Graduation Regulations

VCCS Policy 5.1.2 and 5.1.3

Catalog Used for Graduation

Each new catalog becomes effective with the fall session of the year in which it is published. The catalog to be used to determine graduation requirements shall be either of the following:

  1. The catalog in effect at the time of the student’s placement in the curriculum from which the student intends to graduate or
  2. Any subsequent catalog which came into effect while the student was enrolled in that curriculum at BRCC. The College publishes its Catalog on the website (https://www.brcc.edu) each year in the summer.  The Catalog is effective from the fall through summer terms.
  3. Students who have not enrolled in three consecutive years will be discontinued (inactivated) in the system. If a student is discontinued because of absence of enrollment, graduation requirements will be determined by the catalog in effect during the semester in which the student re-applies for admission or any catalog issued subsequent to the re-enrollment. Students who have not attended for three consecutive years must re-apply for admission. Please note: the catalog to be used to certify graduation requirements shall have been in effect no more than seven years prior to the time of graduation.

Nursing A.A.S. degree candidates: Students must satisfy the graduation requirements listed in the catalog in effect at the time they began the clinical component of the Nursing program.

Requirements for Graduation

The responsibility for knowing and fulfilling all graduation requirements lies with the student. To receive an Associate Degree, Certificate, or Career Studies Certificate from the College, a student must:

  1. Submit an application for graduation found in SIS in “My Student Information” by the published deadlines. Find many more graduation details at https://www.brcc.edu/academics/graduation/1
  2. fulfill all of the course and credit hour requirements as specified in the appropriate College catalog, according to the Catalog Used for Graduation policy above;
  3. complete at the College a minimum of 25% of the total credit hours for the Associate Degree, Certificate and/or Career Studies Certificate;
  4. have a grade point average of at least 2.0:
    1.  in all courses attempted toward graduation in the curriculum (Associate of Science and Associate of Arts candidates);
    2.  in specialized or major field courses applicable toward graduation in the curriculum (Certificate, Career Studies Certificate and Associate of Science candidates);
  5. resolve all financial obligations to the College and return all library books and other materials;
  6. complete a general education assessment instrument(s) provided by the College (Associate degree candidates only). Test results are used to assess and improve the effectiveness of programs and services; and
  7. comply with VCCS Policy 5.1.2.0, applicable to a second degree, which can be found at https://go.boarddocs.com/va/vccs/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=9QK63712EB5F.
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Blue Ridge policy requires an application for graduation to ensure a review of graduation eligibility, conferral of degree, and inclusion in Commencement Ceremony planning. Periodically, student records are reviewed by Student Services personnel. If an internal audit of a student record reveals that a student has met graduation requirements for a program without applying for graduation, the Registrar may confer the credential. When a credential is conferred without a student application, the student will be notified via their VCCS student email account.

Withdrawing Application for Graduation

If a student has met all requirements for graduation, he or she may not withdraw his/her application or have his/her official conferral postponed to a future semester. Credentials will be awarded upon the first term all requirements are met.  

Graduation Honors

Appropriate honors are awarded for Degrees and Certificates (Career Studies Certificates are not eligible for graduation honors) based upon the student’s cumulative grade point average as follows:

GPA Honors
3.8 Summa Cum Laude (with highest honors)
3.5 Magna Cum Laude (with high honors)
3.2 Cum Laude (with honors)