Graduation Policies

Participating in Commencement Ceremonies

Degrees are awarded on the last day of the Fall, Interterm, Spring, and Summer terms. Graduates will receive their diploma in the mail within six-eight weeks after their degree has been awarded. A single commencement ceremony is held in May. Students completing graduation requirements in January may participate in the upcoming May commencement ceremony. Students completing requirements for graduation in August or December may participate in a commencement ceremony the following year with the following exceptions

• Students (other than education majors) who have completed all requirements for graduation but lack four credit hours or fewer of coursework, or who need only to complete a practicum or internship, may participate in commencement if a graduation application has been filed presenting a plan to complete no more than four additional credit hours of coursework, or a practicum or internship of up to eight credits, by August 15th of the same year as commencement. Students presenting this plan must meet the following criteria:
  • All graduation requirements must have been completed with the exception of either
    • Four or fewer credits of coursework, or
    • A practicum or internship of up to eight credits.
  • Schedule summer work by May 1 of commencement year.
  • Grade point average must be at least 2.0 at the time of commencement.
  • No grade of incomplete from a prior semester may be carried at commencement.
  • All financial obligations to the University must be met no later than two days prior to the commencement ceremony.
• Education students (traditional and off-campus) may participate in commencement and return for the fall semester to complete the professional semester* only, to meet state certification standards. Students presenting this plan must meet the following criteria:

• All graduation requirements must have been completed with the exception of the professional semester.
• Schedule the professional semester* by May 1 of the commencement year.
• Grade point average must be a minimum of 2.75 at the time of commencement.
• No grade of incomplete from a prior semester may be carried at commencement.
• All financial obligations to the University must be met no later than two days prior to the commencement ceremony.

• International students who hold valid F-1 Visas may participate in commencement and return for the fall semester to complete their degree requirements.  Students presenting this plan must have a graduation application on file and must meet the following criteria:

• All graduation requirements must have been completed with the exception of the fall semester.
• Schedule the fall semester by May 1 of the commencement year.
• Grade point average must be at least 2.0 at the time of commencement
• No grade of incomplete from a prior semester may be carried at commencement.
• All financial obligations to the University must be met no later than two days prior to the commencement ceremony.

All students are expected to participate in the commencement ceremony. Those who find that they cannot participate must request to graduate in absentia on the graduation application or in writing to the Registrar by April 15th.

All academic requirements and financial obligations must be met to receive a diploma.

To be eligible for academic honors at commencement, students must meet the GPA honors criteria as of April 1 even if coursework will be completed in the subsequent term. However, honors posted on the transcript will be based upon the actual final GPA which may not match the the honors that was posted in the Commencement Program.

Students who have missing grades, incompletes, and/or transfer work on the date of graduation have 30 calendar days to submit their work. If work is not submitted within the one month time frame, the student will have to wait to the next scheduled date for conferral of degrees to receive a final diploma or transcript.

Greenville University does reserve the right to withdraw a previously awarded degree if the College subsequently determines that the degree requirements were not met appropriately.

* Education Professional Internship Definitions:

Elementary Education Majors

• EDUC 400/EDUC 505 Early Professional Experience
• EDUC 401/EDUC 581 Clinical Practice Elementary
• Student Teaching
• Seminar

Special Education Majors

• EDUC 400 Early Professional Experience
• Student Teaching
• Seminar
• EDUC 451 Methods and Materials for Special Education (in exceptional cases)

Physical Education, Music Education, and all Secondary Education Majors

• EDUC 400 Early Professional Experience
• Student Teaching
• Seminar

Graduation Application Procedures

All students wishing to earn a degree from Greenville University must complete a graduation application and pay the graduation fee. All students seeking to graduate must submit an application and pay the graduation fee even if they do not plan to participate in commencement ceremonies.

Students complete the graduation application online at my.Greenville.edu. Applications are due for December and January graduates by the first day of the fall semester.  May and August graduates must submit their applications by the first day of the spring semester.

Transcript After Graduation

Once a degree is posted, a student’s GPA is locked. Additional courses taken after graduation will be placed on a new/different transcript.