Graduation Resources

Your academic journey through Cornell won't be the same as anyone else's, so it's important to take some time to review your academic

It is expected that students will make progress on graduation requirements each semester and will complete requirements for graduation within eight semesters. Students are able to apply non-Cornell credit to graduate in less than 8 academic semesters. Students wishing to make any changes to their degree date are able to request an updated degree date in their junior year:

1. On the CALS Resources webpage, choose 'CALS Application to Update Degree Standing'
2. Submit the online form for review

Students may delay graduation to complete requirements for the college, including requirements for one major. Delayed graduation will be approved only for compelling academic reasons that prevented completion of requirements within the expected period. Compelling academic reasons is defined as a circumstance beyond a student’s control that prevented taking the necessary courses or credits in a timely fashion.

In some cases students need an additional course beyond their expected graduation date and are unable to complete this course at Cornell University. In this situation a student can request to complete their course work at another institution (up to 8 academic credits). To do this a student must complete the form to Complete remaining coursework/credits at another institution.

1. Attain pre-approval of the course the student would like to take by completing a transfer pre-approval form.
2. On the CALS Resources webpage, choose 'CALS Student Petitions'
3. Choose the bullet 'Complete remaining coursework/credits are another institution'
4. Submit the petition
5. Request an update to the expected degree date

Once the course is complete the student must send an official transcript to the CALS Office of Student Services verifying a grade of “C” or better. When the transcript is received, the students degree will be posted for the next eligible degree date (example: transfer received June 5; the student will be an August Graduate).

Students wishing to make any changes to their degree date, including finishing elsewhere are able to ask questions and request their record to be changed through DUST.

See more policy information on this topic.

Your academic journey through Cornell won't be the same as anyone else's, so it's important to take some time to review your academic progress ahead of pre-enrollment.

Schedule a meeting with your Academic Advisor to review your major progress or an advisor in CALS Student Services to review your college degree progress.

You can also monitor your progress toward meeting your college degree requirements by checking your DUST (Distributed Undergraduate Student Tracking) reports. The DUST report is updated soon after the end of each semester. To monitor your progress toward meeting your major requirements, please contact your major department. 

Information regarding diplomas is available on the Cornell University Registrar Diploma Information page.

Honor level (Summa, Magna, Cum Laude) is calculated on final cumulative GPA after final grades post for the student’s graduating semester. Honor will be noted on the student’s official transcript and diploma.  

Bachelor of Sciences with Honors

Students must meet one of the following sets of criteria to receive a Bachelor of Science degree with Honors:

• Summa Cum Laude: Students who receive a cumulative GPA of 4.00 or greater after the final semester will graduate with “Summa Cum Laude.”
• Magna Cum Laude: Students receiving a cumulative GPA of greater than or equal to 3.75 and less than 4.00 after the final semester will graduate “Magna Cum Laude.”
• Cum Laude: Students receiving a cumulative GPA of greater than or equal to 3.50 and less than 3.75 after the final semester will graduate “Cum Laude.”

How to compute Latin Honors eligibility in your final semester for a Bachelor of Science with Honors

S = the number of letter-graded credits completed

T = the number of letter-graded credits enrolled for in the current semester

Q = Quality points completed (A quality point for one course would be the number of credits you took the course by, multiplied by the quality point assigned to the grade). i.e. if you took a 3 credits course and received an A, you would have 12 quality points

Quality-point equivalents

A+ = 4.3

B+ = 3.3

C+ = 2.3

D+ = 1.3

F= 0

A = 4.0

B = 3.0

C = 2.0

D = 1.0

A- = 3.7

B- - 2.7

C- = 1.7

D- = 0.7

The grades of INC, R, S, and U do not have quality-point equivalents.

Plugin the numbers from your record to compute the following Latin Honors Eligibility:

SUMMA

4.0 x (S + T) – Q = total number of quality points needed to attain SUMMA standing. To figure out the GPA needed you would take the Quality Points needed and divide it by T (the number of letter-graded credits you are enrolled for).

MAGNA

3.75 x (S + T) – Q = total number of quality points needed to attain MAGNA standing. To figure out the GPA needed you would take the Quality Points needed and divide it by T (the number of letter-graded credits you are enrolled for).

CUM LAUDE

3.50 x (S + T) – Q = total number of quality points needed to attain CUM LAUDE standing. To figure out the GPA needed you would take the Quality Points needed and divide it by T (the number of letter-graded credits you are enrolled for).