/Institutions/Coker-University/json/2025-2026/Academic-Catalog-local.json

/Institutions/Coker-University/json/2025-2026/Academic-Catalog.json

Academic Honors

Top Honor Graduate

The graduate(s) at each commencement ceremony with the highest overall grade point average is/are designated the Top Honor Graduate(s) and is/are presented the Top Honor Graduate award on behalf of the Alumni Association.

Dean’s Scholars Project

Any student who remains in good academic standing after the completion of 30 semester hours at Coker University may apply to do a Dean’s Scholars Project. Students will be notified again after 45 hours and can declare their intention to complete a project between the completion of 30 and 75 semester hours. A formal proposal must be submitted to the Academic Standards Committee before the student completes 75 semester hours in order to give the student ample time to complete the project.
Proposals submitted by students with more than 75 hours earned will be considered by the Academic Standards Committee on a case by case basis.

Students who transfer in at least 30 semester hours will be notified on the same schedule described above. Invitations will be sent to the students by the Office of Academic Records at the end of the semester in which they meet the credit benchmarks.

Students may apply to complete a project as a Creativity Scholar, a Community Scholar, or a Critical Inquiry Scholar.

• Creativity Scholars undertake a project that combines research with creative and artistic inquiry. Their output may take the form of a piece of creative writing, a performance or a work of art.
• Community Scholars undertake a project that combines research with a service learning or experiential learning project. Their project dissemination may take the form of a poster, a presentation or a paper.
• Critical Inquiry Scholars will pursue a scholarly project that uses research to make an original contribution to an academic field or discipline. Their project dissemination may take the form of a poster, a presentation or a paper.
  
  

The student and a faculty mentor chosen by the student will plan a project to be completed prior to the graduating semester. The student will assemble a project review committee of at least three members, including the mentor, to evaluate the completed project. Members may include other faculty, staff or other approved individuals not affiliated with Coker University, to serve on the review committee. Approval for members outside the University must come from the Provost. The proposal, which lists the project mentor and members of the review committee, must be approved by the Academic Standards Committee and the Director of Research and Strategic Initiatives.

Before submitting their proposal, students must complete a Proposal Workshop offered by the Academic Standards Committee. The Academic Standards Committee will publish proposal deadlines for fall and spring semesters.

The student will present the completed project in a form deemed most appropriate by their review committee. The student is required to present their Dean’s Scholars project in a public forum, such as the annual student symposium, where the entire University community may benefit from it.

After the public presentation and before the final approval of graduates by the Faculty Senate, typically occurring the month prior to commencement, the student’s review committee and school Dean must deem the project’s outcomes worthy of recognition. Faculty Senate will review recommendations made by the Standards Committee and upon approval, the bachelor’s degree will be awarded with Dean’s Scholar recognition.

President’s List

Student academic records are reviewed at the end of each fall (evening terms I and II) and spring (evening terms III and IV) semester. President’s List honors are awarded to students who complete a minimum of 12 semester hours on the ABCDF grading system with a 4.0 grade point average each semester.

Dean’s List

Student academic records are reviewed at the end of each fall (evening terms I and II) and spring (evening terms III and IV) semester. Dean’s List honors are awarded to students who complete a minimum of 12 semester hours on the ABCDF grading system with a 3.75 to 3.99 grade point average each semester.

Latin Honors

Graduation with the designation cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude is based upon a consistently high level of achievement throughout the student’s academic career at Coker University. To be considered for honors, a minimum of 60 semester hours must be earned at Coker with the requisite grade point average as follows: 3.50 cum laude; 3.70 magna cum laude; 3.90 summa cum laude.

Students enrolled in Coker University’s bridge programs are eligible for Latin Honors provided they complete all required courses per the bridge agreement and meet Latin Honors grade point average requirements for courses taken at Coker.

Junior Marshals

Students with the top 25 highest grade point averages in their junior year with the completion of more than 57 cumulative hours and completion of a minimum of 30 Coker University hours will be considered for the distinction of Junior Marshal. Academic records are reviewed in the spring semester of each academic year with students being notified of their eligibility and outlining the requirement of service as a marshal for the next following May or December Commencement ceremony and/or Opening Convocation the following fall semester. Students achieving Junior Marshal status will be recognized during Honors Convocation in the spring of their senior year.