The GPA (grade point average) is calculated on a 4.000 scale
Credits and Hours
Academic credits are awarded on the semester hour (S.H.) basis. One semester hour, usually representing 50 minutes of class activity per week for 15 weeks, is equal to one (1) credit. Semester credit hour may also be defined as 150 minutes of academic work each week for 15 weeks in one semester, which is typically accomplished by 50 minutes of face-to-face class activity each week complemented by at least 100 minutes each week of laboratory or outside assignments (or the equivalent thereof for semesters of different length). It may also be accomplished through an equivalent amount of academic work which may include additional class time, laboratory work, internships, practical studio work, and other forms of academic work.
The departments of Art and Design, Theatre and Dance and Music adhere to the following formulas for determining course credit hours in conjunction with their discipline-specific accrediting bodies.
Grades
You can view your grades and academic standing via NEST.
Graduation Requirements
Bachelor’s degrees require a minimum of 120 semester hours with a minimum grade point average of 2.000 in both the major and overall academic work. Master’s degrees require a minimum of 32 semester hours, with a minimum grade point average of 3.000. Doctoral degrees require a minimum of 60 semester hours, with a minimum grade point average of 3.000. Applications to graduate must be completed through the available link on NEST. For undergraduates, a minimum of 90 hours is required to apply to graduate. For graduate students, a minimum of 20 hours is required to apply to graduate.
Grading System
| Grade | Definition | Value (Quality Points) |
|---|---|---|
| A | Excellent | 4.0 |
| A- | 3.7 | |
| B+ | 3.3 | |
| B | Good | 3.0 |
| B- | 2.7 | |
| C+ | 2.3 | |
| C | Fair | 2.0 |
| C- | 1.7 | |
| D+ | 1.3 | |
| D | Poor | 1.0 |
| D- | 0.7 | |
| F | Failure | 0.0 |
| P | Pass | 0.0 |
| IN | Incomplete | 0.0 |
| IP | In Progress | 0.0 |
| WD | Withdrew | 0.0 |
| S | Satisfactory, does not count in degree credit total | 0.0 |
| AU | Audit | 0.0 |
| NC | No Credit | 0.0 |
| NR | Grade Not Reported | 0.0 |
| RF, RD+, RD, RD-, RC+, RC, RC- | Repeated Course | 0.0 |
| XF | Stopped Attending | 0.0 |
Grades of D+, D, D- are not valid for graduate courses
Please Note: A grade of ‘P’ carries no quality points as it is not factored into the GPA calculation. An earned ‘F’ grade is a failing grade. This will negatively impact the GPA.
Historical grades no longer in use at Montclair State University: WP, WF.
Interpretation of Academic Record
- GPA (Grade Point Average) = QPTS (Quality Points) divided by QHRS (Quality Hours).
- EHRS (Earned Hours) = Credits from courses passed at Montclair State University plus Transfer Credits, Credit by Examination and other credits posted to the record but not included in the GPA.
- AHRS (Attempted Hours) = The number of credits enrolled in for a particular semester (appears on recent records only).
- Effective December 2016: An ‘E’ designation next to a course indicates that the course is excluded from the overall GPA due to a subsequent repeated attempt. An “I” designation next to a course indicates that the course is repeated and included in the overall GPA.
Course Numbering
Below 100 – Basic skills courses, Intensive ESL I, and Speech Improvement for foreign Speech patterns, which do not carry credit toward graduation. Some Music Performance courses.
100-399 Introductory, Elementary, and Intermediate undergraduate courses
400-499 Advanced level undergraduate courses
500-699 Graduate level courses
700-900 Doctoral level courses
Dean’s List
Full time Undergraduate students: Must achieve a semester cumulative average (GPA) of 3.500 or better a minimum of 12 credits in courses which contribute to the GPA- fall and spring semesters only.
Part-Time Undergraduate Students: Must achieve a two- consecutive semester cumulative average (GPA) of 3.500 or better on a minimum of 12 credits in courses which contribute to the GPA, minimum 6 semester hours each semester-fall/spring semesters or spring/fall semester.
Graduation Honors
School of Nursing students who have completed a minimum of 32 undergraduate credits at Montclair State by the end of the semester prior to their commencement are recognized for graduation honors.
Grades of “A” through “D-” must be received for a minimum of 48 of these 51 credits.
| Honor | GPA Requirement Through May 2015 | GPA Requirement Effective August 2015 |
|---|---|---|
| Cum Laude | 3.450 – 3.649 | 3.700 – 3.799 |
| Magna Cum Laude | 3.650 – 3.849 | 3.800 – 3.899 |
| Summa Cum Laude | 3.850 – 4.000 | 3.900 – 4.000 |
Student Course Load
Student course load for fall and spring semesters is delineated as follows:
Less than half-time Undergraduate Student = 1-5 S.H.
Part or Half-time Undergraduate Student = 6-11 S.H.
Full-time Undergraduate student = 12 or more S.H.
Less than half-time Graduate Student = 1-3 S.H.
Part-or Half-time Graduate Student = 4-8 S.H.
Full-time Graduate student = 9 or more S.H.
Courses from which a student has withdrawn (WD) are not considered part of the semester course load
Class Standing
Undergraduate class standing is defined as follows:
Freshman – Less than 30 S.H. earned
Sophomore – 30 S.H. – 59.99 S.H. earned
Junior – 60 S.H. – 89.99 S.H. earned
Senior – 90 or more S.H. earned
Asterisk (*) next to course
An asterisk next to a course on record = course is excluded from career statistics; taken for credit in another career and included in statistics for that career.