Graduation Requirements

Graduation Requirements for Undergraduates

Students seeking an associate's or bachelor's degree at SCU may complete all requirements for the degree according to the requirements specified in the catalog of the year in which they matriculate to a degree program. The catalog year shall be considered as beginning with the fall semester. Southwestern Christian University reserves the right to make effective, during the course of a student’s work toward a degree, any changes in curricula or graduation requirements which may be considered necessary for the general improvement of the University and/or degree. 

Students who interrupt their studies at the University for more than two consecutive semesters before completing degree objectives will be subject to the requirements set forth in the catalog effective for the term the student returns. To continue a program under a specific catalog, students must take a minimum of six semester credit hours each semester and complete the degree within seven years of the time they first matriculate. If students do not complete requirements in that time, they may be required to re-enroll under the effective catalog of the time of re-enrollment. 

A student who plans to graduate from Southwestern Christian University must fulfill all applicable course requirements for his or her chosen program and the following requirements: 

 

  • Graduation Application form must be completed online (www.swcu.edu/graduation-application).
  • Complete all degree, program and course requirements for the declared program of study. All official documentation indicating the completion of program requirements, including but not limited to transfer transcripts, substitution/policy exception forms, portfolio review, must be received on or before the graduation date or graduation will be delayed until the next available date. SCU does not confer degrees retroactively.
  • For all bachelor’s degrees, at least 30 credit hours of coursework must be completed in courses at SCU. For an associate’s degree, 15 credit hours of coursework must be complete at SCU. Any undergraduate student who has completed 30-64 semester hours in courses at SCU must complete 15 of the last 30 credit hours at SCU. Students transferring from other institutions desiring to complete a bachelor’s degree must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours in classes offered by SCU, of which 21 must be upper-division (3000-4000 level) courses, to qualify for graduation in SCU’s baccalaureate programs.
  • Students seeking a bachelor's degree at SCU must complete at least 60 credit hours from institutions that grant bachelor's degrees. This excludes physical education activity courses.
  • The Cumulative Grade Point Average in work completed at SCU is 2.0 with a minimum 2.50 CGPA for major requirements (courses in the major must be completed with a grade of "C" or higher).
  • For Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees: a minimum of 45 credit hours of upper-division courses. For Bachelor of Business Administration or Bachelor of Music degrees, 40 credit hours of upper-division courses are required. Sixty percent of the major core and/or concentration courses in the bachelor’s degree must be upper-division courses.
  • The student’s final semester must reflect at least a 2.0 GPA.
  • The student may not participate in Commencement while on academic, disciplinary or chapel probation.
  • All contracts and financial obligations to the University must be fulfilled including payment of the graduation fee.
  • All documentation of transfer credits, substitutions and policy waivers must be submitted to the registrar’s office before the graduation date.

 

Graduation Requirements for Graduate Students

Students seeking a master's degree at SCU may complete all requirements for the degree according to the requirements specified in the catalog of the year in which they matriculate to a degree program. The catalog year shall be considered as beginning with the fall semester. Southwestern Christian University reserves the right to make effective, during the course of a student’s work toward a degree, any changes in curricula or graduation requirements which may be considered necessary for the general improvement of the University and/or degree. 

Students who interrupt their studies at the University for more than two consecutive semesters before completing degree objectives will be subject to the requirements set forth in the catalog effective for the term the student returns. To continue a program under a specific catalog, students must take a minimum of six semester credit hours each semester and complete the degree within seven years of the time they first matriculate. If students do not complete requirements in that time, they may be required to re-enroll under the effective catalog of the time of re-enrollment. 

A student who plans to graduate from Southwestern Christian University with a master's degree must fulfill all applicable course requirements for the chosen academic program and the following requirements: 

 

  • Graduation Application form must be completed online (www.swcu.edu/graduation-application).
  • Complete all degree, program and course requirements for the declared program of study.
  • Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00.
  • Earn a minimum of 3.0 in each course with the exception of only one course earning 2.0.
  • All contracts and financial obligations to the University must be fulfilled including payment of the graduation fee.
  • All documentation of transfer credits, substitutions and policy waivers must be submitted to the registrar’s office before the graduation date.