Honors and Awards

Dean's List

At the end of each semester, the provost and executive vice president announces the Dean's List, which consists of the names of all students who have a semester GPA of 3.40 or above while completing a minimum of 12 semester credit hours with no grade below C. Also, no student with a grade of Incomplete will be included on the Dean's List. The Dean's List status is recorded on the student's academic transcript.

Graduation Honors

Latin Honors

Latin Honors are awarded to eligible students upon completing all graduation requirements. To be considered for Latin Honors, students must complete a minimum of 60 credits in residence at Bridgewater College and achieve the following cumulative grade point average (GPA) at Bridgewater College:

  • summa cum laude: a minimum GPA of 3.9
  • magna cum laude: a minimum GPA of 3.7
  • cum laude: a minimum GPA of 3.4

The honors awarded are noted on each student's transcript and diploma. Predicted eligibility of Latin Honors is determined by April 15 prior to commencement; however, actual eligibility is based on final GPA at Bridgewater College.

Students may elect to conduct an Honors Project within a particular department (within or outside of their major). Juniors and seniors with a minimum GPA of 3.4 may make application and register for an Honors Project.

The Philomathes Society

The primary purpose of the Philomathes Society, Bridgewater's scholastic honor society, is to encourage scholarly effort and to honor students, faculty members and alumni who have achieved unusual distinction in the pursuit of knowledge. A student is eligible to be nominated for membership after completing a minimum of 30 credit hours at Bridgewater College with a high GPA and satisfactory grades for convocation attendance during the year prior to nomination, provided the student has not been suspended from the College for disciplinary reasons during the year prior to induction.

Alpha Chi

The Virginia Gamma Chapter of Alpha Chi, a national collegiate honor society, is organized to promote truth and character, to stimulate and recognize scholarly effort and to encourage critical and creative thinking that enables the exploration of new areas of knowledge. Junior and senior members of the Philomathes Society who have completed at least 30 credit hours at Bridgewater, possess a cumulative GPA of 3.40 or above, rank in the top 10 percent of their class and have attended the necessary number of convocations for the two previous semesters are eligible for election to membership in this society.