Graduation

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

Graduation Process

Graduation at Northwest Florida State College (NWFSC) is an automatic process, streamlining the necessary steps for students and ensuring their transcripts reflect every credential earned. During the months of October (for the fall semester), March (for the spring semester), and June (for the summer semester), the College will conduct a preliminary review of each currently enrolled student’s degre audit. Students who will be “100% program complete” at the end of the term will be automatically identified as eligible for graduation, and the student will be sent the Graduation Application via the student’s NWFSC email account. Every student who receives this email notification must complete the Graduation Application by the deadline published within the email notification. Even if a student desires to opt-out of this process and chooses to delay the receipt of their earned credential, he or she must still indicate this decision on the Graduation Application. 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). Failure to respond to the email notification and submit the provided graduation application will result in the automatic award of the credential(s) for which she or he is eligible. Once a credential is awarded, a student may not request that it be removed from his or her permanent record.

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 NWFSC student email account for notifications regarding relevant deadlines. 

Students are responsible for selecting courses that 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 will be instructed 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 2020, Spring 2021, or Summer 2021 will fall under the 2020-2021 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 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 in Applied Science degree may not be earned in the same program.
• An additional Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Applied Science degree will require at least 30 credits in addition to the new program’s standard coursework requirements. The additional 30 credits may be core credits and/or general education credits but it is recommended that these additional credits be technical courses that support the specific program of study and support the student’s future educational and career goals. Students are encouraged to work closely with their intended program’s Department Chair/Division Director to ensure that the student is taking the most beneficial coursework. 
• An additional Associate in Science degree shall require at least 15 credits in addition to the new program’s standard coursework requirements. The additional 15 credits may be core credits and/or general education credits but it recommended that these additional credits be technical courses that support the specific program of study and support the student’s future educational and career goals. Students are encouraged to work closely with their intended program’s Department Chair/Division Director to ensure that the student is taking the most beneficial coursework.
• Students who have been awarded a State of Florida Associate in Arts degree, a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution, or a comparable international institution may have already met some of the graduation requirements through coursework taken as part of the previous degree. This may include general education requirements or other program-specific graduation requirements. However, numerous NWFSC graduation requirements are specifically mandated by Florida Statute and/or Florida Administrative Code and therefore must be met prior to the award of an NWFSC degree. Students who would like their previous degree coursework reviewed to see if additional graduation requirements can be waived should submit a Request for Exception: Records appeal. Please note that pre-requisites for major courses are still required.
• 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

NWFSC hosts two graduation ceremonies at the end of each spring semester. The ceremonies honor graduates from the previous summer and fall semesters, 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 NWFSC 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 normally 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 official 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 student’s current address on file with the College. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure the College has the most up-to-date contact information on file. Addresses can be updated through the Student Tab in RaiderNet or by completing the Update My Personal Information Form. Students must also confirm their current address on the Graduation Application that is emailed to the student’s NWFSC email account once he or she is identified as eligible for graduation.

• Educational records are maintained under a student’s full legal name and this is the name that will appear on the student’s NWFSC diploma. Any desired changes to the student’s legal name will require the student to submit a name change request to the Office of Academic Records and Enrollment via the Update My Personal Information Form and provide appropriate supporting documentation as applicable. If a student would like his or her diploma to reflect a name other than the full legal name, he or she must submit a request in writing to the Executive Director of Academic Records and Enrollment for consideration. Approval to use a name other than the student’s legal name is up to the discretion of the Executive Director of Academic Records and Enrollment.