Commencement
Degrees are granted at the close of the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms. Degrees are voted on by faculty and the Board of Trustees at the end of each term. Two formal Commencement Ceremonies are held in May and December. There is no Summer Commencement ceremony. Students who complete their degree in time for one of these ceremonies or who have no more than 2 courses left to complete their degree are invited to participate in one of the two ceremonies dependent upon when they complete their degree. It is important to note that participation in Commencement ceremonies does not obligate the University to confer a degree unless all requirements have been satisfactorily completed.
Application for degree
All students must complete the Application for Degree indicating the term of graduation with the Office of the Registrar no later than the beginning of the semester the student plans on completing the degree(s). The application for a degree is available in MU Online under the Student Profile. A graduation fee is charged to all graduating students whether they participate in ceremonies or not and must be paid prior to the day of Commencement.
Petition to Participate in Commencement Policy
A student in the last semester of studies, but who will not complete all degree requirements in time to receive the diploma at the next scheduled commencement, may petition to participate in commencement ceremonies. This form is available in the Office of the Registrar or on-line.
The student must have the petition approved by his/her advisor, academic Dean and the Registrar. The petition may be approved if the student has no more than eight credits or no more than two courses left to complete the degree. The student must show evidence on the petition that all course work will be completed no later than the start of the next term immediately following the last term at Millikin. The Registrar must approve transfer of courses taken at another institution in advance.
MSN or DNP students who will meet graduation requirements early in the next term and who have no more than one course or project finalization to complete may petition their advisor, the Director of the School of Nursing, and the Registrar to participate in Commencement ceremonies.
Individual degree audits can be obtained by scheduling an appointment with the Office of the Registrar. Millikin University also provides students with the ability to perform their own degree audits on-line through the Banner Curriculum, Advising, and Program Planning (CAPP) program. All currently registered Millikin students have access to the degree evaluation tool via MU Online and their personal secure account. All new students receive training on Degree Evaluation and many other electronic support systems at Millikin during their orientation. Additional resources on electronic support systems can be found online.
The Registrar, prior to the early registration period for the term, will run a degree evaluation which will be stored on the student’s MU Online account. Questions or changes to the degree audit must be directed to the Registrar by e-mail or in person. It is the student’s responsibility to keep up to date on their progress towards their degree. Millikin University provides both personal and electronic means to do so.
It is important to note…
Students are ultimately responsible for knowing University, College/School, and Departmental Graduation requirements for their degree(s).
While the University is committed to advising, it is the responsibility of the student to seek out the advisor in a timely fashion, provide information on personal and academic issues relevant to the student-advisor interaction and to be familiar with appropriate sections of the University Bulletin, including but not limited to the requirements for graduation., Section 1.2.3.1 Teaching, General, and Academic Advising.
Advisors and students have access to electronic degree evaluations via MU Online.
Confirmation and Awarding a Degree
Degrees are awarded at the official close of the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms. Degrees are granted by vote of the faculty and the Board of Trustees. To be granted a degree all degree requirements must be complete and confirmed by the Registrar by: February 1 for a degree awarded in Fall term; July 1 for a degree awarded in Spring term; or September 1 for a degree awarded in Summer term. Once a deadline for awarding has passed, no further degrees will be awarded for the respective term except for errors in administrative processing. In cases where course work is completed after the deadline, students may petition the Registrar for a letter confirming the completion of degree requirements and confirmation of pending degree to be awarded at the end of the next term.
A Millikin University diploma as of December 2014 consists of Academic Degree, Student Name, and Latin honors. Information regarding Major, Minor, Concentrations (tracks, emphasis, or endorsements), Academic Certificate(s), and scholarly designations are found on a student’s individual transcript.
Graduation Honors
Honors designations do not exist for graduates in the MBA, MSAT, MSN, or DNP.
Academic Definitions
Academic Program
A Millikin University Graduate Program, for degree seeking students, varies from program to program. Requirements for each degree program are specified and explained in this Bulletin and as part of the application and admission process.
A Millikin University Academic Program, for non-degree seeking students, consists of course work required for a Millikin Academic Certificate, course work required for completion/entitlement for licensure, or course work requested by a student for a specified term of enrollment.
Academic Degree
Millikin University offers four graduate degrees. Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), conferred on graduates of the Tabor School of Business, Master of Science in Athletic Training (M.S.A.T.) conferred on graduates of the College of Professional Studies: School of Exercise Science & Sport, the Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) degree, and the Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P) degree, conferred on graduates of the College of Professional Studies: School of Nursing.
Degree requirements are effective according to the date of entry to the University. A student may elect to adopt new degree requirements. By doing so they must adopt any new major requirements in effect for that Bulletin as well. Students must fulfill the degree/major requirements described within one Bulletin.
Graduate Academic Certificates
Millikin University provides the opportunity for non-degree seeking individuals who hold a baccalaureate degree and graduate-degree seeking individuals to complete a Graduate Academic Certificate. In most cases, a Graduate Academic Certificate consists of 9 to 17 credit hours of graduate course work. Millikin University Graduate Academic Certificates provide opportunities for individuals to demonstrate focused study in academic area(s) which enhance personal and professional development.
A Millikin Graduate Academic Certificate:
- Typically requires 9 - 17 credit hours of course work;
- Consists of a sequence, pattern, or group of courses that are part of existing curriculum;
- Is developed, supervised, and evaluated by the faculty members of the academic area offering the certificate;
- Must be primarily completed in residence (at least 2/3 of the course work for certificate);
- Must not include more than 1/3 of the coursework that also satisfies degree requirements.
While some of the Graduate Academic Certificate(s) may support individuals’ work toward external certification, licensure, or endorsement goals, the Certificate Programs do not exist for that purpose. Non-degree seeking Graduate Academic Certificate awardees do not participate in Commencement. Graduate Academic Certificates are awarded upon completion and approval.
A Millikin University Graduate Academic Certificate will state: (a) Millikin University; (b) Awarded Student Name; (c) A Graduate Academic Certificate in [Certificate Title]; and (d) Date on which the certificate was granted.
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