Graduation

CLEARANCE FOR GRADUATION
Clearance for Graduation is due one year prior to the desired graduation date. The clearance is not official until it has been reviewed and approved by the Records Office. Undergraduate students should obtain clearance for graduation at least two semesters prior to the intended graduation date. Students in the Online and Military Base Undergraduate program should obtain clearance for graduation preferably within three semesters but no later than two semesters prior to the intended graduation date.

To be cleared for graduation, a student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 and the necessary GPA required in the major. Some majors require a GPA higher than 2.0 for courses taken in the major.

PETITION FOR GRADUATION
A petition for graduation must be filed at the Records Office no later than the deadline specified in the current academic calendar. A clearance for graduation form must be completed before the petition and graduation fees are accepted.

Attendance at commencement is optional. A petition must be filed and the graduation fee must be paid before the degree will be conferred or a diploma issued.

COMMENCEMENT
Commencement exercises are held in May of each academic year. Conferral of your degree is contingent upon the successful completion of all graduation requirements as noted in the catalog. In order to participate in the commencement exercises, the student must have earned the requisite credits or be currently enrolled in their remaining required courses immediately prior to Commencement. Please note, for May Commencement, students may be enrolled in Spring Evening and/or Summer 1 Day semester to complete requirements.

HONORS
Candidates for a bachelor’s degree who have completed at least 60 semester hours with letter grades at Chaminade University may be awarded the following honors at graduation: Cum Laude with a cumulative GPA of 3.51, Magna Cum Laude with a cumulative GPA of 3.76, and Summa Cum Laude with a cumulative GPA of 3.96.

Candidates for a bachelor’s degree who have completed 30 but less than 60 semester hours with letter grades at Chaminade University and who have cumulative GPA at least 3.51 may be graduated with Distinction. Normally, courses such as Student Teaching are conducted on a Credit/No Credit basis; however, students wishing to have these credits included for Honors consideration may opt to have these courses conducted on a graded basis. The election to have these courses graded must be made prior to the beginning of the semester and be approved by the instructor.

For candidates to be announced at Commencement as having received an academic honor, they must have met the requirements indicated in the paragraphs above prior to the time Commencement arrangements are finalized. Grades or credits anticipated in the semester in which one is enrolled immediately prior to Commencement or which one will complete after Commencement are excluded from consideration for the purposes of determining the announcement of honors at Commencement. The transcript of a graduate will reflect the official record of any academic honors.

AWARDS
Outstanding Student awards are presented to graduating seniors on the basis of leadership, scholarship, and service. Special awards and departmental awards for outstanding scholarship are presented at the semi-annual Awards Ceremony conducted during commencement week.