degree honors masters phd

• Search Search Please fill out this field.

Understanding Cum Laude Distinctions

• Deciding Which One to Award
• Criticisms of Cum Laude Awards

The Bottom Line

• Colleges & Universities

Magna Cum Laude vs. Summa Cum Laude: What's the Difference?

Erika Rasure is globally-recognized as a leading consumer economics subject matter expert, researcher, and educator. She is a financial therapist and transformational coach, with a special interest in helping women learn how to invest.

Magna Cum Laude vs. Summa Cum Laude: An Overview

Collectively known as Latin honors, summa cum laude, magna cum laude, or cum laude signify varying levels of high academic achievement. Summa cum laude is the prize granted to top performers, awarded to a small fraction of college graduates each year. Magna cum laude comes next in prestige, followed by cum laude .

Key Takeaways

• Magna cum laude and summa cum laude are distinctions awarded to high-achieving students at colleges.
• Magna cum laude is for students who have graduated "with great distinction."
• Summa cum laude is for students who have graduated "with the highest distinction."
• There is no universal standard about GPA or other metrics for granting the honors, rather, it is up to each individual school or university,
• In some cases, individual departments may determine what constitutes the award.

Magna Cum Laude

What is cum laude.

"Cum laude" is a Latin term that translates to "with praise" or "with honor" in English. In academic contexts, particularly in higher education, it is used to denote a level of academic achievement. Generally, it signifies that the student's academic performance ranks above average within their graduating class but may not necessarily be at the very top.

What Is Magna Cum Laude?

For college graduates who haven’t managed to squeeze in a Latin course or don’t have a Latin-English dictionary handy, magna cum laude is often loosely translated as "with great distinction." It stands above cum laude, which means "with distinction." It might be handed out to a student who has earned high grades or some other mark of academic achievement, but not the highest possible.

What Is Summa Cum Laude?

Like summiting a mountain, the student who has achieved summa cum laude has achieved "the highest distinction." This student has earned grades within the highest percentage of their school or department or has achieved some other metric that the school considers worthy of the highest recognition. The Latin word “laude” can also be translated as “honor” or “praise,” as in the English word “laudatory.”

How Do Colleges Decide Which Distinction to Award?

There is no national standard for what it takes to qualify for these honors. Colleges and universities are free to set their own criteria.

At the University of Pennsylvania, for example, students need a grade point average (GPA) of 3.8 or higher to graduate summa cum laude, 3.6 for magna cum laude, and 3.4 for cum laude. Ohio State University’s College of Arts and Sciences sets the bars at 3.9, 3.7, and 3.5, respectively.

Even the individual colleges or schools within a particular university sometimes have different requirements. For example, at the University of Michigan’s College of Engineering, graduates must have a GPA of at least 3.75 to qualify for summa cum laude, while Michigan’s Law School graduate needs a 4.0 to qualify for the same honor.  

Rather than using GPA, some colleges award Latin honors based on a student’s class rank. For example, New York University confers summa cum laude honors on the top 5% of its undergraduate class, magna cum laude on the next 10%, and cum laude on the next 15%, meaning that 30% of its graduates receive one of the three honors. At Northwestern University’s Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences, summa cum laude goes to graduates in the top 5%, magna cum laude to the next 8%, and cum laude to the next 12%, for a total of 25%.

In addition to the numerical requirements, some colleges have other criteria, such as faculty recommendations or a requirement that students complete a certain number of advanced courses and/or write an honors thesis.

At many schools, academic or disciplinary infractions will disqualify students from receiving Latin honors, no matter how good their grades are.

As a result of all of these factors, colleges and universities can vary widely in how many such honors they bestow on their graduates each year and how difficult or easy it is to obtain them. Some schools, such as Stanford University, don’t offer Latin honors at all. Most do, however, have an alternative system, so that stellar students don’t go unrecognized. Stanford, for example, awards a Bachelor’s Degree with Distinction to the top 15% of its graduating class based on their GPAs.

Most colleges that offer Latin (or other) honors post information about their criteria on their websites, frequently in a section devoted to graduation or commencement policies.

What Are the Criticisms of Cum Laude Awards?

While Latin honors can look good on a diploma, college transcript, or résumé, do they make any difference in real life? Two researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Pauline Khoo and Ben Ost, attempted to answer that question in a 2018 paper titled “The Effects of Graduating With Honors on Earnings.”

“We find that obtaining honors provides an economic return in the labor market, but this benefit only persists for two years,” they wrote. “By the third year after college, we see no effect of having received honors on wages, suggesting that firms may use the signal for new graduates, but they do not rely on the signal for determining the pay of more experienced workers.” They also found that the economic benefit applied only to students who had graduated from selective schools.

Critics of Latin honors are less concerned with their potential post-graduation benefits than the unintended effect they may have on students while they’re still in school. A 2011 editorial in Harvard University’s student newspaper, the Crimson , called for their abolition at the school.

