Undergraduate Students Graduation

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Steps to Graduation

Follow these steps to a hassle-free graduation:

  1. Each semester run your own Degree Evaluation.
  2. Fill out the Application for Graduation when you are less than a year away from graduation.
  3. Complete all CLEP testing and incomplete grades (IP or I) before your final semester. Remember, you cannot participate in Commencement if you have an incomplete grade. Contact your advisor if you have any questions regarding completing IP or I grades.
  4. Submit transcripts for courses taken at other colleges before your final semester. Be sure to send the transcripts to the Registrar’s Office.
  5. Meet with your advisor before registering for your final semester.
  6. Notify your advisor and the Registrar’s Office of any changes made to your graduation date.
  7. Complete mandatory exit interviews for Student Financial Services. Information can be found on the right side of your Wildcat Central tab on MyACU.  Make sure to resolve any outstanding balance.
  8. Pick up your gown, mortarboard, tassel, and gown for your escort in The Campus Store the week before graduation.

Commencement Ceremony Information

Please use the “Learn More” button to see the schedule and important details regarding the ceremony which will be updated as decisions are finalized.

Applications and Deadlines

Submit your application for graduation the semester before you intend to graduate. Notify your advisor of your intended graduation date.

December Graduation

Complete application by October 1st.

May Graduation

Complete application by March 1st.

Graduation Requirements

Degrees will not be posted nor will diplomas be mailed until all graduation requirements have been completed.

All undergraduate students in a residential degree program must complete a minimum of 128 semester hours (a minimum of 120 hours for students in an online degree program). Some degrees require more hours (See specifications for your major and catalog year in the ACU Catalog accessible via the left navigation menu on our homepage).

  1. Thirty-three upper division hours must be completed (i.e., 300-level and above) out of 128 semester hours. Twenty-four of these hours must be taken at ACU including 9 hours in the major field.
  2. All general education requirements must be completed.
  3. All major and minor (if any) requirements must be completed.
  4. All outside concentration or track courses (for degrees with this requirement) must be completed.
  5. Major and overall GPA requirements as stated in the ACU Catalog for the specific degree must be met. GPA is calculated based on hours taken at ACU.
  6. At least 25 percent of the semester hours required for the degree sought must be taken in residence at ACU including the last 24 hours.
  7. To qualify for honors, students must complete at least 64 hours at ACU. The GPA thresholds are 3.6 for cum laude, 3.75 for magna cum laude, and 3.9 for summa cum laude. Courses taken Credit/Non-Credit or Pass/Fail do not count toward GPA requirements for honors. Honors are based on the student’s current GPA at the time of commencement.  They are subject to change after commencement when grades for the current semester have been recorded.