Cum Laude and Summa Cum Laude??

Hey Guys

Can someone explain to me the difference? is it average of A's in the majors or A's overall and what is summa cum laude?

Also is it possible to do your Honors in one year?


Thanks
NIRI

it is possible to do your honours in one year - if you plan on doing nothing else.

can you do honours at UNISA in year? I thought you could only do that at full time universities?

from wikipedia:

There are typically three types of Latin honors. In order of increasing level of honor, they are:

* cum laude, “with honor�; direct translation: “with praise�
* magna cum laude, “with great honor�; direct translation: “with great praise�
* summa cum laude, “with highest honor�; direct translation: “with highest praise�

It is difficult to generalize what percentage of top marks correspond to each of the degrees of honors, given that the percentages or grade point averages required for each rank can differ from university to university. Degrees summa cum laude used to be quite rare ---- often reserved for the top one percent of students at the most ---- and degrees magna cum laude only a bit less so. This situation has changed somewhat and there has been a trend towards less selectivity in assigning honors degrees. Still, a rough measure of the selectivity of the different honors is the common assumption in the graduate admission policies of British universities that the two higher categories (summa and magna cum laude) are the equivalent of first class honors and upper range second class degree (a so-called 2:1) respectively, while a simple cum laude degree translates into an lower range second class degree (a so-called 2:2).

A fourth distinction, egregia cum laude, “with outstanding praise�, has occasionally appeared: it was created to recognize students who earned the same grade point average required for the summa honor, but did so while pursuing a more rigorous honors curriculum. One of Fordham University’s student newspapers translated this as “with hysterical praise,� and so the university dropped the distinction and awards such degrees with summa honors, and a notation In cursu honorum, “in the honors course.� This latter notation is used by some other schools as well.

A rarely used distinction, maxima cum laude, "with maximal praise", is an intermediary honor between the summa and the magna honors. It is sometimes used when the summa honor is reserved only for students with a perfect academic record (4.0 GPA).[1]

A degree awarded without the above honors often includes the notation rite instead, Latin for “duly� (that is, that the degree is “duly earned�).

The term honoris causÄ? (“by reason of honorâ€?), on the other hand, is used when a university bestows an honorary degree.

Also, my supervisor did his PhD in Germany, and was disappointed to pass it magna cum laude. He wanted summa. In South Africa, we dont distinguish though, anything above 75% is cum laude, for the universities that still use cum laude. UNISA uses the term distinction now instead. I remember when I graduated with my BCom, the explained that its the same thing, as students still wanted their certificate to say cum laude, and not distinction. They did not change it for them. Lucky for me I didnt have to worry, as I did not get an average of above 75

Thanks for the explanations...it does make sense becasue you rarely hear cum laude anymore....but is it the average % of the 30 modules that you do for your degree? or just the 4 majors?

yep, you can do honours in one year at unisa, you need special permission and a frikking lot of time

Its the 8 3rd level modules that count towards determining if you get a sum cum laude. I think its 6 As for that...

For the entire degree I think? Not sure about that though....

Not sure either. No need to worry though because I probably wont reach that far.

This is from the honours general info brochure:

Pass with distinction
Subject to the relevant College rules, students pass with
distinction in the final level of a major subject, or in any other
level which may be passed with distinction, by obtaining an
average of at least 75% in at least five of the highest level modules
prescribed for that subject as a major subject.

To obtain the degree of Honours Bachelor with distinction, a
candidate shall, subject to special provisions in the college rules,
obtain an average of at least 75%.

Policy for distinction and cum laude
awards
You can pass a subject with distinction if you obtain a final mark of 75%
for the subject at the first a􀄴empt.
ï?® You can obtain a qualification (NDip, BTech) cum laude if you
pass all the subjects of the qualification at the first a􀄴empt and
obtain an average of 75% or more, calculated in respect of all the
subjects, including the final-level subjects.
ï?® You can pass a subject cum laude if you obtain a mark of 75%
or more for the subject at the first a􀄴empt. (Learners who have
passed a rewrite or supplementary examination cannot be
awarded a pass cum laude. Regardless of the marks obtained in
the rewrite or supplementary examination, the result is indicated
only as “pass� or “fail�.)
� You can be awarded a master’s degree (MTech) cum laude if
you obtain either an average of 75% or more for the subjects and
research project concerned or 75% or more for the dissertation.
ï?® A doctoral degree may not be awarded cum laude.

• Requirements for distinction: To be awarded the degree with distinction, you have to obtain an average of at least 75% in the minimum number of prescribed modules (namely ten) on the fourth level.

you can also get a distinction in just one of your main subjects. when I got my degree I got it with distinction for INF.

and then came honours..............

