Academic Honors

Dean's List. To be eligible for the Dean's List at the close of any fall or spring semester, an undergraduate must have earned a minimum GPA of 3.5 in that semester on at least 12 credit hours excluding Correspondence courses. Graduate courses count.

Graduation with Honors. Students earning a GPA of 3.40-3.59 will graduate cum laude; 3.6-3.79 will graduate magna cum laude; 3.8-4.0 will graduate summa cum laude. Calculation of the GPA to determine honors status is based on all SWT work applied to the first bachelor's degree, including work completed in the final semester. Transfer students who have earned at least 60 semester hours at SWT are eligible to graduate with honors if their SWT GPA meets the above criteria. Students earning second baccalaureate degrees are not eligible for graduation with honors.

The following honor societies are open to qualified SWT students:

Alpha Chi. Alpha Chi is a national honor society which promotes academic excellence and exemplary character among undergraduate college and university students and honors those who achieve such distinction. To qualify for membership, a student must be a first-time undergraduate , a junior or senior (having attained no less than 60 credit hours), have a minimum SWT GPA of 3.50 on at least 45 semester hours at SWT. Alpha Chi is the oldest honor society at SWT, founded in 1922. Membership in the honor society is indicated on the student's transcript. Members are also eligible to compete for Alpha Chi scholarships and fellowships. For further information please contact Dr. Paula Williamson at (512) 245-3312 or Dr. Gary Carman, (512) 245-3249.

Alpha Lambda Delta. Alpha Lambda Delta is a National Academic Honor Society for Freshmen that honors academic excellence during a student's first year in college. Its purpose is to encourage superior academic achievement among students in their first year in institutions of higher education, to promote intelligent living and a continued high standard of learning, and to assist women and men in recognizing and developing meaningful goals for their roles in society. Membership is open to all freshmen who are registered for a full course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, who achieve a minimum scholastic average of 3.5 (based on grades of the first full semester or on the cumulative average of the first year in college), and who have paid the initiation and lifetime membership fee. Members are eligible to compete for Alpha Lambda Delta awards and fellowships. For further information please contact Dr. Jeffrey Gordon at (512) 245-7952.

Golden Key National Honor Society. Golden Key recognizes and encourages scholastic achievement and excellence in all undergraduate fields, supports the faculty and administration in developing and maintaining high academic standards, provides economic assistance by means of annual scholarships, and promotes altruistic conduct through volunteer service to the university and community. The Golden Key National Honor Society accepts students who have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.40, have completed 60 college hours, 25 of which must have been taken at SWT, have filed a Member Data Form, and have paid the initiation and life membership fee. For further information please contact Dr. Lu Montondon at (512) 245-3540.