Hello,
What is the difference between graduating with honors and without?
What is the minimum GPA required for graduating with honours and what exactly is a second class standing?
Thank you!
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hey there,
i know this terminology is confusing, but unfortunately, having an outdated and nonsensical vernacular is one of the charms that come with going to an old, prestigious institution. don’t worry -aska will make it all better.
an ‘honours’ degree is an undergraduate degree that takes four years to complete. “but aska, don’t ALL undergraduate degree in the faculty of arts & science take four years to complete???” yes, but they didn’t USED to.
back in Ye Olden Days (i.e. before 1992), an undergrad degree at uoft took only three years to complete. if you were FANCY and really had a knack for what you were studying, you would take an extra year and graduate with honours.
nowadays, honours is the only option (unless you started your degree before 1992, and then you come back and want to finish your three-year degree. or unless you’re a rotman student, in which case you’ll graduate with a Bachelor of Commerce, rather than an Honours Bachelor of Commerce. it still takes four years, though. sorry rotman).
tl;dr: GPA has nothing at all to do with the term ‘honours.’
also, we don’t use first- and second-class standing. we have high distinction (which is graduating with a CGPA of 3.50+) and distinction (graduating with a CGPA from 3.20 to 3.49).
hope that helps to dispel the confusion!
aska