"Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling was praised for making reading "cool" as she received an honorary degree from Edinburgh University.

The university's graduating students gave Rowling a hearty round of applause Thursday as she was handed the degree of doctor honoris causa, one of the university's highest accolades, in recognition of her contribution to children's literature.

Afterward, Rowling said she was honored to receive the diploma.

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However, she remained tight-lipped on her progress on the sixth book and whether Harry Potter would himself eventually graduate from the fictional Hogwarts wizardry school he attends.

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