Oct 05, 2024  
2022-2023 Academic Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Graduation Requirements - Undergraduate



Application for Graduation and Commencement

(SDSMT II:17:1; BOR 2:17)

An Application for Graduation and Commencement must be completed by the date indicated on the academic calendar which is located in the Academic Calendar  section of the catalog. If you are completing degree requirements during the summer term you must complete the form for the preceding May graduation. A student is allowed to walk only once in a commencement ceremony. Students must be actively enrolled in the semester that they graduate and meet the requirements of the degree. This form is online at the following URL:  interact.sdsmt.edu/aes/graduation.htm

Minimum Graduation Standards

(BOR 2:10)

To be awarded a baccalaureate degree, an associate degree, or a certificate a student must at a minimum have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.

Associate Degree

(BOR 2:102:29)

The institution granting the degree determines the honors designation for its associate-level graduates. To earn an honor designation at graduation, an associate-level graduate must meet both the following cumulative and institutional grade point averages:

With highest honor:
equal to or greater than 3.90

With high honor:
equal to or greater than 3.70 and less than 3.90

With honor:
equal to or greater than 3.50 and less than 3.7

An associate-level graduate must have completed a minimum of 15 credit hours at the institution granting the degree. In addition, 8 of the last 15 credit hours earned preceding completion of the degree must be earned from the institution granting the degree.  Courses that are part of a formal collaborative agreement among Regental universities are considered to be earned from the institution granting the degree. 

For more information regarding the Associate of Arts degree requirements, see General Studies, AA 

Baccalaureate Degree

(BOR 2:102:29)

The following rules on graduation requirements apply for the bachelor of science degree in any curriculum offered by the university. Requirements that apply to many or all programs are described below. Please refer to the curriculum for an individual degree program for specific course requirements. Each candidate for a degree is personally responsible for meeting all requirements for graduation. No university official can relieve a candidate of this responsibility.

The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology reserves the right to change any course of study or any part of a curriculum in keeping with accreditation, educational, and scientific developments.

The institution granting the degree determines the honors designation for its graduates. To earn an honors designation at graduation, the student must meet both the following cumulative and institutional grade point averages:

Summa Cum Laude:
equal to or greater than 3.90

Magna Cum Laude:
equal to or greater than 3.70 and less than 3.90

Cum Laude:
equal to or greater than 3.50 and less than 3.70

The student must have completed a minimum of 30 credit hours at the institution granting the degree. In addition, 15 of the last 30 credit hours earned preceding completion of the degree must be earned from the institution granting the degree. Courses that are part of a formal collaborative agreement among Regental universities are considered to be earned from the institution granting the degree.

Minimum number of credit hours specified in the major or minor requirements that must be completed at the degree granting institution: 50 percent. However, this requirement may be waived for students enrolled in the set of majors offered by the system’s Centers which include in the established programs of study common courses offered by one of the other Regental universities. In addition, the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost may make exceptions to this requirement for individuals based on the student’s prior learning experiences.

Pursuing Two Degrees or Majors

(AAC 2:1)

Double Major

  • An undergraduate student who wishes to qualify for a double major in two science programs must complete all requirements for both degrees as they are laid out in the catalog
  • This means earning a minimum of 120 credits for one science major plus all additional unique credits for the second science major
  • The degrees must be earned concurrently, meaning you should not apply for graduation until you have finished both degrees
  • The System General Education requirements must be met once
  • A student will receive a single diploma with both majors printed under a single Bachelor of Science degree.

The double major option at South Dakota Mines applies only to science programs (non-engineering programs).

Working on a double major can have implications for students receiving Federal Student Aid. Contact Financial Aid at 605-394-2274 for questions.

Dual Degree

  • A student completes all courses and credits for each degree, as they are laid out in the catalog
  • A minimum of 30 credits of the second degree must not be applicable to the first degree, meaning you will complete a minimum of 150 to 160 credits depending on the two degrees chosen
  • The degrees can be earned consecutively (in different semesters) or concurrently (in the same semester)
  • Two separate diplomas are printed, one for each degree
  • The residency requirement of a minimum of 30 credit hours completed at the institution granting the degree applies to both degree programs

Working on dual undergraduate degrees can have implications for students receiving Federal Student Aid. Contact Financial Aid at 605-394-2274 for questions.

