Graduation

Graduation Procedures

Graduation Requirements

To be awarded an associate degree, certificate, or career studies certificate, a student must:

1. Fulfill all course and credit hour requirements specified in the John Tyler Community College Catalog at the time he or she declares their major. Subsequent major changes may necessitate course substitutions, but these can only be made with the recommendation of the student’s academic advisor and the approval of the appropriate division dean.
2. Earn a minimum of 25 percent of the total semester credits required for the degree, certificate, or career studies certificate at John Tyler Community College. Note: Credits earned via experiential learning are not considered residency credits earned at John Tyler Community College. In addition, experiential learning credits may be used to satisfy no more than 25 percent of the requirements for a degree, certificate, or career studies certificate.
3. Have a grade point average of at least 2.0 in all courses that are applicable toward graduation in the major.
4. Resolve any financial obligations to the College, and return all library books and other materials.
5. Participate in the institution’s assessments of its academic programs (majors) prior to graduation. Information will be sent to students outlining specific information about the process. Failure to complete required assessment activities may result in transcripts and/or diplomas being withheld until this requirement is fulfilled.

Applying for Graduation

To be considered for graduation, a student must:

1. Apply for graduation online through the myTyler portal or obtain an application for graduation from his/her academic advisor.
2. If submitting a paper application, obtain his/her faculty advisor’s signature, attach the advising transcript and submit to the Office of Admissions and Records by the appropriate deadline to receive a review report.
3. Submit the completed Application for Graduation to the Admissions and Records office by the appropriate deadline to receive a review eport:

   – For summer semester candidates:	February 15
   – For fall semester candidates:	June 15
   – For spring semester candidates:	September 15

NOTE: Please see the Graduation Deadlines and FAQs page at www.jtcc.edu/students/graduation/

Applications for Graduation for spring semester candidates will be accepted until early February, but no official review reports advising candidates of outstanding course requirements will be forwarded to students who submit graduation applications after September 15.

    4. Ensure that all course waiver and substitution forms are submitted by his/her faculty advisor to the Admissions and Records office by the appropriate deadline:

*NOTE: Forms submitted late may be processed for summer semester graduation and students may not be permitted to participate in commencement until the following year.

NOTE: The College reserves the right to graduate students who have completed all requirements for a career studies certificate, certificate, and/or associate degree.

Multiple Awards

• Students seeking to graduate with two degrees and/or certificates must submit graduation applications for both awards.
• Current State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) procedures limit the number of awards (degrees and certificates) that can be officially reported by VCCS institutions for a student within an academic year (summer, fall, spring) to no more than two.
• Students may only graduate with one specialization within a single degree.
• All subsequent awards (degrees, certificates, career studies certificates) must differ from prior awards by at least 25 percent.

Participating in Commencement

• John Tyler Community College’s annual Commencement Ceremony is held each May. Students who graduate in the preceding summer, fall and spring semesters may participate.
• Students who wish to participate in the annual Commencement Ceremony must indicate this on their graduation applications, and submit a R.S.V.P. There are no exceptions to this requirement.
• Information about the Commencement Ceremony and the purchase of caps, gowns and announcements is mailed to all participants during the spring semester.

Diplomas

• The Admissions and Records office will notify graduates when their diplomas are ready for distribution. Candidates should make certain that their mailing addresses are accurate at the institution. Students who require official verification of their graduation should request official transcripts and note on the request that the transcript must show the degree conferred.  This may take 2-3 weeks after commencement.
• All graduation honors reflect all coursework attempted at John Tyler Community College. This includes courses that may not be used in satisfying specific graduation requirements.
• To be eligible for academic honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, cum laude), students must complete at least 50 percent of the courses used to satisfy the requirements of their degrees and/or certificates at John Tyler Community College.