{"id":161916,"date":"2023-11-30T12:04:18","date_gmt":"2023-11-30T11:04:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=161916"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:27:04","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:27:04","slug":"narrow-majority-of-researchers-support-abolishing-cum-laude-for-doctorates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2023\/11\/30\/narrow-majority-of-researchers-support-abolishing-cum-laude-for-doctorates\/","title":{"rendered":"Narrow majority of researchers support abolishing cum laude for doctorates"},"content":{"rendered":"

A narrow majority of PhD candidates and supervisors in the social sciences and humanities at Erasmus University are in favour of abolishing the cum laude designation for doctorates. The poll is consistent with a nationwide trend of criticism for cum laude.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFemke Legu\u00e9<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Cum laude is a distinction that students and PhD candidates can obtain if they have completed their studies or doctorate with exceptional results. For doctoral research, the supervisor decides whether the PhD candidate is eligible for the designation. One hundred and ninety-three PhD candidates and supervisors took part in the poll.<\/p>\n

Nuanced picture<\/h2>

The poll showed<\/a> that a narrow majority of respondents are in favour of abolishing the practice of awarding a cum laude distinction for doctorates. Among PhD candidates, 59 per cent are in favour of abolition, while 51 per cent of supervisors agree. At the same time, a sizeable minority would prefer to keep the distinction: 36 per cent of candidates and 47 per cent of supervisors say that cum laude should be retained.<\/p>\n

For opponents, the biggest problem is the subjective assessment, because there are no transparent criteria for awarding a cum laude designation for doctorates. There are also concerns that the personal attributes of a candidate, such as gender and ethnicity, may be a factor, as evidenced by this study<\/a>. Supervisors say that candidates are dependent on their supervisors, who must be prepared to do extra work to set the cum laude evaluation process in motion. Pressure to perform and unnecessary competition are also important objections.<\/p>\n\n\t

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Read more<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t