Departmental Honors

Qualified students are encouraged to participate in the physics honors program. For these students, a senior thesis is required. This work will be conducted under the supervision of a faculty advisor. The topic and scope of this work will be chosen by the student in consultation with the thesis advisor. The student has the option of registering for up to three credit hours of independent study for the thesis project; regardless of registered credit hours,the student should commit the effort equivalent to a 3-credit-hour laboratory course toward completion of the thesis.
The levels of passing scores are satisfactory, meritorious, and excellent. Within this framework, three levels of honors are awarded by the downtown Denver campus:

Cum laude: The student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 both in physics and overall at UC Denver. The student’s senior thesis and presentation must be judged to be meritorious by the committee.

Magna cum laude: The student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.50 both in physics and overall at UC Denver. The student’s senior thesis and presentation must be judged to be meritorious by the committee.

Summa cum laude: The student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.75 both in physics and overall at UC Denver. The student’s senior thesis and presentation must be judged to be excellent by the committee.