"GPA" stands for grade point average.  A GPA is a calculation of quality points earned and credit hours attempted.

View Your Grades

Students can find grades under the Academics section of MyMadison. 

Students can also see grades on their Unofficial Transcript. See the How to Access an Unofficial Transcript tutorial. 

Quality Points Earned

Each letter grade equals a certain number of quality points, such as A=4 points, B+=3.3 points, B=3 points, etc.  Multiply the number of quality points for the letter grade by the number of credit hours the course is worth.  for example, if you earned a B in a three credit hour course, you would earn 9 quality points (3.00 quality points x 3 credit hours) for that course. 

The list of letter grades and quality points are:

Credit Hours Attempted

Credit hours attempted include the total number of credits hours or units for which you are enrolled and could earn a grade of A, B, C, D, F (+/-).  

The following do not affect quality points earned, credit hours attempted or GPA:

• Grades received at other institutions (except when used in determining graduation honors for eligible students).
• Courses taken on an audit grading basis.  
• I (incomplete), CR (credit), NC (no credit), W (withdrawal), WP (withdrawal while passing), or WF (withdrawal while failing) grades. 

Check the academic policies and procedures section of the undergraduate catalog for more information on the grading system, including policies related to calculating your GPA with repeat option(s).  

If you have additional questions about how to calculate your GPA, consult with the Registrar's Office and/or your academic advisor.

Calculating Your GPA

To calculate your GPA, divide the total number of quality points earned by the number of credit hours attempted.  

Types of GPA

• Semester GPA - calculate by using quality points earned for one semester's grades divided by one semester's credit hours attempted
• Cumulative GPA - calculated using the total quality points for all of the grades you have earned divided by the total number of credit hours attempted
• Major GPA - calculated using only the quality points earned for grades in courses that count for your major divided by the number of credit hours for courses that count for your major

Academic Standing

Academic standing is determined by GPA.  Students may be considered to be in academic good standing, academic probation or academic suspension.

Visit the Registrar's Office's website for more information on Academic Standing and Continued Enrollment.  

Academic Student Services is the office that coordinates the academic affairs response to students who are at risk academically and the re-entry process for students who leave the university while on academic probation or academic suspension and wish to return to JMU.  

GPA for Graduation

In order to be eligible for graduation from JMU, students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better for all courses taken at JMU and have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better in the major and minor subjects taken at JMU.  

Grade Review Procedures

The university and its faculty members recognize that grades may sometimes be inappropriately assigned.  If such a situation occurs, students have a right to voice their opinion concerning their grade through the Grade Review Procedure outlined in the undergraduate catalog. 

If a student believes that a grade was assigned in error, because of a mistake in calculation or an error in recording a grade, the student should consult the faculty member directly to discuss initiating the grade change procedure.

If a student believes that a final course grade was unfairly awarded, that student may work with the faculty member and possibly the academic unit head to activate the grade review process. 

FERPA

An individual student's grades are protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.  The Registrar's Office provides more information on FERPA for students and FERPA for parents.