The University of Auckland
Board of Graduate Studies
Standards for the Award of Honours
The University has adopted a consistent standard across the University for the Award of
Honours in Bachelors (Honours), Postgraduate and Masters Degrees.
The standard is:
• First Class Honours: GPA of 7.0 or above
• Second Class Honours (first division): GPA of 5.5 – 6.9
• Second Class Honours (second division): GPA of 4.0 – 5.4
Distinction and Merit for Postgraduate Diplomas and other qualifications eligible for the
award of Distinction and Merit are to be awarded consistently across the University on the
basis of:
• Distinction: GPA of 7.0 or above
• Merit: GPA of 5.5 – 6.9
Rounding is permitted to one decimal place in determining the overall GPA of a
qualification (e.g. 5.46 may be rounded to 5.5; 5.75 may not be rounded to 6.0)
Departments and Schools should use either generic sets of descriptions to describe
grades awarded at the postgraduate level or develop descriptors which clearly indicate
what is expected to achieve a particular class of Honours, Distinction or Merit (Note:
Senate approved in March 2006 the development of such descriptors by all Schools and
Departments. Generic descriptors are set out in Appendix 1 of the University Policy on the
Assessment of Teaching and Learning).
These standards apply to students who enrol in postgraduate qualifications from 1
January 2007.