Undergraduate
Indiana State University is committed to helping students graduate on time. Students use the degree audit and other tools provided in MySAM to track their progress toward graduation.
All undergraduate degree-seeking students can access their degree audits online at any time. A degree audit is a record of degree requirements, including courses needed for the program of study (for example, major, minor) and Foundational Studies (general education) as well as University requirements such as grades, grade point average, credit hours earned, and transfer courses accepted. The audit displays the student’s progress toward meeting each requirement and shows how our courses and transfer courses fulfill degree requirements.
Undergraduates can follow these instructions for using MySAM.
These tools are used primarily for academic advising, course scheduling, and certification for graduation. While efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the degree audits and plans of study, it is the student’s responsibility to make sure all degree requirements are met. The only official documentation of a student’s academic record is an official transcript.
As part of the Indiana State Advantage, undergraduate degree-seeking full-time freshman applicants are included in the Sycamore Graduation Guarantee. This assures eligible students will be able to complete a bachelor’s degree on time. If students adhere to the graduation guarantee responsibilities but do not finish in four years, Indiana State University will pay the tuition and any mandatory course fees for any remaining required courses.
The Guarantee
The Sycamore Graduation Guarantee applies to all undergraduate degree programs of 128 semester hours or fewer.
Student Responsibilities and Eligibility
- Apply and attend Indiana State University as an undergraduate degree-seeking full-time freshman applicant.
- Acknowledge they have read and understood the student responsibilities by authorizing the Sycamore Graduation Guarantee Student Responsibilities in their MyISU Portal.
- Meet with their designated advisor to develop a four-year plan to identify the courses they must complete each semester to stay on course to graduate within four years. Students assume responsibility for monitoring their progress to a degree by utilizing the degree reporting tool (MySAM) and are required to meet with their advisor each semester to ensure that they stay on track.
- Follow appropriate course sequencing (as defined in the MySAM plan) and complete prerequisites and required grades for progression.
- Must be admitted to a degree-applicable major by the end of their second semester. If a change of major is approved, it must be done in time to meet the requirements of the new major and graduate within the original four-year time period.
- Remain in good academic standing each term/semester (by both institutional and major standards).
- Complete between 30-32 degree-applicable credit hours each academic year. The academic year is defined as fall/spring/summer for summer/fall applicants; spring/summer/fall for spring applicants.
- Monitor their progress and email their designated advisor and the Guarantee program at registrar@indstate.edu during the priority registration period if unable to register for a required course needed to meet progression/graduation standards.
- Ensure they have no holds blocking registration for courses during the priority registration period.
- Summer/fall applicants must apply for graduation by October 1 prior to their spring/summer graduation; Spring applicants must apply for graduation by February 1 prior to their fall graduation.
At various points, students may fall out of compliance with the agreement due to financial constraints, academic performance, change of major, and/or other issues. Students should work with their advisors to determine what options (summer school, tutoring, etc.) may exist to address those issues and come back into compliance.
University Responsibilities
- Confirm a student’s eligibility into the graduation guarantee based on chosen program of study and any college preparation deficiencies.
- Provide appropriate courses for the major to ensure that the degree can be completed during the four-year period.
- Provide access to quality advising throughout a student’s time at Indiana State.
- Provide tools, including but not limited to degree audit reporting to enable the student to monitor degree progression.
- Provide an annual assessment report indicating if the student is on track to graduate within four years (eight semesters) and, if not, what issues need to be addressed to get back into compliance with the agreement.
- If a student is unable to graduate within four years (eight semesters) due to the unavailability of required courses, the University may, when appropriate, allow the student to graduate by substituting a different course or an independent study assignment, as determined by the department and the college offering the student’s major.
- If course substitution is not an option, and the student is unable to graduate after completing four years (Eight semesters) and complying with all terms of this agreement, Indiana State will pay the tuition and mandatory fees for any additional required courses*.
*The student must request a course substitution or waiver of tuition and mandatory fees prior to the beginning of classes for the last semester of the student’s four-year plan. The waiver of tuition and mandatory fees will be limited to the required coursework and does not extend to any other costs of attendance including room and board fees and textbooks. All other fees will be the responsibility of the student.
Graduation
Graduation represents the culmination of a student’s program of study. Baccalaureate degrees are awarded upon successful completion of all degree requirements. Degree requirements may be those in effect at the time of matriculation or at graduation, but not a combination of both. Usually, students should expect to follow the curricular requirements and regulations provided in the Undergraduate Catalog based on their matriculation term. The dean of the college may determine which of the courses taken by the student more than seven years prior to graduation may be applicable to a baccalaureate degree.
Degree requirements for graduation are those as described by the college and the student’s chosen curriculum. The dean of each college is responsible for certifying the completion of degree requirements for each candidate for graduation. A degree audit is available from the MyISU Portal to assist students in planning and progressing toward graduation.
