Graduation

Students are responsible for meeting all requirements for graduation. It is important that students meet regularly with their academic advisor to review degree status and anticipated graduation date.

Application for Graduation

1. A student must be admitted to a degree program before he or she can apply for graduation. If the student is a bachelor’s degree student intending to graduate with an associate’s degree prior to graduation with a bachelor’s degree, he or she should check with the advisor to be admitted to the selected associate’s degree.

2. Once a student has clarified admissions status, he or she must formally apply for graduation and pay a $25 processing fee. The application for graduation must be filed with the Student Records and Registration office on the campus attended during the semester in which he or she plans to graduate. The deadline for Fall completion – October 1, Spring Completion – February 15, and Summer completion – July 1.

3. If a student would like to graduate with a minor in a four-year degree program, he or she must declare the minor at the time of graduation. Minors will not be awarded after a degree is posted to the transcript.
The Registrar will not award a minor without a formal request in writing on the application for graduation.

4. The request for graduation will be processed and the student will receive written notification from the Records and Registration office regarding graduation status.

NOTE:
If program requirements are not completed the semester for which the student has applied for graduation, the Registrar will roll the application for up to one year. However, it is the student’s responsibility to notify the Registrar when completion is expected.

Diplomas and Commencement

UAS issues diplomas three times yearly: in late September following the summer session, in February following the fall semester and in June following the spring semester. Commencement ceremonies are only held once a year, in May. Students who complete degree requirements during the academic year are invited to participate in the May ceremony. The Ketchikan campus welcomes graduates from any University of Alaska campus to walk in our ceremonies. Graduates from the University of Alaska Anchorage or the University of Alaska Fairbanks must notify the Student Resource Center on the Ketchikan campus of their desire to participate in our ceremonies by February 15.

All graduates who have indicated a desire to participate in the Ketchikan campus commencement ceremonies will be sent detailed information following the February 15 application deadline.

Graduation with Honors

Undergraduate students who obtain a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 will graduate cum laude, 3.8 magna cum laude and 4.0 summa cum laude. In addition to the general residency requirements, students must have been in attendance at UAS for at least 24 credit hours for an associate degree and 42–48 credit hours for a bachelor’s degree to graduate with honors. All college work attempted, including that attempted at other institutions and grades earned from repeated courses, is considered in the determination of a student’s eligibility for graduation with honors. Honors are not awarded to certificate and graduate degree students.