Graduation Requirements and Commencement

• Graduation Requirements
• Graduation and Commencement
• Recognition Programs

Graduation Requirements

First Year Experience Requirement

A First Year Experience (FYEX) course must be completed in order to graduate with an associate degree. FYEX requirement is designated in each program’s curriculum and may be met by passing a specified course or by transferring an equivalent course from another college. College Credit Plus (CCP) students who completed CCP courses at his or her high school are required to complete FYEX.

Minimum Distribution Requirements for General Education

In the general education curriculum, the College defines these minimum distribution requirements to graduate with a degree:

• 6 credits of English Composition (ENGL 1500 and ENGL 2500 or ENGL 2800)
• 3 credits of Communication (COMM 1220 or COMM 2610)
• 3 credits of Mathematics (1 course)

A minimum of six credit hours must come from two of the following three categories. Each program has predetermined the two selected categories to meet this minimum distribution requirement.

• 3 credits of Social and Behavioral Sciences (1 course)
• 3 credits of Arts and Humanities (1 course)
• 3 credits of Natural Science (1 course)

Advising Worksheet

The Advising Worksheet is an academic advising tool that lists all courses in a student’s program of study that have been completed (taken at Zane State College, approved as transfer credit from another institution, and/or alternative credit) and those that are still needed to meet graduation requirements at Zane State College. The Advising Worksheet allows advisors and students to see how students are progressing toward graduation. Each student has access to their own Advising Worksheet through their My ZSC account. The student’s program advisor can also provide a Advising Worksheet for each student.

Residency Requirement

Students must meet residency requirements by completing a minimum number of credit hours as a student of Zane State College. The Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, and Associate of Technical Study require 20 credit hours of Zane State coursework; the 20 credit hours for the Associate of Applied Business and the Associate of Applied Science require these to be courses designated as technical coursework. For the Bachelor of Applied Science, 20 credit hours of technical coursework at the 3000 and 4000 level are required. Contact the Registrar’s Office with questions concerning this requirement.

One-Year Certificate

Certificates are awarded for the completion of a 30-semester credit hour course of study with the majority of the coursework completed in a prescribed technical area. One-year certificates can serve as building blocks toward an associate degree.

These requirements must be completed for a One-Year Certificate:

• Earn a minimum of 30 credit hours of course work,
• Fulfill all course requirements of a particular certificate,
• Satisfy program accreditation standards that may have additional requirements,
• Earn an overall cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0,
• Resolve all financial and other obligations to the College, and
• Be certified by the Registrar as having met all requirements for the one-year certificate.

Associate of Applied Business and Associate of Applied Science Degrees

The Associate of Applied Business and the Associate of Applied Science degrees prepare students for entry into specific occupations and may be designed to articulate with baccalaureate programs. The Ohio Department of Higher Education’s Guidelines and Procedures for Academic Program Review (last updated April 2015) establishes the following criteria for the Associate of Applied Science and Associate of Applied Business degrees:

• 30 semester credit hours minimum in the technical area
• 30 semester credit hours in non-technical studies to include:
  • general education studies (written communication, oral communication)
  • social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences, arts and humanities, math
  • applied general education (basic education) courses emphasizing the application of general education to an occupational or technical area

These Zane State College requirements must be completed for an Associate of Applied Business (A.A.B.) or Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) Degree:

• Earn a minimum of 60 credit hours of coursework and meet the specific requirements of the student’s program,
• Complete a minimum of 20 credit hours of technical courses as a student of Zane State College,
• Satisfy program accreditation standards that may have additional requirements,
• Complete the College’s general education course requirements as identified in the catalog,
• Earn an overall cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0,
• Complete the First Year Experience (FYEX) requirement,
• Resolve all financial and other obligations to the College, and
• Be certified by the Registrar as having met all requirements for the degree.

Associate of Arts and Associate of Science Degrees

Also referred to as Transfer Programs, these degrees are designed for students who plan to complete their first two years of college work at Zane State College and then transfer as juniors or seniors to a four-year institution of their choices.

