Student AffairsBelow is our grade conversion breakdown and legend that details our grading scale and how your grades will appear on your official transcript.
Effective January 7, 2014, a student's cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) will no longer appear on the Queen's University official transcript.
For a legend of grading scales prior to May 1, 2011, see the GPA Grading Scale History.
During the 2020 winter term, Queen’s University classes and exams were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The final weeks of in-person courses and final exams were replaced by alternate methods of delivery. Some students received final grades based on Pass/Fail grading rather than a letter or numeric grade.
Pass/Fail is an approved grading scale at Queen’s University and P/F grades are not factored into the calculation of the GPA.
Transcripts that include grading for the 2020 Winter term will bear the notation "Term disrupted by COVID-19: http://www.queensu.ca/registrar/transcripts/legends"
| Letter Grade | Grade Points | Percentage Conversion |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.3 | 90 - 100 |
| A | 4.0 | 85 - 89.9 |
| A - | 3.7 | 80 – 84.9 |
| B + | 3.3 | 77 – 79.9 |
| B | 3.0 | 73 – 76.9 |
| B - *Minimum passing grade in Graduate Studies |
2.7 | 70 – 72.9 |
| C + | 2.3 | 67 – 69.9 |
| C | 2.0 | 63 – 66.9 |
| C - * Minimum passing grade in Medicine, Nursing | 1.7 | 60 – 62.9 |
| D + | 1.3 | 57 – 59.9 |
| D | 1.0 | 53 – 56.9 |
| D - | 0.7 | 50 – 52.9 |
| F *Failure |
0.0 | 0 – 49.9 |
P: Pass; no grade assigned
FR: Failure with review, grade will be revised
CR: Credit
IN: ^ Incomplete
GD: Grade deferred
NG: Not graded; first term course of multi-term courses
AU: Audit
TR: Transfer credit, no grade assigned
DR: Course dropped
NW: Not written (Applicable prior to May 1, 2011 only; counts as failure)
^ Lapses to failure after one term (120 days)
+ First term of multi-term course denoted by 'A' in course number; second term denoted by 'B' in course number
Arts and Science Professional Internship Program: The Professional Internship Program is available to qualified students registered in any Plan in a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) or Bachelor of Science (Honours) program. The Professional Internship Program may be independent of the student’s major/minor program(s).
Effective May 1, 2013
| Letter Grade | Grade Points | Percentage Conversion | Descriptor |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.3 | 90 - 100 | Outstanding |
| A | 4.0 | 80 - 89 | Excellent |
| B | 3.0 | 70 - 79 | Very Good |
| C | 2.0 | 60 - 69 | Adequate |
| D | 1.0 | 50 - 59 | Marginal |
| F | 0.0 | 0 - 49 | Failure |
P: Pass; no grade assigned
Reserved for PRAC courses only or as approved by the Dean.
Continuing Teacher Education
Used only for determining grade points for marks prior to May 1, 2011.
| Letter Grade | Grade Points | Percentage Conversion |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 4.3 | 90 - 100 |
| A | 4.0 | 80 - 89.9 |
| B | 3.3 | 77 - 79.9 |
| F | 0.0 | 0 - 76.9 |
| Letter Grade | Grade Points | Descriptor |
|---|---|---|
| A | 4.0 | Exceptional |
| A- | 3.7 | Excellent |
| B+ | 3.3 | Very Good |
| B | 3.0 | Good |
| B- | 2.7 | Satisfactory |
| C+ | 2.3 | Fair |
| C | 2.0 | Adequate |
| D | 1.0 | Marginal |
| F | 0.0 | Failure |
P: Pass
GPA Grading Scale History
The following information listed reflects grading scales in use at Queen's University prior to May 1, 2011 (unless otherwise indicated).
To order an official transcript, check out our Transcript page.
Grading Scales For:
Arts and Science, Business, Kinesiology and Health Studies, Graduate Studies and Research, and Theological College.
A: 80 - 100%
B: 65 - 79%
C: 50 - 64%
F: 0 - 49%
PA: Pass
Pass mark: 50% **
** In the School of Graduate Studies, the Pass Mark in a primary course is 65%
Courses Numbered Under 100 (General courses)
A: 75- 100%
B: 62 - 74%
C: 50 - 61%
Pass mark: 50%
Courses Numbered 100 or Over (Honours Courses)
A: 75- 100%
B: 66 - 74%
C: 55 - 65%
D: 50 - 54%
Courses Numbered Under 10 (General Courses)
A: 75- 100%
B: 62 - 74%
C: 50 - 61%
Pass mark: 50
Courses Numbered 10 or Over (Honours Courses)
A: 75- 100%
B: 66 - 74%
C: 55 - 65%
D: 50 - 54%
Since September 1972
Full credit/half credit system such that 1.0 credit is approximately equal to 3 lecture hours per week per session and a 0.5 credit is approximately equal to 3 lecture hours per week per term. Normal full time course load for one session ranges from 4.0 to 6.0 credits.
Prior to September 1972
Course weighting was indicated as hours of lecture per week per session (a full course was normally 3.0, a half course was normally 1.5).
School of Medicine
Each department or course provides the student with a set of educational objectives at the beginning of the period of instruction together with a description of the evaluation techniques to be used and a criteria-related statement of honours/pass/fail levels. At the end of the period of instruction, a report on the student's standing in each course is made to the Medical School Office in the form of an honours/pass/fail designation together with a narrative description of his/her performance where appropriate.
As of September 2010
Evaluation is in the form of a pass/fail designation only. Honours designation no longer granted.
Faculty of Education
Grading for B.Ed. and D.Ed. programs
| Letter Grade | Grade Points | Percentage Conversion* |
|---|---|---|
| A | 4.0 | 80 - 89 |
| B | 3.0 | 70 - 79 |
| C | 2.0 | 60 - 69 |
| D | 1.0 | 50 - 59 |
| F | 0.0 | Below 50 |
P: Pass
* Used only for determining grade points for marks from to May 1, 2011 to April 30, 2013.
H: Honours
PA: Pass
PN: Pass - no honours available in this course
CR: Credit
IN: Incomplete
NW: Course not taken
N: No grade assigned
There are no numerical equivalents.
Grades were reported in one of three ways:
1. PA or FA (PA = 70, FA = 35)
2. Numeric 0 - 100 (Pass mark = 50%)
3. Letter Grades
- A+: 92%
- A: 87%
- A -: 82%
- B+: 77%
- B: 72%
- B-: 67%
- C+: 62%
- C: 57%
- C-: 52%
- E: 42%
- F: 27%
- I: Incomplete
Curriculum and Foundations courses (numbered EDUC 101 to EDUC 160 inclusive) were graded as follows
A: 80 - 100%
B: 65 - 79%
C: 50 - 64%
E: 35 - 49%
F: 0 - 34%
Pass Mark: 50%
Courses in Supporting or Related Studies (numbered EDUC 174 to EDUC 194 inclusive) and Professional Issues (EDUC 100) were graded PA or F.
Since 1978
Courses graded the same as the B.Ed. program
For 1973 to 1978
Grades were given in one of three ways:
1. PA or FA
2. A, B, C, E, F (letter grades equivalent to Arts and Science grading)
3. Numeric (0 - 100)
For 1972
PA or FA
Since 1979
Arts and Science weighting used.
Prior to September 1979
Credit-hour system.
Six (6) credit-hours, for example, implied that total in-campus learning time for that course is six hours per week.
Normal full-time program load for one session ranges from 30 to 33 hours.
Stephen J. R. Smith School of Engineering and Applied Science
As of September 1, 2007:
- Class of Degree: A full description regarding class of Degree can be found in the Applied Science Calendar
- Averages: A full description regarding average calculations can be found in the Applied Science Calendar
Principally a numeric grading system, but with some courses graded using the following non-numeric grades:
A: Excellent
B: Good
C: Satisfactory
NC: Not Complete
P: Pass
F: Fail
The pass mark is 50% in all courses, although prior to May 1990 it was possible to graduate with as many as three courses in the 40% to 49% range.
