Academic advisors assist with proper course selection to meet curricular requirements and help to avoid errors in scheduling. However, students have the final responsibility for satisfying the degree requirements for the curriculum chosen and for the university general education requirements.
The South Dakota State University Policy and Procedure Manual is the definitive source for the most current South Dakota State University policies. Policies duplicated on other websites or in print may not be the most current version. All policies documented on the site are official and supersede policies located elsewhere. South Dakota State University is governed by state and federal law, administrative regulations, and policies of the South Dakota Board of Regents (SDBOR) and the State of South Dakota.
General Degree Requirements
(SDBOR Policy 2:29, SDBOR Policy 2:10)
- Completion of at least 120 semester credit hours for the baccalaureate degree (see individual college requirements) and 60 semester credit hours for the associate degree. Remedial course credits are not counted as meeting degree requirements.
- A Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 2.00. The CGPA is based on all credits earned by the student, including transfer credit and Regental system credit. When a course has been repeated for credit, all attempts will be entered on the transcript, but the last grade earned will be used in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average.
- Institutional credit requirements.
- An institutional credit is a course offered by SDSU at any of its approved sites using any approved method of delivery. Courses that are a part of a formal collaborative agreement among Regental institutions are considered to be institutional.
- The minimum number of credit hours that must be earned from the institution granting the degree are 30 credits for the baccalaureate degree and 15 credits for the associate degree.
- The number of the last credit hours earned preceding completion of the degree that must be earned from the institution granting the degree are 15 of the last 30 credits for the baccalaureate degree and 8 of the last 15 credits for the associate degree.
- The minimum number of credit hours specified in the major or minor requirements that must be completed from the institution granting the degree is 50 percent. However, this requirement may be waived for students enrolled in the set of majors offered at the system’s Centers which include in the established programs of study common courses offered by one of the other Regental universities. In addition, the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost may make exceptions to this requirement for individuals based on the student’s prior learning experiences.
- Credits earned by examination are not counted as resident credit unless an exception has been made because of special program features.
- A student must have 20 upper division level credits, 14 of which need to be at SDSU.
- Completion of University general education requirements.
- Completion of all college and major field requirements. Students pursuing more than one major must complete all requirements for the majors as set forth by the academic units involved. When the majors are offered within the same college or school and may be completed within the same degree program structure, students complete the requirements for only one degree, and only one degree is awarded. Students wishing to complete two undergraduate majors that are offered in separate colleges or schools, or in the same school or college, but not within the same degree program structure, must complete all requirements for each related degree, and two separate degrees are awarded. Completion of a second degree will not be allowed when both majors may be awarded under the same degree. Students may pursue minors outside the college/school of their major program.
- With prior approval by the Board of an authorizing inter-institutional agreement degree seeking students at one institution may complete requirements for and may have transcripted a major offered at the partner Regental institution. This major will be recorded on the student’s transcript in conjunction with a degree/major at the student’s home university. These majors from a second institution will only be recorded on the transcript in conjunction with a degree and major at the student’s home institution.
- Degree seeking students may complete requirements for a minor at any Regental university that has been approved to grant that minor. This minor will be recorded on the transcript in conjunction with a degree/major at that university or a degree/ major at any other Regental university. A minor will only be recorded on the transcript in conjunction with a degree and major. Students may pursue and earn a minor in a term after initial graduation from SDSU. The minor must be currently active, and requirements must be met in the same catalog year as the original major.
Catalog of Graduation for Undergraduate Students
(SDBOR Policy 2:17)
- The catalog of graduation begins with the summer term and ends with the subsequent spring term.
- Every student is required to have a catalog of graduation. New and transfer students are assigned the catalog in effect at the time of their initial enrollment at the university from which they are seeking a degree. Students may elect a catalog of graduation that is later than their initial catalog but may not elect a catalog of graduation that is earlier than their initial catalog.
- In order to receive a degree, a student must meet the program requirements listed in his/her catalog of graduation.
