Academic Programs Catalog

MSU awards graduation honors to undergraduate students based on their academic performance at the university. 

The minimum grade-point averages required for graduation honors are established by the university and may change from year to year. Current and past graduation honors GPA thresholds, along with additional information, is available on the Office of the Registrar’s Graduation Honors webpage. 

Graduation honors are based on a student’s entire academic record at MSU. Transfer students must earn at least 50 credits at MSU to be eligible for graduation honors.

Graduation honors are recorded on the student’s academic transcript and diploma.

Graduation with honor is based on the entire academic performance at Michigan State University. However, recognition of graduation with honor in the commencement program is based on the grade-point average and credits of all work at Michigan State University completed prior to the opening of the semester in which the commencement ceremony is held. Transfer students must earn a minimum of 50 semester credits at Michigan State University to be eligible for graduation with honor or recognition in the commencement program. Lists are also released to the press with appropriate designations.

Awards are made at Fall and Spring commencements to the six or more graduating seniors who achieved the highest cumulative scholarly records by the close of the preceding semester.  A total of 60 or more credits for the degree must be earned at Michigan State University with numerical grades by the close of the preceding semester. Fall, Spring, and Summer graduating seniors are eligible. The President of the University acts on behalf of the Board in determining the recipients of the awards.

Summer Board of Trustees Award recipients, please contact the commencement office at acadevnt@msu.edu if you plan to participate in the December commencement ceremony.

At commencement exercises, Honors College graduates wear a white stole with the initials HC. Graduates receiving the designation With Honor or With High Honor wear a gold braid.