Division I: 75 - 100%
Division II: 62 - 74%
Division III: 50 - 61%
Pass Mark: 50%
From July 1997 to May 1, 2011
The unit weights are assigned as follows:
- 1 Accreditation Unit (AU) for each hour of lecture
- 0.5 AU for each hour of laboratory or tutorial
- E.G. a course with {(36-6-9) 51} offers 36 hours of lectures, 12 hours of laboratories and 18 hours of tutorials. The normal sessional load for full-time students ranges from 450 to 550 AU
From September 1968 to July 1997
Each course was assigned a unit weight associated with the number of lecture, tutorial, and laboratory hours per week per term in that course: Three units per lecture hour per week per term plus one unit per laboratory or tutorial hour per week per term. Sessional loads range normally from 100 to 130 units depending on the program.
Prior to September 1968
Course weighting was usually indicated as lecture hours per week per session. A normal full load was approximately 25 to 30 lecture/lab hours, depending on the program.
School of Nursing
A: 80 - 100%
B: 65 - 79%
C: 50 - 64%
F: 0 - 49%
From September 2001 to May 1, 2011
Normal full-time course load for one session ranges from 90-100 units.
From September 1981 to August 2001
Each course was assigned a unit weight associated with the number of hours of lecture, seminar, clinical laboratory and field work in the course. Sessional loads normally range from 99 to 126 units.
Prior to September 1981
Course weighting was the same as the Faculty of Arts and Science (full course/half course system).
School of Rehabilitation Therapy (Undergraduate)
A: 80 - 100%
B: 65 - 79%
C: 50 - 64%
F: 0 - 49%
Since September 1974
Note in all mandatory courses, whether conducted through the Faculty of Health Sciences, or another faculty, the pass mark is 60%.
Passing grades for elective courses taken outside the school - the passing mark is at the level as deemed by the appropriate faculty.
Prior to September 1974
The pass mark was 50%.
Since September 1972
Full course/half course system such that a full course (1.0) is approximately equal to 3 hours per week per term. Normal full-time load for one session ranges from approximately four to six full courses.
Prior to September 1972
Course weighting was indicated as hours of lecture per week per session (a full course was normally 3.0, a half course was normally 1.5).
Faculty of Law
Numerical equivalents not provided
A: Exceptional
A-: Excellent
B+: Very Good
B: Good
B-: Satisfactory
C+: Fair
C: Adequate
D: Marginal
H: Honours
PA: Pass
F: Fail
PN: Pass, no honours available for this course
Numerical equivalents not provided
A: Exceptional
A-: Excellent
B+: Very Good
B: Good
B-: Satisfactory
C+: Fair
C: Adequate
D: Marginal
PA: Pass
F: Fail
PN: Pass, no honours available for this course
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
D
PA
F
Numerical equivalents not provided. A grade of PA denotes a pass in a course graded only on a pass/fail basis. A grade of 'A' is "Excellent", a grade of 'B' is "good", and a grade of 'C' is "fair."
Note in all mandatory courses the pass mark is 60%.
Passing grades for elective courses taken outside the faculty - the passing mark is at the level as deemed by the appropriate faculty.
The pass mark was 50%
Since September 1997
Course weights are indicated as lecture hours per week per term. The "Term" column shows whether a course is a 1-term or a 2-term course. Normal full-time course load for one term is five courses. Normal full-time course load for one term ranges from a minimum of 14 credits to a maximum of 17 credits per term.
Prior to September 1997
Normal full-time course load for one term is five courses.
AE: Audit and Exam
AG: Aegrotat Grade
AU: Audit Only
CC: Correspondence course
CR: Credit
DR: Dropped (no academic penalty)
ED: Exam deferred
EX: Exempt
GD: Grade deferred
IN: Incomplete
IP: In progress
NC: Non-credit
NW: Not written
PR: Pre-registered
X: Exam only
***: In progress
F: Fall
W: Winter
FW: Fall and Winter
N: Spring
S: Summer
NS: Spring and Summer