Graduation

Additional Degrees Diplomas Effective Catalog Changes Graduation Ceremonies Graduation Honors Graduation Process Graduation Regalia

Graduation Process

Graduation at NWF State College is an automatic process, streamlining the necessary steps for students and ensuring their transcripts reflect every credential earned. Students will be automatically identified as eligible for graduation upon completion of all degree requirements, and the student will be contacted via his or her NWF State College email account to confirm that the degree or credential can be awarded. Students may opt-out of the automatic process with the Office of Academic Records and Enrollment at any time prior to the deadline published within the student’s eligibility notification sent via his or her NWF State College email account. Students opting out of auto-graduation understand that the Office of Academic Records and Enrollment will not award the credential until such time as the student provides approval (the credential will then be awarded during the normal award deadline for the semester in which approval was granted and the student cannot request that the award be back-dated to a prior semester).

During the months of October (Fall), March (Spring) and June (Summer), the College will conduct a preliminary review of each currently enrolled student’s degree audit. Students who will be “100% program complete” at the end of the term will be eligible for graduation. An email will be sent to the NWF State College student email account of eligible students informing them of their graduation status and inviting them to participate in the spring commencement ceremony. 

To be eligible for graduation, a student must have a complete admission file, including official transcripts from all previous institutions attended. If a student has an incomplete file or is completing the remaining course(s) as a transient student at a different institution, the Office of Academic Records and Enrollment must receive all outstanding items by the graduation deadline. Students should always check their NWF State College student email account for notifications regarding relevant deadlines. 

Students are responsible for selecting courses which meet program requirements and for earning the required minimum grades in those courses. Contact a Student Success Navigator no later than two semesters prior to the anticipated graduation date to schedule an appointment and confirm all requirements. Students may review their graduation progress through the DegreeWorks degree audit component of RaiderNet.

At the end of the semester, all eligible students will be reviewed for a final check of program completion. Unsuccessful graduation candidates will be notified which outstanding requirements prevented the student from graduating for the current semester and encouraged to follow-up with a Student Success Navigator to determine the best path forward to degree completion.

Effective Catalog Policy

Students must follow the requirements outlined in the College Catalog in effect for the term in which the student is admitted (students admitted into a program for Fall 2019, Spring 2020, or Summer 2020 will fall under the 2019-2020 College Catalog). Students are expected to complete the program within five catalog years. A student who does not maintain continuous enrollment (breaks enrollment) and is required to re-apply to the College must complete requirements for graduation under the catalog in effect for the term of re-admission. Continuous enrollment is defined as enrollment in at least one course per major semester (Fall, Spring) during an academic year. A student who does not complete the requirements within five catalog years will be evaluated for graduation using current catalog requirements.

Additional Degrees

A student who earns a degree at NWF State College may be granted a second or additional degree under the following conditions:

• No more than one Associate in Arts degree may be granted.
• A Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Applied Science, Associate in Science, and/or Associate of Applied Science degree may not be earned in the same program.
• The written degree plan for an additional Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Applied Science degree shall specify the prerequisite and core courses for the additional degree. In meeting these requirements, the student may use courses completed for a previous degree. However, the student must complete at least 30 additional credits. The additional 30 credits may be core credits and/or general education credits but are usually technical courses that support the specific program of study. The degree plan including the additional required courses must be approved in advance by the appropriate Department Chair/Division Director, the Executive Director of Academic Records and Enrollment, and the Vice President of Teaching & Learning.
• The written degree plan for an additional Associate in Science degree shall specify the pre-requisite and core courses for the additional degree. In meeting these requirements, the student may use courses completed for a previous degree. However, the student must complete at least 15 additional credits unless otherwise noted on an approved program of study. The additional 15 credits may be core credits and/or general education credits but are usually technical courses that support the specific program of study. The degree plan including the additional courses must be approved in advance by the appropriate Department Chair/Division Director, the Executive Director of Academic Records and Enrollment, and the Vice President of Teaching & Learning.
• Students who have been awarded a State of Florida AA degree, a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution or a comparable international institution may meet some of the graduation requirements by virtue of their previous degree. This may include general education requirements or other program-specific graduation requirements. However, prerequisites for major courses are still required.  Students should contact a Student Success Navigator for additional information.
• All other requirements for graduation remain in effect for students pursuing additional degrees.

Graduation Honors

For students enrolled in a degree program (Baccalaureate and Associate) at the time of graduation, a student’s total academic record is included in the calculation to determine recognition of outstanding academic achievement. If the student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA) meets the standards, and if the student meets all other graduation requirements, he or she will be graduated with the appropriate level of honors. The following honors will be posted on the diploma and the transcript as applicable:

For students enrolled in a certificate or diploma program (Career and Technical, Vocational, College Credit or Applied Technology Diploma) at the time of graduation, all coursework pursued toward the certificate or diploma will be included in the calculation to determine recognition of outstanding academic achievement. If the student’s grade point average for the certificate or diploma course meets the standards, and if the student meets all other graduation requirements, he or she will be graduated with the appropriate level of honors. The following honors will be posted on the diploma and the transcript as applicable:

Graduation Ceremony

NWF State College hosts two graduation ceremonies at the end of the Spring semester. The ceremonies honor graduates from the previous Summer and Fall semester, as well as potential Spring semester graduates. Students participating in the ceremony must RSVP prior to the ceremony. Once identified as eligible to participate in the ceremony, students will be contacted via his or her NWF State College email account with instructions on how to RSVP. For more information regarding the Commencement Ceremony, please refer to the Graduation webpage.

Graduation Regalia

Graduation regalia to include cap, gown, tassel, and baccalaureate stole are available at the Barnes and Noble College Store located on the Niceville campus approximately four weeks prior to graduation. Graduation regalia are required for participation. Honor cords are provided by the College and are given out at the Commencement check-in station on the day of the ceremony. Please note that because the Commencement Ceremony takes place prior to the posting of final grades for the Spring semester, potential Spring graduates will have honor cords assigned based on the honor designation as of the completed Fall semester. Once final grades are posted, the final honors designation will appear on the student’s official transcript. For more information regarding graduation, please refer to the Graduation webpage. For additional information concerning graduation regalia, please call the Niceville Barnes and Noble College Store at (850) 729-5384.

Diplomas

Diplomas are mailed 6-8 weeks after the close of each semester to the address on the graduation application.

• Educational records are maintained under a student’s full legal name. This is the First Name, Middle Initial/Middle Name, Last Name, and Suffix. However, other names for which the student may be known are also included within the student’s file. The name that appears on the diploma may be chosen by the student from the following: full legal name, preferred name, or any alternate name already on file. On the graduation application, a student may only edit his or her middle name and/or suffix; otherwise, the name selected for use on the diploma must be one that is already on file within the College’s Student Information System. An edit made to the middle name and/or suffix on the graduation application will only affect the name on the printed diploma, not the student’s legal name as it appears in the College’s Student Information System. Any other desired changes to the first or last name will require the student to submit a name change request to the Office of Academic Records and Enrollment via the Update Personal Information Form and provide appropriate supporting documentation as applicable.