Programs of Study Fall 2004 illinois home
 

Graduation Requirements


Grade-Point Requirements for the Bachelor's Degree
Residence Requirements for Graduation

First Bachelor's Degree
Second Bachelor's Degree
University Honors
Identification Cards
Students in Debt to the University
Correspondence and Extramural Courses
Undergraduate Credit for Service and Education in the Armed Forces

Grade-Point Requirements for the Bachelor's Degree

All candidates for a degree must have at least a 2.0 (A = 4.0) grade point average on all University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign credits counted for graduation requirements and at least a 2.0 grade point average on the combined transfer and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign credits counted for graduation requirements. Certain colleges have established higher scholastic graduation requirements for specific curricula. (Grades in courses taken at the other campus of the University are counted as transferred.)

When a course has been repeated by an undergraduate student, both the original and subsequent grades are included in the average if the course is acceptable toward graduation, but the credit is counted only once. An original grade is not removed from the student's record for a course subsequently passed by special examination.

Students who do not meet the requirements stated above may graduate if they have the minimum grade point average calculated by either of the following alternative methods:
  • Courses in which grades of D or F have been recorded are excluded, not to exceed a total of 10 semester hours completed prior to the last 30 hours of work completed at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and counted for graduation requirements, or
  • A grade point average of no less than 2.1 is calculated for the last 60 semester hours of work counted for graduation requirements and completed at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, except in those curricula for which a higher scholastic graduation requirement is specified.

Each college office, on request, will inform students regarding the scholarship regulations of that college.

Residence Requirements for Graduation

First Bachelor's Degree

In addition to meeting specific course and scholastic requirements, each candidate for a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign must spend either the first three years earning not fewer than 90 semester hours or the last year (two semesters or the equivalent) earning not fewer than 30 semester hours in residence at the Urbana-Champaign campus, uninterrupted by any work in another institution. Only those courses that are applicable toward the degree sought may be counted in satisfying the above minimum requirements. (Either three twelve-week terms or four eight-week sessions are the equivalent of two semesters).

Concurrent attendance at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and another collegiate institution does not interrupt the residence requirement for graduation.

Credit earned through the Advanced Placement Program is included in the first 90 semester hours and is not considered as interrupting residence.

Credit allowed toward graduation for completion of courses of study offered by the religious foundations located in Urbana-Champaign is not counted as interrupting residence or counted toward satisfying minimum residence requirements for graduation.

Attendance at another institution under the Committee on Institutional Cooperation Program or participation in the University of Illinois foreign study programs or the Study Away from Campus Programs for which students are registered in Urbana-Champaign courses does not interrupt residence, and credits earned through these programs are counted as residence credit toward graduation, provided that within the last two years of study at least 30 semester hours have been earned in courses taken on the Urbana-Champaign campus.

Transfer students from community colleges must, after attaining junior standing, earn at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign or any other approved four-year institution at least 60 semester hours acceptable toward their degrees, in addition to meeting the usual residence requirement for degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Students transferring from the University of Illinois at Chicago or from the University of Illinois at Springfield to the Urbana-Champaign campus as candidates for degrees must satisfy the residence and academic requirements for graduation established for the curriculum entered on the Urbana-Champaign campus. Since the campuses do not have identical academic programs, a student who is contemplating a transfer should consult with the college into which he or she expects to transfer.

A student attending as "audit only" is not considered a "student in residence."

A student who requests that the residence requirement for graduation be waived must submit a petition to the dean of his or her college, who will take action on the petition.

A student on drop status may not graduate until he or she has been reinstated by the dean of the student's college. A student who meets the conditions stated in the first paragraph of this section must notify the dean of his or her college of the student's intent to apply credit earned elsewhere toward the degree requirements and arrange to have a final official transcript from the other collegiate institution(s) attended sent to the Office of Admissions and Records.

Second Bachelor's Degree

A student who has received one bachelor's degree may, with college approval, be permitted to receive a second bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, provided that all specified requirements for both degrees are fully met and that the curriculum offered for the second degree includes at least the final 30 semester hours that are earned in residence at the Urbana-Champaign campus and not counted for the other degree.

The second bachelor's degree may be earned either concurrently with or subsequent to the first degree.

A candidate for a second bachelor's degree must meet the same residence requirements as for the first degree.

