Academic success is celebrated at Kean University in a variety of ways. One noteworthy accomplishment is being appointed to the Dean's List, which recognizes the earning of a high grade point average among matriculated students after each semester.

Full-time students are named to the Dean's List after every fall and spring semester. In order to be named to the list, a student must accrue a GPA of 3.45 or higher for the semester (while completing 12 credits or more during that span). Part-time students are named to the list once per year, after the spring semester. They are also recognized for the completion of 12 or more credits with a GPA of 3.45 or higher, though this is divided across the entire academic year. In each case, courses taken with a Pass/Fail option, and grades of "Incomplete," are not eligible.

In addition to a personal letter acknowledging their success, Dean's List commendations are added to students' transcripts, an invaluable addition when being considered for jobs in their fields, or graduate programs.

Students consistently appointed to the Dean's List also have the potential to graduate with Honors.

Dean's List scholars with a GPA of 3.85 or higher are also eligible for priority class registration, a great incentive for students to perform well. Earning early registration can help enroll in popular, competitive, required courses.

• With a cumulative GPA of between 3.45 and 3.64, a student graduates Cum Laude, the Latin for "with distinction," or "with honors."
• Graduating with a GPA between 3.65 and 3.84 earns the Magna Cum Laude title, "with great distinction."
• Finally, graduating with a GPA between 3.85 and 4.0 earns the Summa Cum Laude title, "the highest distinction."

Another form of academic success can be shown through the invitation to join an honor society. The honor societies at Kean are organizations that separate the academically elite at Kean and gives them a space to come together and work as a group to help others through service and leadership. Often associated with a specific subject, honor societies show high achievement in academics and involvement. 

Some of the honor societies at Kean University include but are not limited to:

• Alpha Kappa Delta - International Sociology Honor Society 
• Alpha Phi Sigma - National Criminal Justice Honor Society
• Alpha Psi Omega - National Theatre Honor Society 
• Beta Beta Beta - National Biological Honor Society 
• Chi Alpha Sigma - Athletic Honor Society
• Chi Sigma Iota - International Graduate Honor Society (Counseling)
• Epsilon Epsilon Omega - Exceptional Opportunities Center Honor Society 
• Iota Tau Alpha - Athletic Training Honor Society
• Kappa Delta Pi - International Education Honor Society 
• Kappa Kappa Psi - National Band Honor Society 
• Lambda Alpha Sigma - Honor Society (All Kean Majors)
• Lambda Pi Eta - National Communication Association
• Mu Kappa Tau - Marketing Honor Society
• Omicron Delta Epsilon - International Economics Honor Society 
• Phi Alpha Theta - National History Honor Society
• Pi Alpha Alpha - Public Administration Honor Society 
• Pi Sigma Alpha - National Political Science Honor Society 
• Psi Chi - International Psychology Honor Society 
• SALUTE - Veterans National Honor Society
• Sigma Beta Delta - International Business Administration and Management Honor Society
• Sigma Delta Pi -  National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society
• Sigma Tau Delta - International English Honor Society
• Sigma Theta Tau - Nursing Honor Society

For more information about the Dean's List, academic honor societies and other academic honors at Kean, visit the university's website. With any questions about these honors in preparation for graduation, prospective graduates can email graduation@kean.edu, or reach out via phone at 908-73-REGME.