Outstanding Achievement
Graduating students earning a bachelor’s degree who have maintained an outstanding academic record are accorded special recognition at graduation and are awarded golden yellow double honor cords to wear during Commencement.
The criteria listed below were established by the Office of the Registrar. The Commencement Office only distributes the honor cords based on the honors awarded / honors projected by the Graduation Office. For additional information on baccalaureate honors, please visit the Office of the Registrar’s website > Apply for your Degree > Honors at Graduation.
Baccalaureate Honors Criteria
To be eligible for honors, graduating bachelor's degree students must have completed a minimum of 45 units in residence at Cal State LA and have attained the appropriate standing (cumulative grade point average earned at Cal State LA) as described below:
- Summa Cum Laude: GPA equal to or greater than 3.9
- Magna Cum Laude: GPA equal to or greater than 3.75 but less than 3.9
- Cum Laude: GPA equal to or greater than 3.5 but less than 3.75
These honors are designated on the diploma and permanent academic record.
For Commencement, spring 2026 or summer 2026 graduating students must have obtained the GPA listed above for fall 2025 or winter 2026 term ( if you attended winter 2026) to be projected to receive baccalaureate honors. Projected honors are subject to change based on final grades at the end of the spring 2026 semester or summer 2026 session.
Honor Cords
In mid-March 2026, information regarding the distribution of honor cords will go out to the following:
- Bachelor’s degree students who graduated in fall 2025 and winter 2026 and have attained the status of graduating with honors based on the criteria listed above.
- Bachelor’s degree students who are projected to graduate in spring 2026 or summer 2026 and attained the status of graduating with honors based on the criteria listed above from completed courses as of winter 2026.
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Commencement website last updated: January 26, 2026