Degree Requirements

Bachelor’s degree

To complete a baccalaureate degree at the University of Saint Joseph, a student must have met these requirements:

1. Completion of a minimum of 120 semester hours of course work contingent upon requirement of major (the equivalent of four years of full-time study). These hours can include a combination of courses at the University of Saint Joseph, or transferred from another regionally accredited institution (see Transfer Credit Policy  ).
2. A minimum GPA of 2.00 (a C average in all work completed). Some majors or programs may require a higher GPA.
3. The residency requirement of earning 45 credits from the University of Saint Joseph. The last 24 credits counted toward a degree must be taken at the University of Saint Joseph.
4. Core Curriculum and Competencies: General Education Requirements .

Second bachelor’s degree

Students from regionally accredited institutions who would like to complete a second bachelor’s degree must meet these conditions:

• Departmental requirements for a major
• A minimum of 30 credits beyond the first bachelor’s degree
• A comprehensive examination or capstone course
• A minimum of a 2.00 GPA at all times. Some majors or programs may require a higher GPA at all times.

Second degree students are not eligible for academic honors at graduation.

GPA to graduate

In addition to any department requirements, all undergraduate students must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 or better to graduate.

Application for a degree

An undergraduate student must complete a degree application via MyUSJ and submit a signed degree audit for the University to assess eligibility for graduation. Applications and audits should be submitted by the deadline indicated in the Registrar’s section of MyUSJ.

Certificates

A student must complete the requirements for a certificate program of study with a minimum Grade Point Average of 2.67 and file an application for certificate completion through the Office of the Registrar by the deadline dates posted on MyUSJ.

Time to degree

Requirements for the degree should be completed within six years from the date of matriculation. The appropriate department chair may grant an extension for completion of the degree.

Graduation with honors

First undergraduate degrees with honors are awarded on the basis of cumulative GPA alone with no other evaluative process. These academic honors are awarded:

Summa cum laude: 3.90 and above
Magna cum laude: 3.80 and above
Cum laude: 3.70 and above

Commencement

Degrees are granted three times in the academic year: December, May and August. One Commencement ceremony occurs in May, allowing all degree and certificate recipients to participate.

• An undergraduate student who will, according to the Degree Audit process, complete all degree requirements by the end of a summer session in August (including courses, credit hours and all other undergraduate requirements) may apply for August graduation and participate in the preceding May Commencement ceremony.  The student’s name will be listed in the Commencement program alphabetically by program and called in normal rotation at Commencement.