In accordance with the Ohio Department of Higher Education, academic associate degrees (Associate of Arts and Associate of Science) must include a minimum of 36 semester hours of general education coursework. The academic associate degrees serve as the first two years of a bachelor’s degree and are designed to provide for maximum transferability of courses from the associate’s level to the bachelor’s level. As such, the coursework used to fulfill the minimum 36 semester credit hours in general education must be from Zane State College’s approved Ohio Transfer 36 (OT36) courses. The remaining 24 semester credit hours may be chosen from other general education courses or technical and basic courses (developmental courses do not count toward the Associate of Arts or the Associate of Science degrees).

These Zane State College requirements must be completed for an Associate of Arts (A.A.) or Associate of Science (A.S.) Degree:

• Earn a minimum of 60 credit hours of coursework and meet the specific requirements of the student’s program,
• Complete a minimum of 20 credit hours as a student of Zane State College,
• Complete the College’s general education course requirements as identified in the catalog,
• Earn an overall cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0,
• Complete the First Year Experience (FYEX) requirement,
• Resolve all financial and other obligations to the College, and
• Be certified by the Registrar as having met all requirements for the degree.

Associate of Technical Study Degree

The Associate of Technical Study degree is awarded for successful completion of an individually planned program of study designed to respond to the need for specialized technical education not currently available in the formal degree programs at the College.

These Zane State College requirements must be completed for an Associate of Technical Study (A.T.S.) Degree:

• Obtain approval of program of study by the appropriate Academic Dean,
• Earn a minimum of 60 credit hours of course work,
• Complete a minimum of 20 credits at Zane State College and
• Earn at least a “C” in all courses identified as major program requirements,
• Earn the minimum credit requirements in the following distribution:
  • 30 credits in the major technical requirements area with at least 16 credits in one discipline
  • 30 credits in general education and basic studies
• Complete the College’s general education course requirements as identified in the catalog, • Earn an overall cumulative grade point average of 2.0,
• Complete the First Year Experience (FYEX) requirement,
• Resolve all financial and other obligations to the College, and
• Be certified by the Registrar as having met all requirements for the degree.

Bachelor of Applied Science Degree

The Bachelor of Applied Science degree prepares students for entry into specific occupations.

These Zane State College requirements must be completed for a Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S) Degree:

• Earn a minimum of 120 credit hours of coursework and meet the specific requirements of the student’s program,
• Complete a minimum of 40 credit hours of technical courses as a student of Zane State College,
• Satisfy program accreditation standards that may have additional requirements,
• Complete the College’s minimum distribution requirements for general education as identified in the catalog,
• Earn an overall cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0,
• Resolve all financial and other obligations to the College, and
• Be certified by the Registrar as having met all requirements for the degree.

Graduation and Commencement

Petition for Graduation

Graduating with a degree from Zane State College does not automatically occur. Students are responsible for accessing the Petition for Graduation instructions via email. Potential graduates must review their advising worksheet with their program advisor, and complete the online Petition to Graduate on My ZSC by the date listed for processing. Please note that a separate Petition for Graduation form must be filed if a student anticipates graduating with more than one degree or certificate in a different term.

Without a completed Petition for Graduation form, the College will not award a degree. Students are subject to the requirements associated with the catalog in force listed on the student’s record. For those who file a late petition form, the completion date may be posted in the current term pending the results of the degree or certificate review.

Students who will utilize credit by examination, alternative credit, or transfer credit must have that credit earned and posted on their Zane State College transcript prior to the end of the graduating term. Students who petition to graduate and then do not meet degree requirements for a specified term must submit another petition form by the deadline for the projected term of graduation.

Embedded Certificates

Some degree programs contain embedded certificates, which are certificates that contain select courses that are also required for an associate degree. Upon completing the requirements of the certificate while pursuing a degree program, students are automatically awarded the certificate on their academic record.

Graduation Honors

Students may earn the following honors through sustained scholarly achievements during completion of an associate degree:

Final Graduation Approval/Denial

After the close of the term, updated Advising Worksheets are reviewed by the Registrar to officially confer or deny each degree and/or one-year certificate. This process takes approximately six to eight weeks. Students who petition to graduate and then do not meet degree requirements for a specified term must submit another petition form by the deadline for the projected term of graduation.

