Bryan College confers degrees three times each calendar year: early May, late August and mid-December.   There are two commencement ceremonies each year - one in early May and one in mid-December.

 

In order to be considered for graduation each student must submit an Application for Graduation at least one full semester prior to the anticipated completion of degree requirements. This application is normally submitted at the end of the junior year or two full semesters prior to the anticipated completion. If the application is received during the final semester we may not have a diploma available for you on commencement day.

 

Once the application is received a degree audit will be prepared and a remainder list will be produced and sent to the student as well as placed in the advising file for use by the student and his/her academic adviser. It is the student’s responsibility to know and understand what is required of him/her in order to complete degree requirements by the desired time.

 

Participation in Commencement ceremony – In order to be considered a May or December graduate, be eligible to participate in the commencement ceremony and receive a diploma with a May or December date all documents, final grades, official transcripts, test scores, and applications for majors must be received in the Registrar’s Office no later than the Monday prior to commencement. (This means that for May candidates all work must be turned in before leaving for Senior Trip.)  Students completing requirements in December have the option of participating in the December ceremony or waiting until the following May.

 

Exemption from final exams – Students who are in their last semester prior to graduation may be exempted from the final exam at the discretion of the instructor provided that they have at least a B average.

 

If you are expecting to complete requirements with the spring semester but fail a course or earn a D in a major course during your final semester you may still be able to participate in the May commencement ceremony provided that you are within 10 hours of completion and have an approved plan to complete those hours by August of the same year. If you are expecting to complete requirements with the fall semester but fail a course or earn a D in a major course during your final semester you may still be able to participate in the December commencement ceremony provided that you are within 5 hours of completion and have an approved plan to complete those hours by April 30 of that academic year.  You would then be considered a candidate for graduation. See below regarding being a candidate for graduation.

 

Candidates for Graduation – If, by the Monday prior to the May commencement ceremony, you are within 10 hours of completion of all graduation requirements you may participate in the May commencement ceremony as an August candidate provided you have an approved plan to complete all requirements by August of the same year. If, by the Monday prior to the December commencement ceremony, you are within 5 hours of completion of all graduation requirements you may participate in the December ceremony as a May candidate provided you have an approved plan to complete all requirements by April 30 of the same academic year.  No Latin honors will be noted in the graduation program and you will not receive a diploma until all requirements are met and the degree has been conferred.  You may only participate in ONE commencement ceremony.  

 

Latin Honors – Bryan College awards honors based on the final cumulative grade point average. In order to earn honors you must earn a minimum of 48 hours through coursework at Bryan College. Your grade point average is based only on courses taken at Bryan College. Honors will be noted on your academic transcript once the degree has been posted. 

 

Honors are awarded as follows: cum laude 3.5 – 3.69 (effective fall 2009 this will change to 3.6-3.74); magna cum laude 3.7-3.89 (effective fall 2009 this will change to 3.75-3.89); summa cum laude 3.9-4.0. Note that gpa’s are not rounded. 

 

If you are participating in the commencement ceremony you will be given an honor cord to wear – red for cum laude, silver for magna cum laude and gold for summa cum laude. These cords will be available in the Registrar’s Office the day prior to the commencement ceremony or can be distributed at the rehearsal.  Note that candidates for graduation do not have Latin honors recognized during the ceremony.

  

Diplomas – Your actual diploma will not be included in the case that you receive on stage at graduation. If your account with the Business Office is clear, your diploma can be picked up in the Registrar’s Office immediately following the graduation ceremony. If your application for graduation was not received at least one semester prior to your graduation we may not have a diploma for you on commencement day.   If you are completing all degree requirements by August the diplomas will be ordered subsequent to the graduation date and you will be notified when they are available.

 

Transcripts – Your degree will be posted to your academic transcript within two weeks following graduation. You will be sent an unofficial student copy of your final transcript about one month following your graduation. This copy should be kept for your own records. If you need an official transcript you must request it in writing. Request form and information are available on the website.

 

Outstanding balances with the Business Office – We will not be able to release your diploma to you if there is an outstanding balance in the Business Office. This includes tuition, fees, fines and the graduation fee. In order to receive your diploma on commencement day your account must be paid in full two days before the ceremony.

 

Graduation Fee – There is a $100 graduation fee. This is due prior to the anticipated graduation date whether or not you plan to participate in the ceremony.

 

Caps and Gowns/Invitations – Please contact the college bookstore at bookstore@bryan.edu or 423-775-7271.

 

Tickets – The May commencement is normally held outdoors and so no tickets are required.  Each student participating in the May commencement ceremony will receive a limited number of tickets on a space available basis in the mail the week of commencement to be used for parents and guests in the event that commencement is held in Rudd Auditorium.  Additional guests may observe the program on closed-circuit television. 

 

The December commencement will be held in Rudd Auditorium.  Each student participating in the commencement ceremony will receive instructions within two weeks of the ceremony.  No tickets are required. 

 

Questions about tickets may be directed to the Academic Office at 423-775-7200 or to Karin Traylor at trayloka@bryan.edu.