Dean's List

• Quarterly Dean's List
• Annual Dean's List
• Baccalaureate Honors
  • GPA Requirements by campus
• Honorary Societies

Quarterly Dean's List

The Quarterly Dean's List includes the names of matriculated undergraduate students who are pursuing their first undergraduate degree and have attained a quarterly GPA of 3.50 in the final grades for at least 12 graded credits. Appropriate entries regarding inclusion on the Dean's List are made on the student's permanent academic record.

Dean's Letters

A student is notified of his or her quarterly Dean's List standing with a Dean's Letter. As of Spring quarter 2009, Dean's Letters are distributed electronically. Recipients receive notification and download instructions via e-mail sent to their UW-provided e-mail address. (To comply with FERPA regulations, Dean's Letter notifications are not sent to non-UW e-mail addresses.)

Dean's Letters are generated once per quarter, a few weeks after grades are due for that quarter. Dean's Letters are only generated for students who meet the Dean's List criteria at that time. Dean's Letters are not issued or updated based on late changes to the academic record. Students will be sent, via email, a link to their online Dean's Letter which may be downloaded.

A student's Dean's List status is always current on the permanent academic record. The Quarterly Dean's List on the Student Guide is updated quarterly and lists those students included on the previous quarter's Dean's List.

Annual Dean's List

The Annual Dean's List high-scholarship award is recorded on the academic transcript of matriculated undergraduate students who are pursuing their first undergraduate degree and have achieved a quarterly GPA of 3.50 in 12 or more numerically graded credits each quarter for three quarters of the academic year (summer through spring).

Students enrolled for four quarters of the academic year (summer through spring) must satisfy the conditions outlined above and attain a quarterly GPA of 3.50 or better in the fourth quarter, if enrolled for 10 or more credits.

Baccalaureate Honors

Baccalaureate honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, cum laude) are awarded only to recipients of a first baccalaureate degree. These honors are earned by those students who have completed no fewer than 90 residence credits at this institution. At least 60 of the 90 credits must have been acquired on a graded basis.

The University's Honors Committee determines annually the grade-point requirement for each baccalaureate honor at each campus (Seattle, Bothell, Tacoma). In recent years, approximately ten percent of the students have been awarded baccalaureate honors. Distance Learning courses (those that include a DL prefix) are included in the UW cumulative GPA and therefore count toward baccalaureate honors.

Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and President's Medals

• The Freshman Medal is awarded to a sophomore having the highest scholastic standing for the first year of his or her course. To be eligible, students must have completed at least 36 credits in residence at the University of Washington.
• The Sophomore Medal is awarded to a junior having the highest scholastic standing for the first two years of his or her course. To be eligible, students must have completed at least 40 credits in residence at the University of Washington.
• The Junior Medal is awarded to a senior having the highest scholastic standing for their first three years of his or her course. To be eligible, students must have completed at least 40 credits in residence at the University of Washington.
• The President's Medal, which is conferred at commencement, recognizes two graduating seniors who have the most distinguished academic records in their class. One medal is awarded to a student who has completed at least three-fourths of their degree requirements at the University, and one medal is awarded to a student who entered the University with at least 60 transfer credits from a Washington community college.

Honorary Societies

In addition to the honors discussed above, students with distinguished academic records may participate in several University-wide honorary societies, described below, and specific college or school honorary societies. Information concerning specific college or school honorary societies appears in the respective sections of this catalog.

• Golden Key National Honor Society. A national, nonprofit academic honors organization founded in 1977 for the purpose of recognizing and encouraging scholastic achievement among students from all academic fields. Membership is by invitation only.
• Mortarboard. A national college senior honor society whose membership is based on scholarship, leadership, and service. The local Tolo chapter was founded in 1909 and became part of the national organization in 1925. Students of junior standing apply winter quarter for selection in spring quarter.
• Phi Beta Kappa. A national collegiate honorary society, founded in 1776, with the Washington Alpha Chapter established in 1914. Phi Beta Kappa recognizes distinguished scholarship, especially in the acquisition of an education in the liberal arts and sciences. Students are elected to membership on the basis of GPA and breadth of education.

Additional information on honorary societies may be obtained from academic advisers and the respective campus representatives.