Honors and Awards for Math Majors

Beginning with the December 2026 conferral date, Cornell University will award Latin Honors based solely on final cumulative undergraduate GPA. The Latin Honors categories include: Summa Cum Laude (top 5%), Magna Cum Laude (next 10%), and Cum Laude (next 15%).

The Mathematics Department awards Honors in Mathematics, the Kieval Prize in Mathematics, and the Transcendence Award to graduating seniors. The Transcendence Award may not be awarded every year.

Honors in Mathematics is awarded to graduating math majors based on excellence in and difficulty of coursework satisfying the requirements of the math major, as well as mathematical research or the completion of a senior thesis. Honors is typically awarded competitively to 15% or less of the graduating class. 

Minimum Requirement for Honors in Mathematics

• A median grade¹ of an A- or better in 3000+ level coursework which satisfies the requirements of the math major.
• The majority of upper-level math courses must be taken at the 4000 level or above, and students must have distinguished themselves.²
• Students who have not completed the requirements for a concentration in Mathematics or Applied Mathematics are expected to be exceptional to receive honors. In addition to the criteria above criteria, they must have done outstanding work (A or A+) in the courses counting towards the math major in their concentration.  A deep mathematical component to the work in their concentration is required.

Notes

1. Additional coursework beyond what is minimally required for the major will be included when calculating the median grade.
2. For example, the student has taken the honors sequences (MATH 4130-MATH 4140 and MATH 4330-MATH 4340) with grades of A- or better; or has taken graduate core classes (MATH 6110-MATH 6120, MATH 6310-MATH 6320, MATH 6510-MATH 6520) with grades of A- or better; or has written a senior thesis and has strong endorsement from their advisor; or has mostly outstanding math grades (A or A+).

Dr. Harry S. Kieval ‘36 was a generous man who fervently believed in undergraduate education. He established the Kieval Prize in 1983 to provide an annual award for outstanding graduating senior mathematics majors, and upon his death in 1994 he left an endowment to support the continuation of the prize. Recipients are chosen based on academic performance, the quality and variety of mathematics courses taken, and faculty recommendations.

The transcendence award is a prize for distinguished graduating senior mathematics majors who have contributed to the spirit of excellence among our majors or who have made extraordinary contributions to the Cornell mathematics community. Recipients are chosen based on academic performance and significant contributions to the life of the mathematics department. For example, fostering community in the Math Support Center, exceptional leadership of the Math Club, organizing events that add vitality to the Math Department, or extensive involvement in Cornell’s educational outreach in mathematics.