The Honors Program

For prospective students, please refer to the University of Miami Foote Fellows Honors Program page.

There are three different types of “honors” recognition at the University of Miami.

  • Departmental Honors
  • University Honors

Departmental Honors

More than 20 academic departments at the University invite both majors and elective students to pursue departmental honors. Departmental honors provide an opportunity for high-achieving juniors and seniors to dig deeper into a topic of special interest under the guidance of a faculty mentor. It is a great way to prepare for graduate study or complete a senior thesis. Although each department has its own honors requirements, most of them share the following:

  • 6 credit hours or more in independent study, senior thesis, senior project, or advanced courses designated by the department, earning a ‘B’ or higher
  • GPA within major of 3.500 or higher
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.500 or higher

University Honors

These are the honors designated by summa cum laude, magna cum laude, or cum laude on a University of Miami diploma. University honors are solely determined by cumulative GPA and are specific to the school or college from which the student is graduating. Here are the general guidelines:

  • Summa cum laude is awarded to the top 5% of graduates in each school
  • Magna cum laude is awarded to the top 6-15% of graduates in each school
  • Cum laude is awarded to the top 16-25% of graduates in each school