Course Grades
- Approval & Publication of Grades
- Viewing Grades
- Grade Table
- Review of Course Grades
- Course Repeat Rules
- Grade Point Averages
Approval & Publication of Grades
- Course grades are approved by Assessment Panels set up by the teaching academic unit.
- Approved grades will be sent to the Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies for updating of student academic records.
- No grade is official until it is published in a student's grade record in AIMS.
Viewing Grades
- To view your grades for each semester, go to AIMS > Student Record > My Academic Record > Grade Display.
- The date when you can start to view your course grades for each semester can be found under Key Dates in the Assessment section of this website.
- If you find that "In Progress" is still marked against any course(s) in your record, it means that grades for those courses have not yet been submitted by the Assessment Panel.
- Explanations of the terminology in the Grade Display:
Earned Hours Credits gained through successful completion of a course or credit transfer GPA Hours Credits contributing to the Grade Point Average calculation Points Grade points multiplied by the number of credit units for all courses GPA Grade Point Average Exclude/Include Course is excluded or included in the calculation of GPA/earned credits
Grade Table
Applicable to students admitted in Semester A 2024/25 & thereafter
| Grade | Grade Point |
Grade Definitions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ A A- |
4.3 4.0 3.7 |
Excellent | The qualifiers, such as "Excellent", "Good", "Marginal", etc., define student performance with respect to the achievement of course intended learning outcomes (CILOs). |
| B+ B B- |
3.3 3.0 2.7 |
Good | |
| C+ C C- |
2.3 2.0 1.7 |
Fair | |
| D | 1.0 | Marginal | |
| F | 0.0 | Failure | |
| P (Pass-fail course only) | Pass | ||
| Operational Grades | |||
| IP | In Progress | An IP grade is shown where students will register for the same course in the subsequent semester/term to complete the assessment of the course. | |
| I | Incomplete | A grade of incomplete may be granted (i) where there are extenuating circumstances that have prevented a student from completing required work, or attending the examination; (ii) at the discretion of the Assessment Panel. Where an "I" grade is assigned, the Assessment Panel may approve a schedule for the completion of work, or a supplementary examination. An alternative grade should be assigned no later than four weeks after the "I" grade is first reported or as soon as practicable thereafter. | |
| S | Dissertation Submitted |
In a dissertation-type course, an S grade is assigned by the Course Leader when a student's dissertation has been submitted for assessment. | |
| TR | Credit Transfer | Assigned when a student is granted transferred credit units for the course. | |
| Z | Exemption | Assigned when a student is exempted from the course. | |
| AU | Audit | An audited grade is assigned when an auditing student has completed the conditions established at registration as an auditor. No assessment is made or grade awarded for auditing. | |
| X | Late Drop | Assigned when a student is permitted to drop the course after the add/drop deadline. | |
| WD | Withdrawn | Assigned when a student has registered for the course in a semester/term and subsequently submitted a notification of withdrawal from the University. | |
Applicable to students admitted from Semester A 2022/23 to Summer Term 2024*
| Grade | Grade Point |
Grade Definitions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A+ A A- |
4.3 4.0 3.7 |
Excellent | The qualifiers, such as "Excellent", "Good", "Marginal", etc., define student performance with respect to the achievement of course intended learning outcomes (CILOs). |
| B+ B |
3.3 3.0 |
Good | |
| B- C+ C |
2.7 2.3 2.0 |
Marginal | |
| F | 0.0 | Failure | |
| P (Pass-fail course only) | Pass | ||
| Operational Grades | |||
| IP | In Progress | An IP grade is shown where students will register for the same course in the subsequent semester/term to complete the assessment of the course. | |
| I | Incomplete | A grade of incomplete may be granted (i) where there are extenuating circumstances that have prevented a student from completing required work, or attending the examination; (ii) at the discretion of the Assessment Panel. Where an "I" grade is assigned, the Assessment Panel may approve a schedule for the completion of work, or a supplementary examination. An alternative grade should be assigned no later than four weeks after the "I" grade is first reported or as soon as practicable thereafter. | |
| S | Dissertation Submitted |
In a dissertation-type course, an S grade is assigned by the Course Leader when a student's dissertation has been submitted for assessment. | |
| TR | Credit Transfer | Assigned when a student is granted transferred credit units for the course. | |
| Z | Exemption | Assigned when a student is exempted from the course. | |
| AU | Audit | An audited grade is assigned when an auditing student has completed the conditions established at registration as an auditor. No assessment is made or grade awarded for auditing. | |
| X | Late Drop | Assigned when a student is permitted to drop the course after the add/drop deadline. | |
| WD | Withdrawn | Assigned when a student has registered for the course in a semester/term and subsequently submitted a notification of withdrawal from the University. | |
* Except students in the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws programme, for whom the grade definitions applicable to students admitted before Semester A 2022/23, valid from 2017/18, will continue to be followed.
