Concentration GPA & Honors

Concentration GPA
 

Final concentration GPA is calculated from a student's best letter-graded courses that meet the requirements, including final semester grades. You can review the different track requirements on the Requirements Chart, and see what courses are meeting your concentration requirements on your Academic Advising Report. If a student has taken an excess of courses that meet the requirements - for example, if a student has taken 7 Advanced Courses and only 6 are required - the best 6 grades for Advanced Courses will be counted.
 
If a student is counting any SAT/UNSAT courses towards their concentration (PSY 985 Junior Thesis Tutorial, Freshman Seminars, or transfer courses), the total number of courses used to calculate a student's concentration GPA will be reduced by one per SAT/UNSAT course. This is because GPA is calculated only through letter-graded courses.
 
Because of this, you will need to request that the Undergraduate Office count these SAT/UNSAT courses towards your concentration - please e-mail the UGO to do this!

 

College Honors (Latin)
 

College Honors are based on the entirety of the student record, but the awarding of departmental honors for work in a concentration is a precondition for the recommendation by the College of Latin honors in the field. Honors designations appear on your degree and transcript (See the Handbook for Students or consult the Allston Burr Resident Dean in your House for more information).

 
Departmental Honors (English)
 

Departmental Honors are determined by the department, committee, school, or program that oversees the relevant concentration and are based solely on work done in the concentration. In Psychology, Honors recommendations are based on a combination of final concentration GPA and thesis status/evaluation. The Department’s Committee on Undergraduate Instruction will review each student's record and present its recommendations to the faculty, which will vote on the final departmental degree recommendation (no Honors, Honors, High Honors, or Highest Honors).

When applicable, both English honors and Latin honors are noted on the official transcript. Only Latin honors are designated on the diploma.

 

Departmental Honors for Non-Thesis Students

  • Students who do not complete a thesis are only eligible for a recommendation of Honors.
  • Final concentration GPA must be 3.850 or higher.
  • No application to the Department is required. Students who are recommended for Honors will be notified prior to graduation.

Departmental Honors for Thesis Students

  • Students completing a thesis are eligible for a recommendation of Honors, High Honors, or Highest Honors.
  • Recommendation is based on combination of thesis grade and final concentration GPA (see chart below).
  • Requires a thesis application submitted by spring of Junior year.
Departmental Thesis Honors Calculation Chart

[IMAGE: A chart indicating honors eligibility based on concentration GPA and overall thesis evaluation]
Approved at Department Meeting on October 27, 1981