An assigned number of quality points corresponds to each letter grade: A=4 points, B+=3. 3 points, B=3 points, etc. For example, if you received a B in a course with three credit hours, you would receive nine quality points (3 x the number of quality points for the letter grade). 00 quality points x 3 credit hours) for that course. The list of letter grades and quality points are:
By dividing the total number of quality points you have accrued across all of your semesters by the total number of credit hours you have attempted across all of your semesters (even those you have failed), you can determine your overall grade point average (GPA). Your cumulative GPA and semester GPA will be equal in your first semester.
GPA vs. major GPA
Your grade point average (GPA) is calculated as the weighted average of all of your grades, including those from electives and core courses taken outside of your major. The average GPA is frequently used rather than the major GPA. When applying for honors in your major or for an advanced degree program, your school might ask you to include your major GPA in addition to your overall GPA.
If your major GPA is high and applicable to the position you’re applying for, you may decide to list it as an accomplishment on your resume. For instance, a 4 GPA in English as a major When applying for a literary editing internship, 0 may want to include their major GPA on their resume as this major GPA demonstrates that they have mastered an academic subject closely related to the internship duties.
What is a major GPA?
A major GPA, or major grade-point average, is a calculation that only considers the average grades you received in the courses that count toward your major degree. The way your school categorizes required electives, such as a history degree that still requires you to finish two semesters of math classes, is an important factor when calculating your major GPA. While some schools only count the classes that are directly related to your major program, others include any classes taken to fulfill these requirements in a major GPA.
How to calculate a major GPA
To calculate your major GPA, follow these steps:
1. List the courses in your major
To determine whether to include your required electives in the major GPA calculation, consult your school’s policies. On the left side of the page, or in the first column if you’re using a spreadsheet program, list every course that affects your major GPA.
2. Record your letter grades
Your final semester grade for each course should be entered in the second column of the table used to calculate your major GPA. Pass-fail courses should not be counted since a GPA only considers those that were given a letter grade.
3. Convert your grades into numerical values
To calculate a major GPA, you must translate your letter grades into GPA values. Examine your letter from each class first, putting any pluses or minuses aside for the time being. Give yourself the following values for each letter:
Consult your university to find out how the school policy modifies your grade point average for each before adjusting for your pluses and minuses. If you are unsure which modifier to use, your academic department or the student handbook may be able to provide advice. Using the grades B-, B, and B+ as examples, the three most prevalent values for plus or minus modifiers are as follows:
If you received a grade with a plus or minus, apply the corresponding modifier, and then enter the final grade for each course in a third column next to each class.
4. Multiply each course by credits earned
Unless each class is worth the same number of credits, a major GPA is not just the simple average score for all pertinent classes. This means that a course worth four credits counts twice as much as a course worth only two credits because schools typically weight their major GPA scores.
Add a fourth column to your chart so that it more accurately reflects the various weights assigned to each course. To calculate your GPA, multiply it by the number of credits or course hours each class is worth. This value, which represents the weighted score for each class, should be entered in the fourth column.
5. Find your column totals and divide
Find the total value of the column, starting with the column listing the credit value of each class. Do the same for the column that displays the weighted GPA for each class. Subtract the total of your course credits from the sum of your weighted GPA scores. The resulting value is your major GPA score.
Major GPA template
This template can assist you in calculating your average score if you need to determine your major GPA:
Major GPA example
To practice calculating a major GPA, consider this example case. You can either follow along to see how the example student determines their major GPA, or you can practice the calculation yourself and compare your results:
Pat is a journalism major who has already finished six of the required courses for the major. Introduction to Journalism, Media Ethics, and Computer-Assisted Reporting are the three journalism program courses each worth four credits. In addition, they have finished three required electives: Censorship in Cinema: The Motion Picture Production Code, four-credit freshman seminar, and Algebra and Physics, each worth four credits.
The major GPA is calculated at Pats University and uses a 0 scale. 33 modifier for plus and minus grades.
Pat received an A in “Media Ethics and Computer-Assisted Reporting,” an A- in “Physics,” a B+ in “Introduction to Journalism” and “Algebra,” a B- in “Censorship in Cinema: The Motion Picture Production Code,” and a B- in “Censorship in Cinema.”
Pat first determines the weighted GPA score for each and divides it by the total credits earned to determine their major GPA:
To find their major GPA, Pat divides 78. divide 66, their overall weighted GPA, by 22, their overall number of credits earned. Pats major GPA is 3. 58.
How To Calculate Your GPA In College
FAQ
What counts as major GPA?
Unlike your cumulative GPA, your major GPA only takes into account the grades you received in the declared major. For example, if you major in biology, your major GPA is determined by the grades you received in all of your biology classes as well as in other classes that are specific to your program of study.
How do you calculate your major GPA and cumulative GPA?
The merit points earned divided by the graded credits is used to calculate the grade point average (GPA) for a specific term or cumulatively. Add up all the merit points, then divide the total by the number of units your major’s courses are worth. The GPA is shortened after 2 decimal places.
