Graduation Requirements: Undergraduate

Residence Requirements

To receive a degree from the University of Tennessee Southern a student is required to earn at least the minimum number of hours specified for the chosen curriculum and degree, but never fewer than 120 hours for the baccalaureate degree and 60 hours for the associate degree. ESL and developmental courses do not count toward the minimum number of hours required for graduation. A minimum number of hours for each degree must be earned at the University of Tennessee Southern (see specific requirements for each degree). Correspondence courses cannot be used to satisfy any portion of the residence requirements, nor can credit gained by advanced standing examinations. Completion of the minimum number of hours of course work gives no assurance of graduation at a particular time unless all requirements for graduation are met.

Transfer Credit Policy

Once students enroll in a major at the University of Tennessee Southern, they must complete a Transfer Credit Request Form for any courses at other institutions if they plan to transfer credits toward a UT Southern degree. Failure to obtain prior written approval could render the courses non-transferable. Students who wish to register for courses at another institution must complete a Transfer Credit Request Form, provide a catalog description, the dates the course will be offered, the reason the course cannot be taken at the University of Tennessee Southern, and any other information deemed appropriate by the Provost and/or Registrar before the request will be considered. A minimum of 55 hours towards the baccalaureate degree must be earned at a four-year institution.

Grade Point Requirements

Any student receiving a degree from the University of Tennessee Southern must present a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 on all work attempted at UT Southern. For transfer students who enroll at the University of Tennessee Southern, only grades earned in coursework at UT Southern will be used in determining continuation standards, graduation honors, and grade point averages.

Catalog Requirements

Students maintaining continuous enrollment at the University of Tennessee Southern may graduate according to the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of initial enrollment or according to the requirements of any catalog in effect during subsequent terms of continuous enrollment unless explicitly prohibited by the major (e.g., teacher licensure and nursing). A student not enrolled during consecutive fall/spring semesters and the intervening summer terms will no longer be considered to be continuously enrolled, and must meet requirements of the catalog in effect at the time they are readmitted or any catalog in effect during subsequent terms of continuous enrollment after readmission.

Graduation Application (Intent to Graduate)

Students must complete and submit via the UTS website a Graduation Application by the following deadlines:

The completion of these forms will ensure that all degree requirements are met. Students are responsible for making sure they are enrolled in the courses required to meet the graduation requirements specified within their major. Failure to do so could result in delayed graduation.

Course Substitutions

Course requirements for each degree program offered by the University are published in the University Catalog. Any substitution of a course required for graduation must be approved in advance by the student’s advisor, the appropriate School Chair, and the Provost by completing a Course Substitution Request Form.

Baccalaureate Degree Graduation Requirements

Candidates for the bachelor’s degree must meet all the following requirements for graduation:

1. Complete the course of study for the degree program as set forth in the Catalog with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. The baccalaureate degree requires the completion of a minimum of 120 hours, which includes:
   • General Education Core requirements of forty-one to forty-four (41-44) semester hours;
   • The B.A. degree requires a minimum of 6 hours of a foreign language at the intermediate level. International students seeking the B.A. degree who wish to use their native language to meet this requirement must take six hours of advanced level classes (300 level or above), or they may substitute upper level English literature courses to meet the B.A. degree requirement.
   • The B.S. degree requires MIS 110, MIS 220, or CS 110.
2. a minimum of forty-two (42) semester hours earned in courses numbered 300 or above;
   1. a minimum of thirty (30) semester hours for a major;
   2. a minimum of fifty-five (55) hours from a senior institution.
   3. A minor, while not required for graduation, usually requires a minimum of eighteen (18) semester hours.
3. The last thirty-six (36) hours must be earned at the University of Tennessee Southern. At least twelve semester hours at the upper-division level in the major field must be earned at UTS.
4. A graduation fee.

