Academic Honors

Requirements for Academic Honors

Honors Dean's List Distinction in the Major Cum Laude Magna Cum Laude Summa Cum Laude
G.P.A. 3.75 3.75 3.75 3.85 3.95
Thesis Paper/Project? No Yes No Yes* Yes

Dean's List

The Dean's List honors those undergraduate students who have achieved a quarterly grade point average (G.P.A.) of 3.75 or above while taking at least 15 credit hours.

Distinction in the Major

Distinction in the major requires a minimum G.P.A. of 3.75 in the student's major and thesis paper or culminating project.**

Cum Laude

Cum laude is awarded to a degree candidate who has completed at least 90 quarter hours at the University with a minimum G.P.A. of 3.75 in all course work taken at DU. For candidates with fewer than 90 quarter hours, cum laude is awarded if the student achieved a minimum G.P.A. of 3.75 overall and receives a recommendation from the major department.

Magna Cum Laude

Magna cum laude is awarded to a degree candidate who has:

  • Earned a minimum G.P.A. of 3.85 and completed a minimum of 90 quarter hours at the University,
  • Received a recommendation from the major department, and  
  • Completed a distinct magna cum laude thesis paper or culminating project.**

For candidates with fewer than 90 quarter hours, magna cum laude is awarded if the student achieved a minimum G.P.A. of 3.85 at the University, a minimum G.P.A. of 3.85 overall and receives a recommendation from the major department. 

*Candidates for this honor who entered the University Fall 2009 or later must complete a thesis/culminating project.

Summa Cum Laude Requirements

Summa cum laude is awarded to a degree candidate who has:

  • Earned a minimum G.P.A. of 3.95, and completed a minimum of 90 quarter hours at the University,
  • Received a recommendation from the major department, and  
  • Completed a distinct summa cum laude thesis paper or culminating project.** 

For candidates with fewer than 90 quarter hours, summa cum laude is awarded if the student achieved a minimum G.P.A. of 3.95 at the University, a minimum G.P.A. of 3.95 overall and receives a recommendation from the major department.

 **In lieu of a thesis paper or culminating project, students may apply their completed Community-Based Research (CBR) Certificate provided that students earned the minimum G.P.A. required above, and include an addendum describing the connection and application to their major. Students must submit their CBR research project and report with addendum to a faculty member in their major for approval. If CBR students produced a group project and report, then the appropriate individual sections and original work must be noted. Students should confer with their faculty adviser in their major for page length and additional requirements.