The College Student Academic Services Office certifies completion of degrees to the Office of the University Registrar when all of the appropriate graduation requirements have been met.

Referrals to Graduation Advisors

The College Student Academic Services Office graduation advisors work with juniors and seniors regarding the following:

• Undecided students with 90 or more hours
• New Transfer students and others questioning transfer work evaluation with 90 or more hours
• On probation
• Applying for Academic Forgiveness
• Petitioning for requirement substitutions

Graduation Paperwork

Application For Degree (AFD)

The Application for Degree is an online form that you complete through your KU portal. This can be completed during the semester before you will graduate. The deadline for submitting the AFD is as follows; students are urged to submit their AFD during the semester before they plan to graduate:

• Spring – April 15 (to guarantee inclusion in the official Commencement program, students should turn in AFD by March 1)
• Summer – July 15
• Fall – December 1

This information is submitted to The College Student Academic Services office in 109 Strong Hall, along with the Major Certification Sheet (if required for the major department) and the Senior Survey. All forms must be submitted before your file will be reviewed.

Major Certification Sheet (MCS)

The Major Certification Sheet (MCS) is required for graduation for students in most majors The form is signed by the student’s major advisor and is used to verify which major courses a student needs to complete in order to graduate with a given major. The following departments no longer require an MCS:

Students need to have this form signed by their major advisor, who lists all courses left to complete (including currently enrolled courses). The advisor should indicate waivers or substitutions of major requirements on the MCS. If the student has already completed all degree and major requirements, the advisor simply states this and signs the bottom of the form. For students majoring in an interdisciplinary major such as American Studies, Humanities, etc., the major advisor lists ALL courses used in the major rather than just the courses left to complete. A clear and complete major check sheet may be attached to the MCS. This form is then submitted to The College Student Academic Services Office in 109 Strong.

Minor Certification Sheet (MIN)

Like the Major Certification Sheet, the Minor Certification Sheet (MIN) is required for graduation. This form must be completed by all graduating students who are completing a minor. The form is signed by the student’s minor advisor and is used to verify which courses are being used to fulfill the requirements to graduate with a given minor.

Students take this form, along with a current ARTS form, to their minor advisor, who lists ALL courses being used to complete the minor (including currently enrolled courses). If a waiver or substitution of a minor requirement is being made, this should be indicated by the advisor on this form as well. This form is then submitted to The College Student Academic Services Office.

Senior Survey from the Board of Regents

This form is required as part of the graduation paper work at the request of the Kansas Board of Regents. It is a simple survey requesting information about students’ undergraduate experiences and how those experiences relate to post graduation goals. The form is submitted to The College Student Academic Services Office at the same time students submit the AFD, MCS, and MIN (if appropriate).

Graduation with Honors

University Honors Program: Students are admitted to the Honors Program based on evaluation of their Honors application. Factors considered include grades, overall transcript, standardized test scores and potential for active involvement in the Honors Program and the university. Students should contact the program director at 864-4225, Nunemaker Center, 1506 Engel Road for an application or check the web site at www.ku.edu/~honors for a list of honors courses.

Honor Roll: To qualify, undergraduate students must earn a 3.5 minimum semester grade point average in at least 12 graded hours.

Graduation with Distinction or Highest Distinction: CLAS undergraduate students must have completed at least 60 graded hours in residence at KU (including the hours in which they are enrolled during the semester of graduation). Awards of distinction and highest distinction are based solely on the GPA determined by KU residence credit hours unless the overall GPA (including transfer hours) is lower than the residence GPA. Students who rank in the upper 10% of their graduating class graduate with distinction. The upper 1/3 of those awarded distinction graduate with highest distinction. No more than 3% of the graduating class may graduate with highest distinction.

Potential candidates are determined in mid-April for the entire academic year in order to invite them to a recognition ceremony during Commencement weekend in May. Final designation is not determined until mid-June when all grades have been received.

Graduation with Departmental Honors: Most departments and programs allow qualified majors to work for graduation with departmental honors. Graduation with departmental honors is awarded 1) in recognition of exceptional performance in the major, 2) after completion of a program of independent research or an acceptable alternative project, and 3) based on a strong overall academic record. Students must have a 3.25 KU GPA and a 3.50 GPA in the course work for the major. These departmental honors requirements are established by the College. Individual departments and programs may impose additional requirements (which must be approved by CUSA, the College Committee on Undergraduate Studies and Advising). Candidates must contact the appropriate departmental honors coordinator for more information.