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Graduates of Missouri Baptist University are expected to demonstrate a lifestyle that will reflect honor on themselves, and on the institution which awarded the degree, as they serve the needs of the community and seek to make the world a better place in which to live. The degree is academic in structure, but represents ethical, social, moral, and spiritual development as well. Although a student earns the privilege of being considered for graduation, the final decision regarding the awarding of degrees is the prerogative of the faculty for recommendation and approval.
The candidate for any degree should study carefully all courses and other requirements for that degree and for graduation as listed in the University catalog. Each student is responsible for all requirements as stated. Careful attention to the program will result in completion of the requirements for graduation in the minimum time.
The undergraduate degree programs are designed with a strong liberal arts foundation. Credits are given as standard semester hours, at least 120 of which are required for graduation (64-65 for the Associate degree). Students must complete at least 30 hours in a major field of study, and satisfy the requirements of both the general education program and the degree program for which the student has opted. The remaining hours to be applied toward the degree are elected by students with consent of their academic advisor.
A major field of specialization should be declared by the beginning of the junior year, and may be chosen earlier. This choice is to be made after a conference with the student’s academic advisor, followed by a formal declaration to the Records Office. A degree plan should be filed in the Records Office as soon as the major has been declared.
In order to be considered a candidate for graduation, a student must have fulfilled, or have in progress, the following requirements:
- The academic advisor of the student follows the designated choice of degree, major field(s) of study, and minor(s) or cognate(s) at the time of declaration. Academic advisors work in partnership with the students on all semester schedules. Those seeking teacher certification must also obtain approval for their program of study from the School of Education and complete a certification check.
- The student will meet assessment criteria established by the faculty as follows:
- Students who have completed between 0-29 credit hours will complete the Proficiency Profile in their first semester of enrollment.
- The student who has completed between 55 and 89 credit hours, with at least 30 hours earned at Missouri Baptist University, will take a mid-level assessment test of general education.* All general education and degree requirements, with the exception of IDST 403 World Citizen, should have been completed or be in progress at the time this test is taken.
- All students will take the appropriate subject field test(s)* for their major(s) during the senior year, and/or complete other internal/external subject assessment measures (such as portfolios, senior recitals, senior research projects, or internships) as determined by the faculty.
*Students seeking teacher certification are required by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to pass content assessments for each area in which certification is being sought. Students must also receive a passing evaluation on their Professional Development Folio the semester prior to student teaching as well as achieve a passing composite score on the Missouri Educator Evaluation System (MEES) summative evaluation, which is completed during student teaching.
- A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 on a 4.00 scale, for both degree credit and non-degree credit, must be maintained on the overall program. Certain majors and degree programs (e.g., Exercise Science and Sport Management majors or the Associate of Science Degree in Pre-Nursing) require a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 or better. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requires a 2.50 in the content area (for K-12, middle, and secondary subjects), with no grade lower than C, as well as a 3.00 in professional education, with no grade lower than C for teacher certification. Therefore, certain majors (Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Special Education, Elementary Education, K-12 Education, Secondary Education, and Special Education Cross-Categorical Disabilities Mild/Moderate) require a major GPA of at least 3.00 for graduation. In addition, the School of Teacher Education requires a cumulative GPA of 2.500 for graduation. Students should check catalog requirements for their specific program.
- A student seeking to earn a baccalaureate degree must complete at least 42 hours of junior and senior level upper division courses.
- A minimum of 120 hours is required to complete a baccalaureate degree at Missouri Baptist University; however, some programs may require in excess of 120 hours for completion. A minimum of 64 hours is required to complete an associate’s degree.
- At least six hours of major and three hours of minor must be earned at Missouri Baptist University.
- At least 24 of the last 32 hours must be completed at Missouri Baptist University. This requirement is waived for students enrolled in the Plus-Two programs.
All candidates for baccalaureate degrees must file an Application for Graduation in the Records Office during the first semester of their junior year (sophomore year for associate degree candidates), as notice of intent to graduate. This will make it possible for records to be checked to determine eligibility for graduation. Unless the Records Office is thus properly notified of intent to graduate, a graduation delay may ensue. To be admitted to unqualified candidacy for graduation, the student must be following an approved degree program, making it possible to graduate as planned, and must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 (some programs do require a higher minimum GPA).
Final graduation checks must be completed with the Director of Records (or School of Education Advisor for students in the Teacher Education Program) no later than the tenth working day of the semester in which the student plans to complete degree requirements. Summer session graduates must complete a graduation check by the graduation application deadline as listed in the Academic Calendar.
Degree Conferral
Degrees are conferred eight times during the academic year:
- Fall – at the conclusion of the Fall Semester
- Fall Quarter - at the conclusion of the Fall Quarter
- Winter – at the conclusion of Winter
- Winter Quarter - at the conclusion of the Winter Quarter
- Spring – at the conclusion of the Spring Semester
- Spring Quarter - at the conclusion of Spring Quarter
- Summer – at the conclusion of the Summer Semester; and
- Summer Quarter - at the conclusion of the Summer Quarter
Students must complete all degree requirements before the degree conferral date each term (or conferral date of their graduation term). The conferral dates can be found on the Academic Calendar page.
Diplomas for graduates are mailed to students after the term of completion, upon verification of degree requirements. No student may receive a diploma until all degree requirements are completed, the necessary official records are on file in the Records Office, all holds are cleared, and all accounts are paid in full, including the graduation fee.
Dual Baccalaureate Degrees
Students may pursue two different baccalaureate degrees (e.g., Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science), simultaneously, with different majors at Missouri Baptist University provided that they complete a minimum of 144 semester hours, at least 24 semester hours beyond the minimum requirements for the first degree, including all specific requirements for each degree and each major. A minimum of 12 additional hours of upper division coursework is also required for a total of 54 hours of upper division credits.
Requirements for Earning a Second Degree at Missouri Baptist University
A student who already holds a baccalaureate degree may qualify for a second, and different1, baccalaureate degree from Missouri Baptist University by completing a minimum of 24 hours in residence after all requirements for the first degree have been completed. These hours must include all major, minor, general education, and degree requirements pertaining to the second degree which were not included in the first degree program. The major for the second degree must differ from the first, and must include at least 12 hours of additional upper division work, for a total of 54 hours of upper division credits. A minimum of 144 semester hours is required for completion of a second baccalaureate degree. At least six hours of major and three hours of minor must be earned at Missouri Baptist University.
1For example, if a Bachelor of Science degree has previously been earned, then the student may pursue a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science in Education, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education, or Bachelor of Professional Studies degree at Missouri Baptist University, but not another Bachelor of Science degree.
Attendance at Commencement
All undergraduate candidates for graduation during an academic year - Fall/Winter, Spring, and Summer - are encouraged to attend the commencement exercises which are held at the close of the Spring Semester. Students will be responsible for the graduation fee regardless of participation in the ceremony.
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