Graduation Requirements

Degree Program Requirements

A student’s degree program requirements are those specified in the catalog in effect at the time of declaration of the major and/or minor. If original courses are deleted, the student may be required to complete specific classes to replace the deleted courses in the degree program.

If a student is not enrolled for at least two consecutive semesters (excluding summer terms), the student will be required to reenter under the program requirements of the catalog in effect at the time the student returns to the University. The student is responsible for staying informed of program requirements and changes.

A student’s degree requirements are those specified in the catalog in effect at the time of declaration of major and/or minor. A student must complete graduation requirements under provisions of a catalog no more than seven years old at the time of graduation. If a student does not complete graduation requirements within the seven year period, he/she will be required to meet the graduation requirements of the current catalog. Please note that many types of financial aid, including Pell Grants and scholarships, may be exhausted prior to seven years. Contact Financial Aid for additional information.

A student must apply for graduation and have the degree posted within one year of the completion of all degree requirements.

Graduation Requirements

It is the primary responsibility of students to know the graduation requirements of their academic programs, including all University requirements. Students must satisfy all graduation requirements and required college-level work. Any student completing degree requirements at the conclusion of the spring semester or either summer term must apply by April 15 of the previous year; any student completing degree requirements at the end of the fall semester must apply by November 15 of the previous year. A commencement ceremony is held twice per year to recognize degrees and awards.

A student cannot receive the same degree in the same discipline of study twice. The highest degree will be announced and all technical certificates and degrees will be listed in the commencement program.

To earn a baccalaureate degree from UAFS, students must satisfy the following requirements:

• Complete a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours, including the major and general education requirements. Students seeking a bachelor of arts degree must complete requirements for a minor in a discipline different from their major. Academic programs and colleges may specify additional and/or more specific requirements.
• A minimum of a 2.00 cumulative GPA on all work attempted at the University and a minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA on all courses in the major and/or minor areas as indicated on individual degree plans. Academic programs and colleges may specify additional and/or more specific requirements.
• Satisfy General Education Core Requirements. Individual majors may require specific general education core requirements. Each student must graduate with a minimum grade of C in the six hours of required freshman English composition courses. Only six hours of freshman English composition courses may be used to satisfy degree requirements.
• No student will be allowed to graduate with a grade of D in more than 15 hours of credit earned and presented to meet requirements for a degree. This 15 hours of credit includes any grade of D earned at this institution and/or transferred (if approved by provost) from another institution. Academic programs and colleges may have more specific or stringent requirements.
• A minimum of 40 hours of upper-level (3000-4000) courses in completion of degree requirements is required.
• A minimum of 30 semester hours in residence must be completed for all bachelor degree programs. These 30 semesters hours must be upper-level (3000-4000) hours required for the completion of a degree program. Students pursuing a minor must also complete nine hours of upper-level requirements of the minor in residence. 
• Students who transfer to the University may present for degree credit no more than 68 hours of lower-level (1000-2000) transfer coursework. The number of upper-level (3000-4000) transferable courses may vary by college and program.
• No more than a total of 30 hours of credit for non-traditional education may apply to a degree. These hours are not counted in hours of residency.
• A maximum of four, one-credit-hour physical education activity courses may be applied toward graduation. A maximum of three credit hours of computer applications courses may be applied toward graduation. A maximum of eight hours (in combination) of music performance classes, music class instruction, and/or private instruction courses may be applied toward graduation requirements for nonmusic majors.
• Colleges may have specific criteria for meeting baccalaureate degree graduation requirements. Students should follow the appropriate degree requirements of the individual academic program or college.
• Successful completion of the degree program is not based solely on the number of credit courses, but requires demonstration of specific professional knowledge, skills, and behaviors. Once the student has begun the program, periodic evaluation will assess progress. Failure to progress satisfactorily might result in a student being removed from the  program or denied graduation.
• Demonstrate competency in financial literacy by satisfactory completion of FIN 1521 Personal Finance Applications (or an approved substitution) with a grade of C or better, or by a score of 70% or more on a challenge exam for FIN 1521.

To earn an associate degree from UAFS, students must satisfy the following requirements:

• Complete a minimum of 60 semester hours and meet the requirements for a degree as outlined in the requirements of the individual College. Colleges may specify additional and/or more restrictive program requirements.
• A minimum of a 2.00 cumulative GPA on all work attempted at the University. For the associate of applied science, students must maintain a 2.00 GPA in the specific major as indicated on individual degree plans and a 2.00 cumulative GPA.
• Satisfy General Education Core Requirements. Individual majors may require specific general education core requirements. Each student must graduate with a minimum grade of C in the six hours of required freshman English composition courses. Only six hours of freshman English composition courses may be used to satisfy degree requirements.
• No more than a total of 30 hours of credit for non-traditional education may apply toward a degree. These hours are not counted in hours of residency.
• No student will be allowed to graduate with a grade of D in more than 15 hours of credit earned and presented to meet requirements for a degree. This 15 hours of credit  includes any grade of D earned at this institution and/or transferred (if approved by provost) from another institution. Academic programs and colleges may have more specific or stringent requirements.
• For an associate of arts or associate of general studies degree, 15 hours of coursework in the degree must be completed in residency. For an associate of applied science degree or associate of science degree, 15 hours of courses in the major must be completed in residence.
• The associate of arts degree meets the Arkansas Department of Higher Education guidelines. Students must meet the general education core requirements and electives must be selected from the lower-level (1000 and 2000) general education course disciplines as indicated on the associate of arts degree plan.
• For the associate of general studies, students must complete 29 hours of the general education core requirements and lower-level (1000 and 2000) elective courses. A maximum of four, one-credit-hour physical education activity courses may be applied toward graduation. A maximum of three credit hours of computer applications courses may be applied toward graduation. A maximum of eight hours (in combination) of music performance classes, music class instruction, and/or private instruction courses may be applied toward graduation requirements for non-music majors. Upper-level (3000 and 4000) courses may not be used to satisfy degree requirements.
• Only one associate of arts or associate of general studies degree may be earned. Students who have previously graduated with an associate degree at UAFS can complete a second associate degree in a different discipline. An additional 15 hours of courses beyond the first degree and towards the second, and completed after graduation with the first degree, is required in residency. All other requirements for graduation must be met. Two associate degrees may not be awarded concurrently. Students who have previously graduated with a baccalaureate degree cannot be awarded an associate of arts or associate of general studies degree.
• Successful completion of the degree program may not be based solely on the number of credit courses, but requires demonstration of specified professional knowledge, skills, and behaviors. Once the student has begun the program, periodic evaluations are used to assess progress. Failure to progress satisfactorily might result in a student being removed from the program or denied graduation.
• An associate degree and a baccalaureate degree may not be awarded concurrently. There must be at least one major term between degree awarded date for an associate degree and a baccalaureate degree.
• Demonstrate competency in financial literacy by satisfactory completion of FIN 1521 Personal Finance Applications (or an approved substitution) with a grade of C or better, or by a score of 70% or more on a challenge exam for FIN 1521. 

To earn a technical certificate from UAFS, students must satisfy the following requirements:

• A minimum of a 2.00 cumulative GPA on all work attempted at the University and in the courses required for the technical certificate.
• A minimum of 15 hours of credit must be completed in residency.
• No student will be allowed to graduate with a grade of D in more than one course used to meet the requirements of the technical certificate; however, some colleges will not accept a grade of D in courses required for the technical certificate.

To earn a certificate of proficiency from UAFS, students must satisfy the following requirements:

• A minimum of a 2.00 cumulative GPA on all work attempted at the University and in the courses required for the certificate of proficiency.
• A minimum of 50% of course requirements for the certificate of proficiency must be completed in residency.
• No student will be allowed to graduate with a grade of D in more than one course used to meet the requirements of the certificate of proficiency; however, some colleges will not accept a grade of D in courses required for the certificate of proficiency.

