Graduation Requirements

Required Assessment for Graduating Students

Assessment of student outcomes is an essential part of the continuous improvement of LeTourneau University. The methods of assessment will be determined by the faculty teaching in the major and may include requirements in addition to coursework. Graduating students may be asked to participate in one or more assessment activities which may include nationally normed academic achievement tests, by discipline, administered by departments, schools, or the University in general.

Graduation Requirements for an Associate Degree

 To earn an Associate degree, students must satisfactorily complete the following graduation
  requirements.

1.  The required curriculum with a minimum of 63 credit hours with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00.
2.  A minimum of 16 credit hours must be completed at LeTourneau University.
3.  Payment of all tuition and fees.
4.  Approval of the faculty and the Board of Trustees.

Graduation Requirements for a Bachelor Degree

To earn a bachelor degree, students must satisfactorily complete the following graduation
requirements. Students returning after discontinuing studies for more than one year will come
under the requirements of the newest LeTourneau University catalog. Students must
satisfactorily complete*:

1. The required curriculum with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00.
2. A minimum of 30 credit hours taken at LeTourneau University.
3. A minimum of 21 upper level credit hours in major courses and a minimum of 30 upper level credit hours overall.
4. A minimum of 18 semester hours of the major must be completed through the University.
5. All general education requirements.
6. General electives sufficient to complete a minimum of 120 credit hours required for the degree.
7. Payment of all tuition and fees.
8. Approval of the faculty and the Board of Trustees.

*These are minimum requirements. Some programs require more credit hours. See individual
programs for specific requirements.

Graduation Requirements for a Master’s Degree

To earn a Master’s degree, students must satisfactorily complete the following:

1. The required curriculum with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00, with no more than 20% of the program hours with grades of C in the required curriculum. A grade of D will not apply toward graduation requirements.
2. A minimum residency of 75% of program hours completed through LeTourneau University.
3. All graduation requirements completed in no more than seven years at LETU.
4. Payment of all tuition and fees.
5. Approval of the faculty and the Board of Trustees.

Residency and GPA Requirements

The University holds to the principle that a LETU degree is symbolic of a LeTourneau University education and of the principles for which LETU stands. To this end the University insists on a significant residence period as a degree requirement. Students must meet residency requirements prior to graduation, which are:

• Undergraduate students must successfully complete no less than 25% of the total semester hours required for their undergraduate degree through LeTourneau University unless additional hours are specified by the program. At least 18 semester hours of the major must be completed through the University. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 to graduate.
• Graduate students must complete 75% of the total semester hours required for a graduate degree through LETU unless additional hours are specified by program. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 to graduate.

Individual programs may have specific requirements. Refer to major requirements for additional details.

Graduation Application and Attendance Requirements

Application for graduation must be filed with the Office of the Registrar according to the following schedule:

•  Graduation in spring- Application must be made no later than February 1 of the graduation year.
•  Graduation in summer- Application must be made no later than June 1 of the graduation year.
•  Graduation in fall - Application must be made no later than October 1 of the graduation year.

Failure to make application for graduation before the filing deadline will result in a delay in graduation. The graduation application and graduation fee must be submitted at the time of application. A candidate who does not complete degree requirements on the expected date must submit a new application during the regular application filing period and pay an additional fee.

Degrees are conferred at the end of the semester in which all requirements are completed. Spring, summer and fall graduates participate in the graduation ceremonies held in the spring of each year (see Academic Calendar).  Graduating students may participate in a subsequent graduation ceremony upon payment of an additional graduation fee. Graduates may petition to the Office of the Registrar to participate in an earlier graduation ceremony if they are 9 credit hours or less short of their degree and there is a significant need to do so.

Candidates for graduation who have transfer credit from another institution must submit official transcripts to the University within 30 days of their scheduled diploma conferral date. If the transcript submissions do not meet this timeframe, the student’s graduation date will be delayed until the next scheduled university graduation date. Students will be required to submit a new Intent to Graduate Form by the appropriate filing deadline for a subsequent graduation, along with an additional graduation fee.

Please see the Fees and Assistance  page for all graduation fees.

A graduation fee is due at the time the Intent to Graduate Form is filed with the Office of the Registrar.  Forms will not be processed without payment of the graduation fee.  Fees can be paid online, directly to the University Cashier, or by mail.  The fee covers the diploma and related administrative costs.  The fee must be paid whether or not the student plans to participate in the graduation ceremony.

Graduation Honors

Recipients of a bachelor’s degree who have a total GPA of 3.40 or higher and have earned a minimum of 60 credit hours taken in courses at LETU may qualify for graduation honors for outstanding scholarship and merit. Graduation honors will be determined by considering the total GPA of all course work attempted at the University. Any courses with grades that have been repeated or replaced will be included in the calculation of the cumulative GPA.

Three possible distinctions may be awarded:

• Cum Laude is awarded to students who achieve a full cumulative GPA of all course work attempted at LETU of between 3.40 and 3.59, inclusive.
• Magna Cum Laude is awarded to students who achieve a full cumulative GPA of all course work attempted at LETU of between 3.60 and 3.79, inclusive.
• Summa Cum Laude is awarded to students who achieve a full cumulative GPA of all course work attempted at LETU of 3.80 or higher.

Catalog Governing Requirements

Students in continuous enrollment must meet the degree requirements of the catalog in effect when they entered the University, unless arrangements have been made with the department chair and the Office of the Registrar to graduate under a later catalog. A Request to Change Catalog form must be submitted. Students failing to complete graduate or undergraduate degree requirements within 8 years may forfeit any right to graduate under the catalog in effect at the time of entrance. Individual programs may have specific requirements.

Normally a student will fulfill the degree requirements as listed in the catalog of the year of initial, continual enrollment. The student may choose the requirements as listed for any other specific academic year in which the student is enrolled. However, the University reserves the right to make any changes in requirements that LETU may consider necessary and desirable by due notice in this catalog. Students changing majors will come under the program requirements in effect at the time of the change of major.       

The catalog year begins with the opening of the fall semester. Students who first enroll in summer may be under the catalog for that academic year or for the upcoming academic year, depending upon the program in which they enroll.

Traditional students returning after discontinuing studies for two consecutive semesters (not including summer) and non-traditional students who wish to re-enter LETU after an absence of three consecutive semesters, where absence includes registering but dropping before class starts will re-enter the University under the requirements of the most recent LETU catalog. Appeals for returning students requesting to remain on their previous catalog may be made to the Dean of the school.