Degrees with Honors
Department Honors
Students whose grade point average at the end of the junior year is 3.00 or above in their major may petition the department concerned for permission to work for honors in their major.
Please consult the individual department listings, as the GPA required to petition may vary. Department distinction is awarded by each department or interdepartmental committee. The levels of distinction are "honors," "high honors" or "highest honors."
Latin Honors
The awards of cum laude and magna cum laude require a cumulative GPA of 3.500 and 3.700, respectively.
The award of summa cum laude requires a cumulative GPA of 3.800 and the award of distinction (department honors) in the major.
The university has a policy of depositing honors theses with the library and making them available to future students and scholars for research purposes.
Phi Beta Kappa
The university is host to a chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. Each year, a highly select group of seniors and an even more limited group of juniors are elected to this national honor society. An extremely high level of academic achievement is necessary. Membership in this society is by invitation only.