Admissions & Records > Graduation
WNC Students – Do you know what catalog you should be following for your degree or certificate requirements?
Requirements for degrees and certificate of achievements can change with each academic catalog. There are specific policies that dictate which catalog and resulting set of degree/certificate requirements you may follow.
Each WNC catalog is effective for the fall, spring and subsequent summer terms. Only the most current catalog is available online.
WNC students have three choices for selecting a catalog year:
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- A student may select the catalog year under which he/she initially enrolls and completes a course.
- A student may select the catalog year when he/she officially declares a program of study for the first time (this option is available only if the degree was declared fall 2007 or later)
- A student may select the catalog year under which he/she will complete the curriculum requirements for a degree/certificate and applies for graduation.
There are time limits to the catalog choices, including:
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- In no case may students use a catalog which is more than six years old at the time of graduation (ten years for the BTECH degree). Students who fail to complete degree/certificate curriculum requirements within six years of their initial enrollment may use the next catalog in effect dating six years after their initial enrollment (ten years for the BTECH degree).
- Students applying to the nursing program must follow the catalog in effect at the time the enrollment application is submitted.
- If a degree or major is offered for the first time after a student has enrolled, the student may choose the catalog year in which the degree or major was first offered.
Students who are not sure which catalog year to follow are highly encouraged to meet with a counselor. Counselors can provide students with degree requirements from previous catalog years.
If a program offering a degree or certificate of achievement is discontinued, students will have six years to still obtain the degree or certificate if they are able to fulfill all requirements. WNC will work with students pursuing a discontinued program providing students declared the program as their educational objective and can demonstrate that they were making progress completing course requirements prior to the discontinuation of the program. Once a program has been discontinued, students may no longer declare the program as their educational objective.
Questions about catalog years may be directed to Admissions and Records at 775-445-3277 or admissions.records@wnc.edu
Requirements
Associate Degree or Certificate of Achievement
A student seeking to obtain a degree or certificate of achievement from Western Nevada College must have satisfied the following requirements:
- Completed the curriculum requirements for the degree or certificate. The student may select either the catalog year under which he/she initially enrolls and completes a course, or the year under which he/she will complete the curriculum requirements for a degree/certificate. Students may also select the catalog year when he/she officially declares a program of study for the first time, if declared in fall 2007 or later. Students applying to the nursing program, which has selective admission criteria, must follow the catalog in effect at the time the program admission application is submitted. Each WNC catalog is effective for the upcoming fall, spring and subsequent summer terms. In no case may students use a catalog which is more than six years old at the time of graduation. Students who fail to complete degree/certificate curriculum requirements within six years of their initial enrollment or program declaration may use the next catalog in effect dating six years after their initial enrollment. If a degree or major is offered for the first time after a student has enrolled, the student may choose the catalog year in which the degree or major was first offered. Students may not use a combination of catalogs for graduation. This applies to all policies and curricula.
- In some cases, completion of a single course may satisfy requirements in two different areas of an associate degree or certificate of achievement. Students may use a single course to satisfy a general education requirement in addition to a program, subject, core or emphasis requirement. A single course may not be used to satisfy more than one general education requirement, except for the US/Nevada Constitution requirement.
- Completed 15 semester college level credits in residence at Western Nevada College for each degree or certificate of achievement. Challenge examinations, non-traditional credit, or developmental courses (courses numbered below 100) do not count as resident credit.
- Maintained a minimum WNC cumulative grade point average of 2.0, and a minimum 2.0 grade point average calculated by using all courses, WNC and transfer courses, used to fulfill the degree requirements.
- Met all financial/library obligations. No student will be issued a degree or certificate if he/she has not met all financial/library obligations. Outstanding debts may be paid at the Business Office. Library holds can be cleared through Library and Media Services.
- Submitted an Application for Graduation and payment to Admissions and Records by the published deadline.
Dual Degrees/Certificates
A student may earn two or more associate degrees or certificates of achievement subsequently or simultaneously provided he/she fulfills all of the following conditions:
- Files a separate application for graduation and pays the application fee for each associate degree or certificate (may use one application and pay one fee if applying for two degrees for the same semester),
- Satisfies all of the requirements for each associate degree or certificate, and
- Completes 15 credits in residence for each associate degree or certificate.
