What are the various forms of academic honors for undergraduates?
Latin honors are conferred at commencement to students who have met certain criteria and have been voted the honor by the faculty. Latin honors include summa cum laude (degree conferred with highest distinction), magna cum laude (degree conferred with distinction), and cum laude (honorable mention). These honors go to undergraduates with outstanding academic records who have been deemed by the faculty as having a superior quality of mind. The minimum criteria for each level of honors are spelled out in the Bulletin. Some departments within the schools have additional requirements for highest honors. Students who write an honors thesis may receive thesis honors. Upon the oral defense of the thesis, the student’s thesis committee will determine whether the work deserves highest thesis honors, high thesis honors, thesis honors, or no thesis honors. A grade for the thesis is also assigned and will appear on the transcript. Students may be recognized with both thesis honors and Latin honors