- Students who discontinue enrollment at any Regental university for more than two consecutive semesters are assigned the catalog in effect at the time of their re-enrollment as their catalog of graduation.
- Students are considered to be in continuous enrollment for purposes of the catalog of graduation so long as any break in enrollment at any Regental university is for two or fewer consecutive semesters (excluding summer) and students maintain their degree seeking status at the same Regental university.
- Students who change their degree seeking status from one Regental university to another Regental university are assigned the catalog of graduation that corresponds to the term they are admitted to their new degree granting university.
- Former SDSU students who are not currently enrolled and apply to graduate are assigned the catalog in effect during the term they wish to graduate.
Graduation Policies & Procedures
- Graduation Application - Date Due in Dean’s Office.
Check the university calendar or the fall, spring, and summer semester calendar for dates.
- Incomplete grades in courses required for graduation.
Graduating Seniors and Graduate Students
- Any graduating senior or graduating graduate student
- who receives an Incomplete or IP grade in the final semester in a course required for graduation will not be permitted to graduate that semester but will be required to apply for graduation for a subsequent semester,
or
- who has not removed an outstanding Incomplete from a previous semester, in a course required for graduation, by the date grades are due for the semester will not be permitted to graduate that semester but will be required to apply for graduation for a subsequent semester.
- Emergency situations require the filing of a petition by the student to the Dean for approval prior to the final grading deadline for the final semester.
- Incomplete grades in courses not required for graduation.
- The student’s record, up to the date of graduation, for that degree, is considered closed when the Registrar records the verified degree on the student’s record (3 weeks after grades are due for the final semester prior to graduation).
- After that date, removals of Incompletes for courses not required for the degree are no longer permitted. This policy also applies to grade changes or any other academic change to the student’s record.
- This policy has always been in effect but is reinforced in this policy statement.
- Graduation List.
Submission by the Deans of the final verified graduation list to the Registrar’s Office.
- Deadline for verification of degrees to the Registrar by the Deans will be 3 weeks after grades are due for the semester.
- Prior to verification of the degree - all undergraduate transfer work in progress, or completed by the student, up to the date of graduation (whether required for graduation or not) must be evaluated by the Dean and recorded on the student’s academic transcript.
- It is the Dean’s responsibility to ensure all requirements are met prior to approving the student for degree completion.
Honors Designation at Graduation
(SDBOR Policy 2:10.10)
Associate Degree
The institution granting the degree determines the Honors Designation for its associate-level graduates. To earn an Honors Designation at graduation, an associate-level graduate must meet both the following cumulative and institutional grade point averages:
With highest honor equal to or greater than 3.9
With high honor equal to or greater than 3.7 and less than 3.9
With honor equal to or greater than 3.5 and less than 3.7
An associate-level graduate must have completed a minimum of thirty (30) credit hours at the institution granting the degree. Courses that are part of a formal collaborative agreement among Regental universities are considered to be earned from the institution granting the degree. (Also refer to SDBOR Policy 2:29.)
Baccalaureate Degree
The institution granting the degree determines the Honors Designation for its graduates. To earn an Honors Designation at graduation the undergraduate student must meet both the following cumulative and institutional grade point averages:
Summa Cum Laude equal to or greater than 3.9
Magna Cum Laude equal to or greater than 3.7 and less than 3.9
Cum Laude equal to or greater than 3.5 and less than 3.7
The undergraduate student must have completed a minimum of sixty (60) credit hours at the institution granting the degree. Courses that are part of a formal collaborative agreement among Regental universities are considered to be earned from the institution granting the degree. (Also refer to SDBOR Policy 2:29.)
Minimum Graduation Standards
(SDBOR Policy 2:10.6)
To be awarded a baccalaureate degree, an associate degree or a certificate a student must at a minimum have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. With Board approval, additional requirements including more specific GPA requirements may be established for some programmatic offerings and these must be met.
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