Grade point average and award of honours and distinction

Find out more about classes of honours and what grade point average you need to be awarded first class honours, second class honours, merit or distinction for your degree.

Classes of honours and distinction for AUT postgraduate students

Honours (First Class)

Awarded to students who complete all coursework and the thesis/dissertation examination within the A grade range.

Students who achieve first class honours bring intellectual rigour, excellence and insight to their work and reliably and consistently demonstrate an excellent level of synthesis and critique in relation to a depth of specialist knowledge and its impact in the broad context of their discipline.

Honours (Second Class, First Division)

This will normally be awarded to students who complete all course work and the thesis/dissertation examination within a B+ grade.

Students who achieve second class honours, first division, demonstrate an insightful approach to the key issues and debates in their discipline. The work demonstrates a high level of understanding, synthesis, and critique of the issues and thinking.

Honours (Second Class, Second Division)

This will normally be awarded to students who complete all course work and the thesis/dissertation examination within a grade range of B to B-.

Students who achieve second class, second division honours demonstrate an insightful approach to the key issues and debates in their discipline. The work demonstrates good understanding, synthesis, and critique of the main issues and thinking.

Distinction

The degree will be awarded with distinction where overall achievement falls within the A grade range.

Merit

The degree will be awarded with merit where overall achievement is a B+ grade point average.