Explore UCD

UCD Home >

GPA Calculations

Jump to:

Introduction to Grade Point Averages (GPAs)

UCD uses grade point averages to aggregate the grades awarded to modules for different reasons and at different times during students' careers in UCD. The methods of calculating different GPAs are outlined on this page.

Every letter grade awarded by UCD has a numeric value - a Grade Point. Fail grades have a Grade Point of zero. The Grade Point for Pass grades start at 2 for a D—rising to 4.2 for an A+. These values/Grade Points are then weighted in credit load for Stage GPA or by credit load and degree rule for Award GPA. 

GPAs are used to assess achievement and progress during a programme's study and to decide which honours classification to award to graduates. 

GPAs are system-calculated at set periods during the academic year. The timing for this is published under the Grade Approvals Process (GAP) Assessment Bulk Processing in the Assessment Key Dates. GPAs can be run for individual students or cohorts outside of GAP timelines where required.

You should be aware that UCD discourages the accumulation of additional credit above a programme's requirements for Stage and Award GPA. As such, Assessment will not facilitate queries regarding the Stage and Award GPA calculations where a student may accumulate additional credit.

Stage GPA and Grade Points

A Stage GPA is calculated for a student once they have an academic history.

You can check the UCD Course Catalogue or the Curriculum Management Programme Search to see how many credits a programme requires at each stage.

The stage GPA calculation includes passed modules within the stage, including passed remediation attempts. GPA-neutral credits are not included in Stage GPA calculation, and the credit attributed to the module is discounted from the calculation (see Stage GPA Calculation with GPA Neutral Modules below)

Per Academic Regulations Appendix A.2, Stage GPA is the average of the grade points awarded upon passing the modules or other credit-bearing learning experiences to satisfy the stage requirements. The grade point for each module or learning experience is weighted by its credit value.

  • The modules to be used for the purpose of calculating stage GPA are determined.
  • The grade points for each module are multiplied by the credit values of those modules.
  • These values are then added for a total sum.
  • The total sum is divided by the number of credits used to calculate the stage GPA.

Once a completed stage GPA has been awarded, it may not be adjusted, save in the case of University error or fraud as per Academic Regulation 6.8.

The following scale should be used for module grades per Academic Regulation 4.25 and lists the grade point applicable to each grade (see Grade Points.pdf or image below).

Standard Module Grades   Grade Point Neutral Grades   Resit Grades
Module Grade Grade Point   Module Grade Grade Point   Module Grade Grade Point
A+ 4.2   DS Neutral   PR 2.0
A 4.0   PX Neutral   FR 0.0
A- 3.8   PXR Neutral   NM 0.0
B+ 3.6   FX 0.0   ABS 0.0
B 3.4   FXR 0.0      
B- 3.2   NM 0.0      
C+ 3.0   ABS 0.0      
C 2.8  
C- 2.6
D+ 2.4
D 2.2
D- 2.0
FM+ 0.0
FM 0.0
FM- 0.0
NM 0.0
ABS 0.0

Module Grade Grade Point Value Multiply Credits Earned Total Grade Point Value
Module 1 A+ 4.20 x 5 21
Module 2 A+ 4.20 x 5 21
Module 3 A+ 4.20 x 5 21
Module 4 A+ 4.20 x 5 21
Module 5 A+ 4.20 x 5 21
Module 6 A+ 4.20 x 5 21
Module 7 A+ 4.20 x 5 21
Module 8 A+ 4.20 x 5 21
Module 9 A 4.00 x 5 20
Module 10 A 4.00 x 5 20
Module 11 A 4.00 x 5 20
Module 12 A 4.00 x 5 20
Totals       60 248
Total Grade Point Value / Total Number of Credits           ie. 248/60 = 4.13

GPA neutral credits are not included in Stage GPA calculation and the credit attributed to the module is discounted from the calculation.

Module Grade Grade Point Value Multiply Credits Earned Total Grade Point Value
Module 1  A 4.00 x 5 20
Module 2 B 3.40 x 5 17
Module 3 A 4.00 x 5 20
Module 4 C 2.80 x 5 14
Module 5 PX Neutral x 10 n/a
Module 6 C 2.80 x 5 14
Module 7 B 3.40 x 5 17
Module 8 B- 3.20 x 10 32
Module 9 B+ 3.60 x 10 36
Totals (Grade Point Neutral module not included in calculation)       50 170 
Total Grade Point Value/Total Number of Credits        ie. 170/50= 3.40

Where a student earns more credit than is required by their stage the GPA calculation will look to the programme structure.

