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100503

Academic Recognition, Dean's List and Latin Honors at Graduation

Type: Honors
Effective Date: 6/11/2012

Recognition by the University

Northern Arizona recognizes students with outstanding academic records in the following ways.

Dean's List

The Dean's List is awarded to undergraduate students each Fall and Spring term that have earned a grade point average of 3.5 or higher in at least 12 graded units.

Latin Honors

Baccalaureate Latin Honors are designated on commencement programs, diplomas, and transcripts to recognize outstanding academic achievement by graduating students in relation to their peers' achievement.

Baccalaureate Latin Honors are granted to undergraduate candidates who:

  • Successfully complete 30 or more units of credit earned from enrollment at Northern Arizona University; and
  • Have an exemplary grade point average (GPA) meeting the GPA thresholds set for the college owning the student’s primary plan for their degree.

Baccalaureate Honors designations that appear beside student names in commencement programs are provisional until all final grades are reported and the student’s degree is conferred.

Appropriate GPA thresholds are specific to each college as determined on a percentage basis (top 5%, 10%, and 20%). These GPA thresholds will be calculated using data from the preceding  five academic years. For colleges with fewer than 300 graduates, a weighted average of all college Latin Honors GPA thresholds will be used to determine the Latin Honors GPA threshold.

The calculated GPA thresholds for each college will be published on the Office of the Registrar’s website.

For each graduation period (i.e., Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter), Latin Honors are awarded based on these guidelines:

  • Summa Cum Laude will be awarded to candidates whose cumulative grade point averages meet or exceed the 5% threshold for their college.
    • Translated from the Latin, Summa Cum Laude means: "With Highest Praise" - and is pronounced: "soo muh koom loud deyh."
  • Magna Cum Laude will be awarded to candidates whose cumulative grade point averages meet or exceed the 10% threshold for their college (but not the 5% threshold).
    • Translated from the Latin, Magna Cum Laude means: "With Great Praise" - and is pronounced: "mag nuh koom loud deyh."
  • Cum Laude will be awarded to candidates whose cumulative grade point averages meet or exceed the 20% threshold for their college (but not the 10% threshold).
    • Translated from the Latin, Cum Laude means: "With Praise" - and is pronounced: "koom loud deyh."
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