Semester Credit and Grade-Point Average

(BOR 2:102:29)

Additional requirements are listed with each departmental curriculum found in a later section of this catalog. All curricula require passing grades in the prescribed courses and a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00. Each engineering curriculum requires 130 hours of credit for graduation and each science curriculum requires one 120 hours of credit.

Transfer Credit

(BOR 2:5)

Articulation of credit may be allowed for previous college education if the courses are equivalent to required or elective courses at this university and if each course presented is of passing quality.

Transfer credit for work at a junior, community college (two year) and/or two-year technical college may not exceed one-half of the hours required for completion of the baccalaureate degree at the accepting institution.

Credit Definitions

(BOR 2:29)

Credits in Residence

Credit in residence within the Board of Regents system is a course offered by any of the degree-granting Regental institutions at any approved sites using any approved method of delivery.

Institutional Credits

An institutional credit is a credit offered by the degree granting institution and includes credits that are part of a formal collaborative agreement between that institution and another Regental institution.

Validated Credits

Credit earned for college level courses by validation methods such as Credit by Exam, CLEP, AP, portfolio, and others within the Regental system will not be considered “credits in residence.”

Institutional Credit Requirements for Degree-Seeking Students

(BOR 2:29)

  1. Minimum number of credit hours that must be earned from the institution granting the degree:
                Baccalaureate 30 hours
  Associate 15 hours
  1. Number of the last credit hours earned preceding completion of the degree that must be earned from the institution granting the degree:
  Baccalaureate 15 of the last 30 hours
  Associate 8 of the last 15 hours
  1. Minimum number of credit hours specified in the major or minor requirements that must be completed at the degree granting institution: 50 percent. However, this requirement may be waived for students enrolled in the set of majors offered by the system’s Centers which include in the established programs of study common courses offered by one of the other Regental universities. In addition, the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost may make exceptions to this requirement for individuals based on the student’s prior learning experiences.

Required Check-out Procedure

All graduating seniors and students terminating enrollment at South Dakota Mines are responsible for ensuring that they have returned all keys, library books, laboratory equipment, and other university property to the appropriate departments prior to graduation or their last day of enrollment. All financial obligations to the university or any of its departments must also be paid prior to graduation or termination of enrollment at South Dakota Mines.

Perkins Student Loan recipients must complete an exit interview with a Business Office representative prior to graduation or termination of enrollment at South Dakota Mines.

The university reserves the right to withhold a student’s diploma and/or transcript of grades for failure to meet any of the above specified requirements. 


Bachelor of Science General Education Requirements


(AAC 8:4BOR 2:7)

The courses listed below for the General Education requrirments are courses currently offered through South Dakota Mines. For a complete list of courses that will fullfill the requirements, see the General Education Requirements Checklist .

Goal #1 Written Communication


Goal #1: Students will write effectively and responsibly and understand and interpret the written expression of others.

Credit Hours: 6 hours


Courses offered:

Goal #2 Oral Communication


Student will communicate effectively and responsibly through listening and speaking.

Credit Hours: 3 hours


Courses offered:

Curriculum Notes


Mines students pursuing a BS degree are recommended to take a sequence of ENGL 101, ENGL 279, and ENGL 289 to complete Goals #1 and #2.

Goal #3 Social Sciences


Students will understand the organization, potential, and diversity of the human community through study of the social sciences.

Goal #4 Humanities


Students will understand the diversity and complexity of the human experience through study of the arts and humanities.

Credit Hours: 6 hours in two different disciplines (prefixes) or in a sequence of foreign language courses


Courses offered:

Curriculum Notes


1 Repeatable for up to 3 credits towards partial satisfaction of Goal 4 Humanities requirement.

Goal #5 Mathematics


Students will understand and apply fundamental mathematical processes and reasoning. 

Credit Hours: 3 hours


Courses offered:

Curriculum Notes


Most majors will require a specifc math general education course to be taken. Please consult your major’s requirements for more details.

Goal #6 Natural Sciences


Students will understand the fundamental principles of the natural sciences and apply scientific methods of inquiry to investigate the natural world.

Curriculum Notes


Most majors will require specifc science general education courses to be taken. Please consult your major’s requirements for more details.