Application for Graduation
Students fulfilling requirements for a UWF associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or specialist degree must submit an for Graduation” to their major departments by the application deadline stated in the Academic Calendar. Doctoral students apply for graduation the semester prior to the dissertation defense and must apply through the graduate department in the College of Professional Studies. Students completing the requirements for a minor must submit a "Completion of Minor” form to the minor departments.

Degree graduation forms are available within the academic departments. A.A. degree graduation forms are available in the University Advising Center.

Retroactive graduation to a prior semester will not be approved.

Substitution of Graduation Requirements for Students with Disabilities
Students with documented visual impairments, hearing impairments, motor impairments, or specific learning disabilities may petition for substitution of degree requirements provided such substitutions do not significantly alter the nature of the program in which the student is enrolled. For more information about the University’s degree requirement substitution policy, contact the college dean of the program for major requirements; for General Studies and Gordon Rule requirements, contact the Associate Dean, College of Arts and Social Sciences; and for University requirements, contact the Division of Enrollment Services.

Commencement
Commencement ceremonies at UWF are held twice a year, Fall and Spring for students graduating with a Baccalaureate, Masters, Specialists, or Doctorate degrees. Associate of Arts candidates are not permitted to participate in the commencement ceremony. Doctoral students must be approved by the Office of Graduate Studies prior to participating in the commencement ceremony.

Those students who plan to graduate in the summer should apply for summer graduation only. Prospective Summer graduates have the option to participate in the either preceding spring or following fall ceremony. Doctoral students intending to graduate in the summer may not participate in the spring ceremony unless the dissertation has been fully approved and participation is approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies. “Applications for Graduation” should be turned in to the major department by the date stated in the Academic Calendar in this Catalog. Students will receive information about graduation through their student email accounts. If information is not received, students should contact the Commencement Marshal or the Office of the Registrar. Commencement information is also available on the web at http://uwf.edu/commencement/.

Baccalaureate Honors
The University will confer baccalaureate honors recognition on those students who have earned:

1. At least 40 semester hours of graded work at UWF. This policy excludes all courses with grades of “P” or “S.” Grades of “WF,” “F,” or “U” are not earned hours but are included in the GPA;
2. At least a 3.5 GPA on all work attempted at UWF; and
3. At least a 3.5 GPA on all work attempted, including UWF and credit earned from all other institutions. The GPA used for honors will be no higher than the UWF cumulative GPA. The calculation is found on the SASS audit under Credit Hours category.

The following minimum GPAs are required for graduation honors:

Cum Laude	3.50
Magna Cum Laude	3.70
Summa Cum Laude	3.90

Previous recognition on the President’s or Dean’s Honor Rolls does not ensure baccalaureate honors at graduation.

UWF does not have a graduation honors program for graduate and doctoral students.

Degree Audit System
The student Academic Support System (SASS) identifies and tracks all graduation requirements for each baccalaureate degree and master's degree at the University. Undergraduate and master's degree students may check their individual progress toward degree completion by reviewing their SASS audit which is available on ARGUS. The SASS audit is used for their final graduation check and a completed (bannered) audit is required before an undergraduate degree or master's degree is awarded.

Associate of Arts Degree Requirements
The A.A. degree is available to students who have:

1. Satisfied the requirements of UWF’s General Studies requirements;
2. Completed at least 60 semester hours of course work;
3. Completed at least 30 semester hours of those 60 semester hours in residence at UWF. Eighteen semester hours of the 30 semester hours in residence must be taken from the list of UWF General Studies courses (contact the University Advising Center for details);
4. Fulfilled the requirements of the Gordon Rule;
5. Satisfied the CLAST requirement;
6. A UWF cumulative GPA of at least 2.0;
7. Completed the admissions foreign language requirement; and
8. Students must enroll as a degree-seeking student for a minimum of one semester at UWF within the last five years of the date the degree is awarded. Students should contact the University Advising Center to determine the minimum of hours and courses in which to enroll. Students who need to be readmitted will be required to meet the degree requirements of the current Catalog.

Students who meet these requirements do not automatically receive the A.A. degree. Students must apply for the degree in the University Advising Center (see Academic Calendar for submission deadlines). The A.A. degree will not be awarded in the same semester that the baccalaureate degree is awarded or in any semester following the completion of the baccalaureate degree.

