Graduation - University of Houston-Victoria

Related University Policies and Guidelines

Graduation/Commencement

UHV does not automatically award a degree when you complete your scholastic requirements. To be considered as a candidate for a degree, you must submit an application online through myUHV, (UHV Self Service/Degree Progress/Graduation/Apply for Graduation). You can file an application either during the term prior to, or during the semester in which you plan to graduate.To be eligible to apply for graduation, students must have completed or be enrolled in the final courses required to meet graduation requirements. Students can file an application either during the term prior to, or during the semester in which they plan to graduate. Please refer to the Academic Calendar for graduation application dates and deadlines.

Participation in the commencement ceremony is limited to the term in which degree requirements will be completed. If your graduation application was denied in any previous term, you must submit a new application for graduation. Semester deadlines for submitting applications are published on the UHV website, Important Dates & Deadlines.

Commencement ceremonies are held in May and December of each academic year. Those who graduate in August are eligible to participate in the December ceremony or may choose to postpone until the following May.

There are typically two commencement ceremonies per year, both are Victoria. At the present time, Summer term graduates participate in the Fall ceremony. You should contact the UHV Bookstore to obtain information on caps, gowns, and invitations, or visit the Commencement website. Important: To be considered as a candidate for a degree, you must submit an application for graduation, regardless of your plans to participate in commencement ceremony.

You must be on track to complete all requirements toward your degree in the semester for which you plan to participate in commencement. Please note that Commencement is a ceremony in which preliminary degree candidates are recognized for their academic achievements. The commencement program reflects the name and degree of each preliminary degree candidate as well as the honors designation based on the previous semester's progress. Conferral of the official UHV degree occurs after commencement when final grades are posted, and all degree requirements have been met. The commencement program only lists those candidates who applied by the appropriate deadline and, therefore, should not be considered an official list of graduates. If all requirements for graduation cannot be met during the current semester, you may be denied participation in the commencement ceremony. For information concerning eligibility to participate in one of the ceremonies, please contact the Office of the Office of the Provost at commencement@uhv.edu.

All degrees are posted at the close of the ‘regular’ session in a term. If students are taking a shorter session in a term their degree will not be posted earlier. i.e. Fall Term-Dec; Spring Term-May; Summer Term-August. Coursework must be completed in the term for which the student applied for graduation, i.e. if a student has been approved to graduate in the Spring 2025, all coursework approved on the degree plan to meet requirements must be completed within that Spring 2023 term.

Graduation with Honors: Graduation with Honors is for undergraduate students only. Please refer to "Graduation with Honors" on the Policies page of the UHV Catalog for specific information regarding Graduation with Honors.

President’s List (Undergraduate Students Only)

The President’s List is compiled each fall and spring term. To qualify for this recognition, the student must earn a 4.0 grade point average on all work completed during the term. A minimum of nine semester hours, excluding courses in which grades of S were earned, is required for consideration. Any student who earns a grade of I, D, F or U during the semester is excluded from consideration for the list. Once compiled, UHV’s Marketing Department provides the president’s list to local newspapers, based on the student’s current mailing address. It is the decision of the newspaper as to whether the list is published or not.

Note: Students which make the President’s List automatically make the Dean’s List; hence, are not listed twice.

Posthumous and In Memoriam Degree Policy

The University of Houston-Victoria (UHV) seeks to honor the academic achievements and legacy of deceased students in a manner that is meaningful to their families while maintaining the institution's academic integrity. To fulfill this purpose, UHV may award a Posthumous Degree or an In Memoriam Degree under the guidelines outlined in this policy.

Definitions

Posthumous Degree

A Posthumous Degree acknowledges the significant academic progress made by a deceased student. It is a regular degree, officially conferred by the university, and recorded on the student's academic transcript. The diploma and transcript will note "Degree Awarded Posthumously."

In Memoriam Degree

An In Memoriam Degree recognizes a deceased student's affiliation with the university and progress toward a formal plan of study. It is an honorary degree: It is not recorded on the academic transcript and is not considered an academic credential. The diploma-like document is signed by the President, Provost, and the Dean of the student's college.

Policy

Guidelines

The awarding of a Posthumous Degree or an In Memoriam Degree is at the discretion of the Provost, based on the following conditions:

Posthumous Baccalaureate Degree

The student must have been:

Enrolled in an academic program
In good academic standing
Within 12 hours of completing degree requirements or on track to graduate at the end of the semester of their death.

The posthumous degree shall be awarded with any academic honors (e.g., Magna Cum Laude) for which the student was eligible at the time of their death.

Posthumous Graduate Degree

The student must have been:

Enrolled in an academic program
In good academic standing
Within two courses of completing their degree requirements or on track to graduate at the end of the semester of their death.

In accordance with university policy, academic honors are not awarded to graduate students.

Criteria for an In Memoriam Degree

In Memoriam Degrees may be awarded to undergraduate or graduate students regardless of their progress toward degree completion. The award recognizes the student's connection to the university.

Academic honors are not awarded with In Memoriam Degrees.

Procedure

A formal request may be initiated by a family member, designated representative, or the Dean of the student's academic college. If the request is not made by a family member, the family must be contacted to confirm the receptiveness to the award.

Family Request

A family member or designated representative may initiate the process by submitting a written request to the Office of the Registrar and Student Records. The Student Records Office will review the request and the student's academic records to determine eligibility for a Posthumous Degree or an In Memoriam Degree.

A recommendation will then be forwarded to the Dean of the student's college for approval. Upon the Dean's approval, a formal request-including the student's name, degree, and proposed awarding term-will be submitted to the Provost for final consideration.

College Recommendation

Upon notification of the passing of a current or recently enrolled student, the college will inform the Office of the Registrar and Student Records. The Student Records Office will review the student's academic records to determine eligibility for a Posthumous Degree or an In Memoriam Degree.

Provost Approval

If the Provost approves the request, written notification will be provided to the student's college and the Registrar. The family of the recipient will also be notified.

Registrar Responsibilities

The Office of the Registrar and Student Records will:

Prepare the diploma or diploma-like document
- For a Posthumous Degree, the document will bear the standard degree citation and "Degree Awarded Posthumously" will be noted on the academic transcript and diploma.
- For an In Memoriam Degree, no citation will be noted on the transcript.
Obtain a diploma cover from the Special Events department.
The document will be released to the student's family or designated representative unless they choose to participate in commencement. In that case, all materials will be provided to the Commencement Team in the Provost's Office.

Commencement Participation

If the family wishes to attend the commencement ceremony:

Arrangements will be facilitated through the Commencement Team in the Provost's Office.
A family representative may process across the stage, with their name announced as: "[Representative's Name], on behalf of [Student's Name], awarded posthumously." OR
"[Representative's Name], on behalf of [Student's Name], awarded In Memoriam."