Graduation Requirements
The principal responsibility for fulfilling graduation requirements rests with the individual student. To qualify for graduation with a baccalaureate or associate degree in consultation with their academic advisor a student will:
- Fulfill the core program requirements.
- Complete the requirements of the major program according to the quantity and quality required of a specific degree and the respective department.
- Earn a minimum of 124 credit hours for a baccalaureate degree or 60 credit hours for an associate degree, including core and major requirements, with the necessary grade point average (2.00 minimum in the major and overall).
- For the baccalaureate degree, a student must take at least 30 credits from FUS With approval of the department chair, students may be allowed to take up to 6 of the final 30 credits at another institution, otherwise they will take the final 30 from FUS. For the associate degree, a student must take at least 15 credits from FUS. With the approval of the department chair, students may be allowed to take up to 3 of the final 15 at another institution; otherwise, they will take the final 15 from FUS.
- Complete a minimum of 12 credit hours in upper-level courses with your academic major at FUS for a baccalaureate degree and a minimum of 6 for an associate degree.
- Minors must include at least 18 credit hours of required courses, with a minimum of 6 credits earned at FUS.
- File an application for graduation with the Registrar two semesters before anticipated completion of the degree.
Application for Graduation
Submitting an application for graduation is required for all students in order to receive their degree. Prospective graduates should complete and submit an application for graduation to the Registrar’s Office two semesters prior to their expected graduation date. The collection of these applications provides the Registrar with accurate student information and allows for timely review of student academic records to determine eligibility for graduation. All graduation applicants and their department chair will receive a written evaluation (degree audit) from the Registrar’s office.
Applications submitted less than one month prior to the intended conferral date (August 31, December 31, second Saturday in May) are subject to being accepted by the Registrar’s Office for that conferral date and may be postponed until the next conferral date.
Graduation applications can be obtained on The Port, at www.franciscan.edu/registrar, or from the Enrollment Services counter in Christ the Teacher Hall. Students must have their completed application signed by their advisors, and then submitted to the Registrar’s Office by email or at the Enrollment Services counter.
Graduation with Honors
Franciscan University of Steubenville awards baccalaureate degrees with honors for distinguished achievement in all courses taken at the institution. To qualify for honors, students must attain at least a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 as determined by the Registrar. The qualifying cumulative grade point averages determine the following honors at the time of graduation: 3.50-3.699, cum laude; 3.7-3.899, magna cum laude; and 3.9-4.00, summa cum laude. Transfer students must earn a minimum of 62 credit hours at Franciscan University in addition to maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher.
Students who return to the University for a second degree, with their first degree from the University, must earn an additional minimum of 30 semester credit hours to be eligible to graduate with honors. Their last immediate two semesters of full-time course work for the first degree will be used in calculating their grade point averages.
Graduation and Commencement Dates
Franciscan University of Steubenville confers degrees three times a year (August 31, December 31, and the second Saturday in May) and formally recognizes the completion of degrees during commencement exercises the second Saturday in May.
Students who complete their degree requirements in August and December of a given year are eligible to participate in the following year’s May commencement exercises. May graduates' diplomas will be mailed to them by June 30. August graduates’ diplomas will be mailed by September 30. December graduates’ diplomas will be mailed by January 31.
All graduates are also invited and encouraged to attend Baccalaureate Mass and other graduation week events prior to commencement.
All students who intend to walk at commencement must wear full academic garb. Cap, tassel, gown, and hood must be purchased through the University’s approved academic garb vendor to ensure that all students wear the correct University colors and hood design.