Graduation Requirements (2024)

Catalog Choice and Retroactivity

Students may choose to fulfill all requirements from a single catalog for which they are eligible or they may fulfill the general education and integrative requirements from one of the catalogs for which they are eligible and all of the major requirements from another of the catalogs for which they are eligible. Catalog eligibility will be confirmed by the Office of the Registrar when th student applies for graduation. It is imperative for students to work closely with their faculty advisor to make sure that the proper requirements are met.

Except as noted below, UH Hilo students may elect to follow the requirements selected from the following catalogs:

• The default catalog for all students entering UH Hilo will be the one in effect when they first enroll at UH Hilo as long as they maintain continuous enrollment, defined as no more than a one semester interruption¹ (excluding summers); if a student interrupts his/her enrollment by two or more consecutive semesters¹ (excluding summers), the "entering" catalog will be the one in force when the student returns to UH Hilo.
• Students may elect to use the catalog in force when they entered any campus of the UH System as long as they maintain continuous enrollment as defined above.
• Students may petition the Dean of their College for an approved leave of absence for unusual circ*mstances beyond the student’s control; an approved leave of absence will allow a student to use the catalog in force when s/he entered UH Hilo or another UH System campus with a break of more than one semester.
• At the time of graduation, students may elect the UH Hilo catalog in force at graduation.
• Early in their academic careers, students should choose an entering catalog and should file a "catalog declaration" form with the Office of the Registrar. This will determine the default requirements in STAR. At the time they file an application for graduation, they will again have the opportunity to choose the catalog under which they would like to graduate from the catalogs they are eligible for.

Baccalaureate Degrees: General Requirements

Baccalaureate degrees are granted only to those students who:

1. earn at least 120 semester hours
2. complete satisfactorily the program of courses prescribed for their majors
3. earn at least a 2.0 UH Hilo cumulative GPA as well as a 2.0 GPA in courses required for the major (a higher GPA may be required for some degrees) and minor (if any)
4. earn a minimum of 30 semester hours from UH Hilo
5. have been registered as classified students with a declared major in attendance at UH Hilo within the preceding calendar year
6. meet all requirements of their respective colleges and departments.

All degree requirements must be met within the special limitations imposed upon directed reading/directed studies, “credit/no credit” and special topics courses, and the credit by examination policy. Students should consult all appropriate sections of this Catalog or speak with their faculty advisors or college deans for more details on these limitations.

More information on baccalaureate degree requirements is contained in the section Undergraduate Education. Students are urged to pay strict attention to all requirements and to see an advisor regularly.

Application for Graduation

An application for graduation from any of the degree or certificate programs offered by UH Hilo should be submitted to the Office of the Registrar for processing by the deadline specified in the UH Hilo Academic Calendar. The Graduation Application Form is available on the Office of the Registrar’s forms page. A non-refundable processing fee is charged upon application. Failure to file a graduation application by the specified deadline will result in a delay of graduation. Information about graduation can be found online at Graduation and Diploma Information.

Graduation in Absentia

Under extraordinary circ*mstances, students may earn their final credits at an institution other than UH Hilo and, upon official transfer of these credits back to UH Hilo, graduate with their degree from UH Hilo. This practice is called graduation in absentia. Students must demonstrate a compelling personal reason to graduate in absentia, and their application must be approved by the appropriate dean before any courses are taken in absentia.

Graduation in absentia is not automatic nor is it a right of students. In order to be eligible to be considered for graduation in absentia, a student must meet all of the specified conditions. Forms are available on the Office of the Registrar’s forms page. Students whose application for graduation in absentia has been approved also must apply for graduation as described in the above section entitled “Application for Graduation.”