DIXIE STATE COLLEGE OF UTAH POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL | Section: 5-Student Services |
Policy No: 20 | |
|
Approved: 4/26/96
Revised: 5/01/09 | |
Policy: GRADUATION | |
5-20 GRADUATION
I. Dixie State College has the right to grant Bachelor baccalaureate degrees, associate degrees, and certificates of completion.
II. Application for Graduation
A. Degree candidates must file application for graduation with the graduation advisement office prior to the published deadlines in the class schedule, according to for the semester in which they will complete requirements and wish to graduate.
i. A non-refundable graduation fee is required.
B. Students must be approved cleared for graduation by a graduation advisor.
C. Students who complete degrees or and certificates will receive the appropriate award after the semester has ended, grades have been are posted, and the transcript has been verified.
D. A Student who does not fulfill complete graduation requirements as scheduled for the semester indicated on their application must reapply according to the deadlines for the semester in which they will complete for graduation when requirements. are completed.
i. A non-refundable graduation fee, in addition to the previously paid graduation fee, is required.
E. Students completing a certification program do not need to submit an application or pay an additional fee to receive their certificate.
20.4 Graduation Fee
20.4.1 Students will be assessed a non-refundable graduation fee at the time they apply for graduation.
20.4.1.1 Students will also be assessed a non-refundable graduation fee when they reapply for graduation.
III. Requirements for Graduation
A. Institutional Residency
i. In order to graduate with a Dixie State College An associate degree requires a minimum of a student must complete at least 20 semester hours of lower division credit be completed at Dixie State College. for institutional residency.
ii. In order to graduate with a Dixie State College A bachelor's degree requires a minimum of a student must complete at least 30 semester hours of upper division credit be completed at Dixie State College. for institutional residency.
iii. Credits contributing to institutional residency may not be acquired through examination, prior experiential learning, or petition.
B. General Education Requirements May Be Met by Transfer Credit
i. General Education requirements are outlined in the College catalog.
ii. Transfer students who have completed courses at their previous college that are deemed equivalent to courses in the general education program at Dixie State College will have those courses applied to the requirements. (Refer to Policy 5-47, Academic Transfer)
iii. Transfer students entering Dixie State College who have completed the general education program of their previous college, as evidenced by completion of an associate of arts or associate of science degree or a registrar's certification of General Education completion, will have fulfilled the General Education requirements at Dixie State College. (Refer to Policy 5-47, Academic Transfer)
20.11.1 Transfer credit from other accredited institutions may be used to satisfy general education requirements.
20.11.2 If a course at another accredited institution of higher education fulfills general education requirements there, it will also be deemed satisfactory for the fulfillment of general education course requirements at Dixie, providing the course has like content.
20.11.3 For USHE Academic Transfer Information see the Academic Transfer Policy 5-47 and the USHE Articulation Agreements.
20.10 General Requirements May Be Satisfied by Test Credit
20.10.1 Advanced Placement (AP) Credit: Students who have completed advanced placement courses in high school and passed the Educational Testing Service Examination with scores of 3, 4, or 5 will be granted 8 hours of credit for each, and given general education credit where applicable, with the exception of psychology and statistics which each grant only 4 hours of credit. (Refer to Credit by Examination, Prior Experiential Learning or Petition Policy 5-15.)
20.10.2 College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Credit: All students are eligible to take the CLEP (College Level Examination Program) battery which, if passed satisfactorily, may satisfy most of the general education requirements. (Refer to Credit by Examination, Prior Experiential Learning or Petition Policy 5-15.)
C. Scholastic Requirements
i. To be eligible for graduation from Dixie State College, a student must have attain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 or higher for all registered work, which includes institutional and transfer credits. to be eligible to graduate from Dixie State College.
ii. Students must achieve a grade of "D-" or higher in each course applicable Only "D" grades or better will be counted toward graduation requirements or the total credits required for graduation. but "D" grades may not be transferable credit to other schools.
iii. Courses must be numbered below 100 (under the quarter system) or below / 1000 (under the semester system) or higher to do not count toward overall the total credits earned for graduation.
iv. No more than a combined maximum of 32 credits awarded by examination, prior learning experience, and petition can be applied toward graduation. (Refer to Policy 5-15, Credit by Examination, Prior Learning Experience, or Petition)
v. Individual academic programs may have more stringent requirements.
20.3.7 Any exceptions must be approved by the appropriate academic dean and academic vice president.
D. Associate of Arts and Associate of Science Degree Requirements
i. A candidate for graduation with an associate degree must complete a Minimum of 60 63 credits hours. These hours must fulfill the "Requirements for General Education and Graduation" listed in the Dixie State College catalog.
ii. Completion of institutional General Education requirements.
iii. Completion of at least 20 credits at Dixie State College for institutional residency.
iv. The Associate of Arts degree requires at least 8 credits in a single foreign language.
