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Overview

Assessment in the UCD shall be graded according to University approved grade scales and procedures per Academic Regulations 4.15.

Component grades cumulatively contribute to module grades for students. Components, weightings and applicable grade scales are outlined in module Assessment Strategies ahead of the teaching trimester.

Overall/Final Module Grades

As mentioned above UCD uses a 21 point grade scale to calculate from component grades to an overall/final module grade.

Calculation Points

for aggregating component grades

Module Scale

for deriving module grades and grade points
Grade Calculation Point Lower Upper Grade Grade Point
A+ 20.5 ≥20 21 A+ 4.20
A 19.5 ≥19 <20 A 4.00
A- 18.5 ≥18 <19 A- 3.80
B+ 17.5 ≥17 <18 B+ 3.60
B 16.5 ≥16 <17 B 3.40
B- 15.5 ≥15 <16 B- 3.20
C+ 14.5 ≥14 <15 C+ 3.00
C 13.5 ≥13 <14 C 2.80
C- 12.5 ≥12 <13 C- 2.60
D+ 11.5 ≥11 <12 D+ 2.40
D 10.5 ≥10 <11 D 2.20
D- 9.5 ≥9 <10 D- 2.00
E+ 8.5 ≥6 <9 FM+ 0.00
E 7.5 ≥3 <6 FM 0.00
E- 6.5 ≥0 <3 FM- 0.00
F+ 5.5 0 0 NM 0.00
F 4.5 0 0 NM 0.00
F- 3.5 0 0 NM 0.00
G+ 2.5        
G 1.5        
G- 0.5        
NM 0.0        
ABS 0.0        
           
Pass/Fail Component
PX (Pass) 20.5        
FX (Fail) 0        

Calculation Example #1

Component  Grade Weighting Calculation Point Calculation Point x Weighting Module Grade
Assignment C 0.2 13.5 2.70  
Exam (In - person) B+ 0.5 17.5 8.75  
Participation in Learning Activities PX 0.3 20.5 6.15  
Final Module Grade     Total 17.60 B+

Calculation Example #2 - Including a Must-Pass component

Component  Must-Pass Component Grade Weighting Calculation Point Calculation Point x Weighting Module Grade
Assignment No A 0.5 19.5 9.75  
Practical Skills Assessment Yes E+ 0.5 8.5 4.25  
  Total 14 C+
Final Module Grade           FM

As outlined in the Academic Regulations 4.25, final aggregate result of student assessment should be returned as a single letter grade with the following scale used for module grades.

Module Grade Grade Point Description
A+ 4.2 Excellent
A

4.0

  
A- 3.8  
B+ 3.6 Very Good
B 3.4  
B- 3.2  
C+ 3.0 Good
C 2.8  
C- 2.6  
D+ 2.4 Acceptable
D 2.2  
D- 2.0  
FM+ 0.0 Fail
FM 0.0  
FM- 0.0  
NM 0.0 No grade - work submitted did not merit a grade.
ABS 0.0 The student submitted no work or was absent from the assessment.

Information on Resit/Repeat grades can be found on our Remediation webpage.

Where module outcomes cannot be assessed at this level of detail, the results may be returned as pass/fail or distinction/pass/fail. (Regulation 4.25)

Module Grade Grade Point Description
DS - Distinction Neutral Passed with Distinction
PX - Pass Neutral Passed
FX - Fail 0.0 Fail
NM 0.0 No grade - work submitted did not merit a grade
ABS 0.0 No work was submitted by the student or the student was absent from the assessment

Grade descriptors act as guidelines for students and academic staff. The UCD Module Grade Descriptors.(pdf) has been approved by the university to provide general guidance and should be adapted to the particular needs of the examiners and the relevant module assessment.

The Programme Examination Board may also approve the following module grades to signify particular circumstances or outcomes (Regulation 4.31).

Module Grade Grade Point Description
AU Neutral Audit, returned when a student audits a module.
IA Incomplete Incomplete Assessment (temporary)
IM Incomplete Incomplete Must Pass (temporary)
IH Incomplete Incomplete Hold (temporary)
IX Neutral Incomplete (extenuating circumstances)
WN Neutral Withdrawn.

For more detailed information see Academic Regulations 4.26 or Other Module Grades (pdf)

Sub component and Component grades

The grading and calculation of subcomponents are not included in the Academic Regulations and are, therefore, at the discretion of the Module Coordinator. My Module Grades does not support sub-component-to-component grade calculations.

The following options are available to help with aggregating subcomponents to component grades. 

The recommended facility for calculating marked sub-components into components lies within Brightspace. 

For support with Brightspace, please contact the UCD IT Helpdesk with your query through their (opens in a new window)IT Support Hub.

An Excel sheet to calculate sub-component to component grades based on the 21-point grade scale is also available:

The University uses two grade scales to determine a module component grade: a 21-point scale and a pass/fail assessment component.

Component Grade Description
A+ Excellent
A  
A-  
B_ Very Good
B  
B-  
C+ Good
C  
C-  
D+ Acceptable
D  
D-  
E+ Fail
E  
E-  
F+ Fail
F  
F-  
G+ Fail
G  
G-  
NM No grade - the work submitted by the student did not merit a grade.
ABS No work was submitted or the student was absent from the assessment
   
Pass/Fail Components
PX Pass
FX Fail

A Pass/Fail assessment component grade scale should be used when a component cannot be assessed at the level of detail required by a standard grade scale (see Academic Regulations 4.22).

See also:

The criteria for a Must-Pass Component are set out in Academic Regulations 4.24:

a) such a component will contribute at least:

- twenty percent to the overall grade for the module; or
- ten percent to the overall grade for the module in the context of a competency-based assessment required by a professional, statutory or regulatory body;


b) an in-module repeat opportunity to repeat this component shall be provided prior to confirmation of the grade by the School Modular Examination Committee; and


c) the use of must pass components and the approach to, and timing of, in-module repeats for those components, must be specified in the module descriptor. 

Before the School Modular Examination Committee confirms the grade, an in-module repeat opportunity to repeat this Must Pass component must be provided. 

An In-module Repeat of an Assessment Component may be offered where a student receives a provisional failing grade in a component before confirmation at the SMEC. An in-module repeat must be available for Must-Pass Components and specified in the module descriptor.

Where an In-module Repeat of an Assessment Component is passed the following scale should be applied by the Module Coordinator when entering the grade;

Grade Scale for Passed in-Module Repeat Assessment Components
Work Graded As: Grade to be awarded:
A+ B+
A B
A- B-
B+ C+
B C
B- C-
C+ D+
C D
C- D-
D+ D-
D D-
D- D-

If the student receives a failing grade for the In-module Repeat of an Assessment Component, the original failing grade for the component is retained.

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