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Graduation Clearance Process
To
begin the clearance process, students should report to
the Educational Advisory
Center, Room 110, Locke Hall.
Graduation clearance begins with the review of records
of
all students who have earned 75 or more semester hours.
Most of these students will be eligible to graduate
during the academic year in either August, December
or May. During the summer months students will receive:
- Updated
Scheme of Graduation Requirements
- Graduation
Application Card
- Dates for Senior Interview
Graduation Checklist
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Requirements Scheme
The
Scheme of Graduation Requirements, which should be
completed at the end of the Freshman or Sophomore
year, is the official record of an individual student's
requirements for graduation. Graduation is really
quite simple, if the following requirements are met.
General
Requirements-required of all students
Freshman
Seminar, English, Divisional Studies, Mathematics,
Afro-American Cluster, Philosophy, Speech, Foreign
Language, P.E. and general electives, if needed.
Major
and Minor Requirements
A major is
a series of courses prescribed by the given department.
A major includes 30 to 39 semester hours earned
in that department or in closely related departments.
A minor is
a series of courses, normally 15 to 18 hours earned
in one or more areas outside of the student's major
department.
Dual
Major Students in the College of Arts and
Sciences are permitted to major in two disciplines
within the College of Arts and Sciences. Students
electing this option must satisfy all requirements
for both majors.
Average
and Grades in the Major
Candidates
for graduation from the College of Arts and Sciences
are required to earn a grade of "C" or better in
all courses used to satisfy the minimum credit-hour
requirement for departmental majors. Departments
have the authority to require grades higher than "C" for
courses used to satisfy requirements for the major.
Average
in the Minor
The
candidate for graduation from the College are required
to earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.0
or better in the minor field.
Required
Hours
Graduation
from the College of Arts and Sciences requires
the completion of a minimum of 127 semester hours,
exclusive of courses taken through the Center for
Academic Reinforcement (CAR).
Cumulative
Average
Graduation
from the College of Arts and Sciences requires
minimally a cumulative grade point average of 2.0.
Senior
Comprehensive Examination
Must
be passed with a minimum score of 60.
Residence
Requirement
The
last 30 credits offered for a degree must be earned
in the College of Arts and Sciences at Howard University.
Graduate
Courses
An
undergraduate student who is a candidate for graduation
and who has less than 15 credits to complete for
graduation may be allowed to take graduate courses
in the amount of the difference between 15 credits
and the number of credits required to graduate.
The student must first obtain from his/her school
the Dean's verification of his cumulative average,
courses and credits needed for graduation, and
certification that the graduate courses pursued
will not be used toward completion of the requirements
for the undergraduate degree.
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Graduation
Application Process & Senior Interview
Graduation
Application Card
The
deadline for all prospective December, May, and
Summer Graduates to submit applications for graduation
is published in the calendar in the Fall Directors
of Classes each academic year. The application
for the Bachelor of Arts degree is white and
for the Bachelor of Science degree is yellow.
The names of all prospective graduates are provided
to the Secretary of the University for the preparation
of the prospective graduates list, diploma lists,
and subsequently for ordering diplomas. Full
names will appear on the diploma as they have been
typed on the application card.
Senior
Interview
Students
who have earned at least 75 semester hours are
notified during the summer to come to the Educational
Advisory Center beginning in the month of July
to complete the Senior Interview.
Senior
Interviews are never conducted during registration.
During
the Senior Interview, the counselor will review
the Scheme of Graduation Requirements and transcript
with the student. The courses in which the student
is enrolled are indicated on the Senior Interview
Form and the courses remaining for the following
semester(s) will be reviewed with the student and
recorded on the form.
Financial
clearance information is given to the student so
that he/she may take care of those obligations.
Student is required to clear:
- Financial
Aid Exit Interview
- Library
- Student
Accounts
The
student and counselor both will sign the Senior
Interview Form and each will retain a copy for
their record.
Prospective
Graduates List and Diploma List
All
students who complete the graduation application
card by the deadline
date will be included on the Prospective
Graduate List and on the Diploma List.
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Student
Responsibility
Complete
Academic Requirements
It
is the responsibility of the student to complete
all of the academic requirements specified on the
Senior Interview Form. Counselors are available
to address any questions or concerns of students.
NOTE:
Students taking Consortium courses during their
last semester run the risk of missing the graduation
deadline for clearance since colleges are on
different schedules.
Complete
Financial Requirements
Unless
all academic and financial obligations have
been satisfied, the College of Arts and Sciences
will not release letters to professional
or graduate schools or to prospective employers
regarding the graduation status of students.
