General Requirements for Graduation

It is the ultimate responsibility of the student to ensure that all graduation requirements are met. The graduation requirements listed below apply to all candidates for baccalaureate degrees except the Regents Bachelor of Arts degree and the Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership and Administration:

1. All candidates for graduation must make application for graduation to the Enrollment Services Center by the stated deadline on the academic calendar.
2. Candidates for graduation must meet in full all financial obligations to the University, including the payment of the Graduation Fee, prior to Commencement. The Graduation Fee is required of all graduating students, even if the student is unable to attend the ceremony.
3. Candidates for graduation must attend the commencement exercises and wear the prescribed academic regalia. Students completing degree requirements during the Spring Semester participate in the May Commencement; those completing requirements during the Summer or Fall Semester participate in the December Commencement.
4. All degree candidates must earn at least 36 semester hours of residence credit at WLU. At least 16 of the last 32 hours before graduation must be completed in residence at WLU. Each student must complete at WLU a minimum of 15 semester hours of credit in the major field of study. Any exception to these requirements must be approved by the Committee on Admissions and Credits.
5. Unless otherwise noted, students must complete all general education requirements, including general education courses required by their majors. Students must pass a minimum of 120 hours, depending on major including all required courses for all baccalaureate degrees, of which, at least 56 hours for a 128-hour program and 48 hours for a 120-hour program must have been earned at four-year colleges or universities, however, some programs may require additional hours for graduation. A maximum of 72 hours can be applied from two-year schools.
6. For graduation, all applicants must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00. To be eligible for graduation in any Teacher Education program, a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 is required. There are additional programs that require more than the minimum 2.00 for graduation; for specific departmental requirements, refer to the appropriate departmental listing in this catalog.
7. To be eligible for graduation the applicant must have earned a minimum grade of “C” in each of the following:

   ENG 101, ENG 102 (or ENG 103), and COM 101.

8. In addition to the above requirements, students majoring in teacher education programs must meet the graduation and certification requirements listed in the Teacher Education Admission and Retention Policy.
9. In addition to the requirements listed above, candidates for graduation must meet any specific requirements of the academic departments from which the major and/or minor fields are being completed. Refer to the departmental sections of the catalog.