Navigating Arizona State University Diploma Requirements: A Comprehensive Guide

Earning a high school diploma or a university degree is a significant achievement, opening doors to numerous opportunities. For those considering or currently pursuing education at Arizona State University (ASU), understanding the diploma requirements is crucial. This article provides a detailed overview of these requirements, encompassing high school prerequisites, undergraduate degree stipulations, and other essential factors for graduation.

High School Diploma Requirements for ASU Admission

For prospective ASU students, particularly those coming from an online high school like ASU Prep Digital, meeting specific academic standards is paramount. Just like all Arizona high school graduates, each student must satisfy the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) university admissions requirements. These include:

4 years of English
4 years of mathematics
3 years of lab sciences
3 years of social sciences
2 years of the same foreign language
1 year of fine arts and other electives

A total of 24 credits are required for graduation. What sets ASU Prep Digital apart from traditional schools is how students earn their graduation requirements, offering a flexible and personalized approach to learning.

The Significance of a High School Diploma

In today’s fast-paced, competitive world, having a high school diploma remains a powerful stepping stone toward a bright future. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that individuals with a high school diploma earn significantly more and face lower unemployment rates than those without. Earning your high school diploma has numerous benefits that extend well beyond meeting graduation requirements.

Access to higher education: A high school diploma is often a prerequisite for enrolling in colleges and universities.
Improved job prospects: Many employers view a high school diploma as a basic requirement for employment.
Skill development: High school education provides students with essential skills such as literacy, numeracy and computer proficiency.
Social benefits: High school offers a social environment where students develop interpersonal skills, build networks and engage in extracurricular activities.

Online High School as an Alternative

Traditional, in-person private and public schools often follow rigid schedules and one-size-fits-all curriculums. Online high schools offer several advantages:

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Learn on your schedule: Online high schools allow you to complete coursework whenever it best fits your lifestyle.
Customizable learning experience: Online classes extend beyond core courses, providing a wide variety of electives allowing you to tailor your studies to fit your college and career pathways.
Students with unique learning needs: Online high schools offer a flexible high school curriculum, allowing learners to progress at their own pace.

Choosing to finish high school online is about more than earning a diploma; it’s about gaining the tools and confidence you need to face the future head-on. With a flexible program that adapts to your schedule and needs, you can achieve this important milestone without sacrificing other aspects of your life. Online high schools provide not just an education but an opportunity to take ownership of your learning experience. A high school diploma is often essential for accessing better job opportunities, higher education and vocational training. Online high schools offer the same value as traditional schools but with added flexibility. You can complete coursework on your own schedule, tailor your learning pace and study from anywhere.

Accreditation and Recognition

Yes, as long as the online school is recognized by a reputable accrediting commission like Cognia, its diploma carries the same weight as one earned from a traditional high school. Earning a high school diploma through an online program demonstrates commitment to a comprehensive education, covering a broad range of subjects over time. Online high schools are designed with flexibility in mind. Students can balance education with jobs, family responsibilities, athletic training, or any other commitments.

Alternative Credentials

The California High School Proficiency Examination and other high school equivalency diplomas are recognized as high school diplomas, but do not satisfy course competency and aptitude requirements needed for admission. Students should submit their diploma to show completion of high school, but will also need to submit additional high school transcripts or SAT or ACT scores to satisfy course competency and aptitude requirements for admission. Alternatively, enrollment and successful completion of 24 semester credits with a 2.75 minimum GPA through Earned Admission, or completion of 24 or more college credits from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum of 2.50 cumulative GPA on a 4.00 scale may be used to satisfy requirements for admission.

Some states, including Arizona, offer a College Credit Pathway as an option for students to obtain a high school equivalency (HSE). If the HSE is obtained, ASU will accept that credential as completion of the high school graduation requirement but the student may still need additional high school coursework and/or SAT/ACT scores to meet course competency requirements and high school aptitude if the student does not have 24 transferable credits taken post high school.

Undergraduate Degree Requirements at ASU

To graduate with a baccalaureate degree from ASU, students must fulfill several university-wide requirements. These encompass credit hours, grade point average, general studies, mathematics, and first-year composition.

