Registration Requirements and Procedures

Office of the University Registrar

The Office of the University Registrar provides a wide variety of student services, including registration, verification of enrollment, maintenance of permanent student records and academic history, issuance of official and unofficial transcripts, degree verification and issuance of diplomas. A calendar of important dates, the examination schedule, and information about various policies and procedures is available at www.odu.edu/registrar.

The Office of the University Registrar is also responsible for determining eligibility for in-state tuition rates, certification of eligibility for NCAA athletic competition, and registration of students cross-registering through the Virginia Tidewater Consortium.

In addition, the Office of the University Registrar provides several academic services to Old Dominion University including curriculum management, degree audit, degree conferral, course scheduling, and catalog production.

Self-service is available for most processes in Leo Online. On the Norfolk campus, walk-up services are available at the office in Rollins Hall. The office is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Please call 757-683-4425.

Academic Calendar and Course Scheduling

The academic calendar includes the fall and spring semesters, as well as a summer term. The fall semester begins one or two weeks prior to Labor Day Weekend and ends 16 weeks later. Classes will be held on Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend, but classes are canceled for the Labor Day holiday. A Fall Break is scheduled for mid-October (Columbus Day Weekend) and runs from Saturday through Tuesday of that weekend. Thanksgiving break begins after classes on Tuesday prior to the holiday, and classes resume on the following Monday. Commencement is scheduled on the Saturday after exams have been administered.

Spring semester includes a Winter session that begins after fall commencement and ends before the rest of the spring semester classes begin.

Spring semester begins one week prior to the Martin Luther King (MLK) holiday weekend. Classes are canceled for MLK weekend (Saturday-Monday) and resume on Tuesday following the holiday. Spring Break is scheduled eight weeks after the start of classes, from Monday through Saturday. Classes resume on the following Sunday and continue until Monday of week 15 into the semester.  A reading day is held the Tuesday after classes end, with exams beginning on Wednesday and continuing to the following Wednesday. Commencement is scheduled on the Friday and Saturday after exams have been administered; Saturday is the degree conferral date.

Summer term includes a three-week Maymester, along with one 12-week and two six-week sessions.

Note: Asynchronous courses may or may not follow these terms. The University will determine the duration of each course, and students may opt for self-paced study when enrolling in this online format.

Summer Term and Winter Session

Old Dominion University offers a summer program that includes a three-week Maymester, along with one 12-week and two six-week sessions.   More than 1,200 graduate and undergraduate courses are offered on campus, off campus and online during the summer months.

The University also offers select classes during winter session, which is between the December graduation date and the start of spring semester classes.

The exact dates for the summer and winter sessions are listed on the Registrar’s Office website at www.odu.edu/registrar.

Course Numbering

Courses numbered 100 are primarily for freshmen, 200 for sophomores, 300 for juniors, and 400 for seniors. All 300- and 400-level courses require a prerequisite of a specific course(s), junior/senior standing, and/or permission of the instructor.

Courses at the 500, 600, 700, and 800 levels are generally for graduate credit.

Courses at the 500 level are cross-listed to undergraduate 400-level courses, with additional work and higher-level outcomes required for 500-level courses.  Except in cases where topical content changes by each semester, cross-listed courses taken previously at the 400 level may not be retaken at the 500 level.  A limited number of 500-level courses may be used to satisfy the requirements for a master's degree, education specialist degree, or a doctoral degree. 

Courses at the 600 level form the core of master's programs, including those taken in connection with a thesis, and they are not cross-listed with numbers at other levels.  A limited number of 600-level courses may be used to satisfy the requirements for a doctoral degree. 

700- and 800-level courses are generally, but not always, cross-listed.  700-level courses are generally reserved for master's students and 800-level courses for doctoral students.  When 700- and 800-level courses are cross-listed, additional work and higher-level outcomes are required for 800-level courses.  Except in cases where topical content changes, cross-listed courses taken previously at the 700 level may not be retaken at the 800 level.  A limited number of 700-level courses may be used to satisfy the requirements for a doctoral degree.

