Course Performance
The Department of Philosophy at the University of Colorado at Denver offers honors recognition based on the student's GPA in conjunction with a two-semester Honors Thesis (described below):
- Summa Cum Laude: 3.8 grade point average within the major, 3.7 overall grade point average
- Magna Cum Laude: 3.6 grade point average within the major, 3.5 overall grade point average
- Cum Laude: 3.4 grade point average within the major, 3.3 overall grade point average
Two-Semester Thesis Project
All students interested in graduating with Honors in Philosophy must complete the 36 credit hours required for the major and an additional three to six thesis credit hours (PHIL 4950) taken over a two-semester period. In order to register for PHIL 4950 students must have:
- an overall GPA of 3.3
- GPA of 3.4 in your major
- at least 12 upper level philosophy credit hours in residence at UC Denver
- approval of a written proposal for a thesis project
With an advisor, a student selects two department faculty members to supervise the thesis project and to serve as the project committee. One of those selected may be the student's advisor, but this is not required. To complete the requirements for honors, students must produce a passing thesis that presents the results of the research project and must pass an oral examination on that thesis before the project committee. Both the research project and oral examination must be judged worthy of honors by the committee.