New - Calculating Degree Award GPA and Award Classification

An Award GPA Rule is used to determine the Degree Award GPA you receive for your programme. This is the method by which the results you have achieved in modules throughout your programme are added together to determine your degree award classification. 

Information on your programme’s Award GPA Rule can be found on the (opens in a new window)UCD Programme Menu. Any queries relating to your programme’s Award GPA Rules should be directed to your College/School Office. An example of a Award GPA Rule and Degree Award Classification:

In UCD, there are four methods by which programmes can calculate taught degree awards. See  (opens in a new window)Academic Regulations,  sections 2.7 - 2.9. Click on the links below to understand what stages contribute to your Degree Award GPA calculation:

• Final Stage Only
• Final and Penultimate Stages (Equal Weight)
• Final and Penultimate Stages (Stage-Weighted)
• Three-Stage Weighted

Students who spend a year or trimester studying abroad or engaged in learning activities outside of UCD as part of their programme, such as a work placements or internship, may be awarded GPA Neutral credit (see Jargon Buster above for further information). Click on the links below to understand what stages contribute to your Degree Award GPA calculation if you have taken a year or trimester outside of UCD:

• International/Placement/Internship Trimester
• International/Placement/Internship Year

The Degree Award GPA is the weighted average of all the modules you have taken that count towards your degree. It is calculated as follows: ((Weighting*GPA Credit*Grade Point)/(GPA Credits*Weighting)). The Degree GPA calculation first calculates the values of the GPA and then rounds it to two decimal places if required.

For this calculation, you will need to know the grade points associated with each grade. This is used to combine grades in all your modules, and calculate an average score. See Understanding Grades for more information.

If you have any questions relating to your modules e.g. they are missing, or you are not sure which modules are to be included in your Degree Award GPA calculation, please contact your College/School Office.

Click on the relevant calculation to see a sample of how a programme’s final Degree Award GPA is calculated:

• 1 Year Programme - Final Stage only
• 3 Year Programme - Final Stage only
• 4 Year Programme - Final Stage only
• 3 Year Programme - Final and Penultimate Stages (Equal Weight)
• 4 Year Programme - Final and Penultimate Stages (Equal Weight)
• 3 Year Programme - Final and Penultimate Stages (Stage-Weighted)
• 4 Year Programme - Final and Penultimate Stages (Stage-Weighted)
• 4 Year Programme - Three-Stage Weighted
• International/Placement/Internship Year
• International/Placement/Internship Trimester
• Old Regulations - International/Internship Year - Final and Penultimate Stages (Stage-Weighted)

When you have calculated your final Degree Award GPA, you now have all the information you need to determine your final degree classification.

Information on UCD’s Award Classifications can be found in the (opens in a new window)Academic Regulations, in section 2.5.

In general, they are as follows: