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Academic Recognition/Latin Honors

This policy (Academic Policy No. 2 - Operations, Ch. 4) established the criteria by which undergraduate students are recognized and awarded for their excellent academic performance at Nevada State University.

Definitions:

Cumulative GPA: GPA calculated for all credit-bearing, letter-graded courses taken at NS. 

Latin Honor: Levels of distinction with which an undergraduate academic degree may be earned: cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude

Dean's List

To be placed on the dean’s list for the school that offers their major or degree, students must meet these requirements:

  1. Be an undergraduate degree-seeking student
  2. Complete 6 or more letter-graded credits in a semester (not counting any non-creditbearing courses). Students who complete 6-11 credits will be noted as “part-time”
  3. Earn a semester GPA of 3.5 or higher.

A note is added to students’ transcripts indicating their status on the dean’s list. The lists are generated at the end of each semester after final grades are posted and retaken courses are processed. Lists are not recalculated based on grade changes or the removal of Incompletes.

President's List

To be placed on the President’s list, students must meet these requirements:

  1. Be an undergraduate degree-seeking student;
  2. Complete 6 or more letter-graded credits in a semester (not counting any non-creditbearing courses). Students who complete 6-11 credits will be noted as “part-time”
  3. Earn a semester GPA of 4.0.

A note is added to students’ transcripts indicating their status on the President’s list. The list is generated at the end of each semester after final grades are posted and retaken courses are processed. It is not recalculated based on grade changes or the removal of Incompletes.

Latin Honors

Undergraduates earn Latin honors or a Distinction designation when they graduate if:

  1. At least half of their required degree credits are letter graded (A-F);
  2. The student’s cumulative GPA, as calculated by the Office of the Registrar, places the student in the appropriate range within the school that houses their major:
    1. Summa cum laude: Top 5.00% of their graduating class
    2. Magna cum laude: Top 5.01% to 10.00% of their graduating class
    3. Cum laude: Top 10.01% to 20.00% of their graduating class
    4. Distinction: Cumulative GPA of 3.7 up to 10.0% of their graduating class.

Each fall and spring semester, the Office of the Registrar prepares a rank order of students graduating from each school; those students make up a “class” for the purposes of honors calculations. Cumulative GPAs are not rounded when calculating recognition or honors eligibility.

Students graduating with multiple majors have their Latin honors or Distinction eligibility calculated based on their first (primary) degree and receive a single designation, if eligible. Students graduating with multiple degrees have their eligibility calculated separately for each degree. Students returning for an additional degree after earning a previous baccalaureate degree are awarded Latin honors or Distinguished Scorpion status based on the same procedures outlined above.