Education specialist students may take courses at the 600, 700, or 800 levels depending on their program's curricula.

General Education undergraduate courses are designated by the fourth digit in the course number. At the lower division, the following designations are used: for skills courses, C=Composition, F=Language and Culture, G=Information Literacy and Research, M=Mathematics and R=Oral Communication; for Ways of Knowing courses, A=Human Creativity, H=Interpreting the Past, L=Literature, P and E=Philosophy and Ethics, N=the Nature of Science, S=Human Behavior and T=Impact of Technology. Writing intensive courses are designated by a W in the fourth digit.

Course numbers ending in "29" at all levels are reserved for courses taken through the Virginia Tidewater Consortium Exchange Program.

Topics course numbers include 195, 196, 295, 296, 395, 396, 495, 496, 595, 596, 695, 696, 795, 796, 895, and 896. These numbers are  generally to be used to designate topics courses taught as a class.  The particular topic for that semester should be listed in the semester schedule. Where a particular topic is offered more than two or three times, it should be approved as a regular course offering and given its own course number.

Individual and Tutorial course numbers include 397, 398, 497, 498, 597, 697, 797, and 897. These numbers are generally to be used to designate courses involving individual or tutorial study within a discipline. These individually arranged courses will require prior approval by the department chair and/or instructor.

Cooperative Education course numbers are 367, 667, and 867.

Internship course numbers are generally 368, 668, and 868.

Practicum course numbers are generally 369, 669, and 869.

Extracurricular Activities course numbers are 377 and 378. These numbers are reserved for departments interested in granting credit for extracurricular activities at the undergraduate level.

Honors course numbers include 126, 127, 128, 226, 227, 228, 387, 388, 487, and 488. These numbers are reserved for departments interested in offering honors courses at the undergraduate level.

Seminar, Colloquium, and Capstone course numbers include 690, 691, 692, 693, 890, 891, 892 and 893.

Research/Project course numbers are generally 698 for the master’s level and 898 for the doctoral level.

The Thesis course number is 699 and is reserved for the master’s thesis.

The Dissertation course number is 899 and is reserved for doctoral dissertation courses.

The Continuous Enrollment course number 999 is available for the purpose of maintaining active status at the doctoral level. All students are required to be enrolled the semester in which they graduate, and all doctoral students who have advanced to candidacy are required to be registered for at least one graduate credit hour each term (fall, spring, and summer) until the degree is completed.

Once a course number has been deactivated it may not be reused for a different course for a period of six academic years.

Normal Course Load for Undergraduate Students

The University considers the carrying of 12 or more credit hours during the fall and spring semesters to be full time for undergraduate students; 15 hours is considered a normal course load. Students seeking to enroll in more than 18 credit hours must have a 3.00 or better overall grade point average. In addition, they must obtain the recommendation of their advisor and written permission from the dean or designee of the college in which their major or intended major program resides. A student on academic warning or probation may not enroll in more than 15 credits per semester (fall or spring) of attendance, except under extenuating circumstances and with the permission of the dean or designee of the college in which the student is enrolled.  Otherwise, the actual course load is entirely the prerogative of the student.

During the summer term, an undergraduate student is considered to be full time if he or she is enrolled in nine hours. A student may not enroll in more than nine hours in a six-week session without the recommendation of the advisor and written permission of the dean or designee of the college in which the major or intended major program resides. Students seeking to enroll in more than nine hours in a six-week session or more than 15 hours in the summer term must have a 3.00 or better overall grade point average. A student on academic warning or academic probation may not enroll in more than six credits in the summer term and no more than one course in any single summer session. No student may enroll in more than 15 hours during the summer term without the recommendation of the advisor and written permission from the dean or designee of the college in which the major or intended major program resides.

Exceptions to the 3.00 grade point average requirement may be made by the dean or designee of the college in which the student’s major or intended major program resides.

Spring semester includes a winter session that begins after fall commencement and ends before spring semester classes begin.  Summer term includes a three-week Maymester, along with one 12-week and two six-week sessions. A student may not enroll in more than four hours during winter session or Maymester.  Credits earned during winter session and/or Maymester will not count against the semester's credit caps.