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Credit Requirements

All students enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program must fulfill the following university requirements to graduate. Students must have completed a minimum of 120 credit hours to graduate with a baccalaureate degree; at least 45 credit hours must be in upper-division courses. Students should check the program's graduation audit and major map or curriculum checksheet for graduation requirements. No more than 60 credit hours earned in independent learning courses or earned by comprehensive examination (including Advanced Placement, College-Level Examination Program, DANTES Subject Standardized Test, Cambridge International exam and International Baccalaureate exams) are accepted for credit toward the baccalaureate degree. Credit is not granted for courses taken at an educational institution after credit by examination has been awarded. There may be instances in which students wish to remove exam credit earned through Advanced Placement, College-Level Examination Program, DANTES Subject Standardized Test, Cambridge International exam and International Baccalaureate exams. If the student elects to remove exam credit, the cumulative university hours are adjusted, and the student can complete the corresponding ASU course.

Grade Point Requirement

A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00 for all courses taken at ASU is required to graduate with an undergraduate degree.

General Studies Requirement

All students enrolled in an undergraduate degree program must satisfy the university requirement for a minimum number of approved credit hours of general studies coursework. Effective fall 2024, ASU has approved a revised general studies curriculum. Students beginning in the 2024-2025 catalog year complete the requirements in the General Studies Gold curriculum. Students who attended ASU before fall 2024 and are in a catalog year before 2024-2025 complete the requirements defined by the General Studies Maroon curriculum. The requirements applicable for a student's catalog year are displayed on their major map or curriculum checksheet and graduation audit. Students should refer to the general studies policy for more information on their specific general studies requirements. Completion of general studies and composition requirements, as documented on an official transcript from regionally accredited institutions of higher education within the United States, fulfills ASU's lower-division general studies requirements within the Gold and Maroon systems as well as first-year composition requirements. Certification of completed general studies includes completion of a general education package recognized by ASU, an Associate of Arts degree, a bachelor's degree or comparable. General studies packages and recognized degrees do not waive program requirements and prerequisites within major and minor areas of study. Transfer students without completed and documented general education packages or degrees receive credit for general studies based on course-by-course equivalency.

Mathematics Requirement

All undergraduate degree-seeking students are expected to fulfill the university's mathematics requirement by the time they have accumulated 30 credit hours in residence at ASU. Any student who has more than 30 credit hours and has not fulfilled the mathematics requirement must enroll in a mathematics course or an appropriate prerequisite course and continue to do so every semester until the mathematics requirement is met. A waiver may be granted for continuous enrollment if there are scheduling conflicts detrimental to the student's academic progress.

First-Year Composition Requirement

Completion of ENG 101 and ENG 102, or ENG 105 with a grade of "C" (2.00) or higher is required for graduation from ASU in any baccalaureate or associate program. Students whose native language is not English may meet the first-year composition requirement by completing ENG 107 and 108 with a grade of "C" (2.00) or higher. Students who are required to take first-year composition must enroll in their first required composition course within the first year and continue to enroll in required composition courses every term until composition requirements are met. Composition courses transferred from other postsecondary institutions may require evaluation. If, after consultation with an advisor, it is determined that an evaluation is necessary, the student should submit a request for evaluation through the ASU Transfer Guide. The process should be completed upon transfer of coursework to ASU so the student is able to enroll in additional courses, if required.

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Additional Factors Influencing Graduation

Resident Credit

Resident credit refers to a course that is offered in a regular semester or summer session. Credit earned through comprehensive examinations also is included when calculating ASU resident hours.

Catalog Year

The ASU academic catalog is published annually. A catalog year runs from fall through summer, and a student who enters during the fall or spring semester follows the policies and requirements in effect for that catalog year. For example, catalog year 2026-2027 applies to students who enter in fall 2026 or spring 2027. Students who enter for the first time during the summer term follow the requirements in effect for the subsequent catalog year. In most cases, a student’s catalog year is the year in which they started at ASU. Students may be in a different catalog year for a variety of reasons, including:

change of major
continuous enrollment in an Arizona community college or public university
student request to move to a newer catalog year
significant changes to curriculum that are due to either accreditation or rapid changes to subject matter