Each student is responsible for meeting all degree requirements by the time they expect to graduate. All graduation requirements can be found in the current Undergraduate Catalog.
Second or Additional Baccalaureate Degree. A student who desires a second or additional baccalaureate degree must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours at Indiana State University after the awarding of the first degree and must fulfill all requirements for the degree being pursued. Two baccalaureate degrees may be granted simultaneously provided all requirements for both degrees have been completed and a minimum of 150 credit hours has been earned. Contact your advisor or Associate Dean’s office for more information
Diplomas, Certificates and Transcripts
Upon certification of graduation, degrees are awarded, and graduates are granted full alumni standing. Graduates who are free of Registrar Holds are issued a diploma and transcript. The academic record at the semester of completion is closed once graduation is certified; no record changes will be permitted once the degree is awarded. No further registrations beyond the semester of completion are permitted. If the graduate desires to take additional courses or pursue another degree/certificate, they must be readmitted.
Commencement Ceremony. Students who apply to graduate in Spring/Summer are invited to the commencement ceremony held in May. Students who apply to graduate in Fall are invited to the commencement ceremony held in December. For more information, contact the Office of the Registrar or visit the Commencement webpage.
Graduation Honors
Indiana State University honors baccalaureate graduates who have high academic achievement by conferring the Latin designations of Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Summa Cum Laude.
| Latin Honor |
Indiana State University cumulative grade point average |
| Cum Laude |
3.50-3.69 |
| Magna Cum Laude |
3.70-3.89 |
| Summa Cum Laude |
3.90 or higher |
Latin honor eligibility for commencement ceremonies. The Latin designation for the commencement ceremony will be reflective of the candidate’s academic record and will be reviewed at the established commencement deadline. The candidate for graduation must:
- Have a current graduation application on file in the Office of the Registrar by the established commencement deadline.
- Complete a minimum of 55 hours of Indiana State University resident credit (excludes course transfer credit, advanced or prior learning credit, placement exams, and military credit).
- Earn a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5.
- Indiana State University courses approved for academic renewal will be included in the honor grade point average calculation.
Latin honors eligibility for placement on the official record. The Latin designation placed on the academic transcript and diploma will be reflective of the academic record at that point in time the degree is awarded. The graduate is eligible for a Latin designation if they meet the minimum 55-hour resident credit (see above) and the required cumulative grade point average.
Latin honors may apply to a subsequent baccalaureate degree provided all eligibility requirements are met. All Indiana State University resident credits will be used in the calculation of the Latin designation.
Pass/Fail courses and Latin Honors. Courses taken pass/fail here at Indiana State University will count toward the minimum 55-hour resident credit but will not be counted in the Latin Honors GPA.
Graduate
Apply for Graduation
To apply, sign in to your MyISU account and select the Student Self-Service Quick Link. Select the “Apply for Graduation - Graduate Students” link. Students who expect to complete a graduate degree or certificate during the academic year or subsequent summer must file an application no later than October 1 for December (fall semester) graduation, or March 1 for May (spring semester) graduation, or June 1 for August (summer term) graduation. Students graduating in summer must apply by the spring date in order to have their names in the Commencement program. To qualify for a credential, the student must complete all academic program, college, and Indiana State University requirements. While degrees are conferred in May, August, and December, commencement ceremonies are held only in May and December. Participation in commencement is not required but it is encouraged as a memorable part of the university experience. Those attending the ceremony may purchase or rent the appropriate cap, gown, and hood from the University Bookstore.
Eligibility for Graduation
To be eligible for graduation, all students must meet the following requirements:
- Earn a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 (or program-specific minimum).
- Complete a program-specific minimum number of credits of graduate coursework with at least one-half of the work in courses numbered 600 or above.
- Have no encumbrances on the student’s records.
- Complete all requirements within the identified timelines. No graduate credit will be counted toward degree requirements that was earned before these timelines. Students with nine or fewer credit hours of out-of-date coursework must submit course validation forms to the Associate Dean of their home academic college for approval. Students with more than nine credit hours of out-of-date coursework must submit a petition with the appropriate course validations for consideration by Graduate Council. Ordinarily, if more than 50% of the coursework is out of date, all or a portion of the courses must be retaken.
- For students in programs requiring a dissertation, maintain continuous enrollment in dissertation hours (e.g., 799 or 899) during the fall and spring semesters until all documents are submitted to and accepted by the student’s home academic college.
Master’s Degree Requirements
A master’s degree is awarded to a student upon successful completion of one of the graduate curricula in the Graduate Catalog, earning a minimum of 30 graduate credit hours for non-terminal degree programs and as many as 93 graduate credit hours for terminal degree programs. Research experience and/or a culminating experience are required for all programs leading to the master’s degree, and these experiences must be satisfactorily completed. Neither the research experience nor the culminating experience may be transferred from one master’s degree program to another by a student who wishes to pursue a second master’s degree.
