A Guide to U.S. Master's Degree Programs for International Students
Course Load and Grading Systems
"Course load" refers to the number of courses students take each
term. The normal course load for a graduate student is three or four courses,
which equals approximately nine to 12 credits per term. The U.S. Immigration
and Naturalization Service requires that international students take a course
load that is considered full-time by the institution.
Credit, course load, grading systems, and requirements vary between institutions. Make sure you are aware of the policies of an individual program and institution before you apply.
Grades
American universities employ a system of continual assessment and assign grades
for each course taken. Almost everything you do for a class will influence
your final grade. Examinations and tests, essays or written assignments, laboratory
reports, laboratory or studio work, class attendance, and class participation
may all be used to determine your final grade. This means it is essential
to keep up with the reading and course work and to attend classes on a regular
basis.
Passing grades are typically awarded on a scale of "A" through "D," and "F" indicates a failing grade for a course. An average grade of "B" is usually the minimum required for completion of a graduate degree program. Other grading systems may include a grade-point scale from 0 to 3, 4, or 5; pass/fail; high pass/low pass; or other variations.
The following is a general percentage/letter grade scale for classes taken at U.S. colleges:
100 – 90% = A
89 – 80% = B
79 – 70% = C
69 – 60% = D
59 – 50% = E
49 – 0% = F
What is a GPA?
Each student completes his or her degree with a grade point average (GPA).
A cumulative grade point average is the GPA for all courses taken throughout
the degree program. Most universities use a GPA scale of 4.0, but a few universities
use a scale of 5.0. To work out your GPA, take the numerical value assigned
to the letter grade you achieve for each course (typically 4 points for an
"A," 3 points for a "B," and so on), then multiply this
number by the number of credits each course is worth. Finally, add these numbers
together and divide by the total number of credits for all courses. For example:
Letter Grade |
Numerical Value |
Number of Credits |
Total |
A |
4.0 |
3 |
12 |
B |
3.0 |
3 |
9 |
C |
2.0 |
3 |
6 |
27 divided by 9 = 3.0 GPA
Most universities will also offer some sort of honors degree. To qualify for an honors degree, you must fulfill additional credits or write an honors thesis; precise details depend upon the university and/or academic department. There may be different levels of honors: summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude, in descending order of distinction.
