Frequently Asked Questions
Questions about Graduation
When is my graduation application due?
Where
do I get an
Undergraduate Graduation Application?
Who
has to sign
my graduation application?
What
is the
minimum number of credit hours required for graduation?
If
I’m not going
to graduate until May, can I walk in December?
Do
I need to have a "C-" or better in all my classes for my major or minor
in biology/biotechnology?
If your question isn't here, please write to Jon
Monroe.
When is my graduation
application due?
You should begin
working on your graduation application at the start of the fall
semester in your senior year. For May graduation, applications
are due in the department office around October 15. You should fill it
out and make an appointment with your academic advisor no later than
October 1 in order to meet this deadline. YOUR ADVISOR IS NOT
RESPONSIBLE FOR REVIEWING YOUR APPLICATION IMMEDIATELY WHENEVER YOU
HAND IT TO THEM. While in some cases it might be possible for it
to be reviewed immediately while you are there, generally it will take
several days to a week for it to be ready to be picked up and forwarded
to the biology office. The world will not end if it is a few days late,
but it is your responsibility to be on schedule. The reason that
it is important to complete this procedure on time is that by doing so,
you can identify courses that you may need to take in the spring
semester before registration begins around October 30. If
you delay and do not complete the application for graduation in time to
make use of your top priority for registration as a graduating senior,
there is no assurance that you will be able to get classes that you
need. It is possible that you may need to extend your time at JMU to
meet graduation requirements if you don't take this responsibility of
applying for graduation on time. (Other deadlines apply for
August and December graduation.)
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Where do I get an
Undergraduate Graduation Application?
You can pick these up
from the Biology Academic Office (Burruss 242) or the Records
Office Desk 300 Warren Campus Center.
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Who has to sign my
graduation application?
You should first take
your application to any minor departments that need to approve it. Once
you have the appropriate signatures for minors, hand it with your
current degree progress report to your advisor. (DO NOT JUST LEAVE IT
UNDER THE DOOR OR IN A MAIL BOX. MAKE SURE THE ADVISOR RECEIVES
THE FORM.) They will look it over closely and sign it if the
requirements will be met in time. You should then take it to the
Biology office in Burruss 242. Please give your advisor at least
a day or two to look it over.
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What is the minimum
number of credit hours required for graduation?
You must have 40 credit
hours of approved BIO courses, all of the required cognates, and 120
credits total
in order to graduate. Of the 40 hours of biology, 20 must be at
the 300 or 400 level. Of those 300- and 400-level courses, three
must be laboratory courses and one must be on the list of organismal
courses. Courses on both lists will count towards both
requirements. It is important that your Degree Progress Report
shows that these requirements are met. If this is not the case,
discuss it with your advisor and it may be necessary to contact the
Biology Academic Coordinator (Burruss 302) to obtain special
paperwork.
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If I’m not going to
graduate until May, can I walk in December?
You must contact the
registrar through the Records Office Desk in Warren Campus Center to
make special arrangements. There are several variables that are
involved and each case is handled individually. The Biology Department
does not play a role in the approval of this policy.
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Do I need to have a
"C-" or better in all my classes for my major or minor in
biology/biotechnology?
No. As long as you have a 2.0 or greater GPA
in all BIO courses that could be applied to the major you can
graduate. (You cannot take more hrs than required and only use
the high grades.) However, to be used as prerequisites, a grade
of C- or better much be earned in chemistry and core biology
courses. See the catalog for details. Cognate courses are
not used in the calculation of your BIO GPA.
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