The Upper Division Honors Program in Physics is intended to supplement the normal curriculum for particularly able and highly motivated upper division physics majors. A major emphasis of the program is the involvement of honors students in active research projects in the school. Such involvement can give students experience in doing physics that a traditional classroom cannot. Honors seminars in the Junior and Senior years include presentations which attempt to illustrate the range of current physics research being conducted in the School, the College, and local industry, and to prepare students for selecting graduate schools. In addition, the seminars include student reports of their activities in departmental research.

Participation in the Upper Division Honors Program is open to all qualified students; prior enrollment in CSE's Lower Division Honors Program is not a prerequisite. Completion of specified honors requirements in the upper division leads to graduation with cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude degree designations.

General requirements for graduation with latin honors are as follows:

1. Completed at least 60 credits at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities campus
2. Maintained successful, continuous participation in UHP
3. Fulfilled a minimum of the junior and senior-year Honors Experience requirements
4. Obtained a grade point average of at least 3.5 in their last 60 graded credits (not including transfer credit)

Level of honors is contingent upon the level of honors thesis completed and GPA of the last 60 graded U of M-Twin Cities credits

An honors thesis is required of all students graduating with any level of Latin honors. It is an excellent opportunity for undergraduates to define and investigate a topic, and to complete a piece of serious academic writing.

Thesis requirements vary according to the level of Latin honors you are attempting to attain. The level for which your thesis is approved is ultimately contingent upon its quality, as determined by your supervisor and readers according to the thesis evaluation criteria.

See the honors thesis guide for comprehensive information on this requirement.

Honors faculty representatives connect students with learning opportunities in their discipline and provide major-specific advice on fulfilling requirements for graduating with Latin honors.

The current faculty honors representative for physics is Professor Priscilla Cushman.