GRADUATION INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS

• Attendance at graduation ceremony
• Caps, gowns and invitations
• Catalog requirements (Undergraduates)
• Computation of GPA for Degree Requirements
• Degree audit (On Course)
• Diplomas
• Graduation - Honors
• Graduation Schedule of Events
• Intention to Graduate Form
• Licensures
• Substitutions
• Upper-Division Form

Graduate-level students should access the Graduate Office web site for specific details regarding graduation requirements and can review this page for details related to the ceremony and diplomas.

ATTENDANCE AT GRADUATION CEREMONY

Each graduation ceremony for December last approximately two hours. Students who participate in the graduation ceremony should plan to stay for the entire time as it is disrespectful of others if people leave early. If you are planning celebration activities, please be aware of this time commitment. Also, the use of cell phones during the ceremony is discouraged. Use of air horns or other such devices by students or guests is prohibited and will be confiscated if brought into Murphy Center.

Any degree candidate requiring special facilities at convocation due to a physical disability should call the Records Office by November 24, 2008. The phone number is 898-5170. Questions concerning parking or other special facilities for family members or guests should be directed to Murphy Center, 898-2752.

If you do not plan on attending graduation, please notify the Records Office at 898-5170 by Monday, November 24, 2008 that your degree is to be conferred in absentia. Your written request should be submitted to the Records Office, Room 102, Cope Administration Building. You may also complete and submit the absentia form on-line or email Fay Wilson. If you do not attend graduation, your name will not be read.

All diplomas will be mailed by January 9, 2009 whether you participate in the ceremony or not. See Diploma section for more details.

CAPS, GOWNS AND INVITATIONS

The cost of the cap and gown is included in the campus access fee paid at the time of registration. There is no additional charge. To order your cap and gown click on www.mtsu.edu/~phillips/graduation.htm. Regalia order information must be submitted at least two months prior to the graduation date. Graduation regalia will be available at the Phillips Bookstore in the Keathley University Center December 8-11 from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and December 12 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Graduates should make arrangements to pick up their regalia during these dates and times as regalia will not be mailed or shipped. If you participate in the graduation ceremony, you must wear regalia. Graduating seniors who are members of the armed services or who are receiving commissions may wear military uniform at the graduation in lieu of the academic cap and gown. Graduates inappropriately dressed will not be allowed to march. People under the influence of alcohol are subject to being removed from the line of march.

CATALOG REQUIREMENTS (UNDERGRADUATES)

All students must complete the general requirements as prescribed by the University and the specific requirements set forth for the degree sought. A minimum of 120 hours (132 hours for programs prior to the 2004 Fall Catalog) is required with 25 percent (30 hours if a 120-hour degree program; 33 hours if a 132-hour degree program) of the required courses earned at MTSU and a minimum of 30 semester hours earned in residence at the junior and senior (3000-4000) level. (Some programs may require more than the minimum 120 hours or 132 hours.) The last semester must be in residence unless permission is granted by the dean of the college in which the student is pursuing a major. A student must have a 2.00 GPA overall and 2.00 average in the major and in 42 (48 for programs prior to the 2004 Fall Catalog) hours of upper-division credit to graduate. Some departments require a 2.0 GPA in the minor. No more than 25% of credits for non-business degrees may be in courses commonly found in a school or college of business.

All requirements for undergraduate degrees must be met by 9:00 a.m. on December 13. This includes incomplete grades and transfer credit from other colleges.

Any or all undergraduate students may be required, as a prerequisite to graduation, to take one or more tests designed to measure general education achievement and achievement in the major areas for the purpose of evaluating academic programs.

COMPUTATION OF GPA FOR DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Major Average—If a student has more courses in a major area than are actually required, only those courses specifically required for the major will be used to determine the required 2.00.

Minor Average—For those minors which require a 2.00 grade point average (GPA), only those courses specifically required for the minor will be used to determine the required 2.00.

Upper-Division—The 2.00 GPA is calculated for the "best" 42 upper-division hours (48 for programs prior to the 2004 Fall Catalog).

Teacher Education—Guidelines for computation of grade point averages for admission to the teacher education program, for eligibility to student teaching, and for subject area endorsement may be obtained in the administrative offices of the College of Education and Behavioral Science, McWherter Learning Resources Center. Additional information can be found under Licensure of Teachers in the College of Education and Behavioral Science section.

Excessive Repeats—All attempts in excess of one are figured in the cumulative GPA.

Developmental Courses—These courses are calculated into the cumulative GPA to determine retention; however, the developmental courses do not count toward degree requirements and the grades are not used to determine the 2.00 GPA required for a degree.

Cumulative Average—The cumulative average includes all quality hours from all institutions excluding developmental credits. The first attempt of a repeated course is excluded. Even if a course does not count toward graduation requirements, it will be counted in the cumulative average.

DEGREE AUDIT (UNDERGRADUATES)

Degree audits are currently not available on PipelineMT for undergraduate students.

DIPLOMAS

Your diploma will be mailed to the address you listed on your Intention to Graduate form. If you have changed your address or name since you completed this form, you must contact Fay Wilson in the Records Office at 898-5170 and provide your new information. Notice of address changes should be submitted by November 24, 2008. There is a $10 charge to change your name on your diploma once the diplomas have been ordered.

All financial obligations to the university (parking tickets, telephone charges, etc.) must be paid before a diploma will be mailed.

A replacement diploma may be obtained by filing a Request for Replacement Diploma form along with the appropriate fee.

GRADUATION - HONORS (UNDERGRADUATES)

For listing in the graduation program, honors for undergraduates is determined by the cumulative grade point average on degree-credit courses at the beginning of the final semester of enrollment. The honors notation on the diploma and on the transcript is determined by the cumulative average on all degree-credit courses at the end of the final semester.

Cum Laude: 3.500 - 3.749
Magna Cum Laude: 3.750 - 3.899
Summa Cum Laude: 3.900 - 4.000

GRADUATION SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

INTENTION TO GRADUATE FORM (UNDERGRADUATES)

All undergraduate students must file the Notice of Intention to Graduate three semesters before graduation along with their Upper-Division form.  To obtain a form, you may:

• print the form using Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). If you don't have the Acrobat reader, you may download it from Adobe's web site 
• come to the Records Office, Cope Administration Building, Room 102

The form must be submitted to the Records Office, Cope Administration Building 102, Murfreesboro, TN 37132.

LICENSURES

Students desiring initial teaching certificates or adding endorsements need to contact the Teacher Licensure Office, LRC Room 102 (898-2877).

SUBSTITUTIONS (UNDERGRADUATES)

Course substitutions are obtained from the major advisor (minor advisor if relates to minor). They must be approved by the department head and the dean of the college. Substitutions apply to the student's academic program--they cannot be entered on the computer until all approval is received.

UPPER-DIVISION FORM (UNDERGRADUATES)

Three semesters before graduation, students should complete an upper-division form and file it with their Graduation Coordinator along with the Intention to Graduate form. This form may be obtained from the office of the head of the department in which the student expects to major.

WAIVER OF COURSES (UNDERGRADUATES)

Course waivers are recommended by the major advisor (minor advisor if relates to minor) and approved by the department head and the dean of the college. Waivers apply to the student's academic program; they cannot be entered on the computer until all approval is received.