How Carnegie Mellon Calculates GPA
Carnegie Mellon University uses a 4.0 GPA scale for undergraduate and most graduate programs. Your Grade Point Average (GPA) is computed by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total number of units attempted for a letter grade.
Each course has a number of credit units (usually equivalent to hours per week), and each letter grade earns a certain number of quality points.
Let’s break it down.
CMU Letter Grade to GPA Scale
| Letter Grade | GPA Value |
|---|---|
| A | 4.0 |
| A− | 3.67 |
| B+ | 3.33 |
| B | 3.0 |
| B− | 2.67 |
| C+ | 2.33 |
| C | 2.0 |
| C− | 1.67 |
| D+ | 1.33 |
| D | 1.0 |
| R (Fail) | 0.0 |
Special Grades:
- P (Pass): Does not affect GPA.
- N (No Pass): Also GPA-neutral.
- W (Withdrawn): No GPA impact, but shows on transcript.
- I (Incomplete): Temporary, doesn’t affect GPA until resolved.
How to Calculate Your GPA
Here’s a quick example:
Let’s say you took the following courses:
- 9 units of A (4.0)
- 12 units of B+ (3.33)
- 6 units of C (2.0)
To compute:
- Multiply the GPA value by the units:
- A: 9 × 4.0 = 36.0
- B+: 12 × 3.33 = 39.96
- C: 6 × 2.0 = 12.0
- Total quality points: 36.0 + 39.96 + 12.0 = 87.96
- Total units attempted: 9 + 12 + 6 = 27
- GPA = 87.96 ÷ 27 = 3.26
College or Department Differences
At CMU, some colleges and departments have extra grading rules or curves, especially in:
- School of Computer Science – often more competitive; curved courses are common.
- College of Engineering – often uses strict departmental standards.
- Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences – more flexibility with P/N grading options for electives.
There is no universal grading curve across CMU. Professors have significant freedom in determining grading policies, but the 4.0 scale is consistent across colleges.
Academic Standing and GPA Requirements
- Dean’s List: Minimum 3.75 GPA with at least 36 units graded.
- Graduation Honors:
- University Honors: 3.5+ GPA
- College Honors: Varies by school, often involves research or thesis