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Credit and GPA Requirements
All candidates for graduation must earn a minimum of:
- 30 credits for a certificate of achievement
- 60 credits for an associate degree
- 120 credits for a bachelor’s degree.
Candidates for graduation must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0.
Candidates for graduation must complete a minimum of 15 semester credit hours within CSN.
For the Associate of Applied Science degree, a minimum of 15 credits must be earned in the special program requirements.
Nontraditional credit, credit transferred from another institution, or credit earned through the course challenge process may not be used to establish the 15-credit residency requirement.
Graduation Requirements
Periodic revisions of degree requirements are made because of advances in knowledge, changes in occupational or professional qualifications, or the expectation of accrediting authorities. Such requirements may necessitate adherence to the degree requirements of a recent or current catalog. Institutional catalogs do not constitute contractual agreements or commitments.
To ensure students graduate with current knowledge in their chosen fields, CSN requires that students must meet degree or certificate course requirements that are listed in a CSN catalog.
Students must:
- Select the catalog under which the student first completed CSN courses, or
- Select the catalog under which the student officially declared or changed major, or
- Select the catalog under which the student will complete the curriculum requirements for a baccalaureate degree or an associate degree or certificate of achievement, or
- Select a degree that is offered for the first time after the student has enrolled. The student must choose the catalog year in which the degree or major was first offered.
The selected catalog cannot be more than six years old at the time of graduation for students receiving an associate degree or certificate, and not more than ten years old at the time of graduation for students receiving a baccalaureate degree.
Students must know:
- When pursuing a bachelor’s degree, the student must complete a minimum of 120 credits, depending on specific program requirements, of various courses meeting general education and program-specific requirements.
- When pursuing an associate degree, the student must complete a minimum of 60 credits, depending on specific program requirements, of various courses meeting general education and program-specific requirements.
- When pursuing a certificate of achievement, the student must complete a minimum of 30 credits, depending on specific program requirements, of various general education and certificate specific requirements.
- Must earn a minimum cumulative grade point average (CUM GPA) of 2.00 at CSN.
- Complete all course requirements by the last day of final examinations of the candidate’s final semester. Students cannot have pending grades of I or NR. A final graduation grade point average must be posted.
- Not have a grade of D+, D, D- in the major occupational area for the Associate of Applied Science degree or Certificate of Achievement.
- Satisfactorily complete a minimum of 15 semester credit hours in residence at CSN. Students must complete the appropriate 15 semester credits in the Special Program Requirements for the Associate of Applied Science degree and the Certificate of Achievement,
- Credits completed by exam at CSN, including CLEP, as well as other transfer courses do not count towards CSN’s residency unit requirement or factor into CSN’s GPA.
- Non-Traditional Education (NTE) credits can only be used towards the Special Program Requirements in Associate of Applied Science degree, Associate of General Studies degree, or Certificate of Achievement.
- Not have any outstanding financial obligation with any NSHE institution.
- In no case, may one course be used to meet more than one requirement except for the Values and Diversity general education requirement. (refer to Honors Program)
- Course numbers less than 100 cannot be used towards any degree.
- Course numbers with a B suffix cannot be used toward the Associate of Arts, Associate of Business, or Associate of Science.
Dual Degrees/Certificates
Students seeking to earn two certificates or degrees subsequently or simultaneously must satisfy the following dual degree policy requirements:
- For those wishing to submit multiple graduation applications, please contact graduation@csn.edu.
- Complete all curricular requirements for each degree.
- Complete 15 credits in residence beyond the requirements for the first degree; therefore, the student must complete a minimum of 75 semester credits if pursuing a second associate degree or 45 semester credits if pursuing a second certificate. Thirty semester credits of which were earned in residence at CSN.
- Students earning dual degrees may use a course only once to fulfill each certificate or degree requirement.
Application for Graduation
CSN awards the following degrees upon successful completion of all requirements:
- Bachelor of Applied Science
- Bachelor of Science
- Associate of Arts
- Associate of Applied Science
- Associate of Business
- Associate of General Studies
- Associate of Science
- Certificate of Achievement.
Diplomas and transcripts indicate the degree and any emphasis, if applicable.
Students are strongly encouraged to meet with an academic counselor prior to applying for graduation to ensure all academic requirements have been met. Students may apply for and receive diplomas for one of three semesters: summer, fall, or spring. Duplicate diplomas can be ordered online by visiting csn.edu/graduation. Students transferring credits completed at other institutions toward their CSN degree or certificate must have their transcripts evaluated prior to applying for graduation. Any student who fails to meet graduation requirements in any given semester must file a new application with the Office of the Registrar.
Commencement exercises are held once a year in May. Students who graduated during the preceding summer or fall semesters and potential spring graduates will be listed in the commencement program and may participate in the May commencement. Students must file an application for graduation with the Office of the Registrar during the semester in which they plan to complete requirements for graduation. T he deadline for filing is included in the specific calendar for the semester you wish to graduate (originally said Academic Calendar), available online at csn.edu/calendar. - Cathy please check this sentence.
High Honors/Honors
All students graduating from CSN are considered for High Honors or Honors based on their CSN cumulative grade point average.
- A High Honors diploma requires a cumulative GPA of 3.6.
- An Honors diploma requires a cumulative GPA of 3.4.
All honor students receive recognition on their diplomas, academic transcripts, and in the commencement program.
Phi Theta Kappa
The Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK) recognizes the academic achievement of students and provides opportunities for its members to grow as scholars and leaders.
To join, you must receive an invitation from Phi Theta Kappa via email and/or CSN’s Vice President of Academic Affairs via mail. Invitations are sent out to current students who have completed 12 credits at CSN and have a cumulative 3.5 grade point average. Once you join and you remain in good standing, CSN will recognize your academic achievements by printing Phi Theta Kappa on your diploma and allowing you to sit in a special section at the commencement ceremony.
Graduation regalia may be purchased from the Phi Theta Kappa advisor at CSN, Professor Bruno Rhodes, or from the PTK store at https://store.ptk.org/.
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