The Application for Graduation is available on TopNet > Student Records.

All beginning freshmen who first entered WKU since fall 2014 fall semester as degree-seeking students follow the Colonnade Program requirements. The Colonnade Program is the name of WKU’s distinctive General Education curriculum.

Readmitted students with a catalog term older than seven years are also accountable for the Colonnade Program requirements. All transfer students who entered WKU since fall 2014 as degree-seeking students are accountable for the Colonnade Program requirements, EXCEPT those who have fulfilled the Kentucky General Education requirements and are admitted to WKU as “fully certified” OR those who have joint admission/ enrollment status prior to 2014 fall.

Progress towards the Colonnade Program requirements can be monitored through WKU's degree audit system. 

When a student is admitted to WKU, the student (except for a student pursuing a second degree, or a student with an active degree program on file in the Office of the Registrar) may run a degree audit to show degree requirements for his or her declared program of study. The degree audit will monitor degree and university requirements until a degree is awarded. Students who are not eligible to use our degree auditing software will file a paper degree program, after consulting with their advisor.

The following students are not eligible to use our degree auditing software and must file an undergraduate degree program:

• students who are pursuing a second associate or a second baccalaureate degree. 

Contact your advisor to complete a degree program outlining degree requirements. Students who have an active degree program on file in the Office of the Registrar will not be able to access WKU's degree auditing software. To be granted access to WKU's degree auditing software, the student must contact Degree Certification to deactivate the current degree program.

When a student is admitted to WKU, the student (except for degree program students) may run a degree audit to show degree requirements for his or her declared program of study.

The degree audit will monitor degree and university requirements until a degree is awarded. Students who are not eligible to use WKU's degree auditing software will file a paper degree program, after consulting with their advisor.

A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours, according to one of the following options:

• Students with a major that is 48 hours or more are not required to declare a second major or minor, unless specified by the department.
• Student with a major below 48 hours must select a second major or minor. Students who select a major and minor combination must have 54 hours total between the major and minor and 48 hours unduplicated.
• Students pursuing the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies are required to select an emphasis of study and may also select a minor. No hours may be duplicated between the emphasis and minor. Contact the School of Leadership and Professional Studies for more information.

Courses which do not fulfill specific requirements for the major, minor, Colonnade, teacher education or Honors requirements are considered general electives. To use courses in the general electives portion of the degree audit report toward the major or minor, you must consult your advisor and file an exception form found here: https://www.wku.edu/registrar/registrar_forms.php.

Students should review their degree audit (or degree program if applicable), to assure the following requirements have been met:

• Includes 54 hours (minimum) in major, minor, or certificate combination, 48 unduplicated. 
• Includes 42 upper-division hours (300 or above).
• Includes 25% of the minimum number of semester hours earned through instruction at WKU. 
• Includes one-third of hours in major and in minor earned through instruction at WKU.
• Includes one-half of hours in major and in minor at the upper-division level (300 or above).
• Includes minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours earned in courses numbered 100 or above for a baccalaureate degree and 60 unduplicated semester hours for an associate degree. 
• A minimum GPA of 2.0 must be obtained in each of the following areas prior to graduation: Overall cumulative (all college level courses attempted), excluding developmental courses; Overall in major courses and in minor courses; and, Overall in WKU coursework in major and in minor.

All candidates for a baccalaureate degree are expected to make formal application immediately after attaining senior status (90 hours earned). Associate degree candidates should apply at least one semester in advance of the date on which the degree is to be conferred. The application may be obtained through TopNet. Application for Graduation fees are as follows:

• Baccalaureate Degree = $50
• Associate Degree = $50
• Certificate = $15 

For students who have applied for graduation and have paid the graduation fee, the Dean's office of the students's first declared major and Degree Certification will review the student's degree audit. Students will be notified via their WKU email account of any potential problems regarding progress toward their degree. 

All exception forms must be completed, all incompletes must be removed, all transfer credit received and all courses finished by the end of the term in which the degree is to be awarded. This includes On Demand Coursework. Failure to comply could result in postponement of the graduation date. The student must, in all cases, be primarily responsible for meeting the requirements for graduation.

To be eligible to graduate with honors distinction (cumulative overall and cumulative WKU grade point averages of 3.4 or higher).

Students who maintain superior cumulative grade point averages are recognized at graduation according to the following designations:

• With Distinction - The graduation honor given to students who have completed their associate degree with both cumulative overall and cumulative WKU grade point averages of 3.4 - 3.69.
• With High Distinction - The graduation honor given to students who have completed their associate degree with both cumulative overall and cumulative WKU grade point averages of 3.7 - 4.0.
• Cum Laude - The graduation honor given to students who have completed their baccalaureate study with both cumulative overall and cumulative WKU grade point averages of 3.40 - 3.59.
• Magna Cum Laude - The graduation honor given to students who have completed their baccalaureate study with both cumulative overall and cumulative WKU grade point averages of 3.60 - 3.79.
• Summe Cum Laude - The graduation honor given to students who have completed their baccalaureate study with both cumulative overall and cumulative WKU grade point averages of 3.80 - 4.00.

The information on this page is provided as a guide. Detailed academic requirements and regulations are stated in the undergraduate catalog.