Earning A Double Major Within A Baccalaureate Degree

Students may earn a double major by completing degree requirements in two different fields within a bachelor of arts (BA) or bachelor of science (BS). Students wishing to pursue a double major must declare their intent after consultation with their faculty advisor and obtain approval by the dean(s) of the college(s) offering both majors. The student must deliver the declaration of double major form, with required signatures, to the Registrar’s Office before completion of 75 credit hours. The student must complete graduation requirements of both majors within the degree (a minimum of 30 unduplicated hours for the second major is required) and substitutions may not be used to fulfill the second major. A student with a double major will be required to complete a minimum of 150 hours. Students should complete courses for both majors simultaneously since eligibility for some forms of financial aid and scholarships ends when requirements for the first major are met. The student must apply to graduate upon completion of both majors. No degree will be awarded until the requirements for both majors are completed. Students must follow catalog requirements of each major in place at the time each major is declared.

Earning Two Baccalaureate Degrees Concurrently

Students wishing to complete courses in separate baccalaureate degrees are strongly encouraged to declare one degree as a major, the other degree as a minor and complete all required electives. Students may earn two baccalaureate degrees (e.g., a BA and a BS) concurrently by completing degree requirements for both areas. Students wishing to pursue two degrees concurrently must declare their intent after consultation with their faculty advisor and obtain approval from the deans offering both degrees. The student must deliver the declaration of concurrent degrees form, with required signatures, to Registrar’s Office before completion of 75 credit hours. Only 12 hours of courses required by the first degree may be used to satisfy requirements of the second (in addition to the general education requirements). Earning two degrees will increase a student’s workload and take more time to complete. Students should complete courses for both degrees simultaneously since eligibility for some forms of financial aid and scholarships ends when  requirements for the first degree are met.

Returning To Earn A Second Baccalaureate Degree

Students who have previously completed a baccalaureate degree at UAFS or another institution may earn an additional baccalaureate degree at UAFS by meeting the following criteria:

1. Whether the first degree is awarded at UAFS or from another regionally accredited institution, the student must satisfy the degree requirements of the college major and the University residency requirements as described in the current catalog.
2. The student must complete a minimum of 30 additional hours after completion of the first degree with at least a minimum of 50% of the credit hours in the major field in residency at UAFS. Courses completed for the first degree that satisfy the requirements for the second degree may be accepted as satisfying course requirements, but not as hours toward the residency requirement.
3. Students seeking to earn teacher licensure to complement a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution must meet with the discipline-specific and education academic advisors to develop an individualized plan. This plan will list the specific discipline and education courses required for the student to complete the requirements of the additional degree and must be approved by the deans of both colleges. The approved plan must be on file with the Registrar’s Office. Methods courses in the discipline and education courses will be considered as courses in the major for the purposes of earning a second degree with teacher licensure. Licensure in such cases constitutes the completion of a second baccalaureate degree.

Academic honors are not awarded for the second degree.

Minor Requirements

Minors are required for students seeking a bachelor of arts (BA) degree. Students pursuing other baccalaureate degrees may not be required to complete a minor but may choose to do so. (The only exception to this is the bachelor of general studies, as the secondary emphasis takes the place of a minor). The major and minor must be from different disciplines.

