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 Catalog, 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.
Award of Posthumous Degree
A posthumous baccalaureate degree may be conferred upon a student who dies prior to but close to completion of all requirements of the degree being pursued. Millikin University awards such degrees in recognition of the academic achievement of the deceased student. In doing so it acknowledges the loss to the university, family and friends and extends to them the opportunity to share in the academic success of the deceased student.
To be eligible for the award of a posthumous degree, the student generally must have met the following conditions:
- The student was in good academic and disciplinary standing and was successfully progressing toward completion of requirements for the degree to be awarded. In particular, at the time of death the student had a 2.0 GPA or better, was within two years completion of all degree requirements and had satisfied at least 20 hours of the residency requirement.
- Recommendation for award of the degree was made by the faculty in the student’s major department, and approved by the department head, school or college dean, Provost, President, and Board of Trustees.
Exceptions to these guidelines may be made when the student’s death occurred during or as a result of participation in university-sponsored activities, or when chronic illness prevented current enrollment.
Approval Process
The process for identifying and considering candidates for the award of degrees
posthumously shall be as follows:
- Upon learning of the death of a Millikin University student, anyone may identify a student for posthumous degree, but subsequent recommendation must be made to the relevant Academic Dean.
- The Dean shall ascertain the academic and disciplinary standing of the student.
The Dean’s office will work with the department chair. The departmental faculty, department chair and Dean will determine if the student’s overall record merits further consideration and recommendation that the posthumous award be granted; such information will be communicated to the Provost.
- The Provost will weigh all information relating to each case independently and
will prepare a recommendation to the President. If the President supports the recommendation it will be presented to the Board of Trustees who will determine if the degree is to be awarded.
- If the Board of Trustees approves, the President’s Office will notify the Registrar.
Awarding of Posthumous Degrees
- Upon approval by the Board of Trustees, the following procedure will be followed:
The family of the deceased will be notified of the approval.
- The degree will be conferred at a future commencement.
- Names of all recipients of posthumous degrees will be listed separately,
along with degree and major, in the commencement program.
- Special recognition of these students will be made by the President just prior to the individual recognition of all degree candidates present at the ceremony.
- Families who choose to attend commencement activities will be provided VIP seating and the President will note their presence as the University recognizes the posthumous degree recipients.
- The posthumous nature of the award will be indicated on the diploma, the student’s permanent record and in the commencement program
- If the major department does so certify, the Registrar shall enter final grades of “P” in classes in which the student was enrolled.
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 Catalog 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 Catalog as well. Students must fulfill the degree/major requirements described within one Catalog.
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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