principles and procedures provided below. These may include:

  1. assessing the eligibility of an applicant for admission
  2. awarding of a scholarship
  3. determining the grade of honours, and
  4. awarding of a prize or other merit award such as a University medal.

(7) The measures of academic achievement are intended to apply to all courses of study offered by the University.

(8) Each unit is weighted by its credit point value.

(9) There is no weighting for the unit level at which the unit is taken.

(10) Results with a grade of UP, WD (or W), WH (or DX), CNT/YL, CNT (or KNU), NAS and S will not be included.

(11) Multiple attempts in the same unit and within the same course of study taken at different times should be included in any calculation each time the unit is attempted.

(12) Students who commenced a course of study from 1 January 2013 onwards will receive a cumulative GPA and WAM, automatically calculated at the end of each teaching period. Students who commenced prior to this will receive a cumulative GPA only.

(13) All units undertaken at the University within a course of study will be included in the automatic calculations of a GPA and WAM, even if those units are not required for the completion of that course.

(14) Unless a formal result, awarded by the University, is recorded on the University’s student record system, advanced standing obtained for prior studies or concurrent studies (e.g. cross-institutional or summer sessions) is excluded from any automated or manual calculations.

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Section 4 - Procedure

(15) Refer to Measures of Academic Achievement Procedure.

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Section 5 - Definitions

Terms Definitions
Advanced Standing (external credit) Credit awarded to a course of study which reduces the overall length of that course, on the basis of study undertaken at another institution.
Advanced Standing (internal credit) Credit awarded to a course of study which reduces the overall length of that course, on the basis of study undertaken within the University in a different course of study.
Course of study An academic qualification undertaken by a student, which may or may not be conferred (elsewhere may be known as a degree).
Credit points Each unit is assigned a number of credit points that indicates the size of the unit, its workload and its contribution to meeting the requirements of a course. Credit points are used for weighting of GPA and WAM calculations.
Cumulative GPA A GPA which is automatically calculated for a course of study at the end of each teaching period.
Cumulative WAM A WAM which is automatically calculated for a course of study at the end of each teaching period. Only calculated for courses of study which commenced from 1 January 2013.
GPA A Grade Point Average, expressed as a number between 0 and 7 and calculated using formal grades, which gives an indicator of academic achievement within a course of study.
Formal Grade The letter grade awarded to a student on the completion of a unit of study.
Formal Mark The mark out of 100 awarded to a student on the completion of a unit of study. Recording of formal marks became compulsory for all units in Semester 2, 2012.
Unit A unit is the basic module for teaching and assessment in the University (elsewhere may be known as a subject)
WAM A Weighted Average Mark, expressed as a number between 0 and 100 and calculated using formal marks, which gives an indicator of academic achievement within a course of study.