Graduation Requirements (Undergraduate)

Undergraduate students who plan to graduate must submit a graduation application to the Office of the Registrar during their junior year. The application is submitted as part of the student's grad plan (using Degree Audit Planner) with their major department. Any graduation application received during the semester of graduation will be considered late and a late graduation petition fee of $200 will need to be paid at time of submission.

The graduation application is part of the Planner tool that helps students map out a journey toward academic program completion and graduation. In order to complete a graduation application with Planner, please reach out to your major department advisor.

1. Using your Degree Audit Planner, you can plan for as many semesters as necessary till the completion of all requirements.
2. Once an anticipated graduation date is reached, complete your plan and ask for approval from your major Department Chair. 
3. Once approved, the department will email you an approval with a formstack link. This is the Graduation Application form you must submit. An application is expected from all students once they reach 95 completed credits. 
4. Fill out the form and submit it. Your Degree Specialist in the Office of the Registrar will receive it, evaluate it, and create an official graduation record for you.
5. In order to participate in a graduation ceremony, have your Chapel requirement waived, and receive you diploma:
   1. Your degree status on Degree Audit will be “Sought”
   2. You have registered for the remaining requirements for graduation
   3. All transcripts from other schools, curricular changes, etc. are on record in the Office of the Registrar

Curricular changes (catalog, major, minor, etc.) need to be made the semester before your planned graduation semester.  Please notify your Degree Specialist if there are any changes made to your plan after submission of the Graduation Application.

1. Absentia: All graduating students are expected to participate in the graduation ceremony. If extenuating circumstances arise, you must submit a written request to the Office of the Registrar for permission to graduate in absentia. This is required at least six weeks prior to commencement.
2. Commencement Requirements: All degree requirements must be completed before the student may participate in commencement ceremonies. Undergraduate students completing the last of their coursework during Summer must contact their graduation counselor to be cleared to participate in the previous Spring commencement.
3. Honors: For the commencement program, honors are computed based on the cumulative GPA of all work completed at Biola prior to your final semester. The honors on your diploma are computed based upon your final cumulative GPA at Biola. See Graduation Honors below.
4. Name Changes: Name changes must be made in the Office of the Registrar at least six weeks prior to graduation to ensure that the correct name will appear on the commencement program, media and on your diploma.
5. Transfer Work: If you are taking credits outside of Biola, all transcripts are due before your final semester, and the official transcripts sent to the Office of the Registrar. See below for more information.

1. All baccalaureate degrees require a minimum of 120 degree-applicable credits for graduation. Each major consists of a minimum of 30 credits, of which 24 must be upper division. 
2. Approval of the student's graduation plan via the Graduation Application form needs to be made by the major advisor and a Degree Specialist in the Office of the Registrar no later than a semester before graduation. Completion of all academic requirements is mandatory to earn a degree.
3. To ensure completion of degree requirements, the normal academic load during the last year for a student anticipating graduation is 18 credits. Those students who wish to take more than 18 credits need approval of the Registrar’s Office prior to registration..
4. A minimum of 30 credits must be taken at Biola University, and at least 15 credits (upper division level) in the major field, and 15 credits taken in biblical studies. Extension credit or credit by examination may not be used to fulfill the minimum residency requirement of 30 semester credits. 
5. A minimum "C" average (or a 2.00 grade point average) is required on work taken at Biola University and within most of the major fields. (Note: GPA requirements are higher in some majors. See departmental requirements.) You may not be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony if, in your final semester, you receive an “F” in a course or if you fail to obtain your minimum GPA requirement.

1. If it becomes necessary to take classes off campus during your final semester, you must provide proof of registration to your Degree Specialist in the Office of the Registrar before any deadlines: March 15th for spring graduation and November 15th for fall graduation.
2. Students are responsible for confirming that all transfer course work is pre-approved. Biola’s Transfer Course Equivalency webpage should suffice for pre-approved work. Any classes not listed there can be submitted for approval using a Transfer Petition.
3. All transfer work should be taken within the timeframe of Biola’s semester. If a class ends after the graduating term at Biola, a degree conferral will happen at the end of the next available term. Your degree will be posted on the next available posting date if any transcript is received after the graduation date. All classes taken at other colleges/universities will only transfer to Biola with a “C-” or higher. Check with the Office of the Registrar either in person or online to see if the class you need is pre-approved.
4. Official transcripts must be received by Biola no later than a month after graduation. If not, because of national academic reporting, the student's degree will be posted at the end of the next term.

Honors at graduation for baccalaureate recipients are based on overall performance, Christian values and a minimum 60-credit residency. Honors are not automatically granted. They are granted by the faculty and may be withheld or modified. The University honors have been defined by the Academic Standards Committee as:

Honors recognized in the graduation ceremony may be changed based on the processing of final grades.