General Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees

It is the student’s responsibility to plan his or her program with the assistance of a University advisor and to register for the proper courses so that all requirements are satisfied by the time students apply for graduation.

All University advisors of undergraduate students are expected to review each advisee’s registration respective to his or her curriculum of study. This review will ensure that courses are taken in proper sequence. All students who are to be classified as juniors must have successfully completed all traditional freshman and sophomore courses in their respective curricula, i.e., courses ordinarily in the 1000/100 and 2000/200 series that are normally taken by freshmen and sophomores.

General Policies and Procedures for Graduation

1. Degrees will be conferred only on dates that are publicly announced.
2. Application for graduation must be filed within the time period listed in the University calendar. The application form is secured through the office of the student’s major department.
3. All candidates for degrees are expected to attend the convocation at which their degrees are to be conferred unless excused by their respective deans.
4. To receive an undergraduate degree, a candidate must complete a major and a minor or a composite major, where appropriate.
5. Reasonable and logical substitutions for required courses may be made within a department or area. Substitutions must be authorized by the student’s academic advisor and the head of the student’s major department and approved by the dean of the college or school in which he or she is enrolled. Students must submit a petition for substitution with their graduation application or as deficiencies are exposed at least two weeks before their intended graduation date.
6. Not more than thirty (30) semester hours of course credit offered toward a degree may be earned through extension with no more than twelve (12) of these credits earned through correspondence courses (provided these 12 credits have been approved by the appropriate dean). Overall, at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the semester credit hours needed for degree conferral must be earned at the University.
7. A graduation fee is required, and students must purchase academic regalia for participation in the graduation convocation through the University Bookstore.

Semester Hours and Quality Point Requirements for Graduation

1. A minimum of 120 credit hours of college credit must be completed for an undergraduate degree.
2. A student must earn a quality point average or GPA of at least 2.00 for all college courses attempted.
3. A student must have grades of “C” or better in all courses taken to fulfill the major requirements.

Graduating Under a Given Bulletin

A student may expect to earn a degree in accordance with the requirements of the curriculum outlined in the bulletin in force when he or she first entered the University, provided the courses are being offered. He or she must complete these requirements within six years. In addition, he or she may graduate under any subsequent bulletin published while he or she is a student. If a student elects to meet the requirements of a bulletin other than the one in force at the time of his or her initial enrollment, he or she must meet all requirements of the bulletin he or she selects. The University reserves the right to impose changes in academic requirements upon any student in residence.

Residence Requirement

A candidate for graduation must earn, in residence, the last thirty (30) semester hours that are offered for the degree. Some instructional units have additional residency requirements. A transfer student from another institution must: 

1. spend at least two semesters in full-time residence work;
2. secure credit in residence for at least 12 semester hours of upper division courses in his or her major and six hours of upper division courses in his or her minor or 18 semester credit hours at the junior/senior level for a composite major.

Application for Graduation

A student expecting to graduate must file an application for graduation. The student should be within 30 hours of completion of the required hours for graduation. The filing deadline is printed each semester in the schedule of courses. Prior to applying for graduation, the student should review his or her academic records and his or her online degree audit, which matches completed coursework against listed degree requirements, with an academic advisor to verify he or she is eligible to apply for graduation. The student should then obtain an application with instructions for completion from his or her major department. Each applicant must submit a printed degree audit along with the completed application for graduation.

Students should keep their graduation filing fee receipts. These receipts must be presented at the time caps and gowns are purchased at the University Bookstore.

Financial Clearance

Students who are indebted to the University will not be allowed to participate in commencement exercises. Such obligations include traffic and parking fines, library fines, housing fees, and any miscellaneous fees. Students who are not sure about the status of their indebtedness should check with the Bursar’s Office prior to final examinations. If there is a dispute concerning payment of a bill, receipts should be presented to verify payment.

Graduation Fees

Graduation fees are subject to change. They are due and payable at the time of one’s application for graduation. Invitations are optional and may be ordered through the University Bookstore one month or more prior to commencement. These fees do not include the purchase of cap and gown or rental fee. Caps and gowns are also ordered through the University Bookstore.

Graduate Fees

Fee	Doctoral	Law	Master's	Bachelor's	Pharmacy
Microfilm Service	$40.00
Postage and Handling	$10.00
Diploma Fee	$50.00	$50.00	$50.00	$50.00	$50.00
Cap, Gown, Hood	Please contact the Bookstore for purchase and rental fees-713-313-7030

Graduation with Honors

1. Special honors in three grades are awarded in recognition of superior scholarship in the work leading to the bachelor’s degree. These honors are awarded at commencement and are shown on the diplomas of the recipients.
2. To be eligible for graduation honors, a student must have completed (exclusive of correspondence and extension work) at least 60 semester hours in the upper division of the University. The quality point average which shall be used for awarding graduation honors shall be the smaller of the following two quality point averages:
   1. The quality point average for all work taken in all colleges attended.
   2. The quality point average for all work taken at Texas Southern University.
3. The three grades of honors and the quality point averages for each are as follows:
   1. Summa Cum Laude is awarded to the candidate for graduation whose quality point average is 3.75 or above.
   2. Magna Cum Laude is awarded to the candidate for graduation whose quality point average is between 3.50 and 3.74 inclusive.
   3. Cum Laude is awarded to the candidate for graduation whose quality point average is between 3.25 and 3.49 inclusive

Commencement

Commencement exercises are held each year in May and December for students who qualify for graduation from Texas Southern University. All such students are expected to participate in one of these two exercises as appropriate. Juris Doctor and graduate students who are within six hours of completing their degree requirements and/or completion of required examination, and Doctor of Pharmacy students who are within two advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) and/or completion of required examination are eligible to participate in May commencement. Undergraduate students must be enrolled in the last hours (courses) required to earn the degree to participate during the May or December exercises. Undergraduate students completing all requirements in August of an academic year will participate in the December exercise.

Commencement is a solemn and special occasion in the lives of students, and they are expected to behave in a manner commensurate with the magnitude of the occasion. While attending commencement exercises, students and their guests are expected to maintain decorum that is reasonable and befitting of a public event of special significance. Because commencement exercises are formal events, graduates are expected to abide by the University’s policy on appropriate attire that is announced in advance of the ceremonies, including no decorations on the mortarboard or bling on shoes, etc.