Graduation Requirements and Procedures
Application for graduation must be made one year before the expected graduation date. Application forms are available in the Registration and Academic Services office and on the Registration and Academic Services (RAS) portal page. The application form must be completed and signed by all academic advisors. A student may complete his/her requirements at midyear, in the spring, or in the summer. Commencement exercises are held in December and April. Students who have met graduation requirements for August conferral would walk in the previous April. Students who have met graduation requirements for February conferral would walk in the previous December. Students will be conferred on the conferral date after completion of all requirements and certifying of such requirements. Conferral of degrees also happens on the second Friday in October, February, June and August. Students who have been conferred on a non-graduation ceremony date may walk at the following ceremony. Notification of participation in ceremonies will need to be made to the Registration and Academic Services office at the time the graduation application is submitted.
Total Credits Needed for Graduation (120 semester hours)
- Completion of 120 semester hours; however, some majors may result in the student earning greater than 120 credit hours by graduation.
- Cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher
- Completion of the designated semester hours in the major area with a GPA of 2.25 or higher as required by the major. Additional requirements as prescribed by each department must also be met.
- Completion of all general education requirements
Attendance at graduation exercises is expected. Please notify Registration and Academic Services if you need to graduate “in absentia” and will not be present for the ceremony.
Students may receive one degree only per commencement. A student who is enrolled in two majors with different degrees may select which major is considered the first major so that the appropriate degree will be awarded at the ceremony. Students meeting requirements for more than one degree must apply for and participate in two different ceremonies. Any university-approved dual degree program is an exception to this policy.
Academic Honors - College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Candidates
Academic Honors are awarded at commencement to baccalaureate degree candidates with the identified grade point averages listed below. Academic Honors are not awarded to associate's or master's degree students. Academic Honors are based upon the Honors grade point average (GPA). It should be noted that Honors GPA includes transfer grades and as a result may differ from a student's cumulative GPA. For students enrolled in undergraduate programs at the Marion campus, academic Honors listed in the commencement program are based on all IWU academic work completed one semester prior to the student's final semester and all transfer work. Academic Honors listed on the official transcript and diploma will reflect all applicable academic work at the time of conferral. Academic Honors are awarded based on the following criteria:
- A minimum of 60 graded hours from a college or university accredited by a regional accrediting body or the Association for Biblical Higher Education (formerly the Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges).
- A minimum of 40 graded hours must be from Indiana Wesleyan University.
- The student's current Honors GPA, as listed on the student's degree audit, which includes transfer grades.
Baccalaureate degree candidates will be awarded Honors as follows:
- GPA of 3.5 - 3.69 - “cum laude” (with honors)
- GPA of 3.7 - 3.89 - “magna cum laude” (with high honors)
- GPA of 3.9 - 4.0 - “summa cum laude” (with highest honors)
Diplomas - College of Arts and Sciences
Diplomas are mailed approximately two to four weeks after the conferral of degrees. Diplomas indicate degree earned, date of degree, and academic honors. A student's financial account must be settled in order to receive a transcript or diploma.
