Baccalaureate Requirements
Students must satisfy the following to be recommended for a baccalaureate degree:
- Complete a minimum of 120 credits (No more than 12 credits of WEL (Wellness) performance courses may be applied toward graduation requirements.);
- Complete at least 30 of the last 36 credits at Finlandia University immediately prior to graduation;
- Complete at least 30 credits at the 300/400 level;
- Complete at least 18 credits for the major at Finlandia University.
- Attain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00; and
- Complete all requirements for an approved Finlandia University academic program.
Associate Requirements
Students must satisfy the following to be recommended for an associate degree:
- Complete a minimum of 60 credits (No more than 12 credits of WEL (Wellness) performance courses may be applied toward graduation requirements.):
- Complete at least 15 of the last 21 credits at Finlandia University immediately prior to graduation;
- Attain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00; and
- Complete all requirements for an approved Finlandia University academic program. To be granted a degree from Finlandia University, students must earn the total number of credits required by their chosen degree program.
Academic Minor Requirements
An academic minor can be earned in conjunction with a bachelor’s degree, but it is not a requirement for graduation. Students must satisfy the following to earn a minor:
- A minor cannot be from the same discipline as the major.
- A minor typically consists of 18 credits, but may range from 15 – 21 credits based on discipline.
- At least nine credits applied to a minor must be completed at Finlandia University.
- A minimum grade of C- must be earned for each course used for a minor.
- Up to nine credits from general education or the major can be applied to the minor. But multiple minors must have no duplication of courses.
- The minor must be completed with the degree. It cannot be earned with courses taken after the bachelor’s degree is awarded.
Double Major
Bachelor degree students may concurrently earn a second major in the same degree by completing the requirements for each major. Shared courses can count towards both majors. A second major cannot be earned with courses taken after the bachelor’s degree is awarded. Students seeking an additional major after graduation or a second major in a different degree should pursue a second degree.
For students earning a second major within the BBA degree, students will need to complete an additional 24 credits (or 28 for Accounting and 25 for Healthcare Management majors), which include the identified courses for the second major, plus the required additional 300/400 level BUS or other identified courses required for the major. Courses applied to the first major may not be used for the second – unless a specific course is required for both majors. An example of such an exception would be BUS 481 Research Methods in Business Decision Making which is required for both the Marketing and Management & Entrepreneurship majors. Students opting for these two majors can apply BUS 481 to both majors without having to take an extra three (3) credits.
Second Degree
Students may obtain a second degree either concurrently with the first degree or after completion of the first degree. All program requirements must be completed for both degrees. For a second bachelor degree, at least 36 credits must be completed beyond the credits utilized for first bachelor’s degree. For a second associate degree, at least 24 credits must be completed beyond the credits utilized for the first associate degree. A student cannot obtain two associate or two bachelor degrees in the same program/major.
Graduation Degree Audit
Completed prior to graduation, the purpose of a degree audit is to confirm that all degree program requirements have been fulfilled. After students register for their final semester at Finlandia University, they should apply for both graduation and a degree audit through the University Registrar’s office.
To track progress in fulfilling degree program requirements, students may obtain academic progress sheets from the University Registrar, their academic advisor, and in this publication. For each academic program, the progress sheet lists course requirements on one side and suggested course sequence on the reverse. Each academic year, progress sheets are updated to reflect any program changes.
Students follow the progress sheet applicable to their year of entry into Finlandia University. Alternatively, students may choose to follow the program and degree requirements on a subsequent progress sheet. However, students may not combine requirements from progress sheets of different academic years.
Students who interrupt their schooling at Finlandia University for more than one academic year forfeit the option to follow the academic progress sheet of their original year of entry.
Graduation
All students must apply for graduation to begin the degree audit procedure and appear on the official graduation candidate list. Graduation applications are available from the student’s academic advisor or the University Registrar. After the application is received, the University Registrar performs the graduation degree audit to confirm eligibility for graduation. Candidates for April/May or July graduation must apply by mid-November of the prior year; candidates for December graduation must apply by mid-March of the same year.
Commencement
Commencement is typically held on the last Sunday in April or the first Sunday in May. All students who will successfully complete their degree requirements by the end of the spring semester, and have applied for graduation, are generally eligible to participate in the spring commencement ceremony. However, students must demonstrate by mid-semester prior to spring commencement that their final cumulative GPA will be 2.00 or above, and they will successfully complete all degree requirements.
Associate degree students who have six (6) or less credits remaining to complete their degree, and are registered to take those credits in the summer session immediately following the ceremony, may participate in spring commencement. Students must show proof of summer registration and payment for the required courses. Bachelor degree students who have two remaining program requirements to complete their degree, and are registered to take those requirements in the summer session immediately following spring commencement, may participate in the spring commencement ceremony. Students must show proof of summer registration and payment for the required courses.
Graduation Academic Honors
Graduation honors are determined by a student’s cumulative GPA at Finlandia University. To achieve graduation honors at the associate degree level, students must have earned a minimum of 30 credits at Finlandia University. To achieve graduation honors at the baccalaureate degree level, students must have earned a minimum of 45 credits at Finlandia University. Students who have completed the requirements for their degree at Finlandia University must meet the following cumulative GPA standards to earn the corresponding academic distinction:
| GPA | Academic Honor |
|---|---|
| 3.50-3.69 | cum laude |
| 3.70-3.89 | magna cum laude |
| 3.90-4.00 | summa cum laude |
The specific academic honor, calculated at the end of the fall semester of the student’s graduation year, is included in the commencement program, and the distinction is displayed on the student’s graduation gown or cap. However, the final cumulative GPA determined after all grades are recorded determines the academic honor posted on the student’s transcript.
Transcript Requests
Students who wish to request an official transcript of their Finlandia University academic record may do so by completing an official request. Students will be required to complete their transcript requests online through the Parchment website. The transcript request process can be accessed by going to finlandia.edu/transcripts.
Finlandia University only issues unofficial transcripts to currently enrolled students and must be done in-person. All other transcript requests will only be issued in an official manner.
There is a charge for official transcripts, which the (former) student will pay online at the time of ordering. Current transcript fees are available online at www.finlandia.edu/transcripts. The charge will not be processed until the request has been approved for processing. Transcripts cannot be released if the student has an outstanding student account balance at Finlandia University, if the student is in default on a Perkins student loan from Finlandia University, or if a hold is in place due to a conduct violation.
OFFICE OF REGISTRAR STAFF
