Graduation Requirements - Undergraduate

Application for Graduation and Commencement

(SDSMT II:17:1; BOR 2.6.2)

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 2.8.1)

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 2.8.1; 2.6.1)

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 earn 30 credits from the degree-granting institution and 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

Because grades in courses taken in the student’s final term are not official until after commencement, honors candidates will be recognized at the commencement ceremony based on their academic work completed prior to those courses. However, the final term grades will be used in determining honors posted to the transcript.

An associate-level graduate must have completed a minimum of 25 percent of total 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 2.8.1; 2.6.1)

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 earn 60 credits from the degree-granting institution and 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

Because grades in courses taken in the student’s final term are not official until after commencement, honors candidates will be recognized at the commencement ceremony based on their academic work completed prior to those courses. However, the final term grades will be used in determining honors posted to the transcript.

The student must have completed a minimum of 25 percent of total 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 2.3.2.1.A)

Double Major

• An undergraduate student who wishes to qualify for a double major in two science programs must complete all requirements for both majors as they are laid out in the catalog
• This means earning a minimum of 120 credits for science majors or 130 credits for engineering majors plus all additional unique credits for the second major
• The majors must be earned concurrently, meaning you should not apply for graduation until you have finished both majors
• 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
• Can pursue more than two majors. All above rules will apply to every major

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 unique 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
• Can pursue more than two degrees. If pursuing more than two degrees, all above rules apply, and each additional degree will require completing 30 additional unique credits. 

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 2.8.1; 2.6.1)

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 2.2.2.1)

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.

Credit Definitions

(BOR 2.6.1)

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 2.6.1)

1. Minimum number of credit hours that must be earned from the institution granting the degree:

2. Number of the last credit hours earned preceding completion of the degree that must be earned from the institution granting the degree:

3. 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 2.3.7.A; BOR 2.3.7)

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 .