Information for both NEW and CONTINUING students

 

As part of continued efforts to align the standards of The UWI more closely with international norms and best practice, a Grade Point Average (GPA) system will be introduced with effect from the 2021/2022 academic year.

 

Will the new PG GPA apply to all postgraduate students and programmes?

No. It applies ONLY to students who were admitted and commenced TAUGHT postgraduate programmes (see exclusions below) in or after the 2021/2022 academic year, referred to below as “New (GPA) Students”. Taught postgraduate programmes refer to postgraduate certificates and diplomas, masters and professional doctorates, with some exclusions (see below).

 

It does NOT apply to ANY students admitted to postgraduate programmes (taught or research) prior to the 2021/2022 academic year, referred to below as “Continuing (non-GPA) Students”.

 

Please remember that each student is bound by the regulations in force on the date of admission to their programme, as stated in their Faculty’s Regulations Handbook published in that year. To find your applicable handbook, visit https://sta.uwi.edu/faculty-booklet-archive

 

Excluded Programmes

The new PG GPA system does NOT apply to students pursuing the following:

  • Research degrees (MPhil and PhD degrees) (all campuses)
  • Doctor of Medicine (DM) programme (all campuses)
  • Diploma in Family Medicine and Diploma in Emergency Medicine (DM) (all campuses)
  • Master of Fine Arts (MFA) (St. Augustine Campus)

 

How will Continuing (non-GPA) Students be affected?

Continuing students at the St. Augustine Campus need to be aware of the introduction of new Course Registration Numbers (CRN) to be used by new students only (see Changes to the Registration Process below). Otherwise, there are no changes for continuing students.

 

How will New (GPA) Students be affected?

  • GPA is a representation of student performance on transcripts.
  • Whether you pass a course or not, the quality points earned still count towards your GPA, meaning that all your efforts are considered.
  • Quality points are earned even if students do not reach the threshold of a pass with coursework and/or final exam.
  • If a student fails a single course twice, an automatic Required to Withdraw (RTW) will no longer apply.
  • A student is not required to earn a ‘Distinction’ for their research projects in order to receive an overall ‘Distinction’.
  • An additional award category of ‘Merit’ has been introduced along with ‘Pass’ and ‘Distinction’. Visit the University’s PG GPA website to see the degree requirements.
  • It allows more efficient performance tracking, for both students and faculty.
  • It provides a measurement of academic performance that makes for easy comparison by other international universities for the purposes of transfer and admission.

 

What does the PG GPA look like?

The introduction of the PG GPA follows the successful introduction of the GPA system at the undergraduate student level in 2003/2004. The grade bands for the PG GPA system are almost identical to those for the undergraduate GPA, except for the introduction of a new band – FC/FE. Visit the University’s PG GPA website to see how it works.

 

Changes to the Postgraduate Registration Process (St. Augustine Campus)

As the GPA system is phased in, we will have two categories of students (new GPA and continuing non-GPA) registering for the same courses. The difference will be reflected in the course registration number (CRN) for each course.

 

When registering for courses, you will see two sets of CRN codes – one for continuing (non-GPA) students, and another for new students registering under the GPA system. All other course information is the same. Only the CRNs are different.

 

Please pay careful attention and use the codes that correspond with your status as either a new or continuing student. The Banner registration system has been set up to deal with this duality, and once grades are input via the Banner Software, GPA is calculated automatically.

For more on the registration procedure and to see the updated CRN codes and instructions, download the Online Registration Guide.

 

Award of Degrees

New students entering participating taught programmes in the 2021/2022 academic year as detailed above will be assessed and awarded degrees based on the Postgraduate GPA grading scale. Visit the University’s PG GPA website to see the degree requirements.

 

Continuing students and new students entering programmes that are currently excluded will be assessed and awarded according to the non-GPA systems included in this booklet for students’ convenience.

 

Where can I get help or find out more?

 


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