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Undergraduate Honors at Graduation Over Time and By College

Each undergraduate college at CU-Boulder offers students the opportunity to earn honors at graduation.  The basis of the awards and the terms used to denote levels of honors differ from one college to another. General information about honors at CU-Boulder is provided in Ralphie's Guide to Student Life, and specific information about honors in each college is provided in relevant sections of the catalog, links to which are provided in the table below.

We have categorized honors into three levels, Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3, with higher numbers indicating higher levels of honors, and shown by the single, double, and triple plus symbols in the table below.  The table groups the different types of honors into the three categories, and indicates the colleges that offer each type of honor.

Honors based on a thesis are designated with a T, and are offered exclusively through the Honors Program of the College of Arts and Sciences.  Students in the College of Engineering and the School of Journalism can also participate in this program, but have not often done so.  All other honors are based on grades and are designated with a G.

The following tables show the numbers and percentages of students who received each of the three levels of honors. The tables also show the numbers and percentages of students receiving thesis-based and grade-based honors.
By college for calendar year 2006
Over time (1996 to 2006) for all colleges combined
Over time (1996 to 2006) by college

Notes:
G indicates grade-based honors.
T indicates thesis-based honors.
1 Applies only to students entering before Summer 1995.
2 Applies only to students entering Summer 1995 or thereafter.
3 These colleges encourage their students to participate in the thesis-based Honors Program of the College of Arts and Sciences.  However, their students have not often done this.
4 Applies only to students entering before Fall 1987.
5 Applies only to students entering Fall 1987 or thereafter.
6 The School of Journalism and Mass Communication does not mention "Distinction" in the catalog, but does award it.  (We have assumed it is grade-based.)
7 The College of Music does not mention "High Honors" and "Highest Honors" in the catalog, but does award them.  (We have assumed it is grade-based.)

Last revision 08/14/07