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L&S Dean's List Qualifications
This section explains how an L&S undergraduate student qualifies for the Dean's List.
The College of Letters & Science (L&S) Dean's List is established at the end of the fall and spring terms after all grades have been reported and processed for all L&S undergraduate students. Notation of being placed on the Dean's List will not appear on students' official records until approximately four weeks after all grades have been posted for all students.
L&S Dean's List and the Spring 2021 Covid-19 SD/UD Grading Option
To be eligible for the Dean's List in spring 2021, students must complete a minimum of 12 graded (i.e., A, AB, B, BC, C, D, F) degree credits this semester. Please note that SD/UD grades DO NOT count towards the minimum 12 credits and are not considered graded degree credits for the purpose of qualifying for the Dean's List. For information on whether COVID-19 will have an impact on the L&S Dean's List for spring 2021, see disruption grading option. Please see below for more details on how to qualify for the Dean's List in the College of Letters & Science.
The College of Letters & Science does not "round up" for the purpose of tabulating the GPA for the Dean's List. For additional information, please see Dean's List under Academic Status. Students may also confirm their Dean's List status by going to Dean's List and View my Honors on the Registrar's website.
L&S Dean's List Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the Dean's List in a given fall or spring term, an L&S undergraduate student must:
*The grades used to determine the dean's list eligibility are: A, AB, B, BC, C, D, and F. A student must have a minimum of 12 credits from this list of grades and no outstanding grades (i.e., I, NR, P, Q) in order to qualify for the L&S Dean's List. L&S does not round up for the purpose of determining a student's eligibility for the Dean's List.
- complete a minimum of 12 graded credits* in that particular semester with a GPA of 3.600 for students who are classified as freshmen (fewer than 24 credits: e.g., BA 1, BS 1) and sophomores (at least 24 credits: e.g., BA 2, BS 2)
- complete a minimum of 12 graded credits* in that particular semester with a GPA of 3.850 for students who are classified as juniors (at least 54 credits: e.g., AMP 3, BA 3, BS 3, JBA 3, JBS 3) and seniors (at least 86 credits: e.g., AMP 4, BA 4, BS 4, JBA 4, JBS 4)
Please note that first or second-year students may have a higher classification based on the number of credits they have at the end of each term. For example, a first-year student may have junior standing at the end of their first semester at UW-Madison if they finish the term with 54 or more degree credits. Advanced Placement (AP), College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), International Baccalaureate credits, credit by departmental examination, and retroactive credits (retrocredits) will count toward a student's class standing (level).
- Students who are placed on the Dean's List after the fall term should expect to see this notation on their records in early to mid February.
- Students who are placed on the Dean's List after the spring term should expect to see this notation on their records sometime in late June.
- Students cannot be placed on the Dean's List for work completed during the summer sessions.
- Spring 2020 and Spring 2021: Covid-19 SD/UD grades do not count toward the minimum 12 graded degree credits a student needs to qualify for the Dean's List.
- Students who have "P" grades for their senior thesis (regardless of whether they have 12 other graded credits), as well as students with unresolved grades of NR, I, and Q are not eligible for the Dean's List.
- Students are eligible for L&S Dean's List once any unresolved grade issues (e.g., P, Q, NR, etc.) have been addressed and they meet the other Dean's List qualifications.
The College of Letters & Science does not "round up" for the purpose of tabulating the GPA for the Dean's List. For additional information, please see Dean's List under Academic Status. Students may also confirm their Dean's List status by going to Dean's List and View my Honors on the Registrar's website.