Graduation Day
Public commencement ceremonies for students who have earned a degree or certificate from Richland are held once a year at the end of the spring semester.
Students who have completed the graduation requirements and received the certificate or degree in the fall semester or will receive in the summer session are invited to participate in the graduation ceremony.
Applying for Graduation
When a student feels that he/she is nearing completion of the requirements for graduation from a program of study, the student is to follow the procedure outlined below to apply for graduation:
- The student should review the requirements for graduation for the program of study, including courses taken or in progress, grade point average, and other requirements. The student may contact a counselor in the Student Services Center or his/her academic advisor to assist with the review.
- The student must fill out an Application for Graduation
, which may be obtained in the Office of Student Records. The form is to be filed during the term immediately preceding the term in which the student expects to graduate. - A $25.00 non-refundable Graduation Fee will be charged each fiscal year, regardless of the number of degrees/certificates listed on this completed application. The fee, along with the completed application, must be submitted to the Business Office before the application will be processed.
- If the requirements for certificates applied for cannot be met during the same fiscal year as the submitted application, another graduation application and another graduation fee must be submitted. If the requirements for the degree applied for cannot be met during the same fiscal year as the submitted application, the fee may be carried over for the following 16-week semester. If requirements are not met after the additional semester, a new application form and fee must be submitted.
- The student is encouraged to review the returned copy with a counselor, his/her academic advisor, the Registrar, or the Dean of Enrollment Services to discuss completion of any unmet requirements.
The Registrar, a counselor, or the Dean of Enrollment Services can answer questions regarding the application for graduation process.
Graduating With Two Certificates or Degrees
Richland students may work toward completion of more than one program of study if they so desire.
Students may receive all certificates forwhich they have completed the requirements. Only the highest award will be announced at the commencement ceremony.
In order to receive a second associate's degree, a student must
- Complete a second area of concentration;
- Complete all group requirements for the second degree; and
- Earn at least ten hours beyond the first degree. (These may be made up of hours in the area of concentration, group requirements, or electives.)
A separate Application for Graduation form must be submitted for each certificate or associate's degree.
Graduating Transfer Students
Many students enter Richland after completing courses at other institutions. In order to give these students credit for previous college work and, at the same time, maintain Richland's standards for graduation, the following requirements must be met by transfer students in order to be given a degree or certificate:
At least 15 semester hours of an associate's degree or certificate program must be completed at Richland.
If a transfer student completes a course at Richland that is substantially the same as a course for which the student received transfer credit, the hours of transfer credit will be replaced by the hours earned at Richland.
Earning Graduation Honors
When a student applies for graduation, all 100-level course work will be evaluated for graduation academic honors. Students must have earned in class at Richland at least one half or 15 hours, whichever is greater, of the credits needed for a degree or certificate in order to be considered for such honors.
Graduation academic honors are based on the student's cumulative grade point average, as follows:
Cumulative GPA
3.50-3.74 ....... Honors
3.75-3.99 ....... High Honors
4.00 ................ Highest Honors
Contact Information
Any questions about the graduation evaluation/audit may be directed to:
- Registrar
- Office: N135
- Phone: (217) 875-7211, ext. 284
