Undergraduate Students

Colorado State University recognizes outstanding scholarship by granting the baccalaureate degree cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude to those students in each college who have achieved unusually high academic excellence.

To be eligible for graduation with distinction, students must:

• Meet the minimum grade point average required for graduation with distinction and
• Complete a minimum of 60 credits at Colorado State University. (Students who have been granted Fresh Start must have completed 60 credits after the Fresh Start designation.)

Transfer credits are not considered when determining:

• Candidacy for graduation with distinction or
• Graduation with distinction.

The current breakdown of acceptable GPA’s for a distinction designation is in the “Graduation with Distinction” section of the Colorado State University Catalog. 

Candidates for graduation with distinction are recognized at the time of commencement. A student’s candidacy is determined by their cumulative grade point average through the semester preceding graduation. “Candidacy” for graduation with distinction does not guarantee distinction will be awarded if the final semester GPA falls below the college standard. The award of distinction is based on the student’s cumulative grade point average after the final semester. To be recognized with distinction at the graduation ceremony, the cumulative grade point average through the semester preceding graduation is utilized.

Second Bachelor’s Students

Students seeking a second bachelor’s degree are eligible for distinction designation. To qualify for graduation with distinction, a minimum of 60 credits at Colorado State is required after the first degree. In determining the grade point average of the student, only grades earned after the first degree are considered.