Honors Information

How are honors at graduation determined and how will I receive my honors cord?

Departmental Distinction

Departmental honors recognize undergraduate students who have exhibited an unusually high degree of excellence in their department or interdisciplinary major field. The faculty members of each department nominate senior students.

To be considered, students must have met minimum GPA qualifications and have achieved outstanding accomplishments in their majors. Factors included in the selection process are a minimum of 3.25 cumulative GPA and 3.5 major GPA as well as having completed 50% upper division units in the major at California Lutheran University. Honorees will be recognized at the Honors Day Convocation and at the Honors Banquet.

Graduation Honors

Graduation honors are awarded to baccalaureate candidates only according to the following grade point criteria:

• Cum Laude
  Minimum grade point average: 3.5
• Magna Cum Laude
  Minimum grade point average: 3.7
• Summa Cum Laude
  Minimum grade point average: 3.9

These grade point averages must apply to CLU as well as to cumulative credits. In addition, you must have completed at least 30 graded (ABCD) credits at CLU for the grade point calculation. Honors recognition is based on grade point averages and credits completed through the semester before Spring 2020.

You can check your eligibility for honors at the Senior Information Meeting. For those eligible, the honors regalia will be available at the meeting. PROS students will receive their regalia at the Professionals reception.

University, Departmental and Highest Honors

Students are selected for the honors program at admission and complete a year-long course during their freshman year. In addition, students completing the honors program have also completed other special small seminars on a wide range of topics. Students who complete the honors program with the capstone course will graduate "with University Honors".

In addition, students may also complete the departmental honors program in their senior year. Students who complete this program will graduate "with Departmental Honors". Students completing both parts of the honors program will graduate "with Highest Honors".