Only those courses that are acceptable toward the degree sought may be counted in satisfying the above minimum requirements. This includes the 30 additional hours required for the second degree.

University Honors

Continuous academic achievement is recognized by inscribing the student's name on a Bronze Tablet that hangs on a wall of the Main Library. To qualify, an undergraduate student must:
  • Have at least a 3.5 (A = 4.0) cumulative grade point average for all work taken at the University through the academic term prior to graduation, and
  • Rank, on the basis of his or her cumulative grade point average (including University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and transfer work, if any) through the academic term prior to graduation, in the top 3 percent of the students in his or her college graduating class.


Transfer students, in addition to meeting the general rules for qualification, must satisfy two additional requirements: they must have cumulative University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign grade point averages as high as the lowest ones listed for students in their colleges who qualify on the basis of having completed all of their work at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and they must earn 40 or more semester hours at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign through the academic term prior to graduation.

For the purpose of this award, college graduating class means all students receiving bachelor's degrees from the same University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign college between July 1 of each year and June 30 of the next.

For the purpose of this award, academic term prior to graduation means: for August graduates, the preceding spring semester; for October graduates, the preceding spring semester; for January graduates, the preceding summer session; for May graduates, the preceding fall semester. The list will be determined each year after grades for the fall semester are available. To be considered in the calculation of University Honors, all grade corrections must be recorded by the end of the eighth week of the spring semester.

Identification Cards

Each new student is issued a permanent photo identification card, which must be retained by the student while registered at the University. The ID card remains the property of the University, and any student who alters or intentionally mutilates a University ID, who uses the ID of another, or who allows his or her own ID card to be used by another may be subject to discipline.

A charge of $20 (amount subject to change) is assessed for replacing each lost, mutilated, confiscated, or stolen photo ID card. Questions regarding the issuance of ID cards may be directed to the Campus ID Center, 244-0135.

Students in Debt to the University

Students will be assessed $25 (amount subject to change) for each check they present to the University that is returned for insufficient funds or other reasons. Additional penalties, including dismissal from the University, may be imposed on students who continually permit their University accounts to become delinquent or who issue checks that are returned to the University unpaid.

Students who are in debt to the University at the end of any academic term may not be permitted to register again. They are not entitled to receive diplomas, official statements, or transcripts of credit until the indebtedness has been paid or suitable arrangements for payment have been made, unless there are pending bankruptcy petitions of the students seeking a discharge of all such indebtedness or all such indebtedness has been discharged.

Correspondence and Extramural Courses

After matriculation, a student may count toward his or her degree, with the approval of the dean of the student's college, as many as 60 semester hours of credit earned in extramural and/or correspondence study, provided that:

  • The student completes all of the remaining requirements for the degree in residence at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, or
  • The student presents acceptable residence credit for work done elsewhere and completes requirements needed for his or her degree in residence at the University. In all cases, the senior year (two semesters of not less than 30 semester hours) must be done in residence at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

A student who has completed the first three years in residence at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, earning a minimum of 90 semester hours, may do all or part of the senior year in correspondence or extramural study, subject to meeting all of the requirements for the degree.

Credit for correspondence work taken with fully accredited institutions may be allowed, but only on approval of the dean of the student's college.

Undergraduate Credit for Service and Education in the Armed Forces

The University grants registered students college credit for certain training and experience in the armed forces of the United States. A student who completes military service in the U.S. Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, or Coast Guard, including basic or recruit training of six months or more, is awarded 4 semester hours of credit in basic military science upon presentation of evidence on Form DD-214 of honorable discharge or transfer to the reserve component.

Correspondence courses for which the student has passed the end-of-course examination prepared by the U.S. Armed Forces Institute, that are baccalaureate-oriented, and that correspond in level and content to courses offered at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are recognized for credit.

Credit recommendations in the Guide to the Evaluation of Education Experiences in the Armed Forces (published by the American Council on Education) for military service school training will be considered for transfer credit as follows: (1) credit will be granted for college-level, baccalaureate-oriented training and education, (2) vocational credit related to the student's curriculum choice will be referred for consideration to the dean of the college in which the student is enrolled, and (3) duplicate credit will be deleted. Applicability of military credit toward a particular degree is determined by the dean of the college. Additional information may be obtained from the Office of Admissions and Records.