Graduation Requirements

In order to graduate with a BA degree, a student must earn a minimum of 120 credits. Usually this means taking five courses (15 credits) per semester for four academic years. Regardless of the number of credits earned, students must satisfy all graduation requirements specified in this catalog and summarized in the Degree Planning Document Document /Graduation Check List (downloadable from the university web pages for individual majors).

A completed copy of the Graduation Check List must be signed and submitted to the office of Academic Affairs the semester before degree requirements are completed. The Dean of Academic Affairs conducts a final audit at this time to ensure that graduation requirements been fulfilled. Students may not graduate without having submitted a GCL. Each academic year, a Graduation Timeline is posted on the Academic Affairs page of the university website, and an email is sent to all students informing them of their responsibilities in this regard.

To be eligible for graduation, students must also achieve a cumulative GPA and a major GPA of at least 2.0. (For information on GPA calculation, please see page 25 of this catalog).

Upper Division Courses Requirement

In addition to general education and major requirements, students must complete at least 18 upper division courses (normally 54 credits). Of these 18 upper division courses, at least 15 courses (normally 45 credits) must be taken at Richmond; and of these 15 courses, at least 12 courses (normally 36 credits) must be taken in the major.

Students with 75 transfer credits

At most 75 transfer credits may be applied towards a Richmond degree, since at least 45 upper division credits must be taken at Richmond. Regardless of the amount of transfer credit awarded, students must complete all Richmond proficiency, Core Curriculum, and major requirements that are not covered by equivalent transfer credits.

Graduation Honors

Graduating students whose cumulative GPA is at least 3.4 may graduate with honors: cum laude if their major GPA is at least 3.5, magna cum laude if their major GPA is at least 3.6, or summa cum laude if their major GPA is at least 3.7. This recognition requires outstanding overall performance over the four-year degree program while placing somewhat greater emphasis on performance in the major.

Link to this page: http://www.richmond.ac.uk/s/209.aspx