APPLYING FOR GRADUATION

COMMENCEMENT

There are two graduation ceremonies per year – May and December. Students eligible to graduate in the Spring semester will be invited to participate in the May ceremony and those eligible to graduate in the Summer or Fall semesters will be invited to participate in the December ceremony.

May Ceremony: Students who are eligible to graduate in the Spring are invited to participate in the May commencement ceremony. Information regarding the May graduation ceremony will be mailed in March.

December Ceremony: Students who are eligible to graduate in the Summer or Fall terms are invited to participate in the December commencement ceremony. Information regarding the December graduation ceremony will be mailed in November.

ELIGIBILITY FOR GRADUATION

In addition to fulfilling all course and credit requirements for their respective program(s), students must also have a minimum grade point average of 2.0, both overall and within their program. Courses numbered below 100 are not applicable toward graduation requirements.

A student who has been continuously enrolled at RVCC must fulfill graduation requirements that were published in the College catalog at the time the student matriculated into the program. Students who interrupt their studies for more than one year must fulfill the requirements in place when they re-enroll. Students with a break of more than one year must meet with an academic advisor.
Students who have transferred must complete a minimum of 16 credits of coursework at RVCC to be eligible for an associate's degree, or 25% of the required credits for a certificate program. Students may not transfer more than 45 credits toward an associate's degree or 75% of the required credits for a certificate program including those from other accredited institutions and those earned through other means.

Students who have studied at RVCC and transfer prior to receiving a degree or certificate may transfer back coursework in order to complete graduation requirements, if the degree or certificate program is active at the time of readmission.
Students whose programs have been discontinued will be permitted two years to complete the program. RVCC will not award degrees for programs that have been discontinued for more than two years.

Students who have applied for graduation but fail to meet the requirements at the conclusion of the semester must re-submit an Application for Graduation when they intend to graduate, but are not required to pay an additional fee.

GRADUATION WITH HONORS

A student meeting the following criteria will graduate with honors:

• An overall cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5
• A cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5 based on credits earned and applied toward an associate degree
• No grades below a C (including grades that do not count in GPA calculations)
• No grades of WF
• A minimum of 33 credits in the curriculum of the awarded degree completed at RVCC.
• Students with a degree grade point average of 3.5 - 3.79 will graduate Cum Laude (with honor); 3.8 - 3.99, Magna Cum Laude (with high honor); and 4.0, Summa Cum Laude (with highest honor).