Non-degree students must obtain written permission from the Assistant Vice President for Academic Student Success to enroll in more than 18 credit hours.

Classification of Undergraduate Students

A sophomore must have completed 30 semester hours. A junior must have completed 60 semester hours. A senior must have completed 90 semester hours.

Transfer students will be classified based upon credit hours accepted by Old Dominion University.

Classification of students will be determined at the end of each semester.
 

Pre-registration and Time Ticketing

Electronic Time Ticketing - Old Dominion University (odu.edu)
 

Priority Preregistration for Active Duty, Veterans, Reservists and Virginia National Guard Service Members

Code of Virginia § 23.1-904 (C) states that:

The governing board of each public institution of higher education shall, in accordance with guidelines developed by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, implement policies that recognize the scheduling difficulties and obligations encountered by active-duty members of the United States armed forces.

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia in consultation with the Military Education Advisory Committee (MEAC) has issued guidelines that require state colleges and universities to establish course registration policies that provide reasonable accommodation to students who are active-duty military members, veterans, reservists and Virginia National Guard members. The policy can be found at the following link:  https://www.odu.edu/about/policiesandprocedures/bov/bov1400/1418

Staff in the Office of the University Registrar, Military Connections Center and the Office of Admissions will be trained to communicate the policy to students who may be qualified for this benefit.

Class Schedule Changes and Drop/Add Procedures

During the fall and spring semesters, students may add and drop classes within the first 11 calendar days after the first day of classes for the semester (for full semester classes). This is normally the Tuesday following Labor Day for the fall semester and the Tuesday following the Martin Luther King holiday for the spring semester.  Please refer to www.odu.edu/registrar and click on the link to “Academic Calendar” for the dates to drop classes in courses not spanning the full semester.

Once registered, a student must drop or add classes via the secure website at https://portal.odu.edu, click LEO online or submit a completed drop/add form to the Office of the University Registrar. The date the form is received in the Office of the University Registrar or processed via LEO determines tuition adjustments, if applicable. If needed, drop/add forms can be downloaded from the Registrar’s Office website: http://odu.edu/registrar/forms and submitted electronically to register@odu.edu.

First-year students are strongly encouraged to seek advising before dropping or adding any class. Students enrolled in degree programs in which sequencing is critical are urged to consult their academic advisors before scheduling changes. In such programs, dropping of courses without prior consultation with academic advisors may necessitate additional time to complete University and/or departmental degree requirements.

See the academic calendar in this Catalog or at https://www.odu.edu/academics/calendar and click on the link to “calendars” for the dates for adding or dropping classes. For information regarding the refund schedule, see the chapter on Tuition, Fees and Financial Information or go to the Office of Finance’s web page at www.odu.edu/finance. There may also be financial aid implications to dropping or withdrawing from a course. For more information about how financial aid could be impacted, seek advice from a financial aid advisor or visit the Office of Financial Aid website at www.odu.edu/finaidoffice/manage/dropping-a-class.

ODU does not automatically drop or withdraw students from classes for failure to attend or failure to pay tuition.  The student must initiate the process to withdraw from classes.

Withdrawal From Classes or From the University

Policy for Dropping and Withdrawing From Classes

Dropping Classes

Prior to the start of and during the first 11 calendar days of the semester, a student may drop a course; during this period no grade will be assigned and no record of the course will be entered on the student’s permanent academic record. Please refer to www.odu.edu/registrar and click on the link to “Academic Calendar” for the dates to drop classes in courses not spanning the full semester.

Withdrawal from Classes

After the first 11 calendar days of the semester, a student may withdraw from any course through the end of the twelfth week of classes of a regular semester not including the exam period.  For all other non-standard semester courses (i.e., Summer Sessions, Maymester, Winter Session, or eight-week sessions), a student may withdraw after the drop/add period through the day prior to the last day of classes for that session.  A grade of W will be assigned during this period.  However, some degree programs have withdrawal, continuance and progression policies that supersede this policy because of the nature of the professional standards and practices underlying the specific curriculum.  Students should consult with their advisor or student success coach (for online students) to determine if there are more stringent requirements for withdrawing from courses in specific majors.

