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Measures of Academic Achievement Procedure

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This document sets out the procedures 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.

(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 - Procedure

Calculation of Grade Point Average (GPA)

(5) A calculated GPA results in a number between 0 and 7, and is usually taken to three decimal places.

(6) Formal grades are converted into grade scores using the following table:

Grade Grade Score
HD 7
DI 6
CR 5
P 4
PX (or P*) 3
NW, NX, NC, NS, NN 0

(7) Using grade scores, the GPA is calculated using this formula. 

(8) Only performance in units for which a formal grade is recorded on the University’s student records system should be used in a GPA calculation.

Calculation of Weighted Average Mark (WAM)

(9) A calculated WAM results in a number between 0 and 100, and is usually taken to one decimal place.

(10) Using formal marks, the WAM is calculated using this formula. 

(11) Only performance in units for which a formal mark is recorded on the University’s student records system should be used in a WAM calculation.

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Section 4 - Policies

(12) Refer to Measures of Academic Achievement Policy

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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 Semester 2, 2014 onwards.
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.