Graduate Graduation Requirements

Commencement

Commencement ceremonies are held in Joliet, IL in May & December; in Albuquerque, NM in April for PA students; and in Brno, Czech Republic in February & September. Consult the USF Academic Calendar for the commencement dates. Specific information on the graduation activities is e-mailed to each graduate prior to the commencement date. Diplomas are mailed approximately 6 weeks following the awarding of the degree. Students who have holds on their account will not be allowed to attend the commencement ceremony and their diploma and transcripts will be held until the holds are released.

Graduation Requirements for Graduate Level Programs

Graduate level students are responsible for ascertaining and meeting all deadlines, e.g., registration, submission of papers, required assignments and application for graduation. The Application for Graduation can be obtained online in the MyUSF Portal; consult the Academic Calendar for specific deadlines. Declaring a certificate is also due by the graduation application deadline. If a student fails to graduate at the time originally anticipated, the student must reapply for graduation for the next appropriate semester. A graduation fee will be assessed. No graduation honors are awarded to graduate students. Candidates for graduate level programs must:

  • earn a minimum of 32 credit hours of graduate level coursework1
  • earn a minimum of 26 graduate level credit hours at the University of St. Francis
  • complete all requirements with respect to the major program and concentrations if appropriate. (Courses must be completed within eight calendar years beginning with the first semester of graduate studies.)
  • achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher at USF
  • successfully pass the Comprehensive Exam, Capstone project, or other culminating work required for each specific program
  • satisfy all financial requirements with the Business and Financial Aid Offices.
1

See specific major for requirements.

It is the responsibility of the student to see that all graduation requirements are met. If a student withdraws for more than one semester, the catalog and regulations in effect at the time of their return will apply. MBA and M.S. in Management students will not be allowed to have more than two classes with a grade of “C” applied toward fulfilling graduation requirements.

Refer to the current edition of the Physician Assistant Student Handbook to review Graduation Requirements for Graduate Level Programs policy variations unique to the Physician Assistant Program.

Earning a Certificate

USF offers certificates at the graduate and post-master’s levels. A formal application is required for a certificate to be awarded. The Application for Certificate is available through the MyUSF Portal (consult the Academic Calendar for specific deadlines). Students earning only a certificate are not eligible to participate in Commencement. Certificates are mailed approximately 6 weeks after the term has ended.

Comprehensive Examinations

Students pursuing a Master of Science degree in Health Administration, Master of Education, or the Master of Science in Nursing degree must satisfactorily pass a final comprehensive examination. The comprehensive exam is based on the content of the current program curriculum.

College of Business & Health Administration

Students pursuing a Master of Science degree in Health Administration must submit a request for the Comprehensive Examination the semester prior to their final semester of course work. In order to take the examination, students must have completed a minimum of 30 hours (or be in their final semester) and maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average in the program. The comprehensive examination must be taken within one year of the last class in which the student enrolls and it is administered six times a year. If a student fails the comprehensive exam, they are eligible to retake it. A student may only retake the exam once. If a student fails a second time, they will not be eligible for graduation.

Students pursuing a Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant Studies must successfully complete PAMS 790 Comprehensive Clinical Review in Quarter IX after successful completion of eight clinical rotations and maintaining at least a 3.0 grade point average throughout the entire program to be eligible to take the course. Students must pass the course to be eligible for graduation.

College of Education

Students pursuing a Master of Education with a Professional Educator License Teacher Educator must satisfactorily pass all required State of Illinois licensure tests and assessments. The student must maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average in the program. Any transfer credits must be approved and recorded by the University of St. Francis prior to taking any coursework. 

College of Nursing

Students pursuing the Master of Science in Nursing - Family Nurse Practitioner concentration must satisfactorily pass a final comprehensive examination. It focuses on a synthesis of the essential components of the advance practice curriculum. An emphasis is placed on four major threads of the curriculum: professional role development, nursing research, clinical management, and life-span considerations. The examination is provided as part of the coursework for NURS 698.

Students pursuing the Master of Science in Nursing- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner concentration must satisfactorily pass a final comprehensive examination. It focuses on a synthesis of the essential components of the advance practice. An emphasis is placed on four major threads: professional role development, nursing research, comprehensive management of psychiatric disorders and life-span considerations. The examination is provided as part of the coursework in NURS 655.

Students in the Master of Science in Nursing - Nursing Administration concentration complete their comprehensive examination during their capstone course. This is accomplished through project-based activities culminating in a written comprehensive project paper.

Students in the Master of Science in Nursing - Nursing Education concentration are required to complete at least 120 clinical hours, with a minimum of 30 of these hours in direct patient care within a clinical specialty area of their choice. This practicum includes classroom presentation(s) along with providing direct teaching to patients and nurses in a clinical setting.

In order to take the examination, students must be in the final semester of coursework or have completed all coursework and maintain at least a 3.0 GPA in the program. Any transfer credits must be approved and recorded by the University of St. Francis prior to being eligible to take the comprehensive examination. Those who do not pass the examination may retake the examination only upon consultation with and recommendation of the graduate faculty.