“By rewarding students who achieve a minimum GPA across classes, the Latin honors system does more to discourage academic achievement than to encourage it. It encourages students to view classes outside of their concentration as a means to an end, the end being the highest possible grade, rather than an opportunity for intellectual exploration.”

Harvard, however, appears to have been unmoved by that argument and continues to award Latin honors as of this writing.

What Is the Difference Between Magna Cum Laude and Summa Cum Laude?

Summa cum laude is the top Latin distinction awarded, while magna is the second highest distinction. Both awards rank higher than cum laude.

What Is the Highest Cum Laude?

The highest academic distinction is summa cum laude, followed by magna cum laude and cum laude. 

When Did Latin Honors Originate?

In the U.S. the Latin honors system can be traced back to 1869 at Harvard University. Only a few other countries, such as Indonesia, Israel, and Canada also use this academic award system. 

The U.K., on the other hand, uses a system in English instead, with just a handful of academic establishments using the Latin terminology. 

How Common Are Latin Honors?

In some colleges, almost half of students are awarded either summa cum laude, magna cum laude, or cum laude. In others, there are more students that are awarded latin honors than those who are not.

In fact, over the last two decades roughly 42%–48% of students at Princeton have been awarded one of these distinctions. At Harvard, they made the decision to cap these numbers after 91% of students graduated with honors in 2002.  

What GPA Do You Need for Magna cum Laude or Summa cum Laude?

The GPA standards will depend on the granting institution. Some use an absolute GPA threshold (for example above 3.5 or 3.7), while others take a segment of the best students (such as the top 5% of all students, ranked by GPA). Other criteria, in addition to raw GPA, may be considered as well.

For instance, to be awarded summa cum laude at the University of Pennsylvania, students must have a 3.8 GPA or higher. By contrast, Michigan’s Law School requires a GPA of 4.0. Harvard takes the top 4-5% of its student body as summa cum laude.

The main difference between magna cum laude and summa cum laude lies in the level of academic achievement they represent. Magna cum laude signifies high praise or honor, typically awarded to students with consistently outstanding academic performance, while summa cum laude denotes the highest praise or honor, reserved for students who have achieved the utmost excellence in their academic endeavors.

University of Pennsylvania. " Graduation (Latin) Honors ."

Ohio State University. " Graduation & Research Distinction ."

University of Michigan. " Academic Attire ."

University of Michigan. " Information About J.D. Degree With Honors at Michigan Law School ," Page 1.

New York University. " Graduation Honors ."

Northwestern. " College Honors ."

Stanford University. " Senior Capstones, Honors, and Synthesis Projects ."

Stanford University. " Undergraduate Honors ."

University Library UIC. " Three Essays on Higher Education ."

The Harvard Crimson. " Down With Latin Honors ."

Princeton Alumni Weekly. " Latin Honors: How Common? "

• Terms of Service
• Editorial Policy
• Privacy Policy
• Your Privacy Choices

• Main Menu -->

engage-menu

Main-jindal-menu, graduate degree with academic honors.

Academic Distinction for Graduate Students

Every student earning a graduate degree* from the Jindal School of Management at UT Dallas is considered for graduate academic honors. This consideration is based on the grade-point average (GPA) of all courses taken to fulfill the requirements of each graduate degree (earned up until but not including the semester of graduation).

Students earning an academic honor are encouraged to reference the honor on their resume or curriculum vitae as well as on LinkedIn.

Also JSOM honorees are entitled wear the designated regalia cord representing their honor at commencement.

JSOM honor certificates will be digital and sent to your UTD email address from the JSOM Graduate Programs Office. JSOM Honor award will be sent to those who have met the criteria and who have applied for graduation by the Priority Graduation Application deadline as noted on the academic calendar in your final semester.

Designated regalia cords are available for purchase at the UT Dallas University Bookstore following notification from JSOM Graduate Programs office. It is the responsibility of the student to purchase the honor cord and wear it to graduation ceremonies. Please note: there will be no cord color change allowed, no exceptions.

*Degreed Programs only; Certificate Programs are not eligible for JSOM Graduate Honors

**All GPA’s are verified via degree audit for current academic program that you are graduating.

For questions regarding JSOM Graduate Degree with Academic Honors, please email the JSOM Graduate Programs Office.

Back to Top

• Student Support
• StudentInfo

Graduate Studies

Graduate student honors and awards.

The traditional undergraduate "honors" awards (cum laude, magna cum laude and summa cum laude) are not available for graduate students.  However, to recognize exceptional performance on specific examinations, “Passed with Distinction” may be awarded and the notation included on graduate student transcripts.  The examinations for which this designation is allowed are: 

• Master’s examination
• Final exam for the master’s thesis
• Doctoral comprehensive examination
• MFA comprehensive examination
• Final examination for the doctoral dissertation

This recognition is determined at the time of the examination through agreement of the examining committee members, with final approval given by the chair of the graduate unit.  The examining committee will consider any oral, written and/or exhibition work related to the examination when deciding whether or not the examination should be noted as having been “Passed with Distinction.”  Individual graduate units may choose to establish additional criteria for this award.

