Requirements for Graduation

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To fulfill its obligation to the precepts of higher education, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia has established standards of achievement that must be met before any student is recommended for graduation by the faculty. Every person upon whom a degree shall be conferred must be of good moral character, must have successfully completed the assigned curriculum, must have paid all University financial obligations, and must have met the specific graduation requirements pertaining to the degree to be conferred.

A student must complete all graduation requirements by:

• The end of the Fall, Spring or Summer term, or
• The 1st day of the month of July, November or March

Any student not meeting these deadlines will be delayed until the next graduation date.

To qualify for an earned degree, students must:

1. Fulfill all of the requirements of the respective curriculum; including achieving at least the minimum academic requirements and passing all proficiencies required by the University and the major.
2. Be in good standing, i.e., not on academic or disciplinary probation at the conclusion of the final semester of enrollment.
3. Satisfy all outstanding financial obligations to the University.
4. File a Petition for Graduation at the start of the final semester of matriculation. To participate in the May Commencement Ceremony, the Petition for Graduation with appropriate fees must be submitted by the end of the drop/add period of the spring semester.
5. Complete an official check-out of all laboratories, return or replace all laboratory equipment and all materials borrowed from the University library.
6. Complete an exit interview with the Financial Aid Office (applies only to students awarded Health Professions Loans, Perkins Loans, Stafford Loans, HEAL Loans, and Institutional Loans).
7. Participate in commencement rehearsal and the commencement ceremony unless excused by their college dean.

Only those students who have fulfilled all requirements for graduation by the end of the spring semester (last day of final exams) will be permitted to participate in the commencement ceremony.

Students who have achieved outstanding academic records at the University may be graduated with one of the following honors. The honors designations listed below are based on total quality points and credits earned and on the student’s attaining the following minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA):

Cum Laude—GPA of 3.40
Magna Cum Laude—GPA of 3.60
Summa Cum Laude—GPA of 3.80

Once awarded, these graduation honors become a permanent part of the student’s record.

Student transcripts are maintained by the Registrar’s Office and are covered by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, as amended. Students may request that an official copy of their transcript be sent to a third party (e.g., another college/university or an employer); an unofficial copy may be requested for the student’s personal use. An official transcript carries an authorized signature as well as the seal of University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.

All requests for transcripts must be made in writing and signed by the student. There is a charge for each official transcript ($6.00 as of 2004), which is subject to change. Unofficial transcripts are free to students. University of the Sciences in Philadelphia does not release transcripts unless tuition, fees, and other obligations due the University have been satisfied.

Access to Education Records— Notice to Students

University of the Sciences in Philadelphia fully complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, as amended. This law is sometimes referred to as the Buckley Amendment.

The Act grants students specific rights and protections with regard to their education records. It governs access to, release of, and corrections to the records kept by the University on current and former students. These rights do not extend to individuals who never actually attend the University.

Students wishing to review or correct their education records should submit a written request to the Registrar indicating which records they wish to review or what corrections they believe are necessary. If the records in question are not in the control of the Registrar, the request will be forwarded to the appropriate University official. While prompt attention is given to all such requests, the University reserves the right to respond no later than 45 days after receiving a request.

Education records are available to University officials with legitimate educational interest. Such interest exists when access to the records is necessary for the official to perform his/her professional duties. Personally identifiable information from students’ education records is only released, other than to University officials, upon a specific written and dated request from the student or as provided for by federal or state law.

The following information related to a student is considered “Directory Information,” and the University reserves the right to disclose it to anyone inquiring without the student’s written consent, unless the student, during the drop/add period each semester, informs the Registrar in writing that any or all such information about him/her is not to be released without his/her written permission: The student’s name, address, e-mail address, telephone number, date and place of birth, majors field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of member of athletic teams, dates of attendance, enrollment status, degrees and awards received, photograph, and other similar information.