Associate Degree Graduation Requirements

All candidates for the Associate degree must meet the following requirements for graduation:

1. Complete sixty (60) semester hours of acceptable academic work with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, including General Education Core requirements of forty-one to forty-four (41-44) semester hours,
2. Complete a minimum of the last twenty-six (26) semester hours at the University of Tennessee Southern.
3. Courses with a course number of 300 or above shall not be included in the sixty (60) semester hour graduation requirement.
4. To be eligible for graduation honors, a student must have earned at least thirty-two (32) semester hours at UTS.
5. Pay the graduation fee.

Double Major in the Bachelor’s Degree

Students may earn a double major by completing core requirements for the degree sought and then all requirements for the second major, including any additional core courses required within that major. The same issue of the University Catalog must be used throughout. If one major has sufficient elective credits, students may meet major requirements of another department by using these electives. There is no requirement for additional degree credits, provided all requirements for both majors are completed when the degree is posted. Typically, if one degree is awarded for two or more majors, only one diploma is awarded but all majors will be indicated on the student’s transcript; however, students selecting two majors that culminate in two different degrees (e.g., B.A. and B.S.) will be awarded two different diplomas and fees apply.

Requirements for a Second Baccalaureate Degree

Students who have received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee Southern or from another regionally accredited institution may enroll in a program leading to a second degree at the same level providing the following conditions are met:

• The major field is different from that of the first degree.

• 36 hours are completed at the University of Tennessee Southern beyond those applied to the previous degree.

• The student meets the general education (core) and major requirements for the second degree.

• The student completes a minimum of 12 hours in the major at the University of Tennessee Southern.

• The student achieves a minimum GPA of 2.00 on all hours attempted for the second degree.

Post Baccalaureate Students Seeking Initial Licensure, Endorsement, or Highly Qualified Status in Teacher Education

Students who have a baccalaureate degree and who are seeking only initial licensure, endorsement, or highly qualified status and no additional degree from the University of Tennessee Southern will have all core requirements waived and need only complete the hours required for the desired licensure. However, a post baccalaureate student who seeks an additional degree is subject to the requirements for a second baccalaureate degree described above. If the first degree is from the University of Tennessee Southern, the core requirements generally shall be waived unless there are obvious weaknesses because of core changes since the original degree was earned. UT Southern has been approved to offer license job-embedded programs. Please see Teacher Education or check with the Director of Teacher Education or with the Chair of Grissom School of Education for more information. 

Participation in Commencement

Students who satisfactorily complete all degree requirements by the end of the spring term or who completed degree requirements the previous December are invited to participate in commencement. Students may elect not to march in commencement, but are required to still pay the regular graduation fee in order to receive a diploma.

Baccalaureate students who are within two courses or Associate degree seeking students within one course (no more than four hours) of completing all degree requirements may elect to participate in commencement provided they also meet the following criteria:

• Have a cumulative GPA of 2.25 or higher unless in the Teacher Education Program where a GPA of 2.5 or higher is required.

• Have registered to complete all degree requirements during the immediately following summer term.

• Have completed and filed with the Registrar’s Office an Intent to Graduate Form.

The diploma will not be awarded until all degree requirements are met. Students who do not meet all of the above criteria will not be allowed to participate in commencement until degree requirements are met, or until the above conditions are achieved. After all degree requirements are met, any such honor recognition for which they qualify will be noted on the transcript. Degrees are conferred once at the end of each semester.

Incomplete grades may result in a later conferral date.

Graduation Honors

The Chancellor's Award is conferred at commencement on behalf of the faculty and Chancellor to the baccalaureate student who has the highest cumulative grade point average. The recipient is recognized by the faculty and the graduating class and is awarded a remembrance. All previous coursework, including transfer grades, are calculated to determine this honor.

Students with a grade point average of 3.5-3.69 graduate cum laude; those with 3.7-3.89, magna cum laude; and those with 3.9-4.0, summa cum laude. This is noted on the student’s official transcript and announced at graduation.