Undergraduate Programs

To be awarded a bachelor’s degree, the student must meet the following general requirements:

1. Completion of a minimum of 120 semester hours to a maximum of 128 semester hours under requirements outlined for one of the degree programs.
2. A minimum GPA of 2.0 on all work attempted at Western Carolina University and on all courses in the major. ** Students must have a 2.00 in coursework required to complete a minor and a minimum of 5 credit hours earned through regular enrollment in Western Carolina University courses.
3. A minimum of 25 percent of semester hours applied toward a bachelor’s degree must be earned through regular enrollment in Western Carolina University junior-senior level courses, including a minimum of 12 hours in junior-senior courses in the major field.
4. Fifty percent or more of the credits in the major presented for graduation on the junior/senior level unless the degree program being completed by the student is specifically exempted from the requirement.
5. Be enrolled at Western the intended graduation semester or complete the Transient Permission form. (Found on https://www.wcu.edu/learn/academic-services/registrars-office/forms.aspx)
6. To participate in a commencement ceremony, a student must be eligible for degree completion at the conclusion of that semester.

** See graduate catalog for graduate degree requirements.

Posthumous Degrees

The criteria for consideration for a Posthumous Degree or Certificate of Achievement are as follows:

• A student who dies while actively pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree may be considered for a posthumous graduate degree if he or she has completed 75% or more of the program credits.
• Students must be in good standing and must have been enrolled at WCU at the time of death.
• Students who do not qualify for a posthumous degree may be awarded a Certificate of Achievement if the student was in good standing.

Process

• The process for awarding a posthumous degree or Certificate of Achievement is initiated with a letter from the major program to the Provost identifying the student and requesting action.
• The Provost or his/her designee will review requests from the major programs and make a determination that the application satisfies the criteria and then authorize the Posthumous Degree if warranted under the terms of this policy.
• In the case of a student who does not have a major, or other circumstances that make it difficult for the program faculty to initiate the process, the Provost may determine that the situation warrants a Certificate of Achievement and issue one independently.
• The Provost or designee will communicate with the family to determine the optimal manner in which to confer the Posthumous Degree or Certificate of Achievement (in person or by mail).
• The Provost or designee will submit a form for appropriate signatures.

The Western Carolina University Provost reserves the right to award a Posthumous Degree or Certificate of Achievement at his/her discretion, even in the event the criteria and process outlined above are not met.