Guidelines for Determination of Catalog Year

The ASU Academic Catalog is published annually. Department, school, division, college and university requirements are upgraded often and may change. In determining graduation requirements, an undergraduate student uses only one edition of the catalog but may elect to follow any subsequent catalog edition under which the student attends. Students may not use an edition of the catalog that was in effect before their high school graduation or completion of their GED. Students who maintain continuous enrollment at any Arizona community college or public university may graduate according to the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of initial enrollment following high school graduation or completion of a GED, or according to the requirements of any single catalog in effect during subsequent terms of continuous enrollment. Students may maintain continuous enrollment while pursuing their degrees, whether attending a single Arizona community college or public university, or transferring among public institutions in Arizona. Students transferring among Arizona public higher education institutions must meet all requirements of the degree-granting institution: admission, residency, curricular and academic. A semester in which a student earns course credit is counted toward continuous enrollment. Noncredit courses, audited courses, failed courses and courses from which the student withdraws do not count toward the determination of continuous enrollment for catalog purposes. Students who do not meet the minimum enrollment standard stipulated in step 1 during three consecutive semesters (fall/spring/fall or spring/fall/spring) and the intervening summer term at any Arizona community college or public university are no longer considered continuously enrolled. These students must meet requirements of the Arizona community college or public university catalog in effect at the time they are readmitted or of any single catalog in effect during subsequent terms of continuous enrollment after readmission. Students are not obligated to enroll and earn course credit during summer terms, but summer enrollment may be used to maintain continuous enrollment status. Students admitted or readmitted to an Arizona community college or public university during a summer term must follow the requirements of the catalog in effect for the following fall semester or of any single catalog in effect during subsequent terms of continuous enrollment. In areas of study in which the subject matter changes rapidly, material in courses taken long before graduation may become obsolete or irrelevant. Coursework that is more than eight years old is applicable to completion of degree requirements at the discretion of the department of the student’s major. Departments may accept or reject such coursework or request that the student revalidate the substance of the coursework. The eight-year limit on coursework applies except when program accreditation agencies limit the life of coursework to fewer than eight years. Departments also may require students to satisfy current major requirements rather than major requirements stated in earlier catalogs when completing earlier requirements is no longer possible or educationally sound. Enrollment by Arizona community college students in nontransferable courses still constitutes enrollment for purposes of determining whether the student has been continuously enrolled. For example, if a student takes two semesters of cooperative education classes that are not transferable to the university but constitute continuous enrollment at the community college, the university should consider it continuous enrollment. Exceptions made by an institution apply only to the institution that made the exception.

Petition for Variance from Degree Requirements

Any student wishing to have a college or university degree requirement variance must petition the standards committee of the college in which the student is enrolled. All petitions must originate with the student's advisor. The University Undergraduate Standards Committee advises the Office of the University Provost regarding undergraduate student petitions that concern university-level academic requirements. These include requirements on the amount of transfer credit, graduation requirements, limits on credit by examination and requirements for a second baccalaureate degree. To petition for a variance from such university requirements, the University Undergraduate Standards Committee petition is used.

Components of a Degree Program

At ASU, students take classes that fulfill four types of requirements: university requirements, college/school requirements, major requirements and electives. University requirements include general studies and first-year composition requirements. Some colleges and schools at ASU have college-specific requirements applicable across all degrees offered within that academic unit. Major requirements represent the majority of the disciplinary content of the degree. Many degrees also have room for electives, allowing students to complete credit hours toward the minimum number of credits required for graduation while exploring areas of personal and professional interest. Some students choose to declare a minor or certificate; this typically adds 15-25 credit hours of coursework, which can also be used for elective credit. Students are encouraged to consult with their academic advisor in planning a program to ensure it meets all requirements for their specific combination of credentials. Bachelor's degrees consist of 120 credit hours, 45 of which must be upper-division. Some courses may fulfill two or more types of requirements, but other courses fulfill only one requirement.

Change of Major

Some majors may have specific requirements that a student must meet to be eligible for acceptance to the new major. A degree-seeking undergraduate student may view the requirements for changing majors on Degree Search and visit the Changing your major site for more information and resources on major exploration. Changing from a bachelor’s degree to an associate degree program may impact financial aid. Additionally, sponsored students, those who receive tuition benefits from a non-ASU entity, or those who accept certain federal funds, including military-affiliated benefit funding, should understand that changing their major may impact college costs.

Graduation with Academic Recognition

Undergraduate students may qualify for graduation with academic recognition for a baccalaureate degree. The ASU cumulative GPA determines the designation.

3.40-3.59 - cum laude
3.60-3.79 - magna cum laude
3.80-4.00 - summa cum laude

The cumulative GPA for these designations is based on ASU resident coursework only. All designations of graduation with academic recognition are indicated on the diploma and the ASU transcript.

