Academic Excellence at CSI
As part of its mission, the College of Southern Idaho seeks to provide a quality educational experience to students with diverse backgrounds and academic gifts, including high-ability, high-achieving students. In doing this, there are several options for gifted students to capitalize upon and be recognized for outstanding academic achievement.
President’s List and Dean’s List
The President’s List and Dean’s List are semester-based distinctions available to full-time students (students who completed 12 or more credits from graded courses).
President’s List – 4.00 semester GPA
Dean’s List – 3.5 to 3.99 semester GPA
President’s List and Dean’s List designations are recognized on the student’s transcript.
Grades of ‘I’ or missing grades will prevent a student from receiving honors.
Community Engaged Learning
Community Engaged Learning- is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates instruction with meaningful and timely service to the communities around them. These classes utilize the service-learning pedagogy for the basis of papers, discussion, and other assignments. Instructors deliberately link the course content with community needs and reflect on the cognitive and developmental aspects of the experience. Service hours are expected and is at the discretion of the faculty member.
CSI Honors Program and Honors Coursework Recognition
The Honors Program is open to full-time students just beginning at CSI or to those already in the process of completing a degree who hold and maintain a GPA of 3.5 or above. Admission to the Honors Program is a competitive process granted by application in the fall and the spring. Students in the Honors Program take Honors Seminar and Honors Reading classes in addition to general education honors coursework. Honors courses are represented by an “H” on a student’s transcript. Students who complete at least 15 credits of honors coursework (either through designated sections or contract) will be awarded special distinction on their transcript. They can also be identified by purple cords at commencement ceremonies.
Graduation
Students must apply for graduation online at www.csi.edu/graduation. Students must apply for graduation whether or not they are planning to participate in the commencement ceremony in May. Although applications for graduation are accepted throughout the year, in order to be included in the commencement program, students must apply for graduation prior to the deadline published each year. The degree will only be conferred and the diploma will only be issued if all graduation requirements have been met.
Transfer students must complete a total of 20% of credits at CSI in order to graduate from the College of Southern Idaho.
Commencement Honors
CSI also recognizes academic distinction at graduation based on graduates’ cumulative GPA at CSI:
Summa Cum Laude – with highest praise; students who graduate with a 3.9-4.0 GPA
Magna Cum Laude – with great praise; students who graduate with 3.7-3.89 GPA
Cum Laude – with praise; students who graduate with 3.5-3.69 GPA
These distinctions are recognized on the transcript and diploma. Graduates may wear gold cords during the commencement ceremony.
Grades of “I” or missing grades will prevent a student from receiving these honors and only CSI cumulative GPA will be considered (excluding transfer credits). These graduation honors apply only to associate degrees (AA, AS, AE, AAS). Academic Certificates (AC), Basic Technical Certificates (BTC), and Intermediate Technical Certificates (ITC) are not eligible.