Graduation and Degree Conferral
The Board of Trustees of Goodwin College is authorized to confer Bachelor in Science and Associate in Science degrees and award Collegiate Certificates to qualified candidates who have met all requirements. Students nearing the completion of their program must complete an Application for Award of Credential for each credential they believe they are qualified to receive prior to their last semester of study. The Application for Award of Credential is available on the college website only and must be electronically submitted to the student's Department Chair or Program Director and to the Registrar for the purposes of a final degree audit. Candidates' transcripts will be evaluated under the catalog in effect at the time of admission. If the candidate changed programs, the catalog used shall be the one in effect at the time of the program change. Candidates who have not met all of the requirements for graduation will be notified by the Registrar's Office.
For purposes of clarity, the term "graduation" refers to program completion. Students are assigned a graduation date based upon the semester in which program requirements were completed. The term "conferral" refers to the actual bestowal of the degree which happens twice a year, once on the date of our Commencement Ceremony and once at the end of the Summer Semester.
Goodwin College's Milestone policy allows students to receive credentials and participate in commencement as those credentials are earned. Students who are enrolled in a Bachelor's program who believe they have met requirements for a collegiate certificate or an Associates Degree are encouraged to apply for the award of that credential. Students enrolled in Associate Degree programs who believe they have met the requirements for a certificate may also apply.
Because the College confers degrees at Commencement once a year, students who anticipate completing their program at the end of the summer semester following commencement are invited to walk in the ceremony. Walkers must have their last nine or fewer credits in progress to be included in the ceremonies, and are not eligible to receive any academic honors at Commencement. Degrees and academic honors are conferred to August graduates at the end of the summer semester.