Students applying for graduation must meet the program/degree requirements set forth by the Catalog of the academic year in which the student declared their major. Degree and certificate requirements must be completed within five academic years after the major was declared. If more than five years have elapsed, students must meet the graduation requirements under the current academic year’s catalog. All students are required to meet with an advisor in order to complete their degree plans
Requirements for Graduation
Associate Degrees
To receive a degree, a student must comply with the following:
Complete the prescribed semester credit hours of coursework
TSI college level ready status
Complete 25% of coursework at Laredo College (Credit received through other means other than actual course instruction will not be counted in percentage.)
Maintain a minimum program GPA of 2.0 (Some programs may require higher minimum GPAs)
Submit an ‘Application for Graduation’
The Associate of Arts and the Associate of Science curriculum suggested in this Catalog satisfies the requirements of most senior institutions. However, it is the student’s responsibility to identify, as early as possible, the institution to which they will transfer. The student should then ascertain the specific requirements of that institution for the freshman and sophomore years. Each student’s curriculum should be planned by the student and an advisor with a specific institution in mind. If Laredo College does not have an articulation agreement with a specific four-year institution, the student should request an agreement in writing from that institution regarding acceptance of Laredo College's coursework.
Certificate and Occupational Skills Award
To receive the certificate/award, a student must comply with the following:
Complete the prescribed semester credit hours of coursework
TSI college level ready status (if applicable)
Complete 25% of coursework at Laredo College (Credit received through other means other than actual course instruction will not be counted in percentage.)
Maintain a minimum program GPA of 2.0 (Some programs may require higher minimum GPAs)
Submit an ‘Application for Graduation’
Note: No more than twelve semester credit hours earned by correspondence, extension, CLEP, Advanced Placement, Department or Challenge exams, may be accepted for credit toward any degree or certificate at Laredo College.
Application Process
Students anticipating the completion of a program from Laredo College must apply for graduation to receive their degree/certificate. Students must have a degree audit processed by the Office of Admissions staff prior to the student's last semester. Students are urged to share the degree audit with their advisor. During the degree audit process, or during the final semester of study, the student should apply timely according to deadlines of the awarding period. Degrees and certificates are awarded three (3) times throughout the academic year. The deadlines to apply for graduation are as follows:
Fall - November 1st
Spring - March 1st
Summer - July 1st
Commencement
Commencement exercises are held annually during the Spring semester. Students who are graduating during the current Spring semester and who graduated the prior Fall and Summer semesters are encouraged to participate. Students must notify the Office of Admissions before March 1st of their intent to participate in the ceremony.
Institutional Honors
Only those candidates who have applied for the Associate Degree are eligible to graduate with Institutional Honors. Graduates will be granted institutional honors respective to their cumulative GPA excluding non-developmental courses. The criterion is as follows:
Cum Laude: GPA of at least 3.2 but less than 3.5
Magna Cum Laude: GPA of at least 3.5 but less than 3.8
Summa Cum Laude: GPA of at least 3.8