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Frequently Asked Questions: GPA

Grade Point Average (GPA)

A Grade Point Average (GPA) is an average of all the grade points you have earned over the course of your degree program. Graduate students at Walden are required to have at least a 3.0 GPA, while undergraduates are required to have at least a 2.0 GPA. If your GPA drops below the minimum, you would be considered out of compliance with university requirements and placed on Academic Warning for Low GPA. 

Where to find your GPA

Students can find their Grade Point Average (GPA) by viewing their unofficial transcript. The unofficial transcript is located in your myWalden portal and can be accessed following the steps below.

  • Log into your myWalden portal.
  • Click on the ME tab.
  • On the ME tab menu, select the My Education section.
  • From the list of links available here, please click on View Unofficial Transcript.
  • Once this loads, scroll down to the section on degree and curriculum information.
  • Your GPA is located on the far right of this section (see below for an example).

screenshot of GPA location on transcript

GPA and Financial Aid Eligibility

Walden University’s satisfactory academic progress (SAP) requirements to receive Title IV student financial aid comply with U.S. Department of Education regulations. These standards are intended to establish minimum, reasonable levels of advancement toward degree completion and to guard against abuse of federal financial aid programs. Satisfactory progress requirements for receipt of federal financial aid are separate and distinct from the university’s academic progress requirements for academic continuance.

Satisfactory academic progress for all students is reviewed after each period of enrollment. Students receive written notification to their Walden University e-mail account if they are placed on financial aid warning status. Upon receiving this status, students have one period of enrollment to return to the standards listed below. If students do not meet these standards, they may appeal for a period of financial aid probation. If the appeal is not granted, students become ineligible for federal financial aid.

It is the student’s responsibility to know the requirements for meeting satisfactory academic progress. Failure to receive notification will not nullify a student’s financial aid status with Walden University.

For more information about Financial Aid eligibility in relation to Academic Progress, please visit the Handbook or contact Financial Aid directly. Financial Aid can be reached by dialing 1-800-925-3368 (for international numbers, please visit the International Contact Information page).

Calculating Your GPA

Students can calculate their Grade Point Average (GPA) if they know the following information:

  • Credits attempted - These are the total number of credits for the courses you’ve taken at Walden.
  • Final grades earned - Using your unofficial transcript, you can see the grades you earned in all your classes in your program.
  • Point values for those grades - Each grade is assigned a point value. Use the chart below to determine the point values for your grades.
Letter Grade Point Value
for Grade
A 4.00
B 3.00
C 2.00
D
(only applicable for
    Undergraduate Programs)
1.00
F 0.00

Please note: If you have taken an S/U course, or received a W grade, the credits for these courses should not be included in your overall total grade points.

 

The basic formula for calculating GPA is to divide the total points earned in a program by the total number of credits attempted. The resulting figure is the GPA for that program.

Total Points Earned divided by Total Credits attemped Equals Grade Point Average

 

Here's an example student's transcript with credit hours, grade earned, and grade points:

image of a sample transcript

In this example, our student has attempted 16 credits in total and earned 33 total grade points.

Referring back to the basic formula above, use the student’s total grade points earned (33) divided by the 16 credits attempted means the student has a GPA of 2.06.

image of formula with 33 points earned divided by 16 credits attempted equalling a GPA of 2.06

If a student fails a class, there are no grade points earned for that course. However, the credits attempted from that course are still included in the total credits attempted for the program. This is why GPA can fall when a student fails a class.

If a student fails a class required of his or her program, he or she will need to retake the class and pass it to progress in his or her program. If he or she passes the class on the retake, the original grade will remain listed on his or her transcript, but will not be included in the calculation of the GPA. Instead, only the grade (and credits attempted) associated with the successful retake of the class will be used in the calculation of the GPA.

If you have any questions about how to calculate your own GPA, please contact a Student Success Advisor for assistance. Monitoring your own GPA is a good habit to adopt as it will help you understand your program requirements and how to ensure that you remain in compliance with the GPA requirements here at Walden.