Definition of Cum Laude

Latin honors are Latin phrases used to indicate the level of academic distinction with which an academic degree was earned.  This system is primarily used in the United States, though some institutions also use the English translation of these phrases rather than the Latin originals.  It is similar to the British undergraduate degree classification.

Generally, a college or university's degree regulations give clear rules on the requirements to be met to obtain specific honors distinctions.  These may be a specific grade point average, a requirement that the student submit an "honors thesis" or "honors project" for evaluation, a requirement that a student be part of an honors program, or graduate early, or a combination of the above.  Each university sets its own standards, and these standards often vary greatly among universities.

These honors are almost always awarded to undergraduates earning their bachelor's, and, with the exception of law school graduates, much more rarely to graduate students taking their master's or doctorate degree.  The honor is typically indicated on the diploma.  Latin honors are often conferred upon law school graduates receiving a Juris Doctor or J.D., where they are generally based upon class rank or grade point average.