The following are general graduation requirements and regulations which apply to all students entering Colorado State University who enroll in programs of study based on the All-University Core Curriculum.

Students are required to complete all curricular requirements in place in the current catalog at the time of graduation. (See Changes in Undergraduate Curriculum Requirements in this section.)

The list is a sufficient guide for academic planning, but does not represent all rules which might apply to a particular student or program of study.

DARS is the degree audit tool used for verification of university, program, minor, and interdisciplinary requirements. The report provides a dynamic and concise report, viewed in hard copy, on-line, or over the web, that is used for advising as well as for final certification.

The degree audit report will provide students with current and accurate transfer and course information to enhance their degree and program planning. Students are able to view a What-If degree audit for display to view how their credits would be used to fulfill another major's requirements.

Students may elect to complete concurrently the requirements for two majors. Combinations are available in unrelated as well as related majors.

At least one full term before the graduation term, students selecting second majors must contact the Records and Registration section of the Registrar's Office to make official declarations and gain departmental approval for the joint curricular plans. Common requirements for either major may count in meeting curriculum requirements for both majors. Students must sign a contract for graduation in the academic departments for both majors. The single degree awarded is that degree appropriate for the first major. A single diploma is issued which displays both majors, and both are recorded on the student’s academic records.

Students must complete degree requirements for the first major before they can graduate. Students completing degree requirements for the second major only cannot graduate until the first major’s degree requirements have been met.

Minor programs of study are optional and are offered by certain departments. A minor consists of a minimum of 21 semester credits of required course work outside the major. Students may take minors in their department, which are outside their major. A minimum of 12 of the 21 credits must be course work at the upper-division level (300-400) and a minimum of 12 credits must be from course work within the department offering the minor.

At least one full term before the graduation term, students declaring minors must contact the Records and Registration Section of the Registrar's office to make official declarations and obtain required departmental approvals. Once approval has been obtained, students deciding not to complete minors must drop them officially through the Registrar's Office.

Students must sign a contract for graduation in the academic department for the minor programs of study. Minors must be completed the term of graduation. Minors are noted on the student's academic record, but not on the diploma.

Acceptance to work toward a second bachelor’s degree is contingent upon completion of a first bachelor’s degree and fulfillment of regular admission requirements as well as receipt of favorable recommendations by the appropriate college and/or department.

Requirements for a second bachelor’s degree include the following:

1. A minimum of 30 semester credits in residence in addition to the minimum number of credits required for the first degree.
2. All curriculum requirements for the major; including All-University Core Curriculum requirements.
3. The first baccalaureate degree from any accredited college or university will fulfill the All-university Core Curriculum (AUCC) requirements with the exception of those AUCC courses (including Category 4 courses) that are required in the major.

Students who entered the University as first-year students (freshman) in Summer Session 2000 or thereafter, must complete the All-University Core Curriculum (AUCC) requirements.

Students are held for curricular requirements (including AUCC requirements) as set forth in the current catalog at the time of graduation, except:

1) if so doing will extend the time normally required to complete the degree; or
2) if so doing will force students classified as juniors or seniors to take additional lower-division courses, exclusive of AUCC requirements.

A request for waivers of or substitutions for curriculum requirements must be approved by the adviser and department head. Ultimate responsibility for ensuring that curriculum requirements are observed and the substitutions of equivalent courses or waivers are for good and sufficient academic reasons rests with the Provost/Senior Vice President.

Undergraduates may enroll for a maximum of nine credits of course work which may be applied toward a graduate degree at Colorado State provided that such course work: 1) is not used to meet bachelor’s degree requirements; and 2) has been approved by the chairperson of the department in which a graduate degree will be sought.

Undergraduate students may NOT enroll in courses numbered 600-699 to satisfy undergraduate degree requirements. Undergraduate students may NOT enroll in courses numbered 700-799.

Undergraduates who enroll in 500-level courses, which are not applied toward the bachelor’s degree, may request that an exclusion statement be placed on their academic records. This makes such courses potentially applicable to a Colorado State graduate degree. Students cannot exclude any courses below the 500-level under this policy. Courses at the 600-level are automatically excluded from use for an undergraduate degree.