Withdrawal from a course after the twelfth week of a regular session (or its equivalent in a non-­semester course) is usually not permitted. However, in the event of an illness or other severe hardship beyond the student's control, the student should submit, no later than the last day of classes, a written petition for permission to withdraw to the instructor. If permission is granted, a grade of W will be recorded. If permission is not granted, the student will not be allowed to withdraw from the course. Any appeal of decisions should be brought to the department chair.

Please refer to www.odu.edu/registrar and click on the link to “Academic Calendar” for the dates to withdraw from classes in courses not spanning the full semester. Information on tuition refunds can be found on the Office of Finance website at http://www.odu.edu/admission/costs-tuition/tuition/refunds.  

Students are encouraged to contact their instructor, advisor, and Student Success Director (for online students) to discuss the implications of withdrawing. Prior to withdrawing from any course, students receiving financial aid should consult their financial aid counselor. Course withdrawal may adversely impact satisfactory academic progress for financial aid purposes and limit the student's ability to continue receiving financial aid.

Withdrawal from a course after the last day of classes of a regular semester (or after the day prior to the last day of classes for non-semester courses) is not permitted.

Students who have a financial hold on their record are not able to withdraw from classes online.  However, they may withdraw by the published deadline at the Registrar’s Office between 8:00 a.m. and  5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday or by email to register@odu.edu.  The office is located at 1009 Rollins Hall.

A student who stops attending classes without withdrawing from the course will receive a grade of WF, except if the student’s performance was an F at the time the student stopped attending class, in which case a grade of F will be assigned. The grade of WF will carry no grade points, and will be computed in the grade point average as a grade of F.

ODU does not automatically drop or withdraw students from classes for failure to attend or failure to pay tuition.  The student must initiate the process to withdraw from classes and file a Tuition Appeal if applicable.  Tuition Appeal forms and full details are available from the Office of Finance web site: http://www.odu.edu/admission/costs-tuition/tuition/appeals.

Drop and Withdrawal Deadlines

Specific deadline dates for dropping and withdrawing from classes can be found on the Academic Calendar at https://odu.edu/academics/calendar.

Administrative Withdrawal From the University

During the course of any semester, there will be situations, such as severe illness, death in the immediate family, or disciplinary actions, which will require that the University initiate an administrative withdrawal from the University to assist a student or to implement a University-imposed sanction. The following procedures will be used.

1. The request for withdrawal is initiated either by the student because of an extenuating personal situation or by the University because of a disciplinary situation.
2. This action will normally be handled by the Vice President for Student Enrollment, Engagement & Services or designee. If the student initiates the withdrawal, the Office of the Vice President for Student Enrollment, Engagement & Services will determine what verification is necessary and document the situation.
3. A request will be submitted to the Office of the University Registrar to withdraw the student from all classes.
4. The student’s instructors will be notified. If the student is withdrawing after the last day of classes, part of this notification will include the opportunity for the faculty member to raise objections if the student’s classroom performance is such that a withdrawal (W) would not be appropriate. If a faculty member objects, the faculty member will inform the University Registrar and the original grade assigned by the faculty member will stand.
5. The request for withdrawal must be initiated by the student within one calendar year counting from the first day of classes of the term for which administrative withdrawal is sought. Requests for withdrawal that have the necessary documentation but are received after the one-year deadline may be reviewed by an appeals committee consisting of at least three members and including both faculty and administrators, to be convened by the Director of Student Outreach and Support in Student Enrollment, Engagement & Services. These requests must include clear and compelling reasons for not submitting the request within one calendar year.
6. Tuition refund appeals are handled separately and must be submitted to the Office of Finance. Students submitting requests after the one-year deadline are not eligible for a tuition appeal.
7. Students receiving financial aid should consult their financial aid counselor prior to submitting a tuition refund appeal.

Any exceptions for undergraduate students must be approved by the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs or designee.  Exceptions for graduate students must be approved by the Dean of the Graduate School.

Sudden Withdrawal and Prolonged Absence Due to Military Mobilization

Guidelines are provided for students whose service in the armed forces of the United States has required their sudden withdrawal or prolonged absence from enrollment at Old Dominion University. The policy can be found at the following link:

https://www.odu.edu/about/policiesandprocedures/bov/bov1400/1416

Audit Status

The audit grading status is available for students who would like to enroll in a course for the knowledge gained or personal satisfaction, not for academic credit. Any course that is elected to be carried as an audit will be subject to the normal fees and regulations of the University. Regular attendance is expected, but neither tests nor examinations are required. No grade will be recorded, except that an instructor may assign a grade of "W&" to a student who misses an appreciable portion of the classes. The student’s record will be marked “audit” by the course so elected. A student may not audit a course and subsequently seek advanced placement credit for the same course. A student may audit a course and register for the same course for credit in a subsequent semester. Registration for the audit option must be selected by the end of the drop/add period in the given semester. Any course elected for audit cannot be changed to that of credit status after the end of the “add” registration period. Students receiving financial aid should be aware that registering for audit status may affect their financial aid eligibility. Selection of the audit status is accomplished through the normal registration procedures.

Student-Elected Pass/Fail Course Option For Undergraduate Students

1. The option to select courses for pass/fail credit is open to the undergraduate student who has been accepted by a department as a major.
2. Courses within the student’s major or minor, or courses necessary to meet a departmental, school, or college requirement, or University General Education Requirement, may not be taken under this option.
3. A maximum of 12 hours of student-elected pass/fail credit may be applied to the student’s baccalaureate degree unless in teacher education programs. Majors in teacher education programs may apply only three hours of student-elected pass/fail credit.
4. Instructors will have knowledge of which students in their courses are enrolled for pass/fail credit.
5. A student receiving a P will receive credit for the hours, but will not receive grade points, and the hours will not be counted in the computation of the grade point average. A student receiving an F will not receive credit for the course and there will be no penalty, although the failure will appear on his or her transcript.
6. A student electing the pass/fail option for a particular course cannot change his or her registration and elect to take the course for grade point credit after the end of the “add” period. Similarly, courses cannot be elected as pass/fail after the end of the “add” period.
7. All prerequisites must be met for any course taken under the pass/fail option.

Course Offerings for Credit and Noncredit

If a course is offered as both a noncredit and a credit offering, students must elect one or the other prior to the add/drop deadline. They will pay the fee/tuition for the elected offering by the tuition deadline.  Students who register for a noncredit course may not elect to receive credit for it at any point after the add/drop deadline. Completed noncredit work may be reviewed as part of a Prior Learning Assessment to determine if the award of academic credit is appropriate. Noncredit courses will not meet undergraduate or graduate degree requirements.

Attendance at Other Institutions

Students who are enrolled at Old Dominion University may attend another institution and transfer credit earned there back to a degree program at Old Dominion University. While formal Old Dominion University permission is not required, students should consult the academic advisor to ensure that the credits to be taken at the other institution will transfer to the Old Dominion University program in which the student is enrolled. A complete list of transferable courses that have already been evaluated can be found on the Transfer Student Centers website. If deemed equivalent and the student has earned at least a grade of "C," courses will appear on the Old Dominion University transcript as transfer credit and can be used for general education, major or minor requirements or elective credit. No grade points or hours are calculated into the Old Dominion University grade point average; only hours awarded count toward the total number of credits required for the degree. An official transcript from the other institution must be mailed directly to: Office of Undergraduate Admissions, 1004 Rollins Hall, Norfolk, VA 23529.

The other institution may ask the student to provide documentation of good standing or eligibility to continue at Old Dominion. These forms should be submitted to the Office of the University Registrar. Forms that require the student to demonstrate that the course(s) will be accepted for transfer credit at Old Dominion University should be submitted directly to the academic advisor.

It is recommended that students not enroll in courses at another institution during the semester the student intends to graduate.

Virginia Tidewater Consortium Exchange Program

Old Dominion University students may take courses at any of the following Consortium institutions: Christopher Newport University (Newport News), College of William and Mary (Williamsburg - limited number of graduate courses only), Eastern Shore Community College (Melfa), Eastern Virginia Medical School (Norfolk), Hampton University (Hampton), Joint Forces Staff College (Norfolk), Norfolk State University (Norfolk), Paul D. Camp Community College (Franklin), Regent University (Virginia Beach), Virginia Peninsula Community College (Hampton), Tidewater Community College (all campuses), and Virginia Wesleyan College (Norfolk).

Cross-registration is subject to the following regulations:

1. Cross-registration is limited to degree-seeking students with an ODU cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or better.
2. Cross-registration credit is limited to 30 semester hours.
3. Cross-registration in major courses requires the permission of the department chair.
4. Cross-registration is limited to courses not available to students at the home institution during the current semester. Exceptions to this requirement must be made by the chair of the department offering the course.
5. Cross-registration courses count as resident credit at the home institution, not the host institution.

For further information, please contact the Office of the University Registrar at (757) 683-4425 or visit the office in Rollins Hall.

Declaration or Change of Major or Minor for Undergraduate Students

Upon entrance to the University, students are assigned either to an advisor in the Center for Major Exploration or to an advisor in their college or department of interest. Online students work with their assigned online Student Success Director as their main advisor, with a college advisor on campus assigned as the final authority. Acceptance of a student for advising purposes does not guarantee acceptance into the department as a major. Acceptance of a student as a major in a program cannot occur until all requirements for acceptance have been met. These requirements vary depending upon the major. Specific inquiries concerning requirements should be made to the academic college, school or department involved, or the Student Success Director. In all cases a student must successfully complete ENGL 110C before declaring a major.

A student must be accepted as a major in an academic program before the student may become a degree candidate or apply for graduation. Students cannot receive a degree in an academic program unless they have met all requirements for acceptance and have been accepted into that academic program.  Students should declare their major by the time they earn between 45-60 credit hours in order to meet requirements of their intended major in a timely manner.  Non-degree students may not declare majors until admitted to degree status.

Students must contact the department of the intended major or their Student Success Director to formally declare a major. Upon meeting the University, college, and departmental/school requirements for declaring the major and/or minor, the academic advisor or the Student Success Director in the interest area will officially declare the major and/or minor on the student's behalf.

Graduate Credit for Old Dominion University Undergraduates

Undergraduate Students Enrolled in Linked Undergraduate to Graduate Degree Programs

Old Dominion University hosts a number of linked undergraduate to graduate programs, including bachelor’s to master’s programs and bachelor’s to doctoral programs, that permit undergraduate students to begin graduate study as early as the junior year. For linked bachelor’s to master’s programs, students must earn a minimum of 150 credit hours (120 discrete credit hours for the undergraduate degree, 30 discrete credit hours for the graduate degree). For linked bachelor’s to doctoral programs, students must earn a minimum of 198 credit hours (120 discrete credit hours for the undergraduate degree, 78 discrete credit hours for the graduate degree).

Undergraduate students enrolled in linked graduate degree programs at Old Dominion University may take up to 21 hours of graduate credit that can be applied toward their undergraduate degrees. Of these 21 hours of graduate credit, up to 12 can be applied toward both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. This option is available only to those students who have satisfied all admission and continuation requirements of the specific linked programs. All graduate hours applied to the undergraduate degree will be counted in the undergraduate grade point average, will appear on the undergraduate transcript, and will be used to determine graduation with honors. Undergraduate students accepted into linked graduate degree programs will be formally admitted to the graduate program following receipt of the bachelor's degree.

Approved Bachelor’s to Master’s and Bachelor's to Doctoral Linked Degree Programs can be found at the link below.

https://catalog.odu.edu/undergraduate/registrationrequirementsandprocedures/linked_programs/

Undergraduate Students with Senior Standing but not Enrolled in Programs with a Linked Graduate Degree Option

An Old Dominion University undergraduate degree-seeking student with senior standing and a 3.30 or better grade point average in the major field of study may be allowed to take up to 12 hours of graduate course work for graduate credit, upon approval of the instructor of the graduate course, the chair and graduate program director of the department offering the graduate course, and the chair or chief departmental advisor of the student’s undergraduate major department. Up to six hours of graduate credit taken prior to completing the undergraduate degree may be applied toward the undergraduate degree. The graduate credit may be used as a substitution for required undergraduate courses only with the approval of the department chair or chief departmental advisor of the student’s undergraduate program. All graduate hours applied to the undergraduate degree will be counted in the undergraduate grade point average, will appear on the undergraduate transcript, and will be used to determine graduation with honors. The combined undergraduate and graduate hours taken during any semester must not exceed 18. The proper request form, Request of Old Dominion University Undergraduate to Take Graduate Courses, is available in the Office of the University Registrar. This option is available only to degree-seeking undergraduate students at Old Dominion University.

Students who apply graduate credit to their undergraduate degree and continue in a graduate program at Old Dominion University in the same area must earn a minimum of 30 discrete credit hours for a master's degree and 78 discrete credit hours for a doctoral degree.

Completion of Requirements for Undergraduate Students (Catalog Year)

Undergraduate students may choose to graduate under the Catalog in effect at the time of their first enrollment (part-time or full-time) or any subsequent Catalog provided that the students graduate within six years (18 semesters) from the date of the first enrollment. For example, students beginning in the fall 2023 semester may use any Catalog in effect from fall 2023 through the end of the 2029 summer term, students beginning in spring 2024 may use any Catalog in effect from spring 2024 through the end of the fall 2029 semester, and students beginning in summer 2024 may use any Catalog in effect from summer 2024 through the spring 2030 semester. If students do not graduate within this six-year period, they may choose to graduate under any Catalog in effect within the six-year period preceding the date of graduation. For example, students graduating in spring 2024 may use any Catalog in effect from summer 2018 through spring 2024, students graduating in summer 2024 may use any Catalog in effect from fall 2018 through summer 2024, and students graduating in fall 2024 may use any Catalog in effect from spring 2019 through fall 2024.

In all cases, students must have been duly admitted to the University and an academic program of study and meet all of the requirements for graduation in one catalog. Students may not “tailor make” their own degree requirements by selecting partial requirements from more than one catalog.

Degree Completion (Graduation) Application

Undergraduate students who have earned at least 102 credits and met other minimal requirements will be reminded via email to the ODU email address to begin the review process and to apply for graduation if eligible.

Qualified students should access and download a current copy of the Degree Works degree evaluation from https://portal.odu.edu/ and consult with the academic advisor or Student Success Director (for online students) prior to submission of the application for graduation to ensure that degree requirements are being met. Students who have elected a minor must consult a representative in the minor department to ensure that minor requirements are being met. After meeting with the academic advisor and verifying eligibility for graduation, students should submit the online application for graduation.  Paper applications for graduation are not accepted.

All students should apply for graduation during the semester prior to the expected completion of degree requirements. The deadline to apply for graduation and have the student's name printed in the commencement book is generally the last day of November, February and June for the following semester. Students applying after these dates may not appear in the commencement book. Complete instructions and specific deadlines are published on the Registrar’s Office website, www.odu.edu/registrar. All students should apply for graduation by using the online process at LEO Online.

Students pursuing two degrees simultaneously must submit graduation applications for each degree.

Students can view their application and degree status in LEO Online. Once the application has been processed, the student’s graduation status appears as “accepted.” The status changes to “awarded” once the degree is conferred. Degree conferral occurs after the official date of graduation and may take up to six weeks.

Students who do not complete degree requirements as expected will be notified via email and must reapply for the graduation date in which they will complete their degree. Students should check Degree Works for notes about missing requirements.

Graduation Clearance

All degree requirements must be completed no later than the last day of exams for the term in which graduation is anticipated. Students attending classes at other institutions should ensure that the course(s) and examination(s) taken at the other institution will be completed no later than the date of conferral for the semester published in the Academic Calendar. If all coursework is not completed by this date, awarding of the degree may be delayed until the next scheduled conferral date. In addition to departmental academic requirements specific to the major, minor, or degree program, prior to conferral of the degree, undergraduate students must complete the senior assessment (survey) and meet the University's undergraduate writing program requirement, which is completion of the following courses with a grade of C (2.0) or better:  ENGL 110C, ENGL 211C or ENGL 231C, and the writing intensive (W) course in the major. The writing intensive course must be taken at Old Dominion University and cannot be met through transfer coursework or through enrollment in the Virginia Tidewater Consortium.  Students should also refer to the sections of this Catalog on Baccalaureate Degree Requirements, Residency Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees, and specific requirements for their degree program.

Students are responsible for monitoring their own progress toward degree completion and for meeting all graduation requirements. Students are encouraged to monitor the following specific University requirements: general education, foreign language, transfer work evaluation, and upper-level requirements. Students are also reminded that academic advising in the major department is extremely important to the successful completion of the degree being sought.

Graduation with Honors

Baccalaureate Degrees

Baccalaureate degrees with honors are conferred in accordance with the following cumulative grade point averages on work attempted at Old Dominion University:

Graduation with Honors

Honors	Minimum Number of Credit Hours	Minimum Number of Grade-Point Graded Hours
Cum Laude 3.4-3.65	60	54
Magna Cum Laude 3.66-3.85	60	54
Summa Cum Laude 3.86-4.00	60	54

These designations apply only to candidates who have completed 60 or more credit hours of work at Old Dominion University. At least 54 of the hours must be in grade-point graded courses. Honors designations will be posted to students’ records and appear on the diploma.

Candidates who transfer to Old Dominion and thus do not qualify for honors designations because they have not completed 60 hours at Old Dominion University but who have 45 or more graded hours at Old Dominion University with a cumulative grade point average of 3.66 or higher will be recognized as graduates with distinction. This information will be posted to students’ records and appear on the diploma.

To determine eligibility for graduation with honors or with distinction, the student’s complete record, including grades and hours for courses that have been forgiven using grade forgiveness or adjusted through the Adjusted Resident Credit policy, will be evaluated to calculate the final grade point average. If the student’s overall average is sufficient, graduation with honors or with distinction will be posted to the student’s record and appear on the diploma.

Credit earned under the Prior Learning Assessment credit options (advanced placement, University exams, departmental exams, external exams such as CLEP and DANTES, portfolio review, and training) does not apply to the 60 credit hours required for graduation with honors or the 45 hours required for graduation with distinction.

For students in approved linked undergraduate to graduate degree programs, all graduate hours applied to the undergraduate degree will be counted in the undergraduate grade point average, appear on the undergraduate transcript, and be used to determine graduation with honors.

Departmental Honors

Undergraduate students may earn the designation of departmental honors on their diplomas. Minimum University standards for departmental honors are:

• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25.
• Minimum GPA in the major of 3.50.
• Completion of at least two 300- or 400-level courses designated by the department to be honors courses.
• Completion of at least 60 credit hours at Old Dominion University, 54 of which must be in grade-point graded courses.

Undergraduate students who meet all the criteria for departmental honors except the credit-hour requirement may earn the designation of with distinction on their diplomas with the completion of a minimum of 45 graded hours at Old Dominion University.

Candidates who have used grade forgiveness or adjusted resident credit should be aware that the enhanced grade point average determined by use of these procedures does not determine eligibility for departmental honors. To determine eligibility for departmental honors, the student’s complete record, including grades and hours for courses that have been forgiven or adjusted, will be evaluated to calculate the final grade point average. If the student’s overall average is sufficient, departmental honors will be posted to the student’s record.

Credit earned under the Prior Learning Assessment credit options (advanced placement, University exams, departmental exams, external exams such as CLEP and DANTES, portfolio review, and