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Grade Point Average and Weighted Average Mark
From 2008 students commencing a course from Semester One, 2008 will be able to purchase an academic transcript and at the bottom there will find two figures relating to each course* for which you have results recorded - these are the Grade Point Average (GPA) and Weighted Average Mark (WAM). These figures provide a useful summary of your results for each course. The figures are calculated to two decimal places.
The university will advise by global email when this becomes available.
An explanation of how these figures are calculated from your results appears below.
*with the exception of Masters by Research and PhD courses
Grade Point Average (GPA)
The Grade Point Average or GPA is an internationally-recognised measure for establishing equivalence across different grading systems. The internationalisation of tertiary education is now such that a GPA is an essential tool with which students can apply for educational and employment opportunities worldwide. Many local graduates who apply for work with international organisations require GPAs. The GPA is the average result of all grades achieved by a student in a course of study, weighted by the credit point value of each unit. Monash University uses a four point GPA scale.
Methodology
To calculate the GPA, a unit score of 0 to 4 is assigned to each grade achieved (see Table 1). Each score is then weighted by the credit points for the unit and the weighted scores are summed together. This summed weighted score is then divided by the total number of credit points undertaken.
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GPA=
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Σ (unit credit points x unit score)
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Σ unit credit points
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Therefore, a student who receives all High Distinctions would receive a GPA of 4.00; whereas a student who receives High Distinctions in first year then Passes for units in the later years of the course would have a GPA of 2.0. (See Table 2 below).
This method replicates those used by many international universities and should allow for fair comparisons between the performance of Monash students and those from other universities.
Table 1: GPA grade conversion unit scores
| GPA |
4 point unit score |
| High Distinction |
4 |
| Distinction |
3 |
| Credit |
2 |
| Pass |
1 |
| Near Pass |
0.7 |
| Fail |
0.3 |
| Withdrawn Fail |
0 |
| Other grades |
Not included in calculation |
Weighted Average Mark (WAM)
Calculation of the Weighted Average Mark (WAM) is based on marks rather than grades, and therefore provides a more precise tool for measuring student performance. It takes into account the fact that the performance of a student who receives a mark of 95 is quite different from a student who receives an 80 even though they have both achieved a High Distinction. The Weighted Average Mark provides an average of the percentage marks received for each unit of a course, with different weightings for different unit levels. WAM calculation will be based on any units where a mark has been recorded in your results.
The WAM calculation will be available for students commencing a course in Semester One, 2008.
Methodology
The WAM is calculated by weighting each mark by the unit credit points, summing up each of the weighted marks and dividing the total by the total number of credit points undertaken.
A year level weight is included in the WAM calculation so that first year marks are weighted at half that of later years. This is to allow for any transition issues that first year students may experience.
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WAM=
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Σ (1st year marks x unit credit points x 0.5) + Σ (later year marks x unit credit points)
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Σ (1st year credit points x 0.5) + Σ (later year credit points)
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Therefore a student undertaking a three year degree who receives marks of 80 for each unit in the first year, and marks of 50 in the remaining years of the degree will have a WAM of 56.00 (see Table 2 below); whereas a student who receives marks of 50 in all first and second year units and 80 in all third year units will have a WAM of 62.00.
Example calculations
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Year Level
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Year Level Weights
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Mark
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Grade
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GPA Unit Score
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Credit Points
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Weighted GPA Units Score
(GPA unit score x credit points)
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Weighted Mark(mark x credit points x year level weights)
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Weighted
Credit Points
(credit points x year level weights)
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1
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0.5
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80
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HD
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4
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6
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24
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240
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3
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1
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0.5
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80
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HD
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4
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6
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24
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240
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3
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1
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0.5
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80
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HD
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4
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6
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24
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240
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3
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1
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0.5
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80
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HD
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4
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6
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24
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240
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3
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2
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1
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50
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P
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1
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6
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6
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300
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6
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2
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1
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50
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P
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1
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6
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6
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300
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6
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2
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1
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50
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P
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1
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6
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6
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300
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6
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2
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1
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50
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P
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1
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6
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6
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300
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6
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3
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1
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50
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P
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1
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12
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12
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600
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12
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3
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1
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50
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P
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1
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12
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12
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600
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12
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72
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144
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3360
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60
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GPA = 144/72 = 2.00
WAM = 3360/60 = 56.00
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