E. Associate of Applied Science Degree Requirements
20.8.1 The associate of applied science degree is oriented toward job entry skills and is designed for students whose interests are in vocational training.
i. Minimum of 63 credits
ii. Completion of program requirements
iii. Completion of a minimum The associate of applied science degree requires that 15 credits hours of institutional college be from general education requirements as listed in program requirements.
20.8.2.1 General education requirements are detailed in the Dixie State College catalog. Catalog requirements may be revised from time to time without prior notice.
iv. Completion of at least 20 credits at Dixie State College for institutional residency.
20.8.3 The other 48 hours will be in a specific discipline and/or required courses from related subject areas for a total of 63 credits.
20.8.4 General education course requirements are detailed in the Dixie State College catalog.
20.8.5 Curriculum for the student's major is described in each department's catalog listing.
20.8.6 Graduation requirements vary for vocational programs.
F. Specialized Associate Degree Requirements
i. Minimum of 68 credits
ii. Completion of program requirements
iii. Completion of at least 20 credits at Dixie State College for institutional residency
G. Baccalaureate Bachelor Degree Requirements
i. A candidate for graduation with a bachelor degree must complete a Minimum of 120 121 semester credits hours. These hours must fulfill the requirements for general education as specified by having an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree from an accredited institution, a specific bachelor degree and graduation as listed in the Dixie State College catalog.
ii. Minimum of 40 upper division credits
iii. Completion of program / major requirements
iv. Completion of General Education requirements
v. Completion of institutional baccalaureate degree requirements
vi. Completion of at least 30 credits at Dixie State College for institutional residency
vii. The Bachelor of Arts degree requires at least 16 credits in a single foreign language, subject to program restrictions
viii. No more than a combined maximum of 15 credits of cooperative work experience, internships, and independent study can be applied toward a baccalaureate degree. (Refer to Policy 5-51, Independent Study)
IV. Double Majors
A. A student may pursue two different baccalaureate majors simultaneously by declaring a major in each academic department.
B. If the requirements for both majors are completed, one diploma (either a B.S. or B.A.) listing both majors will be awarded.
C. Double majors are prohibited if both majors are organizationally in the same school within Dixie State College.
V. Simultaneous Degrees
A. A student may receive two degrees from Dixie State College at the same time if the requirements for both degrees are met.
B. Students seeking simultaneous degrees must submit a separate application and pay a separate graduation fee for each degree.
C. Simultaneous degrees of different levels:
i. A student may receive two degrees of different levels (e.g. an associate degree and a bachelor's degree) at the same time.
D. Simultaneous Associate Degrees
i. The conferral of a second associate degree at the same time as the first requires that the second degree title and program be different from the first degree.
ii. The conferral of second associate degree at the same time as the first requires a minimum of 15 credits beyond those required for the first degree.
E. Simultaneous Bachelor's Degrees
i. The conferral of a second bachelor's degree at the same time as the first requires that the second degree title and major be different from the first degree.
ii. The conferral of a second bachelor's degree at the same time as the first requires a minimum of 30 credits beyond those required for the first degree.
VI. Subsequent Degrees
A. The first degree must have been awarded from a regionally accredited college or university.
B. Second Associate Degree
i. The second associate degree and program must differ from the first degree.
ii. After the first associate degree was conferred, a minimum of 20 credits at Dixie State College must be earned.
iii. All program requirements must be completed.
iv. All degree requirements must be completed, other than General Education, which will be considered fulfilled by the first degree except in the case of an applied or specialized associate degree.
a. Holders of a specialized or applied associate degree must complete the College's General Education requirements in order to receive a non-applied science degree.
C. Second Bachelor's Degree
i. The second bachelor's degree and major must differ from the first.
ii. A minimum of 30 credits at Dixie State College must be earned after the first bachelor's degree was conferred.
iii. At least 50% of the course work required within the second baccalaureate major must be earned after the conferral of the first bachelor's degree.
iv. All major requirements must be completed.
v. All degree requirements must be completed other than General Education, which will be considered fulfilled by the first degree.
VII. Completed Degrees
A. Once a certificate or associate degree has been conferred, the name of the program and the title of the degree cannot be altered.
B. Grades earned in achieving a certificate or associate degree will be used in calculating a baccalaureate GPA, although courses may be repeated after the degree was conferred and applied to the new cumulative GPA.
C. Once a baccalaureate degree has been conferred, no courses may be retaken for a new grade and neither the degree nor the major(s) can be changed.
VIII. Financial Obligations
A. A student In order to graduate, all financial obligations to the college must have be cleared.
IX. Catalog Rights
A. Students who maintain continuous enrollment at Dixie State College have the right to apply for graduation under the General Education and degree requirements listed in the catalog under which they first enrolled, under the following conditions:
i. Continuous enrollment is defined as completion of at least one credit bearing course each academic year.
ii. Catalog rights do not extend more than four (4) years for an associate degree and seven (7) years for a bachelor's degree from date of first enrollment.
iii. When a student changes a major or program of study, the graduation, General Education, and program requirements in effect at the time of the change now apply to the student.
iv. A student may choose to forfeit catalog rights and apply for graduation under the current catalog.
a. A student must fulfill all requirements (graduation, degree, General Education, and program) from the same catalog.
