Topics Map > College of Letters and Science > Academic Affairs > Policies > Undergraduate Student Academic Policies

How do I qualify for the Dean's List?

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.   

To be eligible for the Dean's List in a given fall or spring term, a student must:
  • 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., BA 3, BS 3, JBA 3, JBS 3) and seniors (at least 86 credits: e.g.,  BA 4, BS 4, JBA 4, JBS 4)
*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.
  • 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.    

The entry "Dean's List" appears on a student's grade report and on a student's transcript.  
  • 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, NR, etc.) have been addressed and they meet the other Dean's List qualifications.
Please note that it is an L&S undergraduate student's responsibility to contact L&S Undergraduate Academic Deans' Services in 110 Ingraham Hall once any outstanding grade issues have been resolved and a student's academic status has changed thereby placing him/her on the Dean's List.

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. 


Keywords:dean's list, L&S dean's list, Q grade, No Report (NR) grade, Incomplete (I) grade, Progress (P) grade, incompletes, senior thesis, transcript, academic honors   Doc ID:21121
Owner:Tori R.Group:L&S Administrative Gateway
Created:2011-11-03 00:10 CDTUpdated:2019-07-01 12:44 CDT
Sites:L&S Administrative Gateway
Feedback:  137   92      
This is the Administrative Gateway for UW-Madison's College of Letters and Science. Users will find in it policies and procedures for academic and student administration within the college, as well as links to campus level policies and resources.