Policies and Procedures
Commencement Ceremony ParticipationParticipation in a Commencement Ceremony does not indicate that a student has been awarded or will be awarded a degree. Commencement is a celebration at PLU, but does not guarantee a student has completed all degree requirements.Students who participate in Fall Commencement but take a J-Term course will receive a January degree. Students who participate in a Spring Commencement but take Summer course(s) will receive an August Degree. No student can receive a degree prior to all courses and requirements being completed. Academic Program Contracts (APC)What is an Academic Program Contract?An Academic Program Contract (APC) is an agreement between the student and the academic department that outlines the courses and requirements the student must successfully complete to earn the major/minor. What majors/minors require an APC? An APC is required for every major and minor a student wishes to receive when they graduate. APCs are available on the Registrar's Office website (click here) and in the major/minor departments’ offices. When does a student fill out an APC? Students start the APC process when they declare their major/minor. To complete the APC process the student, before the time they apply for graduation, must have the department chair sign the ‘Graduation Clearance’ box. Once this is complete, the final APC must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar by the deadline for that term. What is a Final APC? A final APC is one that has the signature of the department chair in the ‘Graduation Clearance’ box. Why does the Department Chair need to sign the APC? The signature of the department chair in the ‘Graduation Clearance’ box signifies that upon the completion of the listed courses and requirements on the APC the student is eligible for a major/minor from that department. Why does the Office of the Registrar Require a Final APC to award a degree? When awarding a degree, the Office of the Registrar uses a student’s CAPP Report to verify that the student has completed all University Requirements (see the Course Catalog). The University Requirements are the same for all students wishing to receive a degree from PLU. Unlike the University Requirements, each major/minor has different requirements making it necessary to use the final APC when verifying that the student has completed all the specific degree requirements. Without a final APC no degree will be awarded. What if a student doesn't take the courses listed on the APC? If a student gets approval to substitute a course for a course listed on the APC or approval to waive a listed course, it must be documented on the final APC that the department chair approved of the change. To document the change the department chair should initial the change, in addition to signing in the ‘Graduation Clearance’ box. Incomplete, In Progress & Missing Grades with Regard to DegreesA student cannot receive a degree without completing all courses, regardless of whether the course is required for the degree. An Incomplete (I), In Progress (IP) or course without a final grade will keep a student from graduating.Back to Top |
Questions?E-mail registrar@plu.edu or call 253.535.7131 with any questions.
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