THE NUMBER of Thomasian graduates with Latin honors fell to 38% this year from 45.12% in the previous year, with 2,651 of the University’s 6,912 graduates earning academic distinctions, according to data from the Office of the Registrar obtained by the Varsitarian.
Of the 2,651 Latin honor recipients in the Class of 2026, 91 graduated summa cum laude, 706 magna cum laude, and 1,854 cum laude.
The figures were lower than last year’s tally of 97 summa cum laude, 913 magna cum laude, and 2,451 cum laude graduates.
Despite the decline, this year’s 38% rate was among the highest since 2013, when the proportion of graduates receiving Latin did not exceed 15%.
A decade ago, only 11.12% of the Class of 2016 graduated with Latin honors.
The proportion of honor graduates rose as UST switched to hybrid learning in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The College of Tourism and Hospitality Management posted the highest proportion of Latin honor recipients this year, with 79% (328 of 413) of its graduates earning distinctions. It was followed by the Faculty of Canon Law, where 75% (18 of 24) of graduates received Latin honors.
The Faculty of Theology ranked third, with 71% (36 of 51) of its graduates earning Latin honors.
The Faculty of Arts and Letters produced the highest number of summa cum laude (21), magna cum laude (143), and cum laude (230) graduates. It also posted the seventh-highest proportion of honor graduates, with 65% or 459 of its 705 graduates receiving Latin honors.
Twenty Latin honors were awarded by the Faculty of Philosophy despite the academic unit having only 12 graduates this academic year. Asst. Prof. Warren Maneja, faculty secretary of the Ecclesiastical Faculty, said this was because several graduates earned the distinction across multiple degrees.
The Faculty of Civil Law recorded the lowest proportion of Latin honor recipients, with only 10 of its 110 graduates, or 9%, receiving academic distinctions.
Other academic units posted the following numbers of Latin honorees:
- College of Nursing – 69% (96 of 140)
- Faculty of Philosophy – 60% (20 of 12)*
- College of Information and Computing Sciences – 42% (247 of 592)
- College of Fine Arts and Design – 53% (207 of 392)
- College of Rehabilitation Sciences – 45% (117 of 260)
- Conservatory of Music – 40% (23 of 58)
- College of Education – 37% (94 of 254)
- Faculty of Pharmacy – 34% (237 of 707)
- College of Commerce and Business Administration – 42% (242 of 583)
- Graduate School of Law – 19% (3 of 16)
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery – 28% (148 of 522)
- College of Science – 30% (162 of 547)
- College of Architecture – 26% (56 of 219)
- Graduate School – 16% (40 of 256)
- Faculty of Engineering – 16% (101 of 650)
- Alfredo M. Velayo College of Accountancy – 22% (55 of 247)
- Institute of Physical Education and Athletics – 18% (17 of 97)
UST concluded its month-long solemn investiture rites with the graduation ceremonies of the College of Rehabilitation Sciences on June 30. With reports from Amador Denzel M. Teston, Carlo Jose H. Ruga, and Prince Raphael M. Briz
