Graduation Information

Graduation Requirements

• The core curriculum requirements must be completed.
• A minimum of one-half of the required credits in a student's major must be earned through MCLA.
• The requirements for the student's major must be completed (student must be matriculated).
• A minimum grade point average of 2.000 overall and 2.000 in the major and minor program requirements must be earned.
• A minimum of 45 MCLA earned credits will be required of each graduating student. 
• At least 120 credits, including the major program credits, must be earned. No more than five credits can be fulfilled by personal fitness/skills courses in physical education.
• A student's final 15 credits of coursework must be completed at MCLA.
• At least 39 of the 120 credits must be in upper-division work (300-500 level).
• Application for graduation must be filed with the Registrar's Office.

Graduation Participation Policy

MCLA requires that students must complete all graduation requirements by the end of the academic year in order to participate in the spring graduation ceremony. In the case of demonstrable extenuating circumstances preventing a student’s timely completion of all requirements for graduation, exceptions may be granted by the Dean of Academic Affairs, on a case-by-case basis, under the following conditions:

• The student has a minimum GPA of 2.0, and;
• The student’s remaining number of untaken classes and/or incompletes does not exceed six credits or in the case of unfinished lab courses, a maximum of eight credits, and;
• If the student’s remaining requirement is student teaching, to be completed in the successive fall semester.

The Dean of Academic Affairs may choose to grant the exception, provided the student has demonstrated the ability to complete all remaining coursework by August 31, or by the end of the fall semester in the case of student teaching; in exceedingly limited circumstances and at their discretion, the Dean of Academic Affairs may approve an extension of these deadlines to either the end of the following Fall semester or the next offering of the course(s). If additional courses must be taken, student must submit verification of enrollment in summer courses to the Dean before the exception will be granted. If the unfinished requirements consist of either Incompletes or non-credit bearing requirements, student must submit written completion agreements with the supervising faculty member and/or department chair to the Dean before the exception will be granted. 

Graduation with Distinction

Students of superior academic achievement graduate with distinction according to their quality point average earned at MCLA only. The following standards will be used for students graduating in the year 2012 and thereafter.

• Summa cum laude (4.00 - 3.80)
• Magna cum laude (3.79 - 3.60)
• Cum laude (3.59 - 3.30)

MCLA Scholar Program

A growing number of MCLA students engage in significant independent scholarly work during their undergraduate years with little formal recognition of their achievements. The purpose of this program is to recognize the outstanding work of these students by conferring the MCLA Scholar designation at graduation and on their official college transcripts. This designation will assist students in their future career and educational endeavors. This program will also provide clear standards for independent work and scholarship to which prospective and current students can aspire and work towards. 

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

1. At least two semesters (minimum of 6 credits) of Independent Study or equivalent experience in one academic discipline. This work must be independent, substantive, and conducted under the supervision of a faculty mentor.
2. Evidence of professional scholarship in the form of one of the following: a presentation at the MCLA Undergraduate Research Conference, a presentation at a regional/national undergraduate or professional conference, a public art show, exhibit, or performance, or work on art commissions.
3. Application by the student. The deadlines will coincide with the graduation application deadlines in the Fall and Spring of each academic year.
4. A minimum GPA of 3.30 or the equivalent of the cum laude graduation honor.
5. A letter of support from the independent study faculty advisor.

A review committee of two faculty (from different disciplines and selected from individuals serving on the Undergraduate Research Advisory Board) and the Dean of Academic Affairs will review all the applications and letters to confer the MCLA Scholar designation.

The MCLA Scholar designation should also be indicated on the student's official transcript.