Bachelor's Degree Requirements

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS
Requirements for a bachelor’s degree from UWF are listed below. The colleges and departments may have requirements which exceed these minimums. Students should refer to their SASS audits to review degree requirements. Please consult the individual departments for details. Minimum requirements are:

1. 120 semester hours in an approved program;
2. UWF cumulative 2.0 GPA with a major GPA of 2.0 (departments may set a minimum grade requirement in each course and limited access programs may require higher minimum major GPAs);
3. 48 semester hours in upper-level course work;
4. 30 semester hours (25% of degree program) residency requirement (must include last 30 semester hours of course work);
5. 24 semester hours of upper-level work in the major field with a minimum of 18 upper-level semester hours in the major field at UWF;
6. Fulfillment of College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) requirement;
7. Fulfillment of Gordon Rule;
8. Completion of all General Studies requirements;
9. Completion of all program specific lower division common prerequisites;
10. Completion of the admissions foreign language requirement;
11. Completion of multicultural requirement;
12. Nine hours of summer semester enrollment at an SUS institution (students who entered UWF with less than 60 semester hours);
13. Students must be admitted and enroll at UWF for a minimum of one semester as degree-seeking in the degree program for which a degree is awarded. For example, a student must be admitted and enrolled for a minimum of one semester as an undergraduate, degree seeking student for a bachelor’s degree to be awarded; and
14. Students must enroll as a degree-seeking student for a minimum of one semester at UWF within the last five years of the date the degree is awarded. Students should contact their major department to determine the minimum of hours and courses in which to enroll. Students who need to be readmitted will be required to meet the degree requirements of the current Catalog.

Additional Bachelor's Degrees
Students holding a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, including UWF, may qualify for additional bachelor’s degrees by completing the following requirements:

1. 30 semester hours in an approved undergraduate program at UWF after completing the requirements for the previous bachelor’s degree. Students who have completed the first degree at UWF must complete 30 semester hours of course work after the previous bachelor’s degree has been awarded. Of these, 18 semester hours must be completed at UWF;
2. Meet all departmental requirements for the additional bachelor’s degree;
3. Students must be admitted and enroll at UWF for a minimum of one semester as degree-seeking in the degree program for which a degree is awarded. For example, a student must be admitted and enrolled for a minimum of one semester as an undergraduate, degree seeking student for a bachelor’s degree to be awarded; and
4. Students must enroll as a degree-seeking student for a minimum of one semester at UWF within the last five years of the date the degree is awarded. Students should contact their major department to determine the minimum of hours and courses in which to enroll. Students who need to be readmitted will be required to meet the degree requirements of the current Catalog.

Students earning UWF bachelor’s degrees may work on two programs simultaneously and receive two degrees in the same semester. In addition to meeting the requirements listed for the Bachelor’s Degree, these students must:

1. File necessary paperwork to declare both majors,
2. Complete all department and University requirements,
3. Complete a minimum of 150 semester hours, and
4. Complete a “Graduation Application” for each degree. (Two separate applications submitted for same semesters).

Refer to “Majors” for information on dual majors (one degree with two majors). Degrees must be awarded in the same semester.

Posthumous Baccalaureate Degree
To be considered for a posthumous degree, generally undergraduate students shall have successfully completed at least eighty percent of the chosen UWF degree program, be in good standing at the University of West Florida, and have met the University of West Florida degree residency requirements. The student's academic department must initiate the request for a posthumous degree through the Provost's Office.

Master's Degree Requirements

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS
Requirements for a master’s degree from UWF are listed below. The colleges and departments may have requirements which exceed these minimums. Please consult the individual departments and the individual program descriptions in this Catalog for details. Minimum requirements are:

1. students must be admitted and enroll at the UWF for a minimum of one semester as degree-seeking in the degree program for which a degree is awarded.
2. Completion of minimum 30 semester hours in an approved program;
3. Completion of minimum 15 semester hours of coursework at the 6000 level or above
4. Approved GRE or GMAT scores submitted to UWF
5. Program GPA of a minimum of 3.0
6. Masters students must enroll as a degree-seeking student for a minimum of one semester at UWF within the last five years of the date the degree is to be awarded. Students who need to be readmitted will be required to meet the degree requirements of the current Catalog.

REQUIREMENTS FOR SECOND UWF MASTER’S DEGREE
Requirements listed below are applicable for students who already hold a master’s degree from UWF or who are pursuing two masters’ degrees simultaneously. Students who have earned a master’s degree from another institution must meet the requirements listed under Master’s Degree Requirements.

