Magna Cum Laude

Magna cum laude is a word combination and it refers to a title awarded to students when they graduate from educational institutions. It is used to recognize sustained academic achievements. 

Although Latin academic degrees are common among those who get bachelor's degrees, they are sometimes mentioned in high schools. There are three Latin degrees used in high schools, colleges and universities. The first and the most traditional one is a degree "with great praise". This is followed by the titles "summa cum laude" and "cum laude". People who complete education in high school usually receive one of these three degrees.

Magna Cum Laude explained

Magna cum laude is a respected award. However, it’s less admired than summa degree. Educational institutions introduce their own standards for getting one of these awards. 

Undergraduate students are usually given such academic titles. The title is announced at graduation along with other awards and honors. Students who receive this distinction often wear a special scarf or stole at the graduation ceremony to show their achievements. The degrees they get are listed in a document of a student's academic record. 

How to be awarded with Magna Cum Laude

Latin degrees are usually awarded according to the average value of the final grades, although different institutions can have their own criteria. Students who complete education "with great praise" generally have excellent grades and a strong cumulative GPA. A magna cum laude graduate may have several good grades, but this distinction demonstrates one of the strongest academic performance in high school or at the university. 

There may also be certain requirements in terms of course load or number of hours. Participation in extracurricular activities can also be taken into account when recognizing students with essential life skills rather than students with great academic skills. Nevertheless, good grades are almost always a prerequisite for getting the magna cum laude degree. 

Many colleges require that a graduate creates a strong thesis statement. They also can pay attention to the letter of reference from professors that vouches for a student. 

Requirements at universities

The criteria for being given the magna cum laude degree differ depending on the educational institution and university program. For example, students of Texas A&M must have a diploma with an average value of final grades of approximately 3.7, plus 60 credit hours. 

In comparison with Harvard University, a place where students were first awarded with Latin degrees, undergraduate students who finish their studies with a grade point average in the top 20% get the magna cum laude honor. 

Importance of Magna Cum Laude

The honor of titles lies in the opportunity to draw attention to CVs and graduate school applications, especially if the title is given by an outstanding university. Some employers pay special attention to the students getting magna cum laude honor, while others don’t even focus on it. Nevertheless, it makes them more competitive in the job market.