Skip to content
Contact USI

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 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.
  • 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). If all specified requirements are completed with fewer than 120 semester hours, a student must elect sufficient work to total at least 120 hours. Some curricula or combination of fields require more.
  • 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). If all specified requirements are completed with fewer than 60 semester hours, a student must elect sufficient work to total at least 60 hours. Some curricula or combination of fields requires more.
  • A student completing a baccalaureate degree must earn a minimum of 30 credit hours toward the degree from the University; a student completing an associate degree must earn a minimum of 18 credit hours toward the degree from the University; a student completing a certificate must earn a minimum of 6 credit hours toward the certificate from the University.
  • Coursework taken more than 4 years before a certificate is awarded may not be applied toward certificate requirements.
  • 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.
  • Incomplete grades should be resolved at least six weeks before the end of the term of graduation.
  • 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.

Students may pick up their diploma at the Registrar's Office in the Orr Center, or request that their diploma be mailed.