For each additional associate degree, a student must complete 15 credits in addition to the minimum number required for the first degree. As most degrees require 60 credits, typically a student who wishes to earn two degrees must have at least 75 college level semester credits, 30 of which were earned in residence at WNC. For degrees that require more than 60 credits, the total number of credits required will be higher. College preparatory courses with a number below 100 will not apply toward the total semester or residence credit requirements.
Bachelor’s Degree
A student wishing to obtain a bachelor’s degree from Western Nevada College must have satisfied the following requirements:
- Completed the curriculum requirements for the degree. The student may select either the catalog year under which he/she initially enrolls in a baccalaureate-level program or the year of graduation. In the case of NSHE transfer students, exceptions to this policy will be handled by Admissions and Records and the transfer agreement contract process. Whichever catalog is used cannot be more than 10 years old at the time of graduation. Students who fail to complete degree requirements within ten years of their initial enrollment may use the next catalog in effect dating 10 years after the students’ initial enrollment. Students may not use a combination of catalogs for graduation. This includes all policies and curriculum.
- Completed 32 semester credits in residence at WNC. Challenge examinations, non-traditional credit, or developmental courses (courses numbered below 100) do not count as resident credit.
- Maintained a minimum WNC cumulative grade point average of 2.0, and a minimum 2.0 grade point average calculated by using all courses, WNC and transfer courses, used to fulfill the degree requirements.
- Completed a minimum of 40 upper division credits (numbered 300 or above).
- Met all financial/library obligations. No student will be issued a degree if he/she has not met all financial/library obligations.
- Submitted an Application for Graduation and payment to Admissions and Records by the published deadline.
Additional questions or inquiries should be directed to Admissions and Records at 775-445-3277 or admissions.records@wnc.edu
Graduation With Honors
Effective summer semester 2022, Students are eligible to graduate with honors based on completion of 30 academic units at Western Nevada College for an associate degree or 60 academic units at Western Nevada College for a bachelor’s degree, excluding developmental courses.
Grade point average of WNC classes, excluding developmental classes, determines the honors designation:
- 3.90 or higher = Summa Cum Laude
- 3.75 or higher = Magna Cum Laude
- 3.60 or higher = Cum Laude
Units and grades transferred from other institutions or other credit sources will not apply.
Spring 2023 Commencement Ceremonies
Students graduating in the summer 2022, fall 2022 and spring 2023 semesters will be invited to spring 2023 commencement ceremonies which will occur in May 2023. Details will be published by February 2023.
Caps and Gowns
The tassel, cap and gown package may be purchased online from the campus bookstore before the ceremony; they will not be available at the ceremonies. Information will be provided with the invitations.
Graduation With Honors at Commencement
For spring commencement, honors that are announced at the ceremony and printed in the commencement program are calculated based on total units and classes completed at WNC prior to the applicable spring semester, including winter session classes. Spring semester classes that start after winter session are not included for honors announcements at commencement. Final honors are calculated after the conclusion of spring semester and commencement and posted on graduate’s transcripts.
Continuing Students
Students who continue taking classes at WNC after a degree or certificate is finalized should be aware that their degree status will be changed to non-degree seeking. Students who plan to strive towards a different degree or certificate should declare this by submitting an online Degree Program Change form to Admissions and Records after the semester of their graduation date has ended. This is especially important for students applying for financial aid; failure to declare a new degree could result in revocation of financial aid funds.
Diplomas
Students should type their name on the graduation application exactly as they would like it to appear on their diploma (name must match student records). Successfully completed degrees/certificates will be posted to students’ official transcripts within approximately 4-6 weeks after the end of the graduating semester in which the application was filed. Printed diplomas will be mailed to the student at the address indicated on the graduation application approximately 12-16 weeks after the end of the semester of application.
Additional questions or inquires should be directed to Admissions and Records at 775-445-3277 or admissions.records@wnc.edu