Graduation

Attention All Students                                            Graduation Requirements-Undergraduate
Undergraduate Degree Requirements              Graduate Degree Requirements
Criteria to Participate-Spring                               Graduation Honors-Undergraduate
Commencement

GRADUATION PROCESS OVERVIEW

 

 

GRADUATION PROCESS OVERVIEW

1. Student receives email from Registrar’s Office about applying to graduate.
2. Student reaches out to Academic Advisor or Program Coordinator about any remaining requirements or issues.
3. Student applies to graduate online through Banner Self-Service.
4. Student receives confirmation email from Registrar’s Office concerning graduation status (i.e. missing requirements or cleared pending final grades).
5. Student reviews Degree Works Evaluation in Banner Self-Service to verify any missing requirements or cleared status pending final grades.
6. Student receives email from Registrar’s Office after midterms about Commencement.
7. Student purchases cap and gown from vendor or Campus Bookstore.
8. Student declares intent to participate in Commencement through Registrar’s Office.
9. Student receives email from Registrar’s Office to review the spelling of name and hometown for the Commencement program.
10. After finals, student earning graduation or Latin honors (undergraduates only) receives email from Registrar’s Office about purchasing honor cords from the Campus Bookstore.’
11. Commencement rehearsal.
12. Commencement (NOTE: Any candidate not participating will receive diploma at a later date).

 

Attention All UM Students

All students intending to graduate must apply for graduation. Responsibility for meeting all graduation requirements rests with the student. By submitting your graduation application, you acknowledge that you have reviewed your degree evaluation in Banner Self-Service and understand your graduation eligibility. For additional information, refer to the appropriate section below:

Important Graduation Announcement for All Graduation Candidates

Graduation Application Instructions

Fall 2024 Calendar for Graduates

General Graduation Requirements – Undergraduate

Responsibility for meeting all graduation requirements rests with the student. In addition to the University’s minimum general requirements listed below, colleges and/or departments may have additional graduation requirements as described in the colleges’ information sections of the University Bulletin. Minimum general requirements for graduation are:

• Credit for at least 120 semester hours
• Credit for at least 30 of the last 40 semester hours required for degree completion must be earned at the University of Montevallo
• Credit for at least 30 semester hours of 300- and/or 400-level study earned at the University of Montevallo
• Completion of at least 25 percent of the credit hours required for the degree at the University of Montevallo
• Completion of at least 50 percent of the courses required for the major at the University of Montevallo
• Cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 for courses required for the major(s)
• Cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 for courses required for the minor(s), if applicable
• A cumulative institutional GPA (UM GPA) of at least 2.0
• A cumulative overall GPA of at least 2.0 on all courses attempted, including transfer courses and transient courses
• Completion of the required senior assessments.

Additionally:

• When calculating the major or minor GPA, only the highest grade in each course will be used.
• The cumulative institutional GPA (UM GPA) is the degree or graduating GPA consisting of only coursework completed at the University.
• Some programs may require a higher overall or UM GPA.

No more than 64 semester hours of credit from a two year college may be applied toward degree requirements. No more than 45 combined semester hours of credit earned through Advanced Placement (AP), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), and military credit may be applied toward meeting degree requirements.

Although students with a financial obligation to the University may be permitted to participate in commencement exercises, official transcripts and diplomas will be withheld until all financial obligations to the University are satisfied.

Specific Undergraduate Degree Requirements

Bachelor of Arts

In addition to the General Education curriculum, students seeking the Bachelor of Arts degree must complete the second year course sequence (201 and 202) in French, German, or Spanish.

Completion of the world language requirement is based on proficiency. Students have the opportunity to take a world language placement exam to determine if they may start their language studies beyond the 101 level. A student whose level of language proficiency makes it possible to bypass one or more lower-level language classes will reduce the number of hours required to complete the language sequence but will not reduce the total number of hours required for graduation. For example, a student who places in FRN 102 as a result of the placement exam will not be required to take FRN 101 but will not receive the credit hours for FRN 101. Information about the placement exam is available from the Department of English and World Languages.

Bachelor of Science

Students seeking the Bachelor of Science degree must complete a total of 18 or more credit hours in mathematics and science.

Other Undergraduate Degrees

For information about the Bachelor of Business Administration degree, refer to the Michael E. Stephens College of Business section of the Bulletin. For information about the Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Music degrees, refer to the College of Fine Arts section.

Second Bachelor’s Degree

Students who have previously completed a bachelor’s degree from the University of Montevallo or another regionally accredited institution may pursue a second bachelor’s degree at the University of Montevallo. Students who have completed a bachelor’s degree and are pursuing a second bachelor’s degree of the same type (B.A., B.S., etc.) will be considered as having completed the General Education requirements, unless additional coursework is required. Students who are pursuing a second bachelor’s degree of a different type may be required by the department offering the degree to complete additional General Education courses.

A second bachelor’s degree may be conferred when all requirements of the second degree program are completed. Requirements for the second bachelor’s degree are:

• Completion of at least 50 percent of the courses required for the major at the University of Montevallo
• Completion of at least 25 percent of the credit hours required for a bachelor’s degree at the University of Montevallo;
• Completion of at least 30 semester hours at the 300/400 level at the University of Montevallo;
• A cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 for courses required for the major(s);
• A cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 for courses required for the minor(s), if applicable
• A minimum cumulative overall and institutional GPA (UM GPA) of 2.0.
• Students who have formerly earned a bachelor’s degree at UM must meet the above requirements in addition to previously completed coursework. Additional coursework to meet standards including, but not limited to, course prerequisites, program accreditation, teacher certification, or graduate program entry may be required. All requirements should be reviewed with the academic adviser.
• Upon completion, candidates pursuing a second bachelor’s degree are eligible for Latin honors, but are not eligible for Superior Academic Achievement.

Double Majors

Students who select two majors must meet the degree requirements of both majors, including the General Education requirements. If the majors are in different degree programs, students will receive two diplomas simultaneously at graduation. The recipients’ names will be listed in the printed commencement program under both degree programs. However, the candidate will cross the stage only once.

Teacher Certification Requirements

Students who intend to earn teacher certification should review requirements with their advisers during the first year at UM. Information regarding teacher education programs is included in the College of Education and Human Development section of the Bulletin and at the website of Teacher Education Services.

Graduation Honors – Undergraduate

Undergraduate graduation honors that are designated on the transcript and on the diploma are based on the following standard:

Cumulative UM GPA	Graduation Status
3.5–3.69	Cum Laude
3.7–3.89	Magna Cum Laude
3.9–4.0	Summa Cum Laude

Criteria to Participate in Spring Commencement

Summer graduation candidates will be permitted to participate in Spring Commencement provided that they meet specific criteria. Summer graduation candidates planning to participate in Spring Commencement should complete the May Commencement Participation Declaration Form. The criteria to participate in Spring Commencement is outlined below.

Graduate students who have not completed all graduation requirements by the end of Spring term may participate in Spring Commencement if they:

• have nine (9) or fewer semester hours of coursework to complete with verified Summer Semester enrollment at UM in all remaining requirements;
• are on-track to complete any non-course program requirements by the end of the Summer Semester; and
• have obtained the minimum grade point average required for program completion.

Undergraduate students who have not completed all graduation requirements by the end of Spring term may participate in Spring Commencement if they:

• have 18 or fewer hours to complete with verified Summer Semester enrollment at UM in all remaining requirements (including a completed transient letter, if applicable);
• are on track to complete any non-course program requirements by the end of the Summer Semester; and
• have obtained at least a 2.0 major and UM cumulative GPA or as required by their program for completion.

Names of all participants will be printed in the program. Therefore, a student may participate in only one commencement ceremony.

After the student completes all degree requirements, their degree will be conferred on the next “degree conferred” date. This date will appear on the student’s diploma and transcript and will correspond to one of the three dates that UM confers degrees (see Academic Calendar). All graduation requirements and financial obligations must be satisfied in order to receive the diploma.

Summer candidates approved to participate in Spring Commencement will walk with preliminary honor designations based on the UM Cumulative GPA at the time of Commencement. Final honors designations will be printed on the diploma and final transcript after completion.

Any exceptions to this policy must originate with the student’s Dean and will require the approval of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Specific Graduate Degree Requirements

Graduate students are expected to conform to the rules and regulations of the University of Montevallo. The responsibility for meeting the requirements for a degree or certificate rests with the student.

Maximum Time Limit to Complete Degree

Students will be allowed six years from the date of enrollment to complete masters or educational specialist degree programs. No course more than six years old will be accepted for credit toward a graduate degree unless the student has petitioned the department chair and the college dean for an extension or if transfer credit was accepted at admission according to the transfer work policy. If an extension is granted, the chair and college dean will decide the validity of all previous coursework and the length of the extension.

Comprehensive/Exit Examinations

Successful completion of an exit examination (oral, written, portfolio, capstone project, etc.) on all graduate work will be required of each student in partial fulfillment of requirements for the a graduate degree. The exam typically is taken when the student is at least within six hours of completing the program. Contact the department office for exam registration deadlines.

Hour Requirements

Master’s degree programs: A minimum of 30 semester hours is required for the master’s degree. A full-time student who is required to write a thesis must earn a minimum of 24 semester hours in coursework. The thesis together with the coursework must total a minimum of 30 semester hours. Some degrees require more than 30 hours.

Educational Specialist degree programs: A minimum of 30 semester hours above a master’s degree is required for the educational specialist degree.

Grade Point Average

A graduate student pursuing a degree must maintain the minimum program GPA as shown on the chart below.  The program GPA includes all graded attempts of graduate-level courses taken to fulfill program requirements, including all courses taken at the University and approved transfer credit. The program GPA excludes coursework that was repeated under the graduate grade forgiveness policy.  The University calculates GPAs on a 4.0 scale.

Program	Program GPA Requirement
Applied Instruction, M.Ed.	3.0
Business Administration, MBA	3.0
Counseling, M.Ed. (Clinical Mental Health or Couples & Family)	3.0
Counseling, M.Ed. (School Counseling)	3.25
Elementary Education, M.Ed.	3.25
English, M.A.	3.0
Exercise Science, M.S.	3.0
Instructional Leadership, M.Ed./RHO	3.25
Preschool through 12th Grade Education, M.Ed.	3.25
Secondary Education, M.Ed.	3.25
Speech-Language Pathology, M.S.	3.0
Curriculum and Teacher Development, Ed.S.	3.50
Instructional Technology, Ed.S.	3.25
Instructional Leadership, Ed.S.	3.50
Educational Leadership, Ed.D.	3.0

Final Semester GPA

• Students must meet the minimum grade point average as required by their program (listed above) to be considered a candidate for graduation.
• The graduating GPA for a student earning a first graduate degree is equal to the cumulative institutional GPA which does not include any accepted transfer hours.
• The graduating GPA for students pursuing their second graduate degree at the University is equal to the cumulative institutional GPA earned after the first graduate degree conferral.
• Students pursuing more than one graduate program at a time will (with concurrent completion and conferral) have two graduating GPAs noted on their official transcript – each one equal to each program GPA.
• Students who do not meet the minimum grade point average as required by their program (listed above) at the end of their program or prior to their internship/residency will be allowed to repeat up to two advisor-approved courses (where the grades B, C, D, or F were earned), as long as the grade(s) earned have the potential to restore the required GPA. If eligible, students may request grade replacement for repeated courses (see Graduate Bulletin for details).