Student
Financial Service/ Student Accounts requires a zero
account balance. Don't forget the $100.00
graduation fee. If you have taken a student
loan you must complete an exit interview
by the deadline date.
Financial
Aid Office requires completion of
an exit interview prior to graduation if
you have received any financial aid while
attending Howard University. Contact the
Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment
for an appointment.
Library requires
the return of all books and all charges paid
by the deadline before receiving a clearance.
Students who borrow library material after being
cleared are responsible for additional charges
or fines incurred on the accounts.
Residence
Life requires payment of housing
fees and all charges prior to graduation.
Student Health Center requires payment of medical
fees and all charges prior to graduation.
Parking requires payment of parking
fees and all charges prior to graduation.
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Advisor
Responsibility
- Conduct
Senior Interview
- Review
Academic & Financial Requirements
- Notify
Student of Problems
- Failed
Senior Comprehensive Examinations
- Failed
Course(s)
- Did
not complete requirements
- "D" grade
in a major course
- Below "C" average
in minor
- Below
2.0 cumulative GPA
- Less
than 127 earned hours
- Certify
Academic Completion
- Determine
and Record Honors
- General
Honors
Students
will graduate with honors under the following conditions:
Those with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) ranging
from
3.20 - 3.49
= cum laude
3.50 - 3.79 = magna cum laude
3.80 + = summa cum laude
Grades
in non-credit courses are not considered in determining
eligibility for honors.
Students
are not eligible to receive these distinctions
at graduation if:
- the
last half (64) hours of the work required for
their degree was not completed in residence
at Howard University.
- they
have repeated courses.
- they
have not carried at least 12 credits for each
semester enrolled, with the exception of the
last semester in residence.
These
honors will appear on the final transcript, on
the Diploma and in the Commencement program.
Departmental
Honors
Students
not in the Honors Program may be admitted to
departmental honors in their major department
if their grade point average is 3.2 or higher
in both the major and the overall cumulative
average.
Students
who earn a "B" in the departmental honors project
and a final grade point average of 3.2 will graduate
with honors. Students who earn "A" in
the departmental honors project and a final average
of 3.4 will graduate with high honors.
This information will appear on the final transcript.
Honors
Program
Students
who complete the requirements for the Honors
Program will have that information indicated
on the final transcript.
Phi
Beta Kappa
Information
on graduates who have been inducted into Phi
Beta Kappa will be included on the final transcript.
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Special Notes
Invitations
Twenty Commencement
invitations can be ordered online through the Howard University Bookstore.
Four tickets to the COAS Recognition Ceremony may be picked up from your major department after the clearance process is completed.
Students who cannot pick up their
invitations, or cap and gown in person may give
written authorization to a friend or relative to
pick up these items.
Graduation
Clearance Slips
The Office of Student
Financial Service (SFS) will provide the Dean of
each school or college (EAC) with a listing of
and clearance slips for all Prospective Graduates
who have satisfied their financial obligations
to the University.
Caps
and Gown
Students who have cleared
all academic and financial obligations will be
issued the clearance slip at the Educational Advisory
Center. The clearance slip is required in order
to obtain the cap and gown. Distribution Information
Honor
Medallions
Students who graduate
with honors will pick up the honors medallion from
the Educational Advisory Center.
Graduation
Recognition Ceremony
The College of Arts
and Sciences holds a special ceremony to recognize
the accomplishments of our graduates. More information
about this ceremony and rehearsal is available via the links at the top of this page.
Assembly
of Degree Candidates
Information on assembly
will be included in the Degree Candidates' letter
distributed by the Secretary of the University. Assembly Information
Conferring
of Degrees and Distribution of Diplomas
Degrees will be conferred
following the University Commencement Ceremony.
- Diplomas will be ordered after students have cleared financially and academically.
- Diplomas will no longer be distributed by the schools and colleges after the commencement ceremony.
- Diplomas will be mailed directly to students 30 to 45 days after the last day of the semester.
- Diplomas that are deemed undeliverable will be retained in the Office of the Registrar for a period of three years, after which they may be destroyed.
- Replacement diplomas shall carry all information contained on the original except that all signatories will be current administrators. Graduates requesting a replacement diploma will be subject to the current fee for such diplomas.
Commencement
Program
Every attempt will be
made to include all candidates for the Bachelor
of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in the
Commencement Program. However, names will be eliminated
for students who do not meet all requirements. Inclusion
of names in the program does not guarantee graduation.
Check with the Educational Advisory center when
in doubt.
NOTE:
Students who do not graduate by the end of the
summer session of any academic year, must reapply
for graduation and must complete another Senior
Interview.
Disabilities
Students and guests with disabilities should contact the ADA Coordinator for the Recognition Ceremony at (202) 806-6700.
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