Progressing Toward a Degree

Graduation

Seniors must file a graduation application with the Graduation Office, 214 Enrollment Services Center, by the Friday of the first week of classes for students who plan to graduate in fall and spring semesters, and the last day of spring semester for students who plan to graduate in summer. Applications may be obtained from the adviser; college office; www.iastate.edu/~registrar/forms; the Student Answer Center, or the Graduation Office, 214 Enrollment Services Center. Students will be notified of their graduation status by mail approximately four weeks after the semester begins.

Individual college graduation activities take place at the end of fall and spring semesters. The formal commencement ceremonies are held at the end of the semester. For more information see www.iastate.edu/~registrar/graduation

Verification of satisfactory final grades will be completed approximately two weeks after the end of the semester and diplomas will be mailed to all successful degree candidates.Students must ensure the following before they can graduate:

1. Registration for the term has been completed and the date of graduation is correct on the degree audit printout.

2. Sufficient credits, acceptable toward graduation, have been earned to meet the minimum requirements for their curriculum. (Some examples of credit not acceptable toward graduation are: elective credits beyond those allowed in a curriculum, credits earned in passing the same course more than once, more than four credits of Athletics 101, and credit in two courses for which the catalog states that only one may count toward graduation.)

3. They have achieved a set of communication competencies established by the department as appropriate for the major.

4. A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 was earned in all work taken at Iowa State and have also met any special grade point averages required by their college, department, or program in specified groups of courses.

a. Students admitted from another college or university with a quality-point deficiency, must have earned sufficient quality points above a 2.00 at Iowa State to offset their transfer grade point deficiency.
b. Students who have taken work at another college or university prior to or after having been a student at Iowa State, must have submitted a transcript of all such college study attempted to the Office of Admissions. This work must average 2.00 or the deficiency of quality points will be assessed against the student. Failure to submit such a transcript is grounds for dismissal.

5. Incompletes in courses required for graduation have been removed by midterm of the term of graduation.

6. At least 32 credits have been earned in residence at Iowa State University, and the final 32 credits were taken at Iowa State. (Six of the last 32 credits may be transferred to Iowa State, with prior permission of their major department.) Iowa State University must receive an official transcript of all transfer work by midterm of the term of graduation.

7. Outstanding financial obligations owed the university have been paid in full. Students who owe an outstanding obligation to the university will have a hold placed on their records and they will not receive their diploma or transcript. If students have questions about this policy, they should contact the graduation area of the Office of the Registrar.

Also see:

Classification

Transfer of Credits

Degree Planning

Two Bachelor's Degrees

Double Major/Curriculum

Second Major (Curriculum) Completed after the Bachelor’s Degree

Changing Curriculum or Major

Declaring a Minor

Undergraduate Certificates