Graduation and Degree Requirements

Upon admission to St. John Fisher College, the student is a candidate for the degree appropriate to the program into which he or she was accepted. It is the student’s responsibility to know and fulfill all the requirements for the program for which he or she is registered. To earn a graduate degree from St. John Fisher College, the student must:

• Earn a minimum of 30 credits and complete all program requirements.
• Earn a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 for all courses taken in residence.
• File a Petition for Graduation.
• Complete the program within the appropriate time limit.

*See the Wegmans School of Pharmacy for requirements.

Degree Completion Time Limit

For programs requiring fewer than 60 credits, a student must finish the degree within six years of completion of the first Fisher graduate course. For programs requiring 60 or more credits, students must finish the degree within eight years of completion of the first Fisher graduate course. Only the program director and provost or his designee can grant exceptions. Students granted extensions may be required to repeat certain previously taken courses. The time limit is inclusive of any leaves of absence taken by a student. Individual programs may have more stringent requirements for completion; check the individual programs for further information. The first graduate course taken at St. John Fisher College starts this time clock.

Graduation

Students who qualify for graduation must notify the Registrar’s Office by filing the online Graduation application. Submission of this form initiates an administrative process in which the student’s record is reviewed with regard to program requirements for graduation and potential difficulties. Notification of the availability of the online application will be sent to students using their Fisher email accounts. Failure to apply on time may result in a delay in graduation. St. John Fisher College confers degrees three times per year, in May, August, and December.

The College-wide commencement takes place once a year, in May. To participate in the May commencement ceremony, graduate-level degree candidates must have completed their degree requirements prior to the actual day of commencement or be within nine credits of completion and have the approval of their program director. August and December graduates will be invited to attend the commencement ceremony the following May. Outstanding “I” grades and credit-by-examination results, as well as waivers and substitutions and the processing of transfer credit, should be completed well in advance of graduation. If all documents are not received in the Registrar’s Office by the end of the final examination period, your graduation will be delayed to the following semester. Any “I” grade earned in the term in which you plan to graduate will result in your graduation being delayed until the following term.