Grading scales
Assessment is given on basis of grading, either through a scale ranging from
A to F or on the basis of Passed/Not Passed. Grade A is the highest pass grade,
while Grade E is the lowest pass grade. The grading scale is based on the
following descriptions and general qualitative descriptions:
Passed/Not Passed is used where assessment is not required.
The Faculty is to provide descriptions of the assessment criteria that
are specific for each subject.
The grading scale adopted is given below:
|
Grade |
Description |
General,
qualitative description of valuation criteria |
|
A |
Excellent |
An excellent performance,
clearly outstanding. The candidate demonstrates excellent judgement and a
high degree of independent thinking. |
|
B |
Very good |
A very good performance.
The candidate demonstrates sound judgement and a very good degree of
independent thinking. |
|
C |
Good |
A good performance in most
areas. The candidate demonstrates a reasonable degree of judgement and
independent thinking in the most important areas. |
|
D |
Satisfactory |
A satisfactory
performance, but with significant shortcomings. The candidate demonstrates a
limited degree of judgement and independent thinking. |
|
E |
Sufficient |
A performance that meets
the minimum criteria, but no more. The candidate demonstrates a very limited
degree of judgement and independent thinking. |
|
F |
Fail |
A
performance that does not meet the minimum academic criteria. The
candidate demonstrates an absence of both judgement and independent thinking. |
Credit and weighting system
The Grade
Point Average (GPA) is determined by dividing the total of credits into total
grade points from the A, B, C, D, and E grades. The Grade Points are defined as
the points per credit assigned to a passing grade, indicating the numerical
value of the grade, where: A = 5, B = 4, C = 3, D = 2 and E = 1.
For
example, a student who gets grade "B" in a subject worth four
credits, and "A" in a subject worth three credits, a "C" in
a subject worth two credits, and "E" in a subject worth three credits
would have earned 40 grade points and have a calculated average of 3.3, which
is a GPA of "C". Both
transcripts and certificates issued by NTNU now only show the letter grade.
Degree programmes – engineering and architecture
For studies
in engineering and architecture, NTNU has two separate non-doctoral degrees, sivilingeniør (siv. ing.) and sivilarkitekt (siv. ark.). Both are 5-year programmes.1
Because of their length, intensity and associated thesis requirements, these
degrees closely correspond to Anglo-American degrees, such as Master of Science
(MSc/M.S.). In other words, there is no equivalent to Anglo-American
undergraduate degrees, such as Bachelor of Science (BSc/B.S.) in engineering or
architecture at NTNU. This means that students who have studied abroad and who
wish to apply to use the sivilingeniør title must
normally have at least a Master of Science degree.
When
engineering/architecture students from NTNU apply to universities abroad as an
exchange/visiting/non-degree/special student, a question often arises as to
what level these students should be admitted (graduate or undergraduate). Most
of NTNU's students taking engineering and
architecture choose to study abroad for a semester or a year in their 4th
year. Since the fourth year at NTNU is considered to be at graduate level,
students should apply as graduate students despite the fact that they do not
have a BSc/B.S. degree.
More
details about degree programmes at NTNU in English can be accessed from the
International Office's web pages, see www.ntnu.no/intersek/
1 For students admitted prior to the autumn semester 1997, the siv. ing.
degree programme has a duration of 4.5
years