Latin honours: meaning, history, and modern use in academic degrees

Origins and historical context

The practice of using Latin for academic distinctions dates back to the medieval European universities where Latin was the language of scholarship. Over centuries the succinct phrases became conventional shorthand for honor categories. Although Latin as a spoken language waned, the traditional terminology persisted because it was concise, widely understood across national systems of higher education, and carried a sense of formal continuity with older academic customs.

How honours are awarded: criteria and variation

There is no single global standard for awarding Latin honours. Different institutions set their own criteria, which commonly include one or more of the following:

• Numeric thresholds (grade point average or percentage) set by the college or faculty.
• Class rank relative to the graduating cohort, sometimes expressed as the top percentile.
• Completion of an honours curriculum, honors thesis, or additional coursework and research.
• Qualitative assessment by a committee, especially for postgraduate degrees or professional programs.

Usage is widespread but not uniform: many universities in Canada use Latin honours, as do many institutions in the United States and elsewhere. Several European universities also use Latin phrases or local equivalents within their systems. Some schools prefer the English translations or other local terms for clarity and public communication (English equivalents).

Variants, examples and notable cases

Beyond the standard three ranks, a few institutions have created additional or alternative distinctions to recognize particular achievements. For example, some colleges award rare or institution-specific honors such as egregia cum laude ("with outstanding honor") to acknowledge exceptional performance within a rigorous honors curriculum; one documented use exists at the College of St. Benedict and St. John's University. Other schools may use phrases like "with distinction" or institute separate honors degrees with named designations.

Practical importance and distinctions

Latin honours can matter for postgraduate admissions, scholarships and some employers, but their significance depends on how selection committees interpret different institutions' standards. Because criteria vary widely, comparisons across schools are imperfect; concerns such as grade inflation and inconsistent thresholds have led some employers and universities to rely more on transcripts, letters of recommendation and the quality of research or coursework than on the honor phrase alone. In countries with different systems—most notably the United Kingdom—undergraduate degree classification (first class, upper second, etc.) serves a similar purpose but is organized and named differently.

If you need to verify a specific honour, consult the awarding institution's published regulations or contact its registrar; institutional rules provide the definitive explanation of how honours were determined in any particular case.