Graduation Policies & Practices

Incomplete Grades

Incompletes (grades of IN) must be resolved in order for a student to graduate. Incomplete grades cannot be replaced with withdrawal (W) grades. If a final grade has not been recorded by the deadline for degree clearance, students may need to reapply for the next degree clearance cycle. It is the student’s responsibility to check in with their professor, ensure that a final letter grade (A-F) has been posted, and notify the Registrar when the final grade has been posted. 

Compliance with National Student Loan Data System and Federal Regulations

Federal regulations require that graduated students be reported to the National Student Clearinghouse and the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) within 60 calendar days of the end of term date when the student graduates. The following policies and practices ensure compliance with federal regulations:

• Beginning Fall 2017, no back-dating of awards will be permitted. This means that students must complete all degree requirements (including internships, final projects, clinical hours, theses, papers, etc.) and resolve all incomplete and transfer credits before the end of the term they apply to graduate in.
• If the student is unable to complete all items in time, they may either remove their application themselves (if discovered prior to advisor review) or their application will be rejected. Either way, the student can reapply (without any additional cost) in a future term when they know they will have completed all degree requirements. Remember, reapplying is 100% online and only takes a few moments.

Special Notes to Faculty regarding Final Grade Submission and Processing of Incompletes

Timely submission of all grades by the due date is critical to ensure that students can graduate. If grades are not submitted on time, students’ graduation will be delayed and we will not be able to back-date.  

Students cannot graduate with an Incomplete grade on their transcript, and Incompletes may not be replaced with Withdrawals.

Special Note to Advisors

Timely completion of Advisor Graduation Application Reviews is critical because we will not be able to back-date degrees. All students must complete all credits and requirements by the end of the term they apply to graduate in. If requirements are not completed, students must reapply in a future term.

We rely heavily on Advisors to communicate graduation policies and procedures to students, particularly to student populations who regularly complete requirements like clinical, practical, or internship courses after the semester end date. This often includes the following students:

• Health Promotion & Wellness Management
• College of Education/Clinical Practice
• TOSD
• Law & Justice
• Radio/TV/Film

We will offer a June 30 conferral date, in addition to the August 30 date, in order to better serve those students who complete requirements soon after the spring term. (Note: To use the June 30 conferral date, students should still apply within the already-established Summer application deadlines.)