1. Graduate students may be candidates for two master’s degrees at UWF.
2. Candidacy in two separate master’s programs may be held in overlapping time periods.
3. Candidates must meet the conditions of graduate status stipulated by both departments.
4. Since master’s degree represents a level of attainment, some (or all) courses included in one graduate program may be used by another department to satisfy the formal requirements for a second graduate degree. A minimum of 18 semester hours, must be taken for the second graduate degree, which were not a part of the first degree.
5. Masters students must be admitted and enroll at UWF for a minimum of one semester as degree-seeking in the degree program for which a degree is awarded.
6. Masters students must enroll as a degree-seeking student for a minimum of one semester at UWF within the last five years of the date the degree is to be awarded. Students who need to be readmitted will be required to meet the degree requirements of the current Catalog.

A second masters degree may not be earned in the same program area.

Academic Policies Related to Master's Degrees

ACADEMIC CREDIT
Academic credit toward the degree shall not be given for courses which are designed to fulfill prerequisites for admission.

ADVANCEMENT TO CANDIDACY
Advancement to candidacy may be required by some departments. This is a separate step from admission to graduate studies. Students are responsible for determining the requirements in each area of study by consulting with the department chairperson.

COMPREHENSIVE OR GENERAL EXAMINATION
Most departments require a written and/or oral general examination. The examination may be an initial diagnostic or a final comprehensive examination over the student’s fields of study. Students must pass any examination required by the department to be recommended for a graduate degree.

CREDIT BY PROFICIENCY EXAMINATION
At the request of a department and with the approval of the college dean, a student may be permitted to take six semester hours or two courses (whichever is greater in credit) of graduate-level credit by examination. Additional requirements are the same as those for undergraduates.

DIRECTED STUDIES
A master's program may include up to two courses with a maximum total of six semester hours of directed studies. Directed studies must be at the 5000-6000 level.

GPA REQUIREMENTS
A student must satisfy the UWF GPA requirement of 3.0 based upon grades for all courses included in the initial and approved degree plan and grades for all courses included in subsequent revisions. No grade for a course taken as part of an approved graduate degree program may be deleted from the GPA. Individual programs may set more stringent GPA requirements. Students must be cleared from academic probation in order to be eligible to graduate.

The UWF academic transcript, the student academic record, and grade report do not reflect the degree program GPA. These records indicate a GPA of all UWF graduate level courses with the exception of those included in a UWF baccalaureate degree.

NON-DEGREE STUDENT STATUS
Graduate students who wish to change to non-degree status will complete the non-degree student application in the Office of Admissions.

RECENCY OF CREDIT
Currency of knowledge must be demonstrated to the satisfaction of departmental faculty for any course work required for the degree if the course was taken more that five years before graduation. Individual departments may set more stringent requirements or may adjust to a specific program.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT
Students must complete a minimum of 24 semester hours of credit at UWF. The department offering the program may require additional residency.

THESIS REQUIREMENT
Students should consult the current Catalog for the special requirements of the individual program to determine whether a thesis or alternative is required. A maximum of 6 semester hours of credit may be applied toward a master’s degree for successful completion of a thesis. Upon completion of 6 semester hours of thesis credit, graduate students who continue thesis work must register for at least one semester hour of credit each semester thereafter until the thesis is submitted and accepted.

Theses are to be prepared in accordance with the specifications given in the “Thesis Guide” prepared by and available in the Office of Graduate Studies. Theses must be submitted to the University Library for binding in the semester in which the degree is to be awarded (contact the Office of Graduate Studies for deadlines). Deadlines for submission to the college dean and the Office of Graduate Studies are posted online at uwf.edu/graduate.

Students must provide a copy of the thesis to the University Library. A thesis grade of “G” (deferred) will be given until the final thesis has been approved by the Office of Graduate Studies.

TOOL OF RESEARCH REQUIREMENT
Although the University has no general research tool requirement, some departments expect demonstrated competence in a research tool, such as statistics or a foreign language. Students should refer to the appropriate department to ascertain whether a research tool is required.

TRANSFER CREDIT
Students whose master’s program consist of 30 to 36 semester hours may have a maximum of six semester hours or two courses (whichever is greater in credit) of graduate work at another university accepted toward their program requirements at UWF. The department chairperson’s permission is required. Students whose master’s program consists of more than 36 semester hours may have a maximum of 10 semester hours of graduate work from another university accepted toward their program requirements of UWF. Graduate credit may be transferred from other institutions when a grade of “B” or higher was earned.

