Graduation in Honors

All students who successfully complete the Honors Scholars, Subject-Area Honors or Senior Honors Project program graduate with distinction.  They are listed individually in the commencement program along with the title of their project and the name of their project adviser.

Honors Scholars who successfully complete the program also receive a special Honors Scholars Award and are designated Honors Scholar on their transcripts and diplomas, in recognition of their distinguished four-year program of excellence. 

Subject-Area Honors students who successfully complete the program also receive a special Subject-Area Honors Award and are designated Subject-Area Honors on their transcripts and diplomas, in recognition of their program of excellence. 

Senior Honors Project students who successfully complete the project graduate with distinction. 

Each year faculty members of The Shenandoah Association of Phi Beta Kappa and the JMU Chapter of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi select two students to receive their Outstanding Senior Honors Project awards. This recognition is highly prized by honors students. It is announced at commencement and, when printing schedules permit, listed in the official commencement program and in the last issue of Honors News. 

Graduation in honors should not be confused with graduation with honors. All students at JMU who have been enrolled in the University for two or more years, have completed a minimum of 60 hours of course work on campus and have a cumulative grade point average of 3.500 or better are eligible to graduate with honors. The levels of recognition are as follows:

               GPA of            3.500 - 3.699               cum laude

                                       3.700 - 3.899               magna cum laude

                                       3.900 and above          summa cum laude