All program requirements must be completed within seven years.
Thesis Expectations and Enrollment Requirements
See the Graduate Catalog for your catalog year to see Thesis Requirements for your program.
Only students who apply for August graduation must register for credit(s) in the summer.
Second Master’s Degree Requirements
A student with a master’s degree from an accredited institution may apply for admission to a second master’s degree program for the purpose of completing a new major area of graduate study. Students admitted to such programs are directed to the appropriate department chairperson or graduate program director who may accept up to 30% of the minimum credits required from the student’s first master’s degree program as transfer credit. All requirements for the master’s degree program must be met; second master’s degree programs must include a new research component or culminating experience, neither of which can be transferred from the first master’s degree program.
Educational Specialist Degree Requirements
A student admitted to an educational specialist program must earn a minimum of 57 hours of graduate study, including 27 hours of credit above the master’s degree. At least 15 credit hours must be earned after admission to the program. The student must write an advanced thesis or otherwise demonstrate the competency to carry on individual research. The educational specialist is regarded as an advanced practitioner’s degree and, as such, is a continuation of work completed in pursuit of the master’s degree in the area in which it is sought.
All program requirements must be completed within eight years.
Doctoral Degree Requirements
A doctoral degree is conferred only upon those students who have completed, with high distinction, a period of intensive study in a selected field. Candidates must have gained a thorough knowledge of the materials in the field, mastered the method of advanced study, and demonstrated this mastery through a dissertation or scholarly or creative project.
Students are required to maintain continuous enrollment to support the completion of the doctoral degree in a timely manner. Contact your program for details on time limits for completion.
Research Proficiency
Evidence of proficiency in appropriate research tools is expected of all doctoral candidates. Such proficiency shall be determined and judged by each candidate’s academic program or department. Individual academic units may, at their discretion, require, establish, and administer their own proficiency examination(s). Any research proficiency requirement (e.g. foreign language, computer applications, or statistics) shall be established by the candidate’s major department or program.
Doctoral Programs with a Dissertation Expectation
Doctoral programs with a dissertation have requirements that includ your doctoral committee, qualifying examination, admission to candidacy, dissertation, dissertation proposal and dissertation defense. For information regarding each one of these steps see the Graduate Catalog for your catalog term.
Graduation. A student enrolled in a doctoral degree program requiring a dissertation must take the following steps toward graduation:
- Apply for graduation by the published deadline for the semester/term in which graduation is anticipated.
- Complete the dissertation and defend it in an open examination before the student’s doctoral committee.
- Make any changes to the dissertation, as directed by official action of the student’s doctoral committee and home academic college.
- Obtain approval (Approval of Thesis or Dissertation Defense form) of members of the student’s doctoral committee, department chairperson, and dean of the student’s home academic college.
- Upload an electronic copy of the dissertation that has been approved by the student’s home college. Students must adhere to the submission guidelines provided by the director of Graduate Studies. Submission guidelines are located on the Office of the Registrar’s Root Site. Copyright may be registered. The student is responsible for all associated fees.
- Pay all costs associated with the publication of the dissertation or its abstract.
- Remove any encumbrances and/or incomplete grades on their record.
Doctoral Programs Without a Dissertation Requirement
Students enrolled in doctoral programs that do not require a dissertation are still responsible for demonstrating research proficiency through a culminating project that is shared with the university community. Students must consult with the program director regarding the requirements of the culminating experience.
Graduation. A student enrolled in a doctoral degree program not requiring a dissertation must take the following steps toward graduation:
- Apply for graduation by the published deadline for the semester/term in which graduation is anticipated.
- Complete the culminating experience and defend it in an open examination before the student’s doctoral committee.
- Remove any encumbrances and/or incomplete grades on their record.
Awarding of Two or More Graduate Degrees
Two or more graduate degrees or certificates may be granted simultaneously provided all requirements for the degrees have been completed, no more than 30% of the coursework is shared between the degrees, and the research and/or culminating experiences (if required) are unique. However, since many students may choose to pursue a certificate as well as a formal degree program, all credits completed as part of a certificate program can be counted toward a subsequent or simultaneous degree award.
Thesis/Dissertation Guide
A thesis or dissertation should represent original scholarship. Expectations regarding the type of thesis/dissertation, as well as the scope of the project, will be determined by individual graduate programs and the thesis or dissertation advisor and committee. For the convenience of graduate students, please see the Thesis and Dissertation Handbook.
Submitting a Final Thesis or Dissertation
The initial electronic copy of any thesis or dissertation must be submitted electronically in PDF format. Listed below are policies, instructions, and templates for submitting a final electronic dissertation or thesis.
- Electronic Thesis/Dissertation Template
- Electronic Thesis/Dissertation Templates from Bayh College of Education
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