Graduation Information
Union offers the following undergraduate degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Science degrees in Bioengineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.
A Union education is a four-year integrated living and learning experience. Our curriculum is designed to enable a student to achieve the breadth and depth that mark the graduate of a liberal arts college. There is a structure in the movement of our curriculum from first to senior year, a structure that ensures the intellectual sophistication and maturity that we want our graduates to have. Normally it takes four years of work to achieve these goals.
To qualify for a degree, a student must:
- Satisfactorily complete a minimum of 36 term courses in all programs except engineering, which requires up to 40 courses. For two-degree programs, refer to the section "Combined Degree Programs." professional degree);
- Satisfactorily complete requirements in the General Education Curriculum;
- Satisfactorily complete the requirements in the major field, degree program, or interdepartmental major, including senior capstone requirements such as a senior thesis, as applicable;
- Attain minimum cumulative indices of 1.80 overall, and 2.00 in the major (and 2.00 in the minor if a minor has been declared).
To graduate, a student also must have paid all sums due to the Finance Office, must have made satisfactory provision for payment of any other financial obligations assumed while in college, and return all books borrowed from the library.
The individual student is solely responsible for assuring that the program presented for graduation fulfills all requirements, both in general and in specialized study. The Office of the Registrar should be consulted when questions arise about the satisfaction of graduation requirements. The "Intent to Graduate" form must be submitted to the registrar's office as per the specified deadline. For questions concerning graduation, please contact Mrs. Gail Sack. assistant registrar, at sackg@union.edu.
Union College recognizes academic distinction by awarding some undergraduate degrees summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude, these Latin honors signifying various levels of the graduates' cumulative grade point averages. The faculty has the responsibility and authority for setting the levels necessary to attain the various honors. Standards are summa cum laude (3.80 or better), magna cum laude (3.65 or better), and cum laude (3.50 or better). To be eligible, students must have taken at least eighteen courses toward their undergraduate degree while enrolled at Union. Latin honors are calculated for graduating seniors at the end of the winter term. If a student's spring term grades elevate their gpa such that they qualify for the next higher level of honors, then a new diploma will be ordered upon receipt of the old one.