Applicable to students admitted before Semester A 2022/23
| Grade | Grade Point |
Grade Definitions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before 2017/18 | From 2017/18 | ||||
| A+ A A- |
4.3 4.0 3.7 |
Excellent | Strong evidence of original thinking; good organization, capacity to analyse and synthesize; superior grasp of subject matter; evidence of extensive knowledge base. | Excellent | The qualifiers, such as "Excellent", "Good", "Fair" etc., define student performance with respect to the achievement of course intended learning outcomes (CILOs). |
| B+ B B- |
3.3 3.0 2.7 |
Good | Evidence of grasp of subject, some evidence of critical capacity and analytic ability; reasonable understanding of issues; evidence of familiarity with literature. | Good | |
| C+ C C- |
2.3 2.0 1.7 |
Adequate | Student who is profiting from the university experience; understanding of the subject; ability to develop solutions to simple problems in the material. | Fair | |
| D | 1.0 | Marginal | Sufficient familiarity with the subject matter to enable the student to progress without repeating the course. | Marginal | |
| F | 0.0 | Failure | Little evidence of familiarity with the subject matter; weakness in critical and analytic skills; limited, or irrelevant use of literature. | Failure | |
| P (Pass-fail course only) | Pass | "Pass" in a pass-fail course. Courses to be graded on a pass-fail basis for a programme are specifically identified under the programme in the course catalogue. | Pass | ||
| Operational Grades | |||||
| IP | In Progress | An IP grade is shown where students will register for the same course in the subsequent semester/term to complete the assessment of the course. | |||
| I | Incomplete | A grade of incomplete may be granted (i) where there are extenuating circumstances that have prevented a student from completing required work, or attending the examination; (ii) at the discretion of the Assessment Panel. Where an "I" grade is assigned, the Assessment Panel may approve a schedule for the completion of work, or a supplementary examination. An alternative grade should be assigned no later than four weeks after the "I" grade is first reported or as soon as practicable thereafter. | |||
| S | Dissertation Submitted |
In a dissertation-type course, an S grade is assigned by the Course Leader when a student's dissertation has been submitted for assessment. | |||
| TR | Credit Transfer | Assigned when a student is granted transferred credit units for the course. | |||
| Z | Exemption | Assigned when a student is exempted from the course. | |||
| AU | Audit | An audited grade is assigned when an auditing student has completed the conditions established at registration as an auditor. No assessment is made or grade awarded for auditing. | |||
| X | Late Drop | Assigned when a student is permitted to drop the course after the add/drop deadline. | |||
| WD | Withdrawn | Assigned when a student has registered for the course in a semester/term and subsequently submitted a notification of withdrawal from the University. | |||
Notes on Credit Units & Operational Grades
Applicable to students admitted before Semester A 2022/23 and in Semester A 2024/25 & thereafter
- Unless otherwise specified, the minimum grade to progress without repeating the course is D. Failure to achieve the minimum grade is regarded as failing the course.
- Students assigned a grade of D or better, or a Pass grade in a pass-fail course, earn credit units for the course. Grades of F, IP, I, S, Z, AU, X and WD do not earn credit units.
- Grades of P, IP, I, S, TR, Z, AU, X and WD are not counted in the calculation of a student's Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). Grades of F are counted, unless the fail is recovered under Academic Regulations for Master's Degrees 12.5.
- Grades of P, IP, I, S, TR, Z, AU, X and WD are not counted in the calculation of a student's Semester Grade Point Average (SGPA).
Applicable to students admitted from Semester A 2022/23 to Summer Term 2024*
- Unless otherwise specified, the minimum grade to progress without repeating the course is C. Failure to achieve the minimum grade is regarded as failing the course.
- Students assigned a grade of C or better, or a Pass grade in a pass-fail course, earn credit units for the course. Grades of F, IP, I, S, Z, AU, X and WD do not earn credit units.
- Grades of P, IP, I, S, TR, Z, AU, X and WD are not counted in the calculation of a student's Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). Grades of F are counted, unless the fail is recovered under Academic Regulations for Master's Degrees 12.5.
- Grades of P, IP, I, S, TR, Z, AU, X and WD are not counted in the calculation of a student's Semester Grade Point Average (SGPA).
* Except students in the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws programme, for whom the notes applicable to students admitted before Semester A 2022/23 will continue to be followed.
Course Repeat Rules
Failures
- Subject to the course-offerings of the concerned academic unit, students who fail a required course in their study programme must repeat the course to retrieve the failure.
- Students may repeat a failed course twice. Failing a required course a third time may result in termination of studies.
- Failed dissertation-type courses cannot be repeated.
Course Retakes
- [Applicable to students admitted before Semester A 2022/23 and in Semester A 2024/25 & thereafter] Except for circumstances specified in Academic Regulations for Master's Degrees (AR) 6.8, 8.3, or unless otherwise specified, students may repeat a course, or an equivalent course, to recover a failure or to improve a course grade of C or below, subject to the concerned academic unit's course offering schedule and availability.
- [Applicable to students admitted from Semester A 2022/23 to Summer Term 2024] Except for circumstances specified in AR6.8, AR8.3, or unless otherwise specified, students may repeat a course, or an equivalent course, to recover a failure or to improve a course grade of B- or below, subject to the concerned academic unit's course offering schedule and availability.
- Only two repeat attempts may be permitted.
- Course grades for all attempts will appear on a student's academic transcript, but only the final grade earned will be included in the calculation of the student's grade point average.
- Course retakes are not applicable for dissertation-type courses.
Grade Point Averages
- Grade Point Averages are indicators of a student's academic performance.
- The Semester Grade Point Average (SGPA) is calculated for all courses taken in one semester/term, including failed courses, but excluding courses graded P, IP, I, S, TR, Z, AU, X and WD. It is weighted by the credit units for each course taken.
- The Cumulative GPA (CGPA) is calculated for all courses taken by a student during enrolment in a specific programme. It reflects a student's performance for all semesters/terms up to the latest semester/term of study. The computation is the same as the SGPA except that for course repeats, only the latest attempt is included in the CGPA calculation.
- Grade Point Averages are calculated up to two decimal digits with the third digit truncated.
- Both the SGPA and CGPA are shown on a student's transcript.