A written request must be filed with the Degree Section of the Registrar's Office, Room 100 Administration Annex, no later than the end of the term in which the excluded course is taken.

Exclusion of these courses from the bachelor’s degree does not assure acceptance of this credit toward a graduate degree program. These excluded courses are computed in the undergraduate grade point average.

To meet requirements for the bachelor’s degree, a student must fulfill:

Minimum Credit Requirement
A bachelor’s degree requires a minimum of 120 semester credits; however, individual programs in colleges and departments may exceed the minimum.

Minimum Grade Requirement
Only credits completed with grades of A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D- and S may count toward the graduation total. Some majors require a minimum grade of C or C- in required courses. For further information, contact the department offering the major.

Graduation Average Requirement
The minimum scholastic average acceptable for graduation is 2.00 computed only for courses attempted at Colorado State.

Total credits earned and counted toward graduation may differ from total credits used in computing a scholastic average, since the scholastic average is computed by dividing the total grade points earned at Colorado State by the total credits attempted including credits for grades of A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D- and F. Credits graded S may count toward graduation.

Upper-Division Credit Requirement
A minimum of 42 semester credits in upper-division courses (300-400 level) is required of all students completing a bachelor’s degree program. Although 500-level courses cannot be required in undergraduate programs of study, elective credits taken at the 500-level may be used to fulfill the upper-division requirement.

"In Residence" Requirement
A minimum of 30 upper-division semester credits must be completed in residence at Colorado State University. "In residence" courses include any authorized Colorado State University course recorded as Colorado State credit on the Colorado State transcript. As an approved exception, "in residence" may also be satisfied by pre-approved upper-division credits earned in authorized Study Abroad programs and designated domestic exchange programs, if simultaneously enrolled in designated Colorado State courses. Pre-approval procedures are required.

Senior Year Requirement
Of the last 30 semester credits earned immediately preceding graduation, no more than 15 may be completed at other colleges or universities.

Checking University graduation requirements is the responsibility of the Registrar's Office. Curriculum requirements are checked by the department head of the first major and the second major and/or minor if applicable. Requests for waivers of or substitutions for curriculum requirements must be approved by the adviser and department head (see Changes in Undergraduate Curriculum Requirements in this section).

Requests for waivers or substitutions of the All-University Core Curriculum must be submitted on an appeal form found at www.core.colostate.edu, signed by the adviser and department head and turned in to the Degree and Transfer Evaluation Section of the Registrar's Office.

These minimum cumulative grade point averages will be reviewed every four years and may be changed if needed to maintain appropriate academic standards. Each of the minimum grade point average needed to graduate with distinction will be adjusted at the end of each four-year period only if the percentage of students graduating with distinction in a distinction category and college has shown a statistically verifiable deviation from the target percentages of:

Candidates for graduation with distinction are recognized at the time of commencement. A student's candidacy is determined by their cumulative grade point average through the semester preceding graduation. "Candidacy" for graduation with distinction does not guarantee graduation with distinction. Graduation with distinction is based on the student's cumulative grade point average at the time of graduation.

Students seeking a second bachelor's degree are eligible for distinction designation. To qualify for graduation with distinction, a minimum of 60 credits completed at Colorado State is required after the first degree. In determining the grade point average of the student, only grades earned after the first degree are considered.

Undergraduate and Graduate Reprints

To order a replacement or additional copy of your diploma, use the Diploma Reprints Form or contact the Degree Section of the Registrar's Office at (970) 491-7159 for details. Copies are $15.00 each payable at the time of order. Reprints may be either 9" x 7" or 11" x 8 1/2". The information needed for ordering is full name, student number, degree awarded, date of graduation, address for mailing, and selected size.

DVM Reprints

To order a replacement or additional copy of your diploma, use the Diploma Reprints - DVM Form or contact the Degree Office at (970) 491-7159 for details. Copies are $20 for 17" x 14" and $15 for 11" x 8 1/2" payable at the time of order. The information needed for ordering is full name, student number, date of graduation, address for mailing and selected size.

Diploma
Reprints
Form

Diploma
Reprints -
DVM Form