Magna Cum Laude

It is a Latin word that was used in universities some 150 years back but today it is used by universities in different parts of the world, while, there are no common criteria to award the honours.

It is given in the event the student takes all the courses offered in the college of a particular discipline during high school and in the advanced courses where the student can file a petition to the college head or university principle to substitute the course on an equivalent basis to high school, in terms of, hours of instructions and then, the student remains eligible for high school academic honours like the following – 

• Cum Laude means “with honour (or praise).”  This is the system used to recognize academic honours in graduates (The terms like 3.7 GPA with no AP/ College level / 4 years are used to indicate it).

• After completion of 8 semester of high school, the cum laude system recognizes 4.2 GPA and Above as Summa, 4 to 4.19 as Magna and 3.85 – 3.99 GPA as Cum Laude. 

• Magna cum laude means degree with Great Honour/ Praise. (Example –3.9 GPA with 4 semesters of AP/ college and 2-year full classes). 

• Summa Cum Laude – It means with “great praise of the highest level” in the three categories.(Example  - for students with 3.9 GPA in 10 semesters of AP/ College Level / 4 years or that include 10 semesters or 5 full years). 

The system was, mainly, introduced to encourage students to complete coursework and decrease unnecessary competition between students.  

Some systems also give students with 4 GPA the recognition. Oxford University grades 8.0 or more that is called judicious cum laude, where the student has to secure at least 9 in one subject. 

There are different types of grading used by professional institutions like art and design universities or art and design colleges. 

Comparison to GPA 

Cum laude system was, mainly, used to eliminate the system of ranking that induced higher competition and led to risky behaviour, however, Class Rank or GPA system of grading/ ranking students can be found in many schools globally.