Northern State University (NSU) GPA Calculator

Only courses in which an A, B, C, D, or F grade is assigned count toward the GPA. Grades of S, U, I, W, WD, WW, AU, IP, CR, TR, EX, NG, NR, and the remedial RI/RS/RU grades do not calculate into any GPA. No plus or minus grades are used.

Northern calculates four GPAs each term (Fall, Spring, Summer):

• Institutional GPA — credits earned at Northern State University; used for degree and Latin-honors requirements.
• System Term GPA — credits earned at any of the six South Dakota Regental universities in a given term; used for minimum progression status.
• Transfer GPA — credits officially transferred from an accredited institution outside the Regental system.
• Cumulative GPA — all credits earned (transfer plus system); used for progression and Latin-honors requirements.

If a course is repeated, only the most recent grade computes into the GPA, though all attempts remain on the transcript; most undergraduate courses allow at most three attempts.

Minimum progression standards (Board of Regents Policy 2.8.1) require a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0, regardless of credit hours earned:

A student is placed on academic probation when cumulative GPA falls below this standard at the end of a fall or spring term. A student already on probation is moved to academic suspension — for a minimum of two academic terms — if their term GPA also fails to meet the standard; only suspension (not probation) appears on the official transcript.

A bachelor's degree requires at least 120 semester hours (60 for an associate degree), with cumulative, institutional, and major GPAs of at least 2.00 — some majors set a higher minimum, e.g. 2.50 for BA English/History and BS Biochemistry, 2.70 for BSEd/BME programs. A minimum of 36 upper-division (300-level or above) credit hours is required for a bachelor's degree.

At least 30 semester hours of institutional (Northern-earned) credit are required for a bachelor's degree (15 for an associate degree), including 15 of the student's last 30 hours (8 of the last 15 for an associate degree). Students must have at least a 1.95 GPA at the time they apply for graduation.

Graduation honors are based on cumulative and institutional GPA, for students completing at least 60 semester hours in residence (30 for an associate degree):

Each term, full-time undergraduates with a 3.50–3.99 term GPA make the Dean's List, and those with a 4.0 make the President's List (minimum 12 non-remedial credits; any F, U, RU, RI, or I grade disqualifies that term). Part-time students with a 3.50+ term GPA on 3–11 graded credits (after 12 prior credit hours) receive Academic Recognition.

The Honors Program's "In Honoribus" distinction requires a cumulative and institutional GPA of 3.5 or higher, 18 credits of Honors coursework, and a minimum grade of C in Honors coursework (B or higher for the capstone research/thesis and contracted courses).

Transfer GPA is based on credits officially transferred from an accredited college or university outside the South Dakota Regental system. A letter grade that would normally count toward the GPA for non-course credit (e.g. credit earned by examination) is included in the Transfer GPA.

Students who wish to appeal a transfer-credit decision meet with their academic advisor, then submit a "Request for Change in Transfer Equivalent" form with supporting documentation (such as a course syllabus) to the department offering the equivalent course; the department chair may approve the request as a one-time or standing change, or deny it.