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How to Calculate Your CMU GPA (QPA)
At Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), the Grade Point Average is often referred to as the Quality Point Average (QPA). Unlike many universities that use 3 or 4 credit hours, CMU uses a "units" system. Most standard courses are 9 or 12 units.
To calculate your CMU QPA, you multiply the numerical value of the grade earned by the number of units for that course. These are called "Quality Points." You then divide the total quality points by the total number of units attempted (excluding Pass/Fail or Transfer credits).
The CMU Grading Scale
| Letter Grade |
Quality Points (per unit) |
| A or A+ | 4.00 |
| A- | 3.67 |
| B+ | 3.33 |
| B | 3.00 |
| B- | 2.67 |
| C+ | 2.33 |
| C | 2.00 |
| C- | 1.67 |
| D+ | 1.33 |
| D | 1.00 |
| R/F (Failure) | 0.00 |
Example Calculation
Suppose you are taking three courses this semester:
- 15-112 (Fundamentals of Programming): 12 Units, Grade A (4.0)
- 21-120 (Differential & Integral Calculus): 10 Units, Grade B+ (3.33)
- 76-101 (Interpretation and Argument): 9 Units, Grade A- (3.67)
Step 1: Calculate Quality Points per course
12 * 4.0 = 48.0
10 * 3.33 = 33.3
9 * 3.67 = 33.03
Step 2: Total the Units and Quality Points
Total Units: 12 + 10 + 9 = 31
Total Quality Points: 48.0 + 33.3 + 33.03 = 114.33
Step 3: Divide Quality Points by Units
114.33 / 31 = 3.688 QPA
Important CMU Academic Policies
It is important to note that CMU includes failing grades (R or F) in the QPA calculation, while courses taken as Pass/No Pass (P/N) or Audit do not impact your GPA. Additionally, transfer credits from other institutions may appear on your transcript but generally do not factor into your CMU QPA. Always consult your academic advisor for the most accurate degree progress reports.
function addCMURow() {
var container = document.getElementById('course-list');
var row = document.createElement('div');
row.className = 'course-row';
row.innerHTML = " +
" +
" +
'A/A+' +
'A-' +
'B+' +
'B' +
'B-' +
'C+' +
'C' +
'C-' +
'D+' +
'D' +
'R/F' +
";
container.appendChild(row);
}
function calculateCMUGPA() {
var unitsInputs = document.getElementsByClassName('course-units');
var gradeSelects = document.getElementsByClassName('course-grade');
var totalQualityPoints = 0;
var totalUnits = 0;
var validInputs = false;
for (var i = 0; i 0) {
totalQualityPoints += (units * gradeValue);
totalUnits += units;
validInputs = true;
}
}
var resultDisplay = document.getElementById('result-display');
var gpaDisplay = document.getElementById('final-gpa');
var unitsDisplay = document.getElementById('total-units-display');
if (validInputs && totalUnits > 0) {
var gpa = totalQualityPoints / totalUnits;
gpaDisplay.innerText = gpa.toFixed(3);
unitsDisplay.innerText = 'Total Units: ' + totalUnits;
resultDisplay.style.display = 'block';
resultDisplay.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' });
} else {
alert('Please enter valid unit values for at least one course.');
}
}