University of Zambia Grading System

University of Zambia Grading System – Details of University of Zambia Grading System.

Grading System is the system of applying standardized measurements of varying levels of achievement in a course. University Grades are often assigned as letters (for example A through F), as a range (for example 1 to 6), as a percentage of a total number of questions answered correctly, or as a number out of a possible total.

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University of Zambia Grading System Details

CREDIT ACCUMULATION

A course credit (CC) is a numerical value that represents the estimated time needed for a learner to achieve required specific learning outcomes of a course. One credit is equivalent to 10 notional hours of study (including lectures, seminars, tutorials, assignments, practical training and independent study). For example, a half course of 150 notional hours is worth 15 course credits while and a full course of 300 notional hours is worth 30 course credits. A full academic year is generally worth 120 credits. Note that courses may have different credits from the two examples given, depending on the course structure. Please refer to the publication “Course Credits” available from the Directorate of Quality Assurance for more details on course credits.

Credit accumulation is used to monitor, record and reward passage through a programme of study at the University of Zambia. A students who passes a course will earn the credits of that course. The total number of credits accumulated is the summation of all credits from the courses that the student has passed during their study at the University. A student who passes all courses in an academic year will accumulate about 120 credits in most programmes at the University. A typical four-year degree programme will have 480 credits; a typical five-year degree programme has 600 credits; etc., and generally students need to accumulate this minimum number of credits to be able to graduate from the programme.

GRADE POINT VALUES

The grade point value (GPV) is used by the University to allocate points to various grades awarded after a course assessment. The GPV represents numerically a student’s standard of performance. Repeated courses are do not count toward the earned points required for classification of degrees. Table 1 shows the typical GPVs for various grades awarded.

Grade point values for various grades – University of Zambia Grading System

TYPE	GRADE	GRADE-POINT VALUE	DESCRIPTION
		(GPV)
PASS	A+	5.00	Distinction
GRADES
GRADES	A	4.00	Distinction

	B+	3.50	Meritorious

	B	3.00	Credit

	C+	2.37	Credit

	C	1.00	Pass

	S	1.00	Satisfactory
FAIL	D+	0.00	Fail
GRADES
GRADES	D	0.00	Fail

	LT	0.00	Fail (Left without permission)

	NE	0.00	Fail (Not examined)
TEMPORARY	DF	0.00	Deferred examination
GRADES
GRADES	WP	0.00	Left with permission)

	IN	0.00	Incomplete assessment

University of Zambia Grading System Details

GRADE POINT AVERAGE

A grade point average (GPA) is a number representing the average value of the accumulated grades earned in courses in one academic year and over the full length of the programme of study.

For a given study period, e.g. an academic year, a student’s GPA is calculated using the following steps:

calculate the product of the course credits and the grade-point values earned in each course (i.e. CCs x GPV);
obtain the sum of the products calculated in (a), (i.e. ∑(CCs x GPV);
calculate the maximum course credits that a student may accumulate in the study period under consideration (TCs); and
calculate the GPA by using the following formula:

	�� =	∑(�� )
		��

GPA =	Grade-point average
CCs =	Course credits for each course taken by the student
GPV =	Grade-point value earned for course taken by the student
TCs =	Total course credits that may be accumulated over the study period by the student