(Revised UP Code: Art 410 as amended at 958th BOR Meeting: 24 Feb 1983)

Students who complete their courses with the following ABSOLUTE MINIMUM weighted average grade shall be graduated with honors:

Summa Cum Laude — 1.20
Magna Cum Laude — 1.45
Cum Laude — 1.75

Provided, that all the grades in all subjects prescribed in the curriculum, as well as subjects that qualify as electives, shall be included in the computation of the weighted average grade; provided, further, that in cases where the electives taken are more than those required in the program, the following procedure shall be used in selecting the electives to be included in the computation of the weighted average grade:

  1. for students who did not shift programs, the required number of electives will be considered in chronological order;
  2. for students who shifted from one (1) program to another, the electives to be considered shall be selected according to the following order of priority:
    1. Electives taken in the program where the student is graduating will be selected in chronological order;
    2. Electives taken in the previous program and acceptable as electives in the second program will be selected in chronological order;
    3. Prescribed courses taken in the previous program but qualify as electives in the second program will be selected in chronological order.

In case of students graduating with honors in courses the prescribed length of which is less than four years, the English equivalents, namely, “with honors,” “with high honors,” and “with highest honors,” shall be used instead.

Students who are candidates for graduation with honors must have completed in the University at least 75% of the total number of academic units or hours for graduation and must have been in residence therein for at least two (2) years immediately prior to graduation (Revised UP Code: Art. 412).

In the computation of the final average of students who are candidates for graduation with honors, only resident credit shall be included (Revised UP Code: Art. 413).

Students found guilty of cheating/dishonesty shall be barred from graduating with honors, even if their weighted average is within the requirement for graduation with honors. Provided, further, that students who have been suspended for one (1) year or more due to conduct as defined in the Rules and Regulations on Student Conduct and Discipline; the Revised Rules and Regulations Governing Fraternities, Sororities and Other Student Organizations, and the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995 shall be barred from graduating with honors.

Students who are candidates for graduation with honors must have taken during each semester/ trimester not less than fifteen (15) units of credit or the normal load prescribed in the curriculum, unless the lighter load was due to justifiable causes such as health reasons, the unavailability of courses needed in the curriculum to complete the full load, or the fact that the candidate is a working student. (Revised UP Code: Art. 414 as amended at 884th BOR Meeting: 31 March 1977)

To justify underloading under the following conditions, the submission of pertinent documents is required (Approved by UP President 18 October 1981):

  1. For health reasons – medical certification to be confirmed by the University Health Service;
  2. For unavailability of courses – certification by the major adviser and copy of schedule of classes; and
  3. For employment – copy of payroll and appointment papers indicating among others, the duration of employment.

It is the responsibility of the student to establish beyond reasonable doubt the veracity of the cause(s) of his/her light loading. It is required in this connection that documents submitted to establish the cause(s) of the light loading must be sworn to. These documents must be submitted during the semester of underloading.

Reference:
UP Diliman Academic Information on Graduation with Honors