The academic standing of each student is determined on the basis of the grade point average (GPA) earned each semester. The GPA is determined by using the quality points assigned to each course grade a student earns. The quality point value for each grade earned during a semester is multiplied by the number of credit hours assigned to that course as listed elsewhere in this catalog. The sum of these points is the total number of quality points earned during the semester. This sum is divided by the number of credit hours attempted (hours from courses with grades of “A” [or 4.0 quality points] through “F” [or 0 quality points]) to obtain the GPA.
The cumulative GPA consists of all courses completed at DigiPen. If multiple attempts were made for the same course, only the grade earned in the most recently-completed attempt is calculated in the cumulative GPA. Course grades of “AU,” “I,” “W,” “P,” and “NP” are non-punitive grades, so they are not calculated in the overall GPA since they carry no quality points.
The following example demonstrates how GPA is calculated:
| Course | Credits | Grade | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| CS 100 | 4 | A | 16.0 (4 x 4.0) |
| MAT 140 | 4 | A- | 14.8 (4 x 3.7) |
| CS 105 | 3 | B | 9.0 (3 x 3.0) |
| ENG 110 | 3 | D | 3.0 (3 x 1.0) |
| CS 120 | 4 | B+ | 13.2 (4 x 3.3) |
| Totals | 18 | 56 |
Total grade points divided by total credits equals the cumulative grade point average. Therefore, the grade point average for the above example is 56 divided by 18 for a 3.11 GPA.