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Graduation Requirements
Degree Requirements
Students are responsible for fulfilling all the requirements of their curriculum.
At the end of junior year, students should confirm that their Academic Planning Worksheet on Penn InTouch is updated and accurate. This includes meeting with the major advisor to be sure that the major section of the worksheet has been updated with all relevant courses. The College will conduct an audit of rising seniors’ worksheets during the summer and inform them by email and letter of any missing requirements, as well as other graduation-related issues the students needs to address.
Credits for Graduation
The total number of credit units ("c.u.," or "credits") needed for graduation varies between 32 and 36 depending on the number of credits required in the major. Each major specifies a certain number of credits that must be completed, but never less than 12. In addition to the major, students must normally complete 20 credits outside the major. No more than 36 credits will be required for graduation. Those whose majors require more than 16 credits may take correspondingly fewer than 20 outside the major.
The 20 credits taken outside the major will include courses taken to fulfill general education requirements and Free Electives. Some of the general education courses will also count toward the major (see Policies for the particular requirement). In this case students will take additional Free Electives. Since the College confers a bachelor of arts degree, 16 of the 20 credits outside the major must be Arts and Sciences courses. That means students may count as many as 4 courses from schools outside Arts and Sciences towards the degree. Students who wish to take more than the minimum number of credits for graduation may take even more than 4 from other schools. If a major requires more than 16 credits, correspondingly fewer than 4 courses from other schools may be counted toward the degree.
Grade Point Average
Students must maintain a 2.0 overall grade point average, and a 2.0 (or better, depending on the department) in major courses.
Application for Graduation
An Application for Graduation must be submitted prior to the semester of expected graduation. Seniors must adhere to a graduation schedule prepared each year by the College Office. A late fee will be charged for failure to apply for graduation by the date specified.
Check the application timeline for May, August and December graduation. It is the student's responsibility to be aware of upcoming deadlines, including the deadline for completion of the graduation application.
Major Certification
Each department, interdepartmental major committee, or individualized major advisor will certify major students as having met the requirements for the respective majors.
Residency Requirement
At least four semesters of full-time study must be completed in Philadelphia while enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania. The value of the Penn experience lies not only in courses taken but also in participation in the life of the University community both in and outside the classroom. Students must also be registered for their last two semesters at the University, including registration through its approved programs for study elsewhere. No student may graduate with a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania unless he or she has completed at Penn at least one-half of the total number of required course units. He or she must also complete at Penn at least one-half of the courses required for his or her major.
Petitions
It is possible that students who are waiting for a decision from the Committee on Undergraduate Academic Standing on a petition submitted regarding graduation requirements may not be cleared in time for graduation. It is, therefore, important to submit any necessary petitions as early as possible.