Students with a record of exceptional achievement are recognized by a school honors designation upon graduation. The graduation honors listed below are noted on the eligible graduate's record and diploma.
Other honors and awards may be bestowed by the university or individual schools upon graduation, but they are not posted on the graduate's record or diploma. Please consult the school bulletin for description of such honors.
The criteria to determine graduation honors for posting on the record and diploma vary from school to school as explained below. (Not all schools award graduation honors.)
Latin Honors
The criteria for Latin Honors is being modified beginning the 2008-2009 academic year. May 2008 and prior Baccalaureate degree recipients are awarded Latin Honors based on the current criteria. September 2008 and later graduates will be awarded based on the new criteria.
- Latin Honors policy for May 2008 and prior graduates
- Latin Honors policy for September 2008 and future graduates
Departmental Honors
College of Arts and Science
Departmental honors candidates are nominated by the department. The Office of the University Registrar sends an inquiry form memorandum to each department every graduation cycle.
Nominated candidates with a catalogue year of Spring 2006 and later must meet the following criteria to be awarded the departmental honors:
| Cumulative GPA minimum | 3.65 |
| Major GPA minimum | 3.65 |
All courses taken from the major course listing are used to compute the honors major average.
Some departments require the completion of a special studies track, the completion of course honor sections and/or the submission of an honor thesis. They may also have more stringent GPA requirements than the minimums listed above. Refer to specific departmental honors requirements in the school bulletin.
See the individual department for further information.
Leonard N. Stern School of Business - Undergraduate
Departmental honors candidates are nominated by the department. The Office of the University Registrar sends an inquiry form memorandum to the following departments offering departmental honors every graduation cycle: Economics, Information Systems and Statistics and Operations Research, and Actuarial Science.
Nominated candidates must meet the following criteria to be awarded the departmental honors.
| Cumulative GPA minimum | 3.000 |
| Major GPA minimum | 3.500 |
Some departments require the completion of a special studies track, the completion of course honor sections and/or the submission of an honor thesis. They may also have more stringent GPA requirements than the minimums listed above. Refer to specific departmental honors requirements in the school bulletin.
School of Continuing and Professional Studies - Undergraduate
Only the Bachelor of Arts degree program offers a departmental honors program. Students may qualify by meeting the following criteria:
| Cumulative GPA minimum | 3.3 |
| Courses | HONORS I (4pts.) and HONORS II (6 pts.) with B+ or better |
| Honors Thesis | in HUMANITIES or SOCIAL SCIENCE |
Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development - Undergraduate
Effective Fall 2005 and later, the Department of Culture and Communication awards departmental honors to Communications Studies majors, who satisfy the following criteria:
| Grade of A in: | E59.1210 |
| Grade of A in: | E59.1000 |
| Minimum Cumulative GPA: | 3.6 |
Tisch School of the Arts-Undergraduate
Baccalaureate recipients, who have completed at least 60 points of computable grades and who meet the following criteria are awarded departmental honors:
| Department of Film and TV | 3.65 cumulative GPA |
| Theatre Program | Top 10% of graduating class |
| All Other Departments | 3.5 cumulative GPA |
The following undergraduate schools do not award departmental honors:
- Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
- Gallatin School of Individualized Study
- Silver School of Social Work
Honors for School of Continuing and Professional Studies - Graduate
The school awards the Master of Science degree "with distinction" to outstanding graduate students who place in the top 10% of their graduating class and who have a minimum grade point average of 3.800.