Commencement Policies

The College awards degrees during an annual commencement ceremony held in May that is governed by the following policies:

1. Students who are enrolled in courses needed to complete degree and/or one-year certificate requirements by the end of the summer session following commencement are eligible to participate in the May commencement ceremony.
2. The listing of degree candidates in the commencement program is tentative, pending completion of required work and submission of final grades. Printed graduation honors are calculated using the student’s current grades. Final graduation honors are indicated on the terminal transcript and reflect all course grades earned. Graduation honors are not indicated in the commencement program for summer session candidates.
3. Diploma covers are distributed during commencement. Diplomas are mailed to the student’s address on file after final grades have been processed, degree requirements have been fulfilled, and financial and other obligations have been satisfied.

Replacement Diploma Policy

To request a replacement of your original diploma, a completed Replacement Diploma Request form (which can be obtained on My ZSC) must be sent to the Registrar’s Office with payment. The following policy applies:

1. The name printed on the replacement diploma will be the same as the name printed on the original diploma unless there is a legal name change. For legal name changes, a Change of Personal Information form should be completed and submitted with all requested documentation.
2. The replacement diploma will bear the signatures of current college officials; the term “official replacement” will be printed at the bottom.
3. There is a fee for the replacement diploma. Please allow approximately four weeks for delivery of the replacement diploma.

Recognition Programs

All Ohio Academic Team

Each year at least two Zane State College students may be nominated by faculty members to enter the All-Ohio Academic Team competition. In conjunction with Phi Theta Kappa, the entrants are judged on state and national levels. Students may place on one of three state teams. Recognition may include a monetary award.

Phi Theta Kappa

Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) is the national honorary society for two-year college students. The purpose of Phi Theta Kappa is to encourage academic excellence. Students initiated into the group must have demonstrated sustained academic achievement at Zane State College. The criterion for membership is a 3.5 cumulative grade point average (GPA) with at least 12 college-level credit hours earned.

Presidential Scholar

The purpose of the Presidential Scholar award is to promote and recognize excellence in academic achievement while attending Zane State College. Students who earn this honor receive engraved medallions and are recognized at the annual Honors Day event.

Presidential Scholar Criteria:

1. Must have completed a minimum of 36 college-level credit hours after fall semester.
2. Must have a minimum of 31 semester credit hours with grades A - F which are counted in determining grade point average.
3. Must have a minimum overall cumulative GPA of 3.95.
4. Must have a declared major.
5. Must have no violation of the Academic Integrity Policy.
6. Recognition can only be received once.

Dean’s List

Students who demonstrate academic excellence in their studies will be named to the Dean’s List. To be eligible, full-time students must achieve a 3.5 GPA or higher during a given semester excluding credit/no-credit courses. Part-time students must achieve a 3.5 GPA or higher and complete a minimum of nine credit hours excluding credit/no-credit courses.

Student of the Year

Prior to sixth week of the spring semester, the Chief Academic Officer will initiate an annual request to the faculty for nominations of Student of the Year. Faculty from each academic division will nominate associate and baccalaureate degree-seeking candidates through their respective Deans’ offices to be recognized as Student of the Year.

Student of the Year Criteria:

Associate Degree

1. Must have earned a minimum of 30 semester hours.
2. Must have a sophomore standing.
3. Must have a minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 3.5 (either full or part-time).
4. Must have been actively involved in a college and/or community activity.

Baccalaureate Degree

1. Must have earned a minimum of 90 semester hours.
2. Must have junior standing.
3. Must have a minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 3.5.
4. Must have been actively involved in a college and/or community activity.

For either degree level, the nominator must provide the student’s name, student ID if available, and a brief narrative description of why the nominator has selected this student.

The names and narratives of the nominated students will be distributed to the division faculty for a vote to choose the Student of the Year for that division. If the academic division has at least one baccalaureate degree, then that division can have two students selected, one at each degree level. The voting must be completed before the mid-semester break. By the ninth week, the Student of the Year information will be sent to the President’s office for inclusion in the annual Honors Day event. Each student will receive a framed recognition certificate and a gift certificate. Students of the Year who are graduating will also be recognized within the commencement program.