Students with high GPAs lucky

By LORRAINE JIMAL
DUE to limited space, only candidates with good marks can enter into University of Papua New Guinea’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS), executive dean professor Leo Marai says.
Marai, in explaining the school’s programme, said there were candidates who met the requirement, but were not selected because other students who were applying for the same programme had high grade point average (GPA) than them and already filled up the spaces.
He said the school offered a challenging learning and teaching environment that would enable students to think critically, logically, creatively and express themselves in a new creative way.
“Our graduates go out with a well-rounded education and find employment,” he said.
“They have been making positive contribution to the development of our beautiful country.
“If you wish to work in a challenging environment where you have to think critically and creatively then the school of humanities and social science can help you achieve that goal.”
Students were expected to attend all the lectures, tutorials or seminars and practical classes.
He said the school was the largest with over 60 full-time academic and support staff and over 1,000 students enrolled in its academic programme.
Marai said the school offered 14 courses under 10 strands of undergraduate degrees, higher degrees and diplomas.
The programmes included under bachelor of arts degree are – anthropology and sociology, creative arts, English communication, gender studies, history, information and communication science, journalism and public relations, linguistic and modern languages, literature, philosophy, political science, psychology and social work.
He said the student should complete grade 12 (matriculation) from a recognised institution both within and outside PNG, Pacific Islands or other expatriates and should possess a sound character to apply.
Marai said the GPA system was applied as the main guide in selections, but they considered other areas such as an applicant’s professional experience.
He said the GPA was the average numerical values of the final grades scored by each student in their matriculation year.
Based on that, a GPA (out of 4.0) is computed for each student using the following weighting for each letter grade: A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, F = 0.
An applicant should have passed English and minor mathematics (Maths B) with a “B” grade.
A “D” grade in English automatically disqualifies an applicant, regardless of the other grades he/she may have scored.