University of Virginia Library

DEGREES WITH HONORS

The courses required for the cultural B.A. and B.S. degrees are adapted
to the powers of the average student, and any graduate of an accredited
school, who has, either by certificate or examination, satisfied the requirements

for admission to the College of Arts and Sciences, if he is reasonably industrious
and regular in his studies, should obtain one of these degrees without
great difficulty in four sessions' work. In every body of students, however,
there are a number who possess greater ability and application than
the average, and whose ambition aims higher than a bare pass-mark on their
work. For the proper stimulation of such students toward the best that
they can do, and for due and authoritative recognition of unusual ability and
high achievement in studies, the Academic Faculty has instituted the following
system of Special Honors:

Intermediate Honors

A certificate of Intermediate Honors is conferred by the Academic
Faculty on the student who, during his first two regular sessions in the
College of Arts and Sciences of this University, has passed on not less than
30 session-hours, including 3 session-hours in English, 3 session-hours in
Mathematics and 6 session-hours in Foreign Language, without failure or
re-examination on any course, and with an average grade on all courses of
85 per cent. or more each session.

The holder of a Certificate of Intermediate Honors, so long as he has
no grade below 75 per cent. on the work of any term in any course, is not
subject to the rules limiting absence from the University, nor does absence
from any class entail on such student any penalty, affecting class-standing,
imposed for absence alone.

The Certificates of Intermediate Honors are publicly conferred at the
Annual Convocation of the University following the session in which the
honors have been attained. The names of the holders of these certificates
are published under a separate heading in the annual catalogue of the University.

Final Honors

Final Honors are conferred only on graduation, and the diploma of B.A.
or B.S. with Final Honors states that the honors were won in a given
academic school.

A student who wishes to attain Final Honors must be accepted as a
candidate for honors two sessions before graduation. Any student who has
met the requirements for the Dean's List for two sessions may apply to
become a candidate for Final Honors. Application must be made first to
the Dean, and, if approved by him, must also be approved by one of the
academic schools which offer work for honors. A list of such schools is
published annually.

Final honors are conferred on the basis of a final comprehensive
examination, both oral and written, on some field of knowledge, and not
for work done in any or all of the regular courses required for a baccalaureate
degree. Honors work involves wide and independent reading for two years,
under the general direction of the professors of an academic school. It does
not require regular attendance upon lectures or the passing of any tests
or examinations, except the final examination, though consultations and
reports may be required. Its aim is the development of a capacity for

scholarly work in a field of knowledge, rather than a mastery of required
details of subject matter.

The completion of work for Final Honors may be counted as credit
towards a B.A. or cultural B.S. degree in lieu of 6 session-hours of Electives-at-Large
or Major-Electives. In the event that the work for honors is not
of sufficiently high quality for Final Honors to be conferred, 6 session-hours'
credit toward a degree without honors may be granted upon recommendation
of the academic school in charge.