Policy Under Revision to Include Undergraduate and Graduate.  

A. Graduation

Policy

1. Degree or Certificate Requirements

a. Graduation Requirements

College and program faculty set their own requirements for degrees or certificates, which

are subject to review by the Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee. Students must complete all published course requirements and must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in order to graduate. All grades of “I” must be resolved by the student completing the required work and the instructor submitting a final grade prior to graduation. Graduation is processed automatically upon completion of degree requirements. Students cannot graduate

if their transcripts include a “D”, “F”, “NP” or “I” grade.

b. Completion of Requirements for the Degree/Certificate

Students must complete their program within 3 years, not including time accrued during withdrawal.  If they do not finish in that period, their candidacy will be terminated.

Procedure

2. Master’s Degree/Certificate confirmation

a. Filing an Intent to Graduate

An “Intent to Graduate” form must be filed by the student during the first week of the final quarter of attendance along with a 6,000 (six thousand) AMD fee.   If a diploma has been ordered for a student who does not fulfill all requirements prior to the end of that academic year, the diploma will be destroyed, and the student must pay for the issuance of a new diploma.

b. Degree/Certificate Confirmation Requirements

The University will confer the master’s degree/certificate when the following minimum

conditions have been met:

• achievement of the grade requirements as defined by the university
• achievement of the grade requirements established by the appropriate college or school for major and core courses
• satisfactory completion of a capstone or culminating project, if required
• recommendation of the faculty of the college or school awarding the degree and
• certification by the program Dean that all requirements of the degree being sought have been completed.

No student shall be approved for graduation before the program Dean has certified to the Registrar that all academic requirements have been met. The Registrar must promptly notify the candidate and the college or school if graduation is not approved for any reason.

3. Commencement ceremony

Commencement is held once annually.  The commencement ceremony is held within two weeks after the end of the quarter in which the majority of AUA students complete all of their graduation requirements.

B. Obtaining a Diploma or a Degree-Bearing Transcript

Policy

All degree-bearing documents and their certified copies are obtained from the Office of the Registrar. Copies must have the signature of the Registrar or the Registrar’s designee and the AUA seal to be valid.

Procedure

Diplomas are provided by the Office of the Registrar after notification from the program Dean about the completion of graduation requirements and confirmation of administrative clearance of other university obligations.

Original diplomas are provided once only and are free of charge. A Letter of Standing or a Transcript may be requested. The Office of the Registrar can certify copies of diplomas upon written request. A duplicate diploma, marked as such, may be issued upon request subject to the fees and the form set by the registrar.

Administrative details regarding these procedures are found in the AUA Catalog.