Dean’s List

Wesleyan acknowledges high academic achievement at the end of each semester. Students who earn a semester GPA of 93.350 or better will be named to the Dean’s List and will have a permanent transcript notation of this achievement. To be eligible, a student must have earned the GPA on at least three letter-graded credits at Wesleyan during the semester and have no unsatisfactory or failing grades. Students with incomplete grades or outstanding credit will be evaluated after the grade and/or credit is posted to the Wesleyan transcript and, if eligible then, they will be added retroactively to the appropriate semester’s list. The Dean's List is only applicable to current undergraduate Wesleyan Students and does not include visiting students who's host institution is not Wesleyan. 

Honors Program

A degree with honors can be earned two ways: (1) departmental honors will be awarded to the student who has done outstanding work in the major field of study and has met the standards for honors or high honors set by the respective department or program; (2) honors in general scholarship will be awarded to the student who is a university major or whose thesis topic or methodology is outside of the domain appropriate for the award of honors in the student’s major department(s) or program(s). The candidate for honors in general scholarship must have a minimum grade point average of 90.00, fulfill general education expectations, and submit a senior thesis that meets the standard for honors or high honors set by the Honors Committee.

Honors recognizes a bachelor's degree attained with distinction, either in the major or in general scholarship. Honors recognizes the successful completion of a mentored, independent honors capstone project that has been evaluated by qualified examiners and that meets the standards for excellence in the major or those of the Honors Committee when completed in general scholarship. A student may receive no more than 2.0 credits for any one thesis. Students who major in more than one department, program, or college may submit a thesis in one of their majors or separate theses in more than one major. With the agreement of each of their departments, programs, or colleges, students may submit the same thesis for honors in more than one major.

In the fall semester of the senior year, all candidates for honors must either enroll in a senior thesis tutorial or, if they are pursuing an alternate route to honors, must ask their department to forward their names to the Honors Committee as candidates. Students who wish to pursue Honors in General Scholarship must follow the established guidelines and apply to the Honors Committee, normally in the second semester of the junior year. Thesis registration normally takes place in April. Beginning with the Class of 2018, honors candidates who complete their graduation requirements in December and who are not registering for classes or for a thesis tutorial in the spring are required to submit and register their thesis with the University on the first day of classes of the following spring semester.

University Honors is the highest award Wesleyan bestows. To be eligible, a student must fulfill General Education Expectations, earn high honors (either departmental or in general scholarship), be recommended for University Honors, and qualify in an oral examination administered by the Honors Committee. 

Phi Beta Kappa

The oldest national scholastic honor society, Phi Beta Kappa at Wesleyan is limited to 12 percent of the graduating class each year. Election to the society is based on grades and fulfillment of the eligibility requirements described below.

Fall election is based on grades through the end of a student’s junior year and fulfillment of the General Education Expectations (stages I and II). Normally, between 10 and 15 students are elected in the fall; Bachelor of Liberal Studies and transfer students are not eligible for consideration in the fall.

Spring election is based on grades through the end of a student’s first semester of the senior year and fulfillment of the General Education Expectations (stages I and II). Bachelor of Liberal Studies and Transfer students are eligible for consideration in the spring. It is preferred that students complete their General Education Expectations in their first semester senior year. However, a rationale for second-semester completion is not required, provided that the secretary of the Gamma Chapter continuously monitors those students to guarantee completion of stage II of the General Education Expectations.

In addition to fulfilling the General Education Expectations, students are expected to have a grade point average of 92 or above to be considered for election in the spring. The minimum grade point average for the fall election is 93. Students are nominated by their major departments. Bachelor of Liberal Studies student and University majors can be nominated by their class dean.