UW-Madison Honorary Degrees

This document provides information about Faculty Policies and Procedures related to the awarding of Honorary Degrees at UW-Madison, including a link to past recipients.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison typically awards an honorary degree in recognition of a career of extraordinary accomplishment. In many cases, there will be some single, supreme achievement for which a candidate is best known; but an honorary degree is not given to celebrate a deed alone or upon the simple meeting of a set of minimum standards. Because the honor is conferred upon a person, the Committee on Honorary Degrees looks to sustained and characteristic activity as its warrant--uncommonly meritorious activity, exhibiting values that are esteemed by a great university.

For more information about UW-Madison's Committee on Honorary Degrees, please refer to the following websites, which are managed by the Office of the Secretary of the Faculty: