Graduation
Application for Graduation
All students desiring to graduate must apply for graduation. Students applying for the bachelor degree should do so by the appropriate deadlines for graduation. The deadlines for each graduation are listed below:
September 15 for December graduation (no graduation ceremonies)
November 15 for April graduation (graduation ceremonies held in April)
February 15 for June graduation (no graduation ceremonies)
February 15 for August graduation (no graduation ceremonies)
In order to apply for graduation, students must have an active ecclesiastical endorsement covering the semester in which they plan to have their degree awarded. Students access the online graduation application through the "Apply for Graduation" link in the "School Menu" on MyBYU. After submitting the online graduation application, the student account will be charged a one-time $15.00 fee for graduation and the student will be instructed to contact their individual college advisement center (if applicable) to finish the graduation application process. Students will be notified of the status of their graduation application via email.
Students who apply after the deadline dates will need to contact their college advisement center to be considered for graduation. Graduation Services will notify students of graduation deadlines and procedures via email.
Visit enrollment.byu.edu/media/g_howtoapply for more details.
Attendance at Commencement
All candidates for graduation are encouraged to attend the commencement and convocation ceremonies. Commencement ceremonies are held in April and include all students graduating the previous December through the immediately following August. Students must have applied for graduation and been submitted by their individual college advisement center by the deadline in order to be listed in the convocation programs. If a student has an Honor Code hold two weeks prior to commencement, their name may be removed from the convocation program. If the hold is removed after the convocation program goes to the press and prior to convocation ceremonies, the student is authorized to participate: programs will not be reprinted to include the name but their name will not be listed in the program. Diplomas will be mailed to students after all grades are posted to their official record and all graduation requirements are certified complete.
Participating in the commencement and convocation ceremonies does not guarantee graduation. Graduation is conditional on the verification of completion of all graduation requirements.
Deadlines for Transfer, Correspondence, and Incomplete Credit
All incomplete grades must be removed from the student's record, special examinations must be passed and recorded, and all transfer credit for required classes must be on file in the Registrar's Office at least four weeks before the official university graduation day. Any BYU Independent Study coursework (including finals) needed for graduation must be completed at least three weeks before the official university graduation day.
Earning Lower Degree After Receiving Higher Degree
A person having already earned a baccalaureate degree or higher from any institution, including BYU, is ineligible to earn a baccalaureate degree at BYU.
Adding a Program to a Completed Degree
A person who has a completed undergraduate degree is ineligible to add a second major or a minor to their official record.
Independent Study Credit
A maximum of 36 semester hours of Independent Study credit may be applied toward the 120-semester-hour requirement for a baccalaureate degree.
Note: See the Bachelor of General Studies Program section of this catalog for BGS requirements.
Scholastic Recognition (for undergraduates only)
University Honors
The requirements for graduation with University Honors complement both major and university core education. The honors curriculum includes and enhances the university core components; the honors thesis requirement enhances the major education component. The staff in the Honors Advisement Center, 350D MSRB, (801) 422-5497, is available to answer questions about the program. A more detailed explanation of the Honors Program is available in the Honors Program section of this catalog.
Latin Scholastic Distinctions
Latin Scholastic Distinctions at graduation are determined by GPA for the top 10 percent of the graduating seniors based on (1) cumulative total and (2) BYU grade point averages. This includes all coursework earned in integrated bachelor and master programs.
Summa Cum Laude is awarded on the basis of grade point average to the top 1.0 percent of the baccalaureate candidates who have earned a minimum 45 semester residency hours of credit at BYU.
Magna Cum Laude is awarded on the basis of grade point average to the top 1.1 to 5.0 percent of the baccalaureate candidates who have earned a minimum 45 semester residency hours of credit at BYU.
Cum Laude is awarded on the basis of grade point average to the top 5.1 to 10.0 percent of the baccalaureate candidates who have earned a minimum 45 semester residency hours of credit at BYU.
Graduation Requirements
Baccalaureate Degree Requirements
The baccalaureate degree is awarded for completion of a specified program of university study. It recognizes important changes in outlook, understanding, and proficiency that result from university experience. At BYU this program of study includes the University Core, the discipline of a specific major, university requirements, and each student's choice of electives.
The average number of BYU credit hours that BYU graduates earn is 128. Students ought to work toward graduating near the 130 credit hour mark.
University Core Requirements for the Baccalaureate Degree
See the University Core section of this catalog for complete information.
Major Requirements for the Baccalaureate Degree
See specific major requirements in the Academic Departments/Schools/Areas, Degrees, and Courses section of this catalog.
Minimum University Requirements
Residency Requirement
At least 30 credit hours must be earned in residence on the BYU campus in Provo as an admitted day student to qualify for a baccalaureate degree. Credit earned through BYU Online courses taken by matriculated BYU students counts toward satisfying the residency requirement. Credit earned at the Salt Lake Center, Jerusalem Center, or through Study Abroad, Independent Study coursework, or examination does not count toward satisfying the residency requirement.
Total Credit-Hour Requirement
A candidate for a baccalaureate degree must complete a minimum of 120 credit hours.
Grade Point Average Requirement
To graduate from BYU, students must earn a minimum 2.0 cumulative BYU grade point average and a minimum 2.0 total cumulative grade point average. Students must also meet any stipulated minimum grade point average requirements in their major.
Honor Code Requirement
Students must be in good standing with the Honor Code Office and have a current ecclesiastical endorsement. In unusual circumstances, a student may petition the Dean of Students Office to allow an exception to the ecclesiastical endorsement requirement under the process set forth in the Church Educational System Honor Code section.
