University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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Graduation with Honors

Recognition for superior academic achievement is given by the University and by the colleges and departments.

University Honors

Continuous academic achievement is recognized by inscribing the student's name on a Bronze Tablet that hangs on a wall of the Main Library. To qualify, an undergraduate student must:

- Have at least a 3.5 (A = 4.0) cumulative grade point average for all work taken at the University through the academic term prior to graduation, and

- Rank, on the basis of his or her cumulative grade point average (including University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and transfer work, if any) through the academic term prior to graduation, in the top 3 percent of the students in his or her college graduating class.

Transfer students, in addition to meeting the general rules for qualification, must satisfy two additional requirements: they must have cumulative University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign grade point averages as high as the lowest ones listed for students in their colleges who qualify on the basis of having completed all of their work at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and they must earn 40 or more semester hours at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign through the academic term prior to graduation.

For the purpose of this award, college graduating class means all students receiving bachelor's degrees from the same University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign college between July 1 of each year and June 30 of the next.

For the purpose of this award, academic term prior to graduation means: for August graduates, the preceding spring semester; for October graduates, the preceding spring semester; for January graduates, the preceding summer session; for May graduates, the preceding fall semester. The list will be determined each year after grades for the fall semester are available. To be considered in the calculation of University Honors, all grade corrections must be recorded by the end of the eighth week of the spring semester.

College Honors

Each college prescribes the conditions under which degree candidates may be recommended for graduation with honors. These distinctions are noted on students' diplomas, permanent University records, and official transcripts of credits. Detailed information concerning the requirements for graduation with honors is included in the sections of this catalog applying to the individual colleges and departments.

PHI KAPPA PHI

The national honor society of Phi Kappa Phi recognizes and encourages superior scholarship in all academic disciplines. To be eligible, a junior (72 to 89 letter-graded hours) must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.75 and a scholastic rank in the upper 5 percent of the junior class; seniors (90 or more letter-graded hours) must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 and a scholastic rank in the upper 10 percent of the senior class.

Invitations to membership are mailed to all eligible juniors and seniors, and an initiation program is held near the end of each semester.

THE DEAN'S LIST

The names of undergraduates who have achieved grade point averages for a given semester in the top 20 percent of their college class will be included on a list prepared for the dean of the college. (In the College of Fine and Applied Arts, the names of eligible undergraduates who have achieved grade point averages for a given semester in the top 20 percent of all students in their curriculum will be listed.) This list is publicized within the University and is sent to news agencies throughout the state. Names of James Scholars are preceded by an ampersand (&).

To be eligible for Dean's List recognition, students must complete successfully 14 academic semester hours, of which at least 12 must be taken for letter grade (A, B, C, D, E, AB). Only grades in hand at the time the list is compiled will be considered in determining eligibility unless it can be established that the final grade average will be above the minimum required regardless of the grade eventually received; students with EX, DF, or missing grades will be added as soon as letter grades are received and eligibility can be determined. Credits earned during the semester through proficiency, CLEP, and advanced placement examinations may not be counted toward the 14-semester-hour requirement.

Individual colleges may modify the above criteria, and interested students should contact their college offices for further information.

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has different eligibility requirements, which are given in detail in the LAS Student Handbook.

 

Produced by the Computing and Communications Services Office (CCSO) and the Office of Publications and Marketing for the Office of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. The University of Illinois is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution. Cover photograph by Don Hamerman.