A minor at UAFS will meet the following criteria:

• A minor will not exceed a maximum of 18 credit hours of theory and six hours of lab/practicum courses.
• Minor requirements may include 6-8 hours of general education coursework.
• A minor will include at least nine semester hours at the 3000-4000 level.
• A course(s) can meet the requirements of the minor and another area (e.g. major and minor; general education requirement and minor), but can be only counted once in the total number of hours needed for the degree. Additional hours may be required to ensure completion of 120 hours required for a baccalaureate degree.
• Degrees with electives may use any of the electives to complete the hours for a minor when coursework is shared.
• Nine hours upper-level hours (3000-4000) in the minor must be completed at UAFS.
• For students who are declared in a double minor or dual degree and one of the majors requires a minor, the requirement for a minor is fulfilled by the second major.
• Students may declare a minor in up to two separate areas outside the major.
• The Declaration of Major and/or Minor form, with required signatures, must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office before the completion of 75 hours.

Elective Requirements

An elective is defined as a course that does not constitute a part of the major area requirement and is not being used to satisfy a general education requirement. Not all courses may be used for elective credit hours, so students must select electives carefully with advisor approval.

Application to Graduate

Students are responsible for following their degree plan carefully to ensure that all requirements are met. Students must complete a degree audit with their advisor one year prior to graduation to make sure all coursework is in compliance with the graduation and degree requirements.

Students must complete an application to graduate with their advisor to be considered for graduation. Any student completing degree requirements at the conclusion of the spring semester or either summer term should apply by November 15 of the previous fall semester. Any student completing degree requirements at the end of the fall semester should apply by May15 of the previous spring semester. A student will be awarded the degree upon completion of program requirements.

A student who fails to complete the degree during the intended semester will be reviewed for graduation requirements for the next term. Any student who does not complete requirements in one calendar year must reapply for graduation. A completed graduation application is required before degree completion is noted on the student’s transcript.

Commencement ceremonies are held at the conclusion of the spring and fall semesters. A student who is scheduled to complete all program requirements by the end of the summer term may choose to participate in either the previous spring commencement or the next fall commencement, but not both.

Graduation With Academic Honors

Honors will be conferred upon graduates who meet the criteria described below. Candidates for graduation are eligible for the consideration of honors based on the cumulative GPA for all college-level work (developmental coursework and courses for which academic clemency has been granted are excluded). Graduation candidacy standings will be based on the overall cumulative college-level GPA to include all transfer work and University work, including grades for courses repeated at the University and at other institutions. Honors recognized at commencement are tentative and do not include any grades earned during the graduate’s final semester. The official determination of honors will be made upon evaluation of the final semester grades. University honors will be identified on the official transcript and diploma.

No student subject to disciplinary sanctions for academic misconduct or disciplinary suspension at the University will be graduated with honors.

Baccalaureate degree honors will be awarded in one of the following categories: summa cum laude 3.9-4.00 GPA, magna cum laude 3.8-3.89, or cum laude 3.6 -3.79. This recognition requires a minimum of 45 credit hours in residency, including a minimum of 30 hours of the last 36 hours of credit, and at least half of the credit hours in the major field in residency. These honors are awarded only for the first baccalaureate degree conferred. Students who graduate from another college or university with a baccalaureate degree and pursue a second undergraduate degree at UAFS are not eligible for honors.

The associate degree with distinction will be conferred upon associate degree graduates who have a cumulative GPA of 3.6-4.0 in all college-level coursework, including coursework from other institutions and all repeated coursework (developmental courses and courses for which academic clemency have been granted are excluded). Eligible candidates must also meet the residency requirement for their respective associate degree (AA and AGS - last 15 hours in residency; AAS and AS - last 15 hours and 50% of major hours in residency). Associate degree honors are awarded only for the first associate degree earned; students who have previously earned a degree higher than the associate level are not eligible.

Awarding Of Posthumous Degrees

Posthumous degrees may be awarded to students who died while enrolled in a UAFS degree program under the following conditions:

1. The student should be within a semester of completing graduation requirements and in good standing with all UAFS policies for graduation.
2. The student must not have died while committing a felony.
3. The student must not have been dismissed or suspended from UAFS at the time of death.

The process for the awarding a posthumous degree may be initiated by a family member of the deceased or an employee of UAFS.