Honors and Awards

There are two kinds of graduation honors: University Honors and Departmental Honors. For details, see the most recent Bulletin.

University Honors

There are three levels, most of which require the completion of the University Honors Program:

Cum Laude
GPA of 3.7, or 3.5 GPA and the University Honors Program
Magna Cum Laude
GPA of 3.7 and the University Honors Program
Summa Cum Laude
GPA of 3.9 and the University Honors Program

Department Honors

There are three levels:

Honors
GPA of 3.6 in the major (this is not awarded to students receiving their degree Cum Laude)
High Honors
GPA of 3.7 in the major plus either an approved thesis or a passed comprehensive exam
Highest Honors
GPA of 3.4 with 3.8 in the major plus an approved thesis and a passed comprehensive exam

If you are interested in attempting to earn graduation honors, be sure to discuss the matter with your advisor or the department head. Honors theses must go through a rigorous approval process that begins during the junior year.

Awards

Our department presents several awards every year:

Robert Whitesell Award
This is given to a sophomore and a junior in Mathematics, Computer Science, or Physics.
Kaj Nielsen Award for Excellence in Computer Science
This is given to a junior or senior majoring in computer science.
Outstanding Graduating Senior Award
This is given to one graduating student from our department.

The computer science and software engineering department also gives several partial scholarships to incoming freshmen through LAS scholarship day. The application deadline is December 1st each year. Ask your admissions counselor for details.