Montana State University (MSU) GPA Calculator

The Montana Board of Regents applies a common minimum-competency policy across all campuses in the system: a grade of C- or better is required to meet prerequisites for majors, minors, and certificate programs, and for all core requirements, as well as for all courses counted toward the 42 upper-division credits required for every degree. Courses passed with a grade of D+, D, or D- count only toward the overall 120-credit requirement.

The cumulative grade point average (GPA) is computed solely from credits earned at MSU-Bozeman, by dividing total grade points earned by total credits carried; credits and grade points for courses taken pass/fail are not included.

For repeated courses, only the most recent credits and grades count toward the cumulative GPA and toward graduation credit; all attempts remain on the transcript, with earlier attempts marked as excluded from the GPA calculation and the latest attempt marked as included.

A W (withdrawal) grade is non-punitive: it counts in credits attempted but does not contribute to earned credits or quality points toward the GPA.

Former undergraduates who return after an absence of two or more calendar years may petition, after completing twelve credits with a 2.0 GPA or better, for a one-time Fresh Start: the cumulative GPA is recalculated using only coursework completed after re-enrollment, though all credits earned still count toward graduation and the full academic record remains on the transcript.

Undergraduates who have attempted at least two semesters of MSU coursework (excluding summer) are placed on Academic Warning if their cumulative GPA drops below 2.0 at the end of a fall or spring semester. A student on Academic Warning or Suspended Reinstate status is placed on Academic Suspension if their cumulative GPA remains below 2.0 and their semester GPA is also below 2.0. Good Standing requires a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 (or new-student status), and the Academic Warning designation is removed once cumulative GPA returns to 2.0 or above.

Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 to graduate with a baccalaureate or associate degree; graduate students must achieve a 3.0 GPA to receive a graduate degree. A minimum of forty-two credits (first degree) or nine additional credits (second degree) must be earned in upper-division (300-level and above) courses, requiring a grade of C- or better per the Minimum Competency Requirements.

Undergraduates who pass twelve or more college-level credits with a semester GPA of 3.5 or better are placed on the Dean's List; those achieving a 4.0 GPA on twelve or more college-level credits are placed on the President's List.

Graduation with Honors requires a cumulative GPA between 3.25 and 3.69; Highest Honors requires a cumulative GPA of 3.70 or above, computed at the end of the graduating semester. Transfer students receiving their first baccalaureate degree must also complete a minimum of thirty credits at MSU, with those MSU credits alone meeting the 3.25 (honors) or 3.70 (highest honors) threshold.

Transfer students must earn at least thirty credits at MSU-Bozeman with a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA to receive a baccalaureate degree (fifteen credits for an associate degree), and twenty-three of the last thirty credits required for graduation must be MSU credits.

Credit toward graduation may also be earned through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or a departmental challenge exam or challenge portfolio. Successful CLEP performance is recorded as a P grade, which does not affect GPA; a passing challenge exam or challenge portfolio instead assigns a grade based on performance in the exam or portfolio itself. No more than thirty semester credits earned through correspondence, extension, or continuing education may count toward graduation.