Graduation

Franklin College Switzerland confers the Associate of Arts and Bachelor of Arts degrees in December, May, and August. Students officially graduate and may receive their diploma on the degree conferral date following the completion of all degree requirements. In order to be eligible to graduate students must have: declared their Academic Program (or major); submitted an Application for Graduation by October 15th for the following May and August graduation or March 1st for December graduation; obtained an approved Graduation Evaluation; and completed all of the requirements for an Associate of Arts or Bachelor of Arts degree.

A Graduation Application fee will be invoiced at the time of application. A late fee will be assessed for Graduation Applications received after the deadlines. These fees apply to both the Graduation Application for the Associate of Arts (AA) and to the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees (see Appendix B for fee information).

Completion of the Bachelor of Arts degree requirements include, but are not limited to, the following: All Core, Modern Language, Academic Travel, Prerequisite, Major, Minor, and Elective courses required by students’ Declared Academic Plan. In addition, students must have at least 125 – 126 credits (depending on the Academic Catalog under which they declared their major), meet residency requirements by having at least 60 credits earned at Franklin of which at least 30 credits must be in the major, a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 in courses in the major, a minimum GPA of 2.0 in courses in the minor, and a final cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. Please refer to the Associate of Arts degree later in this catalog for completion requirements.

Students who have completed all requirements for the degrees of Associate of Arts and/or Bachelor of Arts may participate in the Commencement ceremony held in early May each year. Candidates for the Associate of Arts degree may participate in the commencement ceremony in May only if all degree requirements have been completed by the end of the Spring semester. Candidates for the Bachelor of Arts degree may participate in the commencement ceremony in May if they have 3 courses (9 credits) or fewer remaining to complete degree requirements. Students must be enrolled or have submitted approved Planned Transfer Credit for completion by the end Summer sessions or no later than 31 August following Commencement. Actual diplomas will be issued and degrees conferred at the next conferral date following the receipt of all grades and the completion of all degree requirements.

Graduation with Distinction

Students who complete their degree requirements in the range of cumulative grade point averages noted below will receive their diploma noting their distinguished achievement:

Summa Cum Laude	3.900 - 4.000
Magna Cum Laude	3.700 - 3.899
Cum Laude	3.500 - 3.699

Distinctions noted in the Commencement Ceremony and program will be based on the previous semester’s grade point average. Diplomas are issued only once all grades have been received and degree requirements completed; therefore, formal distinction earned is based on the final cumulative grade point average.

Graduation with Honors

Eligible students who have completed all of the Honors Program requirements will be acknowledged during the Commencement Ceremony as an Honors Program graduate and presented upon conferral of their degree with an Honors Program Certificate. Official Transcripts also acknowledge students who are Honors Program graduates (see Honors Program for more information).