While rare, I have seen the designation applied to masters degrees also.
At most colleges and universities, students can graduate with Latin honors. Cum laude, Summa cum laude, and Magna cum laude are the honors distinction.
To graduate with a summa cum laude distinction in a master's program, students typically need to maintain a high GPA, complete advanced coursework, and possibly defend a thesis or complete a capstone project. This honor is usually reserved for students who demonstrate exceptional academic achievement and mastery of their field of study.
The correct term is: cum laude, meaning "with distinction"; magna cum laude, meaning "with great distinction"; or summa cum laude, "with highest distinction".
Summa cum laude is the highest distinction
It means you have achieved excellent academic performance. There are three common levels of distinction as follows from lowest to highest. * cum laude * magna cum laude * summa cum laude (highest honors)
In most colleges and universities, if you graduate with a GPA of 3.5, you graduate "cum laude" (with distinction). "Magna cum lauda" and "Summa cum lauda" require slightly higher GPA's respectively.
It seems there might be a typo in your question; you likely meant "summa cum laude." This Latin phrase translates to "with highest honor" and is used to denote an academic distinction awarded to students who achieve exceptional grades or academic performance upon graduation. It is one of several honors, with others including "magna cum laude" and "cum laude," which indicate varying levels of academic excellence.
Summa cum laude is a Latin term used to indicate the highest level of academic distinction or honor, typically awarded to students who have achieved the highest grades or performance in their studies.
The GPA requirement to graduate Magna Cum Laude for an under-graduate degree from UNC at Chapel Hill is 3.75. Students must also have earned a total of 75 semester hours to earn Latin honors from the University.
Summa Cum Laude: Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.900 or higherMagna Cum Laude: Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.750 to 3.899Cum Laude: Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.500 to 3.749
The average percentage of summa cum laude students in a class can vary depending on the academic institution and its criteria for awarding this distinction. Generally, it is a small percentage, often around 5-10% of the graduating class.
Nowadays, only 10% of students graduate magna cum laude or higher. It was substantially easier to get magna a few years ago.