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    • Grades, GPA, & Levels of Distinction

    Registration & Records

    Grades

    At the end of each term, your instructors assign grades for your classes. After your grades have been submitted and processed, they appear on your academic history in MyUTK and official transcript.

    Some common transcript symbols include:

    1. W— Course dropped after the add/drop period. Appears on your academic history and transcript.
    2. NR— Grade not reported by your instructor. Contact your instructor for more information.

    Final grades are posted once the grade entry period ends.

    Grade Submission Deadlines

    Knowing when final grades are due helps you understand when your academic history and transcript will reflect your term’s performance.

    1. The deadlines for grade submission vary by term.
    2. After final exams, instructors have a grade entry period during which they submit all final grades. Once this grade entry period closes, the Registrar’s Office adds the grades to your academic history and official transcript.
    3. For specific grade entry period timelines, review the Academic Calendar.

    Financial Holds

    UT will not issue transcripts, diplomas, or grades to any student with a financial hold. Once the hold is cleared, your grades will become viewable immediately.

    GPA

    Your grade point average (GPA) is a measure of your academic achievement at UT. Each term, both your semester and cumulative GPAs appear on your academic history in MyUTK and are used for academic planning. You must maintain a minimum GPA to avoid academic probation or dismissal. Some financial aid requires you to maintain a minimum GPA to retain funding.

    How GPA is Calculated

    Your GPA is calculated by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total number of credit hours attempted for all courses that count toward your GPA. The result is rounded to two decimal places.

    Not all grades are included in GPA calculations. Grades excluded include W, WP, WF, NR, P, S, NC, I, IW, IC, IS, SI, and grades transferred from another institution beginning with Fall 1985 or later. If an I (Incomplete) is not removed within one calendar year— or by the time you graduate— it converts to an F and counts as a failure in your GPA. This applies to both undergraduates and graduate students.

    GPA Calculator

    Levels of Distinction

    Undergraduates who meet certain GPA thresholds may graduate with Latin honors—cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude. These official honors appear on both your diploma and your transcript.

    GPA Thresholds by Catalog Year

    1. Catalog years 2022–2023 and later:
    2. Cum laude: GPA of 3.50–3.69
    3. Magna cum laude: GPA of 3.70–3.89
    4. Summa cum laude: GPA of 3.90–4.00
    5. Catalog years 2021–2022 and earlier:
    6. Cum laude: GPA of 3.50–3.64
    7. Magna cum laude: GPA of 3.65–3.79
    8. Summa cum laude: GPA of 3.80–4.00

    Honors are determined by your cumulative GPA at the end of the graduation semester (including any graduate coursework). Please note: The honors category listed in the Commencement program is unofficial. It is based on your cumulative GPA at the end of the term before your graduation term. As a result, the honors category in the program may differ from the official graduation honors that appear on your diploma and final transcript.