USI » Office of the Registrar » Graduation Requirements

Graduation requirements; Formal Application process

Undergraduate Degrees Offered
The University grants the undergraduate degrees of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor or Science in Engineering, Bachelor of Social Work, Bachelor of General Studies, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, and Associate of Science in Nursing.

Commencement exercises are held in December and May of each year; degrees are conferred in December and May of each year. If you complete graduation requirements in December, you are eligible to participate in either the December or May commencement exercises. If you complete graduation requirements in May, or will complete graduation requirements in one of the subsequent summer sessions, you are eligible to participate in May commencement exercises. Degree candidates must declare their intent to participate in commencement exercises. For information about the ceremony and to submit an online reservation request, click here.

Bachelor of Arts or Associate of Arts: Language Requirement
Modern and classical language proficiency is a requirement for the Bachelor of Arts or Associate of Arts degree. The language requirement recognizes the desirability of attaining basic mastery of a language other than one's own. To fulfill the language requirement for the Bachelor of Arts or Associate of Arts degree, a student must demonstrate proficiency through the appropriate college-level course in a single language (French, German, Spanish, Japanese, or Latin) by either:

completing the first 12 credit hours of the language (four semesters, through 204, or higher), or
completing the fourth semester of the language (204) or higher, if advanced placement is recommended. Note: achieving a grade of B or better in the course in which they are placed, then completing a Departmental Credit form (through the Department of Modern and Classical Languages) earns credit for all preceding courses.

General Requirements for Graduation
Meeting graduation requirements is each student's responsibility. A candidate for a baccalaureate or associate degree must meet the general requirements of the University. The following requirements apply to each student.

A student must have a minimum of 124 semester hours of credit for a baccalaureate degree. Some curricula or combination of fields require more. If all specified requirements are completed with fewer than 124 semester hours, a student must elect sufficient work to total at least 124 hours.
A student must have a minimum of 64 semester hours of credit for an associate degree. Some curricula or combination of fields requires more. If all specified requirements are completed with fewer than 64 semester hours, a student must elect sufficient work to total at least 64 hours.
All students who began seeking a degree in the 1996 fall semester or after must complete a minimum of 39 semester hours at the 300-level or above to complete a baccalaureate.
A student must complete the minimum University Core Curriculum program. Specific requirements for the University Core Curriculum component of each degree program are noted in the sections of the bulletin describing each of the academic programs.
A student must have a 2.0 (C) minimum grade-point average on all University courses counted for graduation requirements. Some curricula, such a teacher education programs, require a higher grade point average.
Incomplete grades should be removed at least six weeks before the end of the term of graduation, if the courses are to be counted toward graduation requirements.
Course requirements for graduation in the student's degree program(s) may be those in effect at the time of matriculation into the program or at graduation, but not a combination of both.
A student must earn a minimum of 30 semester hours of credit toward a baccalaureate, and 18 semester hours of credit toward an associate degree from the University.

Application for Graduation
Candidates for graduation should file with the Office of the Registrar a Formal Application for Graduation and a Diploma Form. If degree requirements will be completed in a spring or summer term, the forms should be submitted no later than the third week of the preceding fall term. If degree requirements will be completed in the fall term, the forms should be submitted no later than the third week of the preceding spring term. The Application for Graduation may be obtained at the office of the Dean of the candidate's major. The Diploma Form may be obtained at the Office of the Dean of the candidate's major or submitted online. Timely submission of the Formal Application for Graduation and Diploma Form help ensure that degree candidates are included in commencement mailings and the commencement program, will be considered for commencement honors, will have a diploma ordered, etc.

Honors
An undergraduate, baccalaureate degree-seeking student who completes all University requirements for graduation and meets the requirements for graduation honors, with a cumulative grade point average of between 3.6 and 3.8 will be graduated with the honor Cum Laude. Students with a cumulative grade point average of 3.8 or higher will be graduated Magna Cum Laude. The student(s) with the highest cumulative grade point average will be graduated Summa Cum Laude. A student receiving graduation honors will have the appropriate notation printed on both the transcript and diploma.

Commencement honors (for purposes of printing the commencement program) are determined by using the cumulative grade point average at the end of the semester preceding each commencement.

Graduation honors are determined by using the cumulative grade point average of the final term when graduation requirements are completed and therefore may differ from commencement honors.

University Requirements for Graduation Honors
A student who is to receive a baccalaureate degree and meets each of the following requirements is eligible for graduation honors.

Complete a minimum of 30 semester hours at the University in which letter grades of computable point value were received.
Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.6 on all courses attempted at the University.
Have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.6 on all academic work attempted from all institutions attended.

Associate and Master degree candidates are not eligible for honors.

Second Baccalaureate Degree
A student who desires a second baccalaureate degree must complete a minimum of 30 semester hours in addition to those required for their first degree and must fulfill all requirements for the second degree. With the exception of the Teacher Education Programs, a student completing a second baccalaureate degree does not have to meet the University Core Curriculum (General Education Program). If a student received the first baccalaureate degree from another accredited university, 30 hours in residence are required to fulfill the requirement for the second baccalaureate degree. Two baccalaureate degrees may be granted simultaneously, providing all requirements for both degrees have been completed and a minimum of 154 hours has been earned.

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