Honors and Distinctions

In the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Latin Honors are granted on the basis of overall GPA. EPS also grants Departmental Distinctions to honor exceptional academic achievement in Earth and planetary sciences.

Latin Honors

Students will be accepted to the Latin Honors program if they meet two criteria:

  • Washington University cumulative GPA > 3.65 through the sixth semester.
  • A plan for the completion of a senior thesis

Students must enroll in EPS 499 Honors Research for a minimum of three credits.

The final level of Latin honors (Summa cum laude, Magna cum laude, or Cum laude) will be determined by the College immediately prior to commencement.  Of the group eligible for Latin honors:

  • Top 15% receive SCL
  • Next 35% receive MCL
  • Bottom 50% receive CL

Students who do not perform up to the department's expectation (e.g., by not completing a satisfactory thesis) can be removed from the Latin Honors program at any time.

For more information, see the College of Arts & Sciences Honors Policies.

Departmental Distinctions

Students will be eligible for departmental distinction if they complete a thesis, regardless of their GPA. 

Students must enroll in EPS 499 Honors Research (cumulative GPA > 3.65) or EPS 490 Independent Study (cumulative GPA < 3.65) for a minimum of three credits.

The department will offer three levels of distinction:

  • with Distinction
  • with High Distinction
  • with Highest Distinction

The level of distinction will be granted on the basis of three criteria:

  • the quality of the thesis, including the oral presentation
  • written assessment of the research supervisor and/or major advisor
  • performance in upper level EPS classes or related classes from other departments, with additional consideration of the number of classes that were taken in excess of major requirements

For a given graduating group, the number of students awarded Highest Distinction should be no larger than the number of students awarded High Distinction, which should be no larger than the number of students awarded Distinction.

The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences also offers three named prizes awarded on the basis of academic merit, along with other criteria.

Undergraduate Student Awards