  • Core and Option credits are included initially. 
  • All other credits are treated as Electives.
  • The highest scoring required Core, Option and Elective credits are included in the calculation.
  • Once the required credits to complete the Stage have been reached all other credits are excluded from the calculation.

Award/Degree GPA

A Degree Award GPA calculation is the weighted average of all the modules a student takes in the stages that count towards their degree. 

It is calculated when a student has completed all stages of their programme and is deemed compliant and eligible for the degree award,

The calculation can be based on one or multiple stages depending on the programme's award GPA rule. 

A Degree Award GPA is calculated as follows: ((Stage Weighting of the Award Rule XGPA Credit TotalX Grade Point Total) divided by (GPA CreditsTotal X Stage Weighting of the Award Rule)). 

An Award GPA Rule is the rule that determines the Degree Award GPA a student receives upon completion of their programme. Degree Award GPAs are calculated according to the method stated in the programme specification and are laid out in the UCD Academic Regulations. Information on a programme’s Award GPA Rule can be found on the UCD Programme Menu.

Quality Value Point (QVP)is calculated by multiplying the Total Grade Point by the GPA Credit Total of the stage. 

How to calculate the QPV (image)

To calculate a Degree Award GPA, you must first know the grade points associated with each module used for the Award GPA Rule. (see section above on Grade Points.)

Final Stage only Award GPA calculation (image)

Where credits are weighted across multiple stages, grade neutral credits shall not contribute to the calculation but will be included in the credits required for awarding the programme.

Example of Final and penultimate stages stage-weighted FinalPen Weighted 7030 (image)

A student Award Classification can be determined once a Degree Award GPA has been calculated.

Information on UCD’s Award Classifications can be found in the Academic Regulations, section 2.5 or the table below. To use an award classification not associated with the award type stated below required a derogation from the University Programme Board (UPB).

(see UCD Award Classifications table (pdf) or image below)

University Awards table (image)

Stage X and Y

There are occasions when students complete a module that should remain attached to a student's degree but is not required to contribute to the credit total or be included in the GPA calculation. This is done in the system by assigning the module to a stage which will not produce a stage GPA nor be included in the credit total for an award GPA.  These stages are stages X and Y and their use is explained below.

Stage X is a stage to which any module on any programme can be assigned. It does not calculate a stage GPA, and any module assigned to the stage does not contribute to the credit load or grade points used to calculate a GPA. 

Modules assigned to Stage X will, however, appear on the student's transcript and other official UCD documentation. They will appear separately under a Stage X heading regardless of their level or whether they form part of the programme's structure. 

Stage X is generally used when a student has completed a module which is not or no longer part of the structure of the programme but wishes to have the module displayed on their documentation for professional or accreditation reasons.

Stage X does not appear on the stage reassignment drop-down menu but it can be requested in the comments. For an explanation of how to request a module be reassigned to stage X please see our stage reassignment guide.

Stage Y behaves in a very similar way to Stage X but has a more defined purpose. Stage Y is the micro-credential stage and every module to which students are registered as a micro-credential should be registered as a Stage Y module.

This allows students to register for micro-credentials at the same time as more traditional programmes without the need for dual registration. It also triggers the creation of the micro-credential supplement, the official UCD document showing the successful completion of micro-credentials.

Semester GPA

Semester GPA is an indicative GPA calculated on a student's grades from a particular semester regardless of stage, or programme, or whether the module was passed or failed. Semester GPA is not mandated by the Academic Regulations and is not used in progression or the calculation of other GPAs. It is intended as an indication of a student's performance within a single semester only.

Unlike other forms of GPA, Semester GPAs include all grades, including fails, and do not look to the programme's structure to distinguish core, option or elective modules. GPA Neutral grades are treated in the same way as they are for Stage and Award GPAs. The grade points remain the same with the only addition being that the grade points for all failed grades are zero  (see Example of Calculating Semester GPA (pdf) or image below).

Example of Calculating Semester GPA (image)

Semester GPAs do not appear on academic transcripts and are not used to calculate any other form of GPA. They are, however, included in Statement of Results documents. They can be helpful in indicative GPAs for cohorts of students such as occasional, JYA, Erasmus, or research students for whom stage and award GPAs are not calculated.

Contact UCD Registry

University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
T: +353 1 716 1555 | Location Map(opens in a new window)