You do not have to participate in the CALS Honors Program to graduate from the University of Florida with Honors.

Graduating with Honors from UF requires only the following:

• Cum laude (with honors) - a 3.5 minimum upper-division GPA
• Magna cum laude (with high honors) - a 3.75 minimum upper-division GPA, PLUS an Honors Thesis. You are not required to sign up for honors research credits (XXX 4915). If you need the credits, you can sign up for 1-3 credits of XXX4915. At a minimum the University would like you to sign up for the zero credit XXX 4915 every term you are conducting research.
• Summa cum laude (with highest honors) - a 3.85 minimum upper-division GPA PLUS an Honors Thesis. You are not required to sign up for honors research credits (XXX 4915). If you need the credits, you can sign up for 1-3 credits of XXX4915. At a minimum the University would like you to sign up for the zero credit XXX 4915 every term you are conducting research.

However, students who complete the CALS Honors Program will graduate from UF magna cum laude or summa cum laude automatically, since the CALS Honors Program requirements exceed the UF and CALS requirements.

Special note for Microbiology and Cell Science students:
In addition to the thesis and GPA requirements noted above, you will need to enroll in a minimum of 4 credits of MCB 4911 (Supervised Research) or MCB 4915 (CALS Honors Supervised Research) to conduct research that will be used for the Thesis. These may be taken for a maximum of 6 credits and a maximum per semester total of 0-3 for the fall and spring semesters.  For summer A or Summer B, you can register for a maximum of 0-1 credits and for Summer C a maximum of 0-2 credits.  Once you max out at 06 credits, you may continue to register for 0 credit hours. Summer enrollment: if MCB4915 or MCB4911 is the only course on your schedule and you choose to register for 0 credits, you will be charged fees for 01 credit.

Please see the Microbiology and Cell Science Department web site.

Be sure to double check with your departmental for any additional requirements.