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, and Associate of Science.

Commencement exercises are held in December and April/May of each year; degrees are conferred in December and April/May of each year. If you complete graduation requirements in the fall, you are eligible to participate in December commencement exercises. If you complete graduation requirements in the spring, or will complete graduation requirements in one of the subsequent summer sessions, you are eligible to participate in April/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, Latin, Arabic, or Chinese) 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 USI 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.

Students whose native or first language is not English may request a waiver from the foreign language requirement. A student who requests a waiver must (1) certify English competency by achievement of a minimum of 500 on the written Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or 173 on the computer-based version, and (2) demonstrate proficiency in the student�s native language. Students who receive an exemption from the foreign language requirement are responsible for completing the humanities requirements set forth in the University Core Curriculum (C4 Western Culture) as well as all other credit-hour requirements for the degree.

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.

Effective summer 2013, a student must have a minimum of 120 semester hours of credit for a baccalaureate degree (124 hours required for students following a spring 2013 or earlier bulletin). Some curricula or combination of fields require more. If all specified requirements are completed with fewer than 120 semester hours, a student must elect sufficient work to total at least 120 hours.
Effective summer 2013, a student must have a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit for an associate degree (64 hours required for students following a spring 2013 or earlier bulletin). Some curricula or combination of fields requires more. If all specified requirements are completed with fewer than 60 semester hours, a student must elect sufficient work to total at least 60 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- and 400-level to complete a baccalaureate degree.
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 October 1 of the preceding fall term. If degree requirements will be completed in the fall term, the forms should be submitted no later than March 1 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 is submitted online (requires myUSI password). 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/term preceding each commencement.

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

Have completed (or have a combination of completed and enrolled hours in the final semester) a minimum of 60 credit hours at the University.
Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.6 on all courses attempted at the University.

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.

Completed a minimum of 60 credit hours at the University.
Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.6 on all courses attempted at the University.

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 and other programs with program-specific Core requirements, 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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