NOTE:  Only examinations completed Fall 2001 or later are eligible to be considered for this designation.

Honor Cords

The University for has designated a two-color cherry and silver honor cord for Master and doctoral candidates graduating with “Passed with Distinction.”  The cords may be purchased at the UNM Bookstore.

© The University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM 87131, (505) 277-0111 New Mexico's Flagship University

• UNM on Facebook
• UNM on Instagram
• UNM on Twitter
• UNM on YouTube

more at social.unm.edu

• Accessibility
• Contact UNM
• Consumer Information
• New Mexico Higher Education Dashboard

Calculate for all schools

Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, what does it mean to graduate with honors, and how is it different from cum laude.

I've heard about graduating with honors and being recognized as cum laude, but I'm not entirely sure what these titles entail. Are they the same thing or are there different levels of achievement associated with them? Also, what criteria do students typically need to meet to earn these distinctions? I'm looking to make a plan to achieve this recognition, but I first want to make sure I understand what it takes.

Graduating with honors and graduating cum laude are both forms of academic distinctions awarded to students who have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement during their time in school.

However, they are not precisely the same thing. "Graduating with honors" is a general term used to acknowledge superior academic performance. The exact requirements for graduating with honors vary by institution, but typically this distinction is granted to students who maintain a high GPA, often in the top percentage of their class, throughout their course of study.

"Cum laude," on the other hand, is a specific tier within the honors distinction. It's Latin for "with honors." There are typically three tiers of honors that are often granted at graduation: cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude. Each tier represents a higher level of academic achievement.

1. Cum laude: This is the first level of graduation honors, typically given to students with a GPA within the top 15-20% of their class, but this can greatly depend on institutional policies.

2. Magna cum laude: The second level of honors, typically awarded to graduates with a GPA within the top 5-10%.

3. Summa cum laude: The highest honor, often awarded to students within the top 1-5% of their class.

Again, the actual GPA required for these honors can vary by institution, and some schools may not rank students at all.

To achieve these distinctions, it helps to focus consistently on your academic performance from the beginning of your studies, rather than trying to play "catch up" in later semesters. It could also be helpful to seek additional academic opportunities, such as honors classes or independent studies, that could further demonstrate your commitment to high academic achievement. Discuss your goals with academic counselors or advisers who can guide you through your institution's specific requirements for graduation with honors.

I hope this clarifies the differences between these terms and gives you a better sense of what it takes to graduate with such recognition.

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

What is Summa and Magna as it relates to Honors?

These are terms given to college graduates who achieve high grade point averages.  In other words, they indicate that the student receiving this distinction has been extremely successful in their academic program. Most often, you will see "summa" and "magna" connected to the Latin words, "cum laude" meaning "with honor."  Here is how these terms are ranked:

Cum laude = with honor

Magna cum laude = "with great honor"

Summa cum laude = "with highest honor"

There are probably variations between institutions as to what a student's GPA must be to achieve these academic distinctions.

Per the Rasmussen University Course Catalog as of 8/18/2022:

Academic Honors :

Each quarter, Rasmussen University recognizes outstanding academic achievement by awarding certificates of achievement. Enrolled, degree-seeking students who earn a quarterly grade point average of 3.25-3.749 will receive an Honor Roll certificate. Enrolled degree-seeking students who earn a quarterly grade point average of 3.75-4.00 will receive a Dean's List certificate.

Graduation Honors:

Rasmussen University recognizes outstanding academic achievement by awarding honors to graduates who meet minimum qualifications. Graduation honors will be noted on the diploma and transcripts of students, and they will receive gold cords for the graduation ceremony as a symbol of their achievement. 

Certificate, Diploma, and Associates Degree Honors

Students who complete all graduation requirements and earn a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher will graduate with honors

Bachelor's Degree Honors

Students who complete all graduation requirements and achieve a cumulative grade point of 3.50 or higher will graduate with one of the following honors:

• Cum Laude  Bachelor's students who earn a cumulative grade point average of 3.50-3.669
• Magna Cum Laude  Bachelor's students who earn a cumulative grade point average of 3.67-3.749
• Summa Cum Laude Bachelor's students who earn a cumulative grade point average of 3.75-4.00

Master's and Doctoral Degree Honors

Students who complete all graduation requirements and meet the following requirements will graduate "with distinction":

• GPA requirement 3.85 or higher for courses completed at the graduate level (5000 or above)
• General Education & Other
• Last Updated Aug 18, 2022
• Views 68426
• Answered By Suzanne Schriefer, Librarian

FAQ Actions

• Share on Facebook

Hello! We're here to help! Please log in to ask your question.

Need an answer now? Search our FAQs !

How can I find my course textbook?

You can expect a prompt response, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM-4:00 PM Central Time (by the next business day on weekends and *holidays).

Questions may be answered by a Librarian, Learning Services Coordinator, Instructor, or Tutor. 

*Veteran's Day -Monday, November 11

Questions submitted after 4:00PM Central on Friday, November 8 will receive responses on the next business day (Tuesday, November 12).