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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 (4) weeks after the end of the final-exam grading period for Fall and Spring terms.  L&S undergraduate students who qualify for the College of Letters & Science Dean's List in Fall or Spring will also receive a congratulatory email from the Dean approximately seven (7) weeks after the end of the final-exam grading period for Fall and Spring terms.  Students are able to see if they qualified for the dean's list for their particular UW-Madison school or college at Dean's List. 

*Students who have requested to have their name and other personal information withheld due to FERPA reasons will not appear on the Dean's List.

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:
  • 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). 

*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.   
  • 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. 
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, Q, 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 101 Ingraham Hall (608-262-0617) once any outstanding grade issues have been resolved and a student's academic status has changed thereby placing them 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, incomplete, Progress (P) grade, incompletes, senior thesis, transcript, academic honors, honors, high GPA, covid-19 grading option, SD/UD   Doc ID:21121
Owner:Tori R.Group:L&S KB
Created:2011-11-03 00:10 CDTUpdated:2022-01-05 17:07 CDT
Sites:L&S KB
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