Graduation
Requirements and Procedures
To receive a degree from USC Upstate, students must satisfy both university and program curricular and grade requirements that were in place at their first enrollment at USC Upstate or under a different catalog selected by the student using the "right-of-catalog" process as described in the Academic Regulations section.
Curriculum Requirements. University curricular requirements include satisfying the general education requirement by completing the required curriculum or transfer in with an AA or AS degree, and a minor and/or cognate requirement which requires a minimum grade of C in all courses. Courses in the student's major program require a minimum grade of C. Exceptions to this requirement are noted in the description of each academic program.
Graduation Requirements. Students must also satisfy the total number of credit hours required by the major. This may include free elective courses beyond the stated components of the major. Finally, a minimum overall USC Upstate GPA of 2.0 is required. Students who have been granted academic forgiveness must have an overall GPA of at least 2.0 since returning to USC Upstate. A minimum grade of C is required for any course submitted for fulfillment of general or intensive major requirements in most degree programs. Exceptions to this requirement are noted in the description of each academic program.
Academic Residency Requirements. The last 25 percent of the semester hours of the degree program must be completed in residence at the University. In residence means that students are regularly enrolled in the University, are members of a class which is supervised by a faculty member of USC Upstate, and in other ways conform to the requirements that are normally connoted by the term in residence. In residence requirements may not be met by courses for which credit is earned by exemption or examination or courses for which transfer credit was awarded. Students who have not established credit for the prescribed number of hours in residency are not eligible for graduation.
Residency Requirements in the Major. To receive a degree, students must complete at least 12 semester hours of major course credit at USC Upstate or at other campuses in the USC system.
Degree Applications. Candidates for degrees must complete an online application during the semester they intend to graduate. Applications must be filed by the deadlines published below.
| Semester Graduating | Applications | Applications due in Records Office; last day to apply | Ceremony |
|---|---|---|---|
| May (walk in May)1 | December 15 | February 15 | May |
| August (walk in May)2 | May 15 | June 15 | May |
| December (walk in December)3 | August 15 | September 30 | December |
- 1
All course work completed by the end of the spring semester.
- 2
All course work completed by the end of Summer session E.
- 3
All course work completed by the end of fall semester.
Graduation Application Review. The USC system does not grant degrees retroactively. Therefore, all academic requirements, including the finishing of incompletes, completion of any exemption exams, and the posting of transfer credit, must be on the academic record prior to the end of the term in which the student is applying to graduate.
At the end of the semester, the application is reviewed by the chair or the dean. Satisfaction of the curricular and residency requirements forms the basis for the approval or rejection of the students' applications for graduation. Students who have applied for graduation but did not meet degree requirements must reapply during a subsequent term.
Second Undergraduate Degree
At times the University confers a second undergraduate degree upon candidates who have completed all requirements for the desired degree. A second degree is awarded provided that the additional requirements for the second degree include a minimum of 18 semester hours beyond those required for the first degree. Students may pursue both degrees simultaneously. A separate application is required for each USC Upstate degree.
Second Major
In some degree programs, a student may elect a second major. If students pursue two majors from within the same bachelor degree program (BA, BS, BSBA, BAS), they must satisfy the requirements for both majors. The coursework includes the upper division courses unique to each major, supporting coursework, and any prerequisites. It does not include coursework completed as a cognate, minor, and or elective option. The cognate and/or minor requirement is replaced by the requirements of the second major.
- The student must meet admission and progression requirements for the second major.
- All general education and special departmental requirements normally associated with the second major must be fulfilled.
- In cases where the first major and the second major require the same class(es), students apply them to satisfy the requirements of both majors.
Students must seek approval from both deans for a second major. Students interested in other combinations of programs with different degrees may pursue dual degrees.
Transcripts
A transcript of students’ records carries the following information: current status, a detailed statement of the scholastic record showing courses pursued with semester hours carried, semester hours earned, grades, grade points, and system of grading. A permanent record of all failures, incomplete grades and penalties such as probation, suspension or other restrictions are also indicated. The transcript also contains references to other colleges or universities attended and the total credits accepted by USC Upstate. No partial record is issued.
All requests for transcripts must be written. Students needing a copy of their transcript or a certified copy of the end-of-semester grade report must request their transcripts through Self Service. All official transcripts are processed through USC Columbia. Transcript costs are $12.00 for each copy. No transcript is issued to students who are indebted to the University.
With the exception of copies made for internal University use, no copy of a student’s records is released anywhere (including the state department of education) without the student’s written consent, unless required by law or court order.