Additional Degrees

Second Baccalaureate Degree

Students seeking a second baccalaureate degree must meet admission criteria for that degree. After conferral of the first degree, students must successfully complete a minimum of 30 additional credit hours in resident credit courses at ASU to earn the second baccalaureate degree. The student must meet all degree and university requirements of the second degree. Admission to a specific second baccalaureate degree program may be deemed inappropriate based on the discipline or degree type of the original baccalaureate degree, regardless of whether that degree was earned at ASU or another institution (e.g., admission to a BS program in psychology after earning a BA in psychology). A student pursuing a second baccalaureate degree in the same discipline as a minor previously conferred by ASU will have the minor removed from the original academic record upon completion of the second degree. Students who wish to use courses taken while in graduate nondegree status toward a second bachelor’s degree may have up to 15 credit hours applied toward this degree.

Concurrent Degrees

If prior approval is given by the colleges or schools offering the degrees, more than one baccalaureate degree may be pursued concurrently. Students may receive concurrent degrees if they meet the minimum requirements for both degrees.

eAdvisor and Critical Requirements

eAdvisor ensures that students get off to a good start and stay on track toward graduation by helping them find a major that fits their talents and career goals, and then monitoring progress. Students use eAdvisor to do the following:

Learn more about graduation requirements for their major.
Discern the critical courses and grades that are required to stay on track to successfully complete their degree.
Plan for and schedule appropriate courses in the correct sequence to maximize success.
Monitor progress toward their degree.
Find out how courses may fit into other majors if they decide to change majors.

Through eAdvisor, students follow a major map that outlines the critical requirements

Preparing for Graduation

Getting Ready for Graduation Congratulations on reaching this milestone! Follow these steps to ensure a smooth graduation process:

Confirm Your Graduation Readiness
- Undergraduates: Review your DARS degree audit through My ASU. Contact your academic advisor with any concerns.
- Graduate Students: Check your iPOS via My ASU. Reach out to your committee chair or department with questions.
Verify Your Information
- Name: Your diploma will display your name exactly as recorded in ASU's system. Changes to your diploma name can be requested from My ASU.
- Changes to your diploma address can be requested from My ASU.
Order Your Graduation Regalia
- Cap and Gown: Regalia can be purchased online or in person. To learn more, visit dressing for graduation.
- Honor Cords Undergraduate students completing a bachelor’s degree qualify for academic recognition based on cumulative GPA:
  - 3.40-3.59 - cum laude
  - 3.60-3.79 - magna cum laude
  - 3.80-4.00 - summa cum laude
- Honors cords will be distributed based on your current GPA. Your diploma and transcripts will reflect the appropriate designation based on your final cumulative ASU GPA. On-campus students: Pick up cords at any University Registrar Services location during office hours. Ceremonies held at Grady Gammage Auditorium will require a ticket. Ceremonies held at Wells Fargo Arena or other venues currently do not require tickets. No. Students will RSVP from a link on their My ASU page - go to My Programs and select the Graduation tab. You must apply to graduate and pay the application fee first. This is the date recorded on your transcript signifying when your degree was officially recognized. All requirements must be met by this date. There is a summer conferral date, but no ceremonies are held in the summer. Summer graduates will be recognized in the Fall commencement book and can choose to participate in either spring or fall ceremonies. A graduating student is someone who has met all graduation requirements, whereas “walking” means a student who is participating in ceremonies but is not graduating yet.

Diploma Delivery and Additional Information

Generally, diplomas arrive 6-8 weeks after the degree conferral date. ASU hosts a number of graduation ceremonies each fall and spring semester. This could be a different answer for every person that asks, but each semester there is a considerable amount of end-of-term processing that must occur before degrees can be posted. To ensure that your degree gets posted as soon as possible, please review your DARS or iPOS and work with your advisor to make sure all requirements are marked as complete. It's common for universities to have a fee associated with graduation. Invalid or incorrect addresses will delay delivery. All undeliverable diplomas returned to ASU will be retained by University Registrar Services for one year. Graduates with a delinquent financial obligation of $25 or more will not receive a diploma until their account is paid. Questions about delinquent accounts can be directed to Collections at 480-965-5220. You can also change your diploma address from the profile tab on My ASU. This includes your first diploma and any replacements you have ordered. An apostille is issued to certify that a notarized document is a true copy of the original.

Diploma Name

The student diploma name, i.e.

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