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Graduating with Honors

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Honors Graduation

Graduating with Honors from the University of Oklahoma

The University of Oklahoma Honors College has established unique requirements for graduating with Honors. Both the final transcript and the diploma carry the designation of either cum Laude, Magna cum Laude, or Summa cum Laude. Degree candidates graduating with Honors wear a crimson satin hood with their cap and gown during the commencement ceremony, and their designations will be listed in the commencement program.

The Honors College Office communicates directly with the Registrar's Office to determine which students earn the degree designation.

Graduating with Honors requires:

  • HON 2973, Perspectives on the American experience, 3 hours
  • HON 3993, Colloquium, 3 hours
  • Honors Research: All students MUST take 3 hours of HON 3980 (Research).  Research does not count for honors elective credit. 
  • at least 9 hours of Honors elective credit which can include Honors-designated courses, HON 3960 (Honors Reading), study abroad programs sponsored by OU, and OSLEP, Feaver-MacMinn, Puterbaugh or Neustadt seminars***
  • C or higher in all HON classes

    ALSO

    > filing an Honors thesis (the end result of the Honors Research project or other thesis-worthy work) with the Honors Office. 

    > both an OU Retention GPA and a Combined Retention GPA of 
  • 3.40-3.59 for cum laude 
  • 3.60-3.79 for magna cum laude 
  • 3.80-4.00 for summa cum laude


No student subject to disciplinary sanctions for academic misconduct at the University will be graduated cum laude.

*** Students majoring in biology are required to take 3 credits of 3960 and 4 credits of 3980.