20.9 Graduation Requirements After An Absence
20.9.1 Students taking more than two years to complete graduation requirements may follow the requirements in the catalog under which they were admitted, or they may choose to follow the requirements described in the catalog the academic year they graduate.
20.9.1.1 Once a catalog is selected, a student must abide by all graduation requirements specified within that catalog.
20.9.2 Students who have been absent from Dixie State College for more than seven years must complete the current general education requirements for the associate degree.
20.9.2.1 When a student takes longer than seven years from the time s/he is admitted to complete the graduation requirements, s/he will be subject to the requirements of the catalog the academic year they graduate.
X. Honors
A. Credits contributing toward minimum GPA and credit standards for honors may not be acquired through examination, prior experiential learning, or petition.
B. Latin Honors
i. The distinction of Latin honors is reserved for baccalaureate graduates, according to the following standards:
a. Summa cum laude shall be granted to those students whose cumulative GPA is at least 3.95.
b. Magna cum laude shall be granted to those students whose cumulative GPA is at least 3.80.
c. Cum laude shall be granted to those students whose cumulative GPA is at least 3.65.
d. Students who will have completed a minimum of 48 credits at Dixie State College at the time of graduation are eligible for Latin honors.
C. Honors
i. Honors are awarded to recipients of associate degrees according to the following standards:
a. High honors are awarded to students whose cumulative GPA is at least 3.75.
b. Honors are awarded to students whose cumulative GPA is at least 3.50.
c. Students who will have completed a minimum of 30 credits at Dixie State College at the time of graduation are eligible for honors conferred with an associate degree.
20.5.4 Summa Cum Laude is conferred upon associates and bachelors degree students whose cumulative GPA ranks them in the top 3% of the graduating class based on a five year average of the top 3% of the college.
20.5.5 Magna Cum Laude is conferred upon associates and bachelors degree students whose cumulative GPA ranks them in the next 5% of the graduating class based on a five year average of the next top 5% of the college.
20.5.6 Cum Laude is conferred upon associates and bachelors degree students whose cumulative GPA ranks them in the next 7% of the graduating class based on a five year average of the next top 7% of the college.
20.5.7 The registrar shall publish on the registrar's graduation web page the five year average GPA students will be required to achieve to merit the honors described in this policy.
D. Honors Program
i. Graduates fulfilling Honors Program requirements will have their transcript marked "Honors Program Graduate". (Refer to Policy 5-45, Honors Program)
20.5 "Honors At Graduation" is a distinction reserved only for valedictorians and students who have a cumulate GPA of 3.50 or higher. Those who have successfully completed "Honors Project," Honors 2800 may also have the term "with Honors" appended to the other honors awarded (e.g. "Summa Cum Laude with Honors").
20.5.1 All Dixie State College of Utah course work will be used to compute the GPA for honors, valedictory, or cum laude consideration. Transfer hours and credit by examination are not used in the computation of GPA for honors, valedictory, or cum laude consideration. Students must complete at least 26 semester hours at Dixie State College for an associate degree and 48 semester hours for a bachelors degree (not including spring semester prior to graduation) and presumed completion of all graduation requirements prior to commencement date.
20.5.2 Exceptions to academic recognition requirements must be approved by the appropriate academic dean and academic vice president.
XI. Valedictorian
The academic council will determine the Dixie State College valedictorian. A student will be considered for valedictorian if s/he is in the top 1% of students by cumulative GPA.
A. The college valedictorian will be selected from among the top honors graduates, as determined by GPA, in each baccalaureate program during the current academic year.
i. Eligibility to be valedictorian is limited to graduation applicants who have already completed 48 credits at Dixie State College.
ii. If two or more graduates in a major have the same GPA, the academic department will be asked to select one candidate for valedictorian.
iii. For the purposes of valedictorian selection, each major will include all subsidiary emphases and secondary education teaching graduates.
iv. Valedictorian candidates may be required to submit an application and complete a personal interview.
v. Academic Council has final approval of the valedictorian.
XII. Student Speaker
A. The student speaker will be selected from among the top 1% of honors graduates, determined by GPA, of those graduating with an associate degree in the current academic year.
i. Eligibility to be student speaker is limited to graduation applicants who have already completed 30 credits at Dixie State College.
ii. Student speaker candidates may be required to submit an application and complete a personal interview.
iii. Academic Council has final approval of the student speaker.
XIII. Commencement
A. Students may graduate at the end of any semester, but commencement is held at the end of spring semester.
B. Students who will not complete requirements by the end of spring semester may participate in graduation ceremonies and activities under the following conditions:
i. The student has 12 or fewer credits remaining to complete graduation requirements and can complete these requirements during the next summer semester.
Other Revisions: