Iowa State University Graduation Requirements: A Comprehensive Guide

Iowa State University (ISU) provides a wide range of academic programs and opportunities for students to achieve their educational goals. Earning a degree from ISU requires careful planning and adherence to specific requirements. This article outlines the key graduation requirements for both undergraduate and graduate students at Iowa State University.

General Education Requirements

General Education provides students with a broad, common foundation of study upon which to build an undergraduate education. The program develops skills of oral and written communication, logical and scientific reasoning, and quantitative analysis. Courses in General Education explore ways of knowing in the various disciplines through examination of significant historical, social, cultural, and scientific issues.

Communication Proficiency

Effective communication is a core competency emphasized at Iowa State University. The faculty believes that all educated people should be able to communicate effectively in a variety of settings and media, including electronic. To ensure broad communication competence, all students will earn six credits in the two-course introductory sequence:

ENGL 1500: Critical Thinking and Communication
ENGL 2500: Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition

These courses are normally taken in the first and second years. Continuing development of communication skills will be directed by the student's major department. At a minimum, students must demonstrate their communication proficiency by earning a grade of C or better in ENGL 2500; some majors/degree programs may set higher requirements for communication proficiency.

Students from high schools and whose first language is not English are required to take the English Placement Test before the beginning of their first semester of enrollment as students at Iowa State. This requirement includes freshmen as well as those who have transferred credit from other institutions. The test is administered by the English Department and is offered before the beginning of each semester. Students whose performance on this placement examination is satisfactory will follow the regular university communication proficiency requirements.

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Cultures and Communities and International Perspectives

One of Iowa State University's goals is to prepare its students to meet the challenges of responsible civic engagement and effective professional roles in a culturally diverse global community and workplace. At a minimum, students can fulfill this requirement with three credits of course work (or the equivalent in some alternative academic experience) for each area. Cultures and Communities and International Perspectives requirements can also be used to fulfill general education requirements of the student's college or requirements of the student's major. Cultures and Communities requirement is understanding the social complexity of human beings based on analytical categories such as race, ethnicity, or gender, and the ways those categories have excluded historically marginalized groups. Intersectional understandings of diversity consider other categories of identity (e.g. sexuality, culture, and religion) related to race and ethnicity. The focus of the International Perspectives requirement is the global community. Its objective is to promote students' understanding of cultural diversity and interdependence on a global scale. A period of immersion in a foreign culture is often a particularly effective way of meeting these objectives, so Iowa State University encourages the use of study-abroad experiences as a means of fulfilling the International Perspectives requirement. International students, because they are "studying abroad" from their home country's perspective, are normally deemed to have met the International Perspectives requirement.

Undergraduate Degree Requirements

To qualify for a bachelor's degree from Iowa State University, students must fulfill several requirements:

Credit Requirements

Minimum Credits: Students must complete a minimum number of credits, which varies depending on the degree program.
Residency Requirement: To qualify for a bachelor's degree, a student must take a minimum of 32 credits in residence at Iowa State University. Also required is that the last 32 credits must be completed at Iowa State University, although under special circumstances, with prior written approval of the student's major department, six of the last 32 credits may be transferred and applied toward a degree at Iowa State University.
Two-Year College Credits: No more than 65 semester or 97 quarter credits earned at two-year colleges can be applied to a bachelor's degree from Iowa State University.
Upper-Level Credits: To obtain a bachelor's degree from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, curriculum in liberal arts and sciences, a student must earn at least 45 credits at the 3000 level or above taken at a four-year college.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

A student admitted as a transfer student from another college or university is required to have a 2.25 cumulative grade point average at the time of entrance.
The average grade of all courses in the major (those courses listed under major on the degree audit) must be 2.0 or higher. The major must contain at least 8 credits in courses taken at Iowa State University that are numbered 3000 or above and in which the student’s grade is C or higher.
In unusual circumstances, the Academic Standards Committees of the respective colleges may review and give further consideration to the records of students who, except for grade-point average, have satisfactorily completed all graduation requirements. If the appropriate college Academic Standards Committee considers that the educational and professional needs of such a student have been satisfactorily met, or can be satisfactorily met by imposing further conditions, the committee may recommend to the dean of the college that the student be graduated or that a supplemental program be accepted in place of the fully unqualified grade point average.

Major Requirements

Students must show they have achieved depth in a specialized area by completing successfully the requirements and learning goals of a major. A major comprises 24 to 50 credits in a program of study as determined by the faculty. Tracks within a major must have a common core that supports learning outcomes of the major. Some courses outside the major discipline may also be required as supporting work for the major.

General Education and College Requirements

Students are required to complete general education courses to ensure a broad foundation of knowledge. These requirements vary by college. For example, in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences:

Arts and Humanities: Minimum 12 credits
Mathematical Disciplines and Natural Sciences: Minimum 11 credits, including 3 in the mathematical disciplines and 8 in the natural sciences
Social Sciences: Minimum 9 credits

Because students fulfill, in part, the learning goals of the area of their first major by taking courses in their programs of study, the minimum number of general education credits required in the area of the first major is reduced from that listed above by 3 credits. Consistent with its breadth goal, courses with the subject/designator of a student's primary major may not be applied to general education requirements. Courses cross-listed with a course in the student’s primary major may be used to satisfy either major requirements or general education requirements but may not be used more than once.

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Residency Requirements

To qualify for a bachelor's degree, a student must take a minimum of 32 credits in residence at Iowa State University. Also required is that the last 32 credits must be completed at Iowa State University, although under special circumstances, with prior written approval of the student's major department, six of the last 32 credits may be transferred and applied toward a degree at Iowa State University. A student who takes work at another college or university after having been enrolled at Iowa State must submit transcripts of all work attempted to the Office of Admissions at Iowa State.

Additional Options

Multiple Majors: Students may receive multiple bachelor's degrees if the degree requirements for each major are met, including those for general education requirements. To receive multiple degrees, the majors must be of different degree types or from different colleges. A student may only pursue multiple degrees from the same college if the degree types are different (e.g. B.A., B.S.) and the degrees are different majors. Colleges and departments may be more restrictive in their requirements for multiple degrees. Students should request approval to pursue multiple degrees by completing the “Curriculum Change Form," available from advisors and classification offices. One degree should be designated as primary for purposes of record keeping, but the student's rights and responsibilities are the same in both degrees. Students should have an academic advisor in each degree.
Multiple Majors (Single Degree): A multiple major is a program for a single bachelor’s degree in which all requirements for two or more majors have been met. The majors may be in different colleges or within the same college or department and may be the same or different degree type. Degree programs must be approved for each major by the appropriate department and college. One major should be designated as primary for purposes of record keeping, but the student's rights and responsibilities are the same in each major. Students should have an academic advisor in each major. Specific requirements and/or restrictions are available from the departments or programs offering the majors. Students in the College of Engineering are able to earn a degree with a multiple major as long as the additional major is within another college, meets all requirements of the additional programs and contains a minimum of 15 additional credits beyond the requirements for a B.S. Students with a primary major in another college who wish to take an additional major in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are not required to meet the Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education requirements. They must, however, meet all requirements for the major, including complementary courses. All students pursuing multiple majors within the Ivy College of Business are required to have a minimum of 15 credits of coursework in each major that is not used in other majors. Students are limited to three business majors/certificates/minors within the Ivy College of Business.
Secondary Major: A secondary major is a major that can only be earned in conjunction with a primary major. Requirements for a secondary major are specified by many departments and programs in the university. If students pursue multiple majors, they may no longer qualify for federal financial aid once they have completed all of the requirements for one degree. After receiving a bachelor's degree, a person may wish to complete all requirements for another major. Approval of the department of the additional major is needed before study for the program is begun. At the completion of the program a notation will be made on the academic transcript, but no change will be made on the diploma received at the time of graduation.
Minors and Certificates: In addition to earning a major a student may want to complete minors or certificates to develop specific knowledge and skills beyond their major. University policies related to minors and certificates and lists of all minors and certificates are available in the catalog. In addition to University polices governing minors, LAS minors require at least 6 credits in courses numbered 3000 and above, with a grade of C or higher.

Catalog Year

A student may choose to graduate under the catalog in effect at the time of graduation or a catalog for the previous six years, provided it covers a period of the student's enrollment at an accredited college or university. To receive a degree, a student must meet the requirements of the program of study in which the degree is to be awarded.

Academic Advising

In addition to being properly registered, students are responsible for knowing the requirements for their degree and planning their schedule to meet those requirements. Students may access their academic progress report in Workday. The academic progress report displays academic requirements the student must complete in order to complete their program of study. Students should use this information to help them review progress towards their degrees(s), plan their course of study to complete academic requirements, and plan for courses for the next term. Students may use the evaluate academic requirements task in Workday to determine their completion of academic requirements for any program of study available at Iowa State.

Each student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is assigned an academic advisor in their area of study. This advisor assists the student in developing a program of study designed to meet the degree requirements while also meeting a student’s goals outside of and beyond the classroom by incorporating activities such as study abroad, internships, Honors Program and undergraduate research. Academic advising begins during orientation programming prior to entry and continues through a student’s graduation. Through the process of advising, students will develop academic plans that reflect their unique interests and goals as well as learn about the university resources available to assist them academically, professionally, and personally.

Apply for Program Completion

Undergraduate Students apply for Program Completion in Workday. Degree requirements will be reviewed by the Graduation Office. In order to graduate, you must submit an Application for Program Completion. For undergraduate students, your graduation application will open two periods before the term you are planning to graduate in. For example, if you are planning to graduate in the Fall 2025, your application will open in the Spring 2025.

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After submitting your application for program completion, a to-do will appear in your inbox to complete the Diploma Delivery Selection Questionnaire.

Program Completion Status

According to the Office of the Registrar, your status on your academics overview page will indicate Pending Completion once you have applied.

Approved: If you are notified that your application status has been approved, you have met all degree requirements using in-progress courses. There is nothing else you need to do at this time. This status on your Academics Overview screen will say "Pending Completion."
Evaluation Deferred: If you are notified that your application status is "Evaluation Deferred:"You have unmet degree requirements (including honors program, minor(s), endorsement(s), certificate(s), etc.) or degree requirements that won't be resolved until after grades post, you need transfer work evaluated, or you need approval of transferred courses. Reach out to your advisor for help resolving the issue. You do not need to reapply for program completion The status on your Academics Overview page will say "Pending Completion."
Denied: If you are notified that your application status is denied: You have unmet degree requirements that will not allow you to graduate, and you will need to update your expected completion date. This decision could also mean that you are trying to make a program of study change Examples of a program of study change are: adding or dropping an additional major or minor You must reapply for program completion The status on your Academic Overview page will say "In Progress."

Graduate Degree Requirements

The graduate faculty in various programs handle admission and classification of graduate students, establish requirements for advanced degrees, and have charge of instruction and research at the graduate level. Graduate faculty members also teach graduate courses, serve on Academic Plan Committees, and direct work of master’s and doctoral students.

Admission Requirements

The Graduate College oversees the admission of students to pursue a graduate degree or credential or to take graduate courses in nondegree student status. The Office of Admissions and the various graduate programs partner with the Graduate College to sustain an admissions process that respects institutional standards and the diverse needs of faculty and students across all realms of advanced study and scholarship.

Baccalaureate Degree: A baccalaureate degree, or equivalent from a suitably accredited college or university is required. Evidence of a conferred baccalaureate is needed by the start of the second semester of graduate study.
GPA: A cumulative grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale, or equivalent, in undergraduate work or in previous graduate work is expected. Recommendations from graduate programs to admit applicants who do not meet this standard will be reviewed by the Graduate College.
English Proficiency: Applicants whose first language is not English must submit a valid, official test report from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or from an approved alternative examination. Minimum scores for tests of English are shown below. Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate proficiency in English equivalent to a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of at least 550 on the paper-based test, or 79 on the internet-based test as a part of the admissions process. International students may also submit IELTS (International English Language Testing System) scores in lieu of the TOEFL. The ISU Graduate College minimum is 6.5. PTE scores of at least 53 and Duolingo scores of at least 105 are also acceptable for meeting the English requirement for admission, but not for meeting the Graduate College English requirement.

Registration Requirements

All students who attend classes at ISU must register and pay assessed tuition and fees. During the academic year, graduate students not on assistantship must be registered for a minimum of nine credits to be considered full-time students or five credits to be considered half-time students.

After the preliminary oral examination is passed (with either full or conditional pass) and if university facilities, equipment, and staff time are used, the doctoral candidate must register for the appropriate number of credits in the major program and pay the appropriate graduate tuition and fees.

Grading System

Iowa State uses A through F grading for most courses. S, P, and NP grades are given in some courses. All courses taken as a graduate student will be calculated into the graduate GPA, except for Creative Component/Research (5990 and 6990) credits, which are not used in the calculation of the GPA. The GPA is determined by dividing the number of grade points earned by the total number of ISU cumulative hours.

If a graduate student does not maintain a cumulative 3.00 grade point average on all coursework taken, exclusive of research credit, they may be placed on academic probation by the Dean of the Graduate College.

English Language Requirements for Graduate Students

Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate proficiency in English equivalent to a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of at least 550 on the paper-based test, or 79 on the internet-based test as a part of the admissions process. International students may also submit IELTS (International English Language Testing System) scores in lieu of the TOEFL. The ISU Graduate College minimum is 6.5. PTE scores of at least 53 and Duolingo scores of at least 105 are also acceptable for meeting the English requirement for admission, but not for meeting the Graduate College English requirement.

New teaching assistants (TAs) whose native language is not English are evaluated for their ability to communicate effectively in English before their assistantship assignments are made. The Oral English Certification Tests (OECT) are given before the beginning of each semester. TAs and faculty with questions about OECT testing should contact the Center for Communication Excellence (CCE) in the Graduate College. A prospective teaching assistant who does not pass these tests is required to successfully complete coursework and be retested.

Graduation with Distinction

Undergraduate and Professional students who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher (based on a 4.0 scale) are eligible to graduate "with distinction" provided they have completed the following criteria for their degree. The student's distinction will be based on their cumulative grade point average after all degree requirements have been satisfied.

These students are recognized as follows:

Summa Cum Laude: cumulative grade point average of 3.90 or higher.
Magna Cum Laude: cumulative grade point average of 3.70 to 3.89.
Cum Laude: cumulative grade point average of 3.50 to 3.69.

The recognition appears on the student's official transcript and diploma.

Candidates for a bachelor's degree may graduate "with distinction" provided they have completed 60 semester credits of coursework at Iowa State University at the time of graduation, including a minimum of 50 graded credits or Satisfactory-Fail course credits.

Candidates for the bachelor of liberal studies degree may graduate with distinction provided that they have (a) have completed 45 semester credits of coursework at the three Iowa Regent universities at the time of graduation and (b) have earned at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average at ISU.

Commencement Ceremony

Walking in the graduation ceremony is way to share your achievement with family and friends and is a celebration. Walking across the stage does NOT mean you have graduated. First, please ensure you have an active application on file. The RSVP form is only available to those who have completed the Apply for Program Completion task in Workday. If you have already completed the Apply for Program Completion task, you will need to wait 24 hours before accessing the form, as our RSVP form is on a delayed refresh.

The Fall Commencement Ceremony Program includes the names of:

Summer Graduates
Fall Graduates
Summer early degree conferrals
Fall early degree conferrals

The Spring Commencement Ceremony Program includes the names of:

Spring Graduates
Winter early degree conferrals
Spring early degree conferrals

Candidates listed in the commencement ceremony programs reflect information received by the Office of the Registrar as of the date listed in each respective program.

Resources and Support

Iowa State University provides numerous resources to help students navigate their academic journey and meet graduation requirements. These include:

Academic Advisors: Assigned to each student to provide guidance and support in developing a program of study.
Academic Progress Report (APR): Available in Workday, this report displays the academic requirements a student must complete to earn their degree.
LAS Career Services: Supports students' career exploration, career development, and professional career search assistance.
Office of the Registrar: Provides official transcripts and information on graduation requirements.

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