GRADUATION INFORMATION

All students submitting an application for graduation must be in a degree-seeking status at the University of South Carolina Sumter. If you are unsure of your current status, please go to the Records and Registration Office (Administration Building, room 101) for more information.

Information for degrees offered through the Sumter campus are listed below.

Deadlines

Check the Academic Calendar or Date Keeper for deadline dates to apply for your degree.

Please note that deadlines are controlled by the campus awarding the degree. For more information, contact the office on campus that houses your program.

How do I know if I am Eligible?

Select the degree below to view requirements:

Associate in Arts Degree-USC Sumter

Associate in Science Degree-USC Sumter

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration-USC Aiken

Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies-Palmetto Programs

Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership-Palmetto Programs

Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education-USC Upstate

Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education-USC Upstate

Commencement

Commencement is held once per year, in May, for all students graduating in one of the seven programs listed above. The Commencement ceremony is for the Summer, Fall and Spring semesters prior to the May dates (for example, students graduating in Summer 2012, Fall 2012 and Spring 2013 will be invited to attend the ceremony held in May of 2013). In addition, all students graduating in Summer or Fall are eligible to attend the All-Campus Commencement Exercises in Columbia in August and December, respectively. Please visit the Records and Registration Office if you have any questions.

Applying for Associate in Arts or Associate in Science

The Associate Degree application must be submitted to the Records and Registration Office at the beginning of the semester the student wishes to receive the degree. Click here for instructions to complete an application online or apply online now (page 2 only).

When a student has completed the degree application and submitted it to the Records and Registration Office, an official evaluation will be completed. Students will receive a tentative approval or disapproval approximately four weeks after the degree application deadline. All applications will be officially approved or disapproved at the end of the semester.

Once a student receives a degree, South Carolina Lottery Tuition Assistance will no longer be available to them. Students applying for an Associate degree must sign the Associate Degree Lottery Form. For more information regarding the South Carolina Lottery Tuition Assistance fund, please contact the Financial Aid Office.

The Associate in Arts and Associate in Science require the completion of at least 60 credit hours. Fifteen hours applicable toward the degree must be earned in residence at the University of South Carolina Sumter. A student may apply for both the Associate in Arts and Associate in Science, but must complete an additional twelve hours for their second associates (for a total of at least 72 hours).

Graduation with honors will be based on a cumulative GPA calculated on the basis of all work for college credit, including any attempted at other institutions at any time. This calculation will include all courses attempted, not just those submitted in fulfillment of graduation requirements. Honors designators are determined at the time of graduation and may not be applied retroactively.

In addition, students with overall honors must show a GPA at USC which meets the level specified for the honors being sought.

The following designations indicate a consistently high level of academic achievement throughout the student’s entire academic career. To graduate with such honors, a student must have earned at least 30 credit hours applicable toward the degree in residence at the University. Courses taken by a transient student at other institutions, by correspondence, by examination, or by exemption are not considered "in residence."

ASSOCIATE DEGREE HONORS:

WITH HIGHEST HONORS: A CUMULATIVE GPA OF 3.950-4.000

WITH HIGH HONORS: A CUMULATIVE GPA OF 3.750-3.949

WITH HONORS-GPA: A CUMULATIVE OF 3.500-3.749

Applying for Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies, Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership or Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (Palmetto Programs)

The Bachelor of Arts degrees in Liberal Studies, Organizational Leadership or Interdisciplinary Studies must be submitted to the Records and Registration Office at the beginning of the semester the student wishes to receive the degree. Click here for instructions to complete an application online or apply online now (page 2 only).

Graduation with honors will be based on a cumulative GPA calculated on the basis of all work for college credit, including any attempted at other institutions at any time. This calculation will include all courses attempted, not just those submitted in fulfillment of graduation requirements. Honors designators are determined at the time of graduation and may not be applied retroactively.

In addition, students with overall honors must show a GPA at USC which meets the level specified for the honors being sought.

The following designations indicate a consistently high level of academic achievement throughout the student’s entire academic career. To graduate with such honors, a student must have earned at least 60 credit hours applicable toward the degree in residence at the University. Courses taken by a transient student at other institutions, by correspondence, by examination, or by exemption are not considered “in residence.”

BACHELOR DEGREE:

SUMMA CUM LAUDE: A CUMULATIVE GPA OF 3.95-4.00

MAGNA CUM LAUDE: A CUMULATIVE GPA OF 3.75-3.949

CUM LAUDE: A CUMULATIVE GPA OF 3.50-3.749

Applying for Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (USC Aiken)

Graduation applications for the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration through USC Aiken can be found in the Records and Registration Office or by contacting Lucile Ward.

The following Campus, Degree and Major should be indicated on your degree application:

USC Aiken (code 611)

Bach. Of Science in Business Administration (code 46)

General Business Administration (code: 991)

**Please note that deadlines are controlled by the campus awarding the degree and may be different than dates found on USC Sumter’s Datekeeper.**

Applying for Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education or Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education (USC Upstate)

Students applying for this degree should contact Gail Corning or Dr. Marilyn Izzard for information.

**Please note that deadlines are controlled by the campus awarding the degree and may be different than dates found on USC Sumter’s Datekeeper.**

Diplomas

Diplomas are mailed by the University of South Carolina (Columbia campus) to the student’s permanent address. Students should expect to receive their diplomas 8 to 12 weeks after graduation. Diplomas for students receiving honors will be delayed by a few additional weeks.