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Graduation Requirements

A minimum of 120 credit hours is required for the baccalaureate degree. All candidates for graduation must take their final 30 hours with Gardner-Webb University. Students transferring from community colleges are required to complete a minimum of 60 credit hours of subsequent study in senior colleges or universities, with at least the final 30 hours with Gardner-Webb. A student must have a minimum grade of 2.0 on each course counted toward the major. A transfer student is required to complete at least one-half of the major (a minimum of 15 credit hours) at Gardner-Webb.

Application for Graduation

Each student is responsible for fulfilling all requirements for the chosen degree program. In cooperation with his/her advisor, the student is also responsible for filing an Application for Graduation with the Registrar through WebbConnect. Students must apply for graduation by the published deadline listed on the Academic Calendar. Specific deadlines will be published and a late fee will be imposed after the deadline date. A final deadline will also be published after which applications will be carried forward to the next scheduled Commencement.

Commencement Participation Policy

Participation in Commencement exercise is not required. If a student is unable to participate in the Commencement ceremony upon completion of degree requirements, the student must send an email to graduation@gardner-webb.edu.

Honors and Awards

Semester Honors

Three lists of semester honors students are posted each semester:

1. President’s List – Students enrolled in a minimum of 12 semester hours must earn a 4.00 Gardner-Webb University semester grade point average.

2. Dean’s List – Students enrolled in a minimum of 12 semester hours must earn a 3.70 to a 3.99 Gardner-Webb University semester grade point average, with no grade below a “C’.

3. Honor Roll – Students enrolled in a minimum of 12 semester hours must earn a 3.40 to a 3.69 Gardner-Webb University semester grade point average, with no grade below a “C”.

Alpha Chi

Gardner-Webb University has an active chapter of Alpha Chi (AX), a multidisciplinary honor society with membership in the Association of College Honor Societies. Membership in Alpha Chi is the highest honor bestowed on traditional undergraduate students at Gardner-Webb University. In addition, it offers members opportunities for educational enrichment and for scholarship competition. A list of Alpha Chi nominees is produced by the Registrar and audited for membership requirements once a year in the Fall semester. Alpha Chi nominees then receive a letter of nomination explaining the requirements of membership and an invitation to a formal induction ceremony. Alpha Chi members serve as junior marshals at Commencement and are formally recognized during their own graduation ceremonies.

To be eligible for AX, a student must:

  1. Have attained junior status by earning at least 60 hours of college credit,
  2. Place in the top 10% of his/her class based on cumulative GPA,
  3. Have earned 24 hours credit from Gardner-Webb University,
  4. Be enrolled in at least 12 hours of college classes in the semester of induction, and
  5. Have a record of excellent citizenship and character.

Annual Awards

Students with the highest Gardner-Webb University GPA are recognized at Fall Convocation. The first-, second-, and third-year awards are calculated at the conclusion of the academic year and are based on the number of academic years the student has completed at Gardner-Webb.

Awards are made to outstanding students in many individual disciplines at the Spring Awards Ceremony.

The Senior Scholastic Award is presented at each undergraduate Commencement. To be considered for the award, a student must complete a minimum of 60 hours at Gardner-Webb. It is presented to the senior who has the highest Gardner-Webb University GPA; in most cases the Gardner-Webb GPA is 4.000. When there is more than one graduating senior who has the highest GPA, the true overall GPA is used to determine the award winner, functioning as a tie-breaker. This calculation includes transfer work averaged in with all work at Gardner-Webb.

The Most Outstanding Male Graduate Award is endowed by Dr. John Roberts of Greenville, SC. Dr. Roberts received the award when he graduated from Gardner-Webb in 1949. The award perpetuates the memory of Professor J. D. Huggins, the first principal of the Boiling Springs High School. The award recognizes scholarship and participation in University activities. The Most Outstanding Female Graduate Award is provided by Mrs. Bonnie R. Price in memory of Miss Etta L. Curtis. The award recognizes scholarship and participation in University activities.

The awards are given annually at the May Commencement exercise. Students who meet the criteria below are eligible for that year’s Outstanding Graduate Awards. Eligible students will include those who completed their requirements and graduated in the previous December commencement or who will complete and graduate during the coming August commencement. The winners of these awards are selected by the faculty.

Criteria for eligibility include the following.

  1. Graduating Senior;
  2. GPA of 3.5 or better;
  3. Completion of at least four semesters of study in the Traditional Undergraduate Program;
  4. Record of meaningful involvement in campus life;
  5. Demonstrated potential for leadership beyond graduation; and
  6. Record of responsible campus citizenship (verified by Student Development).

Graduation Honors

To be considered for baccalaureate honors, a graduating student must complete a minimum of 60 hours at Gardner-Webb University, and his or her GPA for that work taken here must merit honors.

Those in the graduating class with a GPA of 3.8 or above will receive honors. Those with a 3.8-3.89 will receive cum laude. Those with a 3.9-3.94 will receive magna cum laude. Those with a 3.95-4.0 will receive summa cum laude.

Associate degree students whose overall GPA and Gardner-Webb GPA are 3.2 or more are designated as Honor Students.

Honors Program Graduation Recognitions

Gardner-Webb University provides a comprehensive Honors Program to nurture academically qualified students in all majors. Emphasis is placed on Honors classes, leadership through their academic and co-curricular accomplishments, preparation for graduate school, and special activities. Students who participate in the Honors Program, complete a minimum of 27 credit hours of Honors courses, and receive the recommendation of the Honors faculty will receive “Honors Program” recognition during commencement exercises.