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.