Weighted Average Mark
A Weighted Average Mark (WAM) is a calculation of all your relevant unit outcomes within a course.
What is a WAM?
While some institutions use a Grade Point Average (GPA) to provide an overall view of student's academic performance, Deakin uses a Weighted Average Mark (WAM). The WAM is weighted by taking into consideration the credit points of a unit and the result. Not all grades are used in the calculation of the WAM, relevant grades are listed below.
Please note your WAM will not appear on your academic transcript.
How to calculate a WAM
To calculate the WAM for your course, you will need the achievable credit points for your passed, failed and withdrawn failed units and the mark for each of those units. A withdrawn late isn't considered an 'achievable' credit point.
If a mark was not given for your unit/s, the default WAM mark (see table below) should be used. This is only applicable for PC, XN and WN grades. Only units with a grade listed in the table below are included in the calculation.
Only units studied at Deakin University will be included. Units completed at other institutions under a cross-institutional arrangement or for which credit towards a Deakin course has been granted are excluded from the WAM calculation.
The weighted average mark (WAM) for your course is calculated in three parts:
- Multiply the achievable credit points for a unit by the mark granted (overall mark for your unit), or the default WAM mark (see table below);
- Get a total of all the multiplications, and
- Divide this total by the sum of the achievable credit points for all your units that have contributed to the calculation of your WAM.
The following table lists all outcomes which are used to calculate a WAM.
The mark range for each grade and the default WAM mark for those grades without a mark are as follows:
| Grade | Grade Description | Mark Range | Default WAM Mark * |
|---|---|---|---|
| HD | High Distinction | 80-100 | N/A |
| D | Distinction | 70-79 | N/A |
| C | Credit | 60-69 | N/A |
| P | Pass | 50-59 | N/A |
| N | Fail | 0-49 | N/A |
| PC | Pass Conceded | N/A | 50 |
| XN | Not passed, not assessed | N/A | 0 |
| WN | Withdrawn - Fail | N/A | 0 |
* Default WAM Mark is only used where a student has a Grade without a Mark assigned and is only applicable for PC, XN and WN grades.
The following table lists unit outcomes/grades not used in the calculation of the WAM. Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) from your course is also not part of the calculation.
| Grade | Grade Description |
|---|---|
| WE | Withdrawn Early |
| WL | Withdrawn Late |
| EP | External Institution Pass (used for cross institutional units) |
| EN | External Institution Fail (used for cross institutional units) |
| UP | Ungraded Pass |
| UN | Ungraded Fail |
| WR | Withdrawn, debt remission (no academic penalty) |
| RI, RIA, RIE | Unfinalised results |
| RW | Result withheld |
| XA | Not to be assessed yet |
| RP | Result not applicable |
| SAA, SAE | Pending assessment |
The following table lists unit outcomes/grades no longer used in the calculation of the WAM.
| Grade | Grade Description |
|---|---|
| UPR* | Unsatisfactory Progress, discontinued from Trimester 1, 2017 |
| WRN* | Withdrawn, debit remission, with academic penalty, discontinued from Trimester 1, 2017 |
* Grade remains applicable for WAM calculation purposes for unit enrolments prior to Trimester 1, 2017