Recognition of Academic Achievement

NMSU has a number of university-wide programs that recognize academic achievement. These include

• The Honors College and graduating with Honors
• The Crimson Scholars Program
• The Dean’s Report of Academic Achievement 

In addition, many colleges and departments have their own programs and awards that recognize the academic achievement of their students.

The Honors College

The Honors College provides motivated undergraduate students with opportunities to broaden and enrich their academic programs. In small classes taught by master teachers, honors students engage in lively discussion and collaborative investigation of interdisciplinary topics. By taking honors courses, students may also work toward completing general education requirements and disciplinary requirements in their major. There are two program options available to students: University or Distinction in Honors (both are 18 credits) or the Honors Certificate (6 credits). Each option has separate eligibility requirements, benefits, and forms of recognition for the student. For details concerning eligibility and requirements, see the Honors College section of the catalog.

Crimson Scholars Program

Crimson Scholars is a recognition program for academically superior students who achieve and maintain a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.5 or better. Crimson Scholars receive a number of benefits, including:

• Automatic eligibility for all Honors courses
• Early registration
• Recognition in the commencement program
• Regalia for Commencement that acknowledges the Crimson Scholar designation
• Permission to live in the Honors Residential Community

For eligibility criteria, see the Honors College section of the catalog.

Dean’s Report of Academic Achievement

Following the close of the semester, each college dean publishes a list of students who have achieved honor standing in grades for the previous semester. To be eligible, a student must have been enrolled in 12 or more semester credits with a computable grade in each. The top 15 percent of eligible students by college for that semester will be named to the Dean’s Honor List.

Graduation with Honors

To be eligible for a four-year degree with honors, a student must have earned at least 60 semester credits in computable grades while in residence at New Mexico State. Courses taken in the Honors College and graded S will be counted as a part of the minimum of 60 credits. The number of students at graduation, by college, receiving degrees with honors in any one year shall not exceed 15 percent. To receive high honors, a student must be in the top 1.5 percent of the graduating class by college. One person from each college will receive highest honors. In case of a tie, the student with the greatest numbers of credits earned at NMSU with computable grades will be awarded highest honors for each college. Of the students receiving highest honors from the fall and spring commencements, the student with the highest grade-point average and the greatest number of credits earned at NMSU with computable grades will be awarded the Class of 1919 Scholarship Plaque.