D Credit
Students may use a BYU course in which they receive a D- ("minimum passing") to complete major, minor, religion, or general education requirements. Those receiving a D- in a course will not be required to retake the course unless a higher minimum grade is stipulated in a degree program or course sequence description in the undergraduate or graduate catalog.
Courses taken at other colleges or universities with D grades will count toward the total hour requirement for graduation, but will not fill BYU university core requirements and in most instances will not fill major requirements.
Academic Degree Granting Program/Major
Any combination of courses and/or requirements constituting a program of study that leads to a primary or secondary degree, emphasis, or specialization on the academic transcript.
Major Requirements
The curricular requirements of a specific major must be satisfactorily completed, including any additional departmental requirements related to the major. A minimum of 20 credit hours in the major must be completed in residence as an admitted day student, 10 of these on the BYU campus in Provo.
Students must select and declare a major by the time they have 60 earned BYU credit hours (excluding language exam credits). Once a student has 75 earned BYU credit hours (excluding language exam credits), they will not be allowed to change their major, unless special permission is granted.
In order to encourage timely progress towards graduation, advisement centers may require mandatory advisement before students are allowed to register for classes. Deans, in consultation with advisement centers, may also place registration holds and mandate specific course completion in order to facilitate a timely graduation.
Double Major
Second majors (exclusive of some language second majors) are rare and must be approved by the college advisement center supervisors involved and the dean of the college responsible for the primary major. The second major proposal and approval process requires an evaluation of all University Core and major requirements and a time-to-graduation analysis. Petitions for a double major must be submitted prior to earning 75 BYU hours (excluding language exam credits). College advisement centers are prepared to assist interested students in this process. Courses used to satisfy the requirements of a student's major can also be used to satisfy the requirements of an approved second major, unless not permitted by the requirements of the proposed second major. Students who graduate with a second major only receive one degree (i.e. BA or BS) and one diploma. The degree earned will be the one associated with the primary major and only the primary major will be listed on the diploma.
Minors
If students plan to include the option of a minor (or minors), it should be declared early and strategically in their academic path in order to achieve a purposeful connection to their career and/or graduate school goals. However, if students wait to add an optional minor and in the meantime have accumulated a high number of credit hours, they may be required to meet with their major academic advisor and may also need to prepare a formal petition (including a detailed graduation plan) for minor addition consideration. Individual practices and policies may vary from college to college.
Changes of Requirements
University graduation requirements are occasionally modified or changed. The university informs students of such modifications through the online catalog, online class schedules, and all advisement centers on campus. Students who leave the university for an extended period of time may be informed of such changes through these sources.
Policy on Previous Graduation Requirements and Credit
Brigham Young University is committed to providing its students with an excellent university education consisting of a broad general education that includes religious education and a strong major education. Programs of the university change and develop in the continuing effort to make learning and experience as valuable as possible. Development, growth, and improvement are expected parts both of our lives and our institutions. It is because of the commitment to a superb education that the university's programs develop and improve and that students are expected to meet the current standards of the university when they graduate, even though they may have begun their studies long ago under quite different expectations.
Students who complete a baccalaureate degree within eight academic years of enrollment at BYU qualify for graduation by meeting those religion, university, and general education requirements in effect when they initially enrolled, even though there may have been changes in general education and religion requirements since that time.
In addition, students who complete a baccalaureate degree within eight academic years of enrollment at BYU qualify for graduation by meeting those major education requirements in effect when they officially declared the major with which they plan to graduate even though such declaration was made at some point following their original enrollment. (A student officially declares a major one of two ways: [1] by indicating the choice of major on part 2 of the CES Admission and Scholarship Application or [2] by submitting a request using the "Change Major Request" link in the MyMAP Plan tab Tools sidebar.)
Students have eight years from the time of their initial enrollment in which to complete all requirements for graduation. Students who have not graduated within eight years of their initial enrollment at BYU will be required to meet with an academic advisor in the area of their primary major to determine major and university core graduation requirements and the use of credit previously earned. Where University Core or major requirements have changed or where credit previously earned was in an area of substantial change, students may be required to do additional work to meet graduation requirements.
After discussion with an academic advisor, students may petition the Dean of Undergraduate Education to accept old general education courses to fulfill current general education requirements. This means that credit earned more than eight years before admission or readmission (including transfer credit) may be accepted to meet general education or major graduation requirements at the discretion of the university.
All students who receive undergraduate degrees from BYU are required to complete the University Core requirements unless 1) a student is on the previous GE program and within eight years of initial enrollment; or 2) a student is granted an exception by the Dean of Undergraduate Education.
BYU offers the Bachelor of General Studies Program to assist students who are unable to come back to campus to finish their degrees.
Advisement
An important corollary of the university's commitment to provide its students with an excellent university education is its commitment to help students find their way through their programs effectively and efficiently. Students whose educational experience has extended beyond eight years from the time of initial enrollment and who find that changes in programs will require additional work and preparation should consult with college or department advisors for help in planning their schedules in the best and most encouraging way possible.
The university's requirement that a student graduate under current or very recent standards is meant to benefit the student and is in no way established to deter a determined person from returning to the university after years away. Good advisement can be of great help in working out a program of study at the university, taking into account individual needs, concerns, and experience.
MyMAP
BYU offers students a helpful academic planning system (MyMAP) that enables them to plan their academic progress towards graduation. MyMAP is an online tool students may use to plan specific courses to fill University Core, major, minor, and elective requirements, and organize those courses into semesters/terms. In addition, students may register for these courses using the Register tab. Easy access to course descriptions can be found on any MyMAP tab by simply clicking on the course title. As a student fully utilizes MyMAP, they will find that they have important information at their fingertips. Students may access MyMAP under the School section of MyBYU.
To learn more about MyMAP go to https://registrar.byu.edu/mymap.
