Academics

Commencement

Commencement exercises are held once per year in May for all students who graduated the previous December and those who are candidates for May or August graduation.

  • August candidates who are within six hours of graduation by the end of spring semester must show evidence that they will complete their degree requirements by August 31, or they will not be allowed to participate in the commencement ceremony. August candidates who have seven to twelve hours of credit hours remaining by the end of spring semester must also show proof to the Registrar before commencement that they have registered for all required credit hours to be completed by August 31, or they will not be allowed to participate in the commencement ceremony. Candidates for May or August graduation must be enrolled for the preceding spring semester in order to participate in commencement, or they will not be allowed to participate in the commencement ceremony. August candidates must turn in a Commencement Contract (see Forms) signed by their Advisor and Chair in order to participate in the ceremony. This contract will show their plan for graduation in August.
  • Participation in commencement does not assure that all degree requirements have been met and that a degree has been or will be conferred.
  • A student wishing to graduate in absentia should submit a request in writing to the Registrar and obtain written approval. Those granted permission to graduate in absentia are not relieved from paying the graduation fee.
  • No student can participate in the commencement ceremony unless he/she is in good academic standing.
 

Commencement questions

The Commencement ceremony for Class of 2020 & 2021 will take place the weekend of May 8 - 9, 2021. In keeping with our long-standing tradition, the Baccalaureate Mass and the Commencement Ceremony will be held, weather permitting, outdoors and will include a procession along the Avenue of the Oaks. We cannot finalize the specific date and time until we know how many graduates from the Class of 2020 will attend, as we plan to hold several smaller ceremonies in accordance with social distancing guidelines. 
 
Below is important information regarding the weekend’s events and plans. All plans are, of course, subject to change based on public health recommendations and regulations.
 
Baccalaureate Mass: The Baccalaureate Mass will be held on Friday, May 7, at 4:30 p.m. on Library Field near Byrne Hall. There will be no formal procession. Seating is open and we encourage graduating seniors to sit with their family members. Chairs will be set up for social distancing based on guidelines set by the Archdiocese. For more information about the Mass, contact Colleen Lee, Director of Campus Ministry, at cflee@shc.edu. Like the Commencement the graduates are limited to two guests at Mass.  Masks are required for Mass.

In-person Commencement Exercises: The in-person ceremony will focus on the procession of graduates and the conferral of degrees. In order to protect the safety of all involved, each student may only bring 2 guests. Information on the SHC Commencement, including a link to a livestream of the ceremony to allow friends and family to view this celebration, can be shared at the Commencement webpage . Cap and Gown are required for graduates. Masks are required for graduates and their guests.
Details about a future date will be provided in the coming weeks. 
 
Virtual Commencement: The in-person ceremony will be shortened, but it will be augmented with a virtual component that will include the class orator, the announcement of awards, and the individual announcement of names. You will be contacted in the near future by the vendor for the virtual event who will provide more details about the virtual component, including instructions for how to upload photos and videos, and how to access social media components of the virtual ceremony. You will be able to download and share the virtual component with family and friends.  
For more information and updates, visit the Spring Hill College Commencement webpage.  

Cap & gown orders are handled by the Spring Hill College bookstore located on the main floor of the Student Center. 
 
Please use this link  to order your cap and gown. Caps and gowns will be delivered to your home address by Herff Jones before Commencement, and extras will not be available on campus. It is the responsibility of each graduate to make sure the Commencement regalia is ordered and brought to campus. Those without a cap and gown will not be allowed to participate in Commencement exercises. 
 
Due to current COVID 19 restrictions, the bookstore will not host an in-person Grad Fair. 
 
Students who have not completed their Intent to Graduate form will not be able to order a cap & gown. Students completing their course of study over the summer (August grads) will require clearance from the Registrar's Office before ordering their cap & gown from the bookstore.
 
You should check your Badger student email regularly to ensure you have updated information related to ordering your cap & gown. 
No. During the ceremony, you will be handed an empty diploma cover.  Graduates who have completed all degree requirements will have their diploma mailed to them approximately 8 weeks after the ceremony. 
No, only the degree type will be listed on your diploma. For example, if your major/concentration was Business Administration with a concentration in Management/Marketing your degree type is Bachelor of Science.
No, you will receive one diploma.
  • For majors/concentrations which have common courses or curricula, at least eighteen credit hours (fifteen for concentrations) must be earned from non-overlapping courses in each of the two major/concentration areas. 
  • The applicant’s designation of a “first” and a “second” major determines whether the student receives a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree.This rule is applicable when majors fall under different distinctions for degree earned.
Due to COVID 19 restrictions, we will not take a senior class picture.  
Should restrictions change between now and then we will re-evaluate Class of 2021 ability to take a Senior class photo.   

Intent to Graduate

 

 

On or before the first of November preceding the spring commencement, all candidates for a degree must file with their department chairs a Notice of Intent to Graduate form, together with evidence that they will fulfill all requirements for graduation.

Failure to remit this form to the Registrar’s Office by the published deadline can affect the appearance of your name on the printed program, the availability of your diploma, participation in the commencement ceremony, and your ability to graduate.
 
It is the responsibility of the student to know and satisfy the degree requirements of the academic program.

Graduation with Honors

These general requirements must be obtained for graduation with honors:

• Completion of the program with the following minimum grade point averages: 3.9 for summa cum laude, 3.7 for magna cum laude, and 3.5 for cum laude.

• Transfer students must complete a minimum of 60 semester hours of “graded” course work (courses where letter grades using quality points are used) at Spring Hill College in order to qualify for honors consideration.

• Graduation honors will only be listed in the printed commencement program and called out at the ceremony for students who have completed all degree requirements by December or May, not for students who expect to complete in August.

Forms