Academic honors

Dean's list
Full-time undergraduate students who demonstrate a high level of excellence in academic work have their names placed on the academic dean's list. The requirement for achieving the academic dean's list is a grade point average of 3.5 or above in the preceding semester with no fewer than 12 credit hours per semester included in the grade point average computation.

Graduation with honors
The record of each undergraduate candidate for graduation with a very high grade point average is carefully reviewed by the University Committee on Honors and Awards so that appropriate recognition and honor may be accorded each student who has achieved outstanding academic success throughout his or her undergraduate years. The tentative honor, announced at commencement and released to the newspapers, is figured without the grades from the student's last academic term. The final honor that is put on the permanent record and diploma is based on the student's entire academic record. Note that graduation with honors does not imply that the recipient has participated in the University Honors program. For further details about graduation with University honors, contact the University Honors Program.

In determining academic honors, total letter-graded credits (TLC) are credits for those courses that determine the student's grade point average. The GPA requirement will be higher than the minimum of 3.50, 3.75, or 3.90 for those students who have completed fewer than 110 TLC (or 55 TLC for associate degree candidates). See formula below.

More than 12 semester hours of "S/U" grades may increase the grade point average needed for graduation with honors. Courses taken under advanced placement, credit by exam, CLEP, etc. are considered "S/U" and do not count as letter-graded hours.

With distinction
With distinction signifies a high level of academic achievement in an associate degree program and graduation with praise. The honor requires a minimum of 28 TLC and a cumulative GPA at least as high as the larger of 3.5 and [4.5 - (TLC/55)].

With highest distinction
With highest distinction signifies the highest level of academic achievement in an associate degree program and graduation with great praise. This honor requires a minimum of 50 TLC and a cumulative GPA at least as high as the larger of 3.9 and [4.9 - (TLC/55)].

Cum laude
Cum laude signifies a high level of academic achievement in a baccalaureate degree program and graduation with praise. This honor requires a minimum of 55 TLC and a cumulative GPA at least as high as the larger of 3.5 and [4.5 - (TLC/110)].

Magna cum laude
Magna cum laude signifies a very high level of academic achievement in a baccalaureate degree program and graduation with great praise. This honor requires a minimum of 83 TLC and a cumulative GPA at least as high as the larger of 3.75 and [4.75 - (TLC/110)].

Summa cum laude
Summa cum laude signifies the highest level of academic achievement in a baccalaureate degree program and graduation with great praise. This honor requires a minimum of 99 TLC and a cumulative GPA at least as high as the larger of 3.9 and [4.9 - (TLC/110)].

Transfer credit
In the case of transfer credit, each record from the transfer institution(s) is studied and evaluated individually. In general, the following principles serve as guides:

1. A student entering the University with transferred credit must meet the cumulative grade point average standard for honors in all hours completed, transferred and otherwise. In addition, the grade point average of all work taken at Bowling Green State University must be of honors quality;
2. A student must have completed at least 30 hours in letter-graded courses at BGSU (15 hours in letter-graded courses for an associate degree candidate);
3. A candidate should be in residence at least one academic year (one academic term for an associate degree candidate) or 30 hours in consecutive summers (attending either the full summer session or both of the terms each summer) immediately preceding graduation. A student with written permission to participate in an approved combination curriculum in cooperation with a professional school or college of another institution is exempt from this requirement.

The Academic Honors Policy is to apply for students graduating fall semester 2010 and thereafter.

Graduation with University Honors
Graduation with University Honors is one of the highest honors awarded by the University. The requirements are:

1. A minimum 3.5 GPA overall, as well as a 3.4 or better in University Honors courses;
2. The completion of at least 23 semester hours of University Honors courses, including the Honors core sequence (HNRS 2010 and 2020) and the two-course Honors Project sequence (HNRS 4980 and 4990) for bachelor degrees (13 hours, Honors core sequence, and HNRS 2990 for associate degrees, BGSU Firelands only); and
3. At least a "B" in each course and no more than 10 of the 23 hours in any single University general education knowledge domain.

Graduation with Presidential Honors
Graduation with Presidential Honors is the highest honor awarded by the University. The requirements are:

1. A minimum 3.75 GPA overall, as well as a 3.5 or better in University Honors courses;
2. The completion of at least 27 semester hours of University Honors courses (including the four-course interdisciplinary sequence HNRS 3010, 3020, 3030, 3040) with at least a "B" in each course; and
3. The completion of the two-course Honors Project sequence (HNRS 4980 and 4990).