USE OF UNDERGRADUATE CREDIT
A master's program may include a maximum of six semester hours or two courses (whichever is greater in credit) of UWF undergraduate level course work. Courses must meet the following criteria:

1. Undergraduate courses must be at the 3000-4000 level and be annotated for graduate credit (i.e., included in graduate program and requiring additional work to receive graduate credit).
2. Undergraduate courses must be completed at the University of West Florida.

Specialist Degree Requirements
To be eligible for an Ed.S. degree, students must meet the following requirements:

1. Be admitted to the program;
2. Submit an approved degree plan which includes at least 36 semester hours;
3. Have completed at least 9 semester hours of course work at the 7000 level; at least nine semester hours of all course work in the Curriculum and Instruction Specialist program must be of 7000 level. The remainder will be at the 5000-6000 level except when specific waivers have been obtained;
4. Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in Specialist program
5. Complete degree requirements within seven years from the date of admission;
6. Be recommended for graduation by the departmental chairperson;
7. Specialist degree students must be admitted and enroll as a specialist student at UWF for a minimum of one semester prior to the degree being awarded; and
8. Specialist students must enroll for a minimum of one semester at UWF within the last five years of the date the degree is awarded. Students should contact their program of study advisor to determine the minimum of hours and courses in which to enroll. Students who need to be readmitted will be required to meet the degree requirements of the current Catalog.

Doctor of Education Degree Requirements
For detailed information, refer to the Policies and Procedures available on the College of Professional Studies Graduate Office web page. To be eligible for an Ed.D. degree, a student must meet the following requirements:

1. Be admitted to the program by the Ed.D. Program Committee and Dean;
2. Complete an approved degree plan of a minimum of 62 semester hours. No more than 10 semester hours may be transferred from another institution that were earned within five years of the date of admission to the UWF Ed.D Program;
3. Complete the residency requirement: Students establish residency when they enroll in at least 24 semester hours in 2 consecutive academic years (includes summer sessions). The Ed.D. program director monitors and verifies student compliance with the provisions of this requirement
4. Students must complete an orientation and an initial and advanced APA seminar.
5. Complete the Preliminary Examination during the specified time frame;
6. Complete all requirements to advance to candidacy;
7. Have maintained a minimum cumulative program GPA of 3.25 with no grades lower than a B- in course work counted toward the degree. Specialization areas may have additional requirements regarding acceptable letter grades for major courses that are counted in the degree program;
8. Successfully complete and orally defend a dissertation;
9. Be recommended for graduation by the doctoral committee, departmental chairperson, and the College of Professional Studies Graduate Office;
10. Complete degree requirements within seven years after the date of admission; and
11. Students must enroll for a minimum of one semester at UWF within the last five years of the date the degree is to be awarded. Students should contact their program of study advisor to determine the minimum of hours and courses in which to enroll. Students who need to be readmitted will be required to meet the degree requirements of the current Catalog.

DISSERTATION COURSE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING
Doctoral candidates are required to register for a minimum of 18 semester hours of dissertation course work.  Candidates must register for a minimum of 3, but not more than 6 semester hours each semester (including summer terms) until they have registered for a cumulative total of 18 semester hours of doctoral dissertation course work.  Thereafter, candidates are required to register for a minimum of 2 semester hour of dissertation course work each consecutive semester until the student has completed 24 semester hours of dissertation work.  At that time the student will be reevaluated by the doctoral committee chair and committee to determine if the student can complete the dissertation.  If the committee determines that student can complete the dissertation, the student will be required to complete 3 semester hours of dissertation coursework each semester to complete the degree.

For every semester at the dissertation stage the committee chair and student should agree, in whatever form works best for them, on what will count as satisfactory progress for the upcoming semester as well as on how many semester hours (generally 3 or 6) the student should take during that semester.  At the end of each semester the committee chair will assess whether or not the dissertation student has made reasonable progress.  If the student has made reasonable progress, the chair will assign a grade of Satisfactory (S); if not, a grade of Unsatisfactory (U).  Students who receive an Unsatisfactory (U) grade must retake the dissertation hours for that given semester. Upon successful completion of the dissertation, all “U” grades will be changed to “S” grades.

Candidates shall maintain active candidacy status in accordance with the above stated criteria. Those who fail to maintain active status during the dissertation process will have their status reviewed by the director of the Ed.D. program.  Failure to register for the appropriate dissertation course work for 3 consecutive semesters will result in the candidate having to reapply to the program, subject to the policies and procedures in effect at that time. Failure to maintain an active candidacy status may result in the student having to complete additional course work, or components of the Preliminary Examination.

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