Sorry for my ignorance, but then what about a Degree ( and not honors) with distinction or cum laude? is it all the modules and an average of 75%? or the 8 like Shauntir says...? i would think the 8 on the third level because they are your majors...

I think it is either/or.....if you have a general average of above 75, or if you have a average of above 75 for your major...

THanks alot that does make sense. Last years calendar says this as well...so you can have a major with distinction or degree with distinction.

A candidate shall pass a major subject with distinction if he/
she obtains an average of at least 75% in the prescribed thirdlevel
modules. To pass with distinction in the final course of
Archaeology, Psychology and Geography a candidate shall
obtain an average of at least 75% in all the papers combined.

(2) A candidate shall be awarded the degree with distinction if
he/she obtains, on third level, an average of 75% for his best
eight modules, or nine modules if Archaeology, Geography
or Psychology is selected as a major or ten modules if two of
Archaeology, Geography and Psychology are selected as major
subjects at Unisa. For this purpose Archaeology III, Geography
III (Option and Psychology III (any option) are each (prior to
2002) regarded as the equivalent of five third-level modules.

rklopper, which honors are you doing at the moment? can you email me the Honors brochure that you have?

THanks alot,
NIRI

Here is the post grad brochure.

the best time to find out what kind of distinction or cum whatever you got is when you get your degree

Niri, rklopper is doing his masters

heheh, see, celene knows me

I did a Hons BSc with INF. Now I am doing MSc full dissertation at Tuks.

Do you still want that brochure? The link that Shaun posted is nice and updated, but the one I have has info for masters and doctors as well, which is interesting to see....

Thanks for the link i will look at it now...wow rklopper congrats on doing the masters...gosh i never realised it! you now have my utmost admiration

Yes please email me the brochure you have as well. i think i'd rather be knowledgeable about my honors choices now before i pick my final subjects next year, and then be stick because i didn't pick the right things...

Did you do Honors at Unisa? is it possible to get the degree at Unisa and then do Honors through Wits or UJ?

I did do honours at UNISA, and it is more than possible to go further at another university. They especially like UNISA students I posted the email before somewhere that my now supervisor send me when I first enquired about doing my masters at UP. I will put it here again, as I cant remember where it is. Just remember to choose your institutions very wisely. I know UJ is not so strong on computer science at the moment...

"On the face of things, you sound like the student that i would like to
supervise: enthusiastic; distinction material; UNISA (means self-starter in my book). My hope is that you will be able to define your research project - or at least prepare some sort of proposal (one or two pages is what I have in mind) around which we could iterate and hopefully converge towards an acceptable MSc project. I suggest that we meet once you have finished your hons exams. If you already have an idea of what you think you would like to pursue as a research project, maybe that meeting could be based on a first draft of such a proposal.
Alternatively, maybe you would like to first discuss a number of ideas, before converging towards a specific proposal.

Look forward to hearing from you.

BTW - registration is not time-critical. We could easily wait until your hons results are in, and could delay it until Feb next year (or even later)."




You see, it was wwaaayyyy easier than I thought it would be. They even gave me a research grant

Wow, maybe i might just stay and do Honors at Unisa... i also think unisa students are more go getters because most of us work while studying, not just painting our nails the whole day

But then again you are really smart to have gotten the research grant...i don't think i'll get to masters any time soon does it cost alot to do your thesis for masters on your own?

Not really no. My 1st year was R13700.00 The next year would be dirt cheap, something like 3500. The only thing that gets you is the travelling, gets expensive. I stay in randburg, and go for regular meetings to the university, and various research conference. I might even go to eindhoven next year, but that would be the university's expense...

PS: Not smart, you will see, when it comes to post grad research it only takes willingness. It doesnt have to be amazing stuff, just research stuff

I sent you the doc, let me know if you receive it

Thanks i've received it. Very interesting info regarding Masters...sounds exciting...

One more stoopid question it says an average of > 60% for third level modules to be able to do Honors, is that the 3 picked from that list in your pdf(say COS honors) ?

You are right though i see your point about willingness...and hard work. If you set yourself that goal, you can definitely achieve. Nothing that's worth anything in today's day and age come easy....so i guess the lesson is PERSEVERE

THanks alot for the info and advice, i feel a bit more confident about my last year...my problem is that last year i had to switch degrees because i was majoring in Maths and Computer Science,and found out the my degree would not be computer science so i switched to a stream. Are there any councillors at Unisa who would look at my current subjects passed and advise me if i'm definitely going to be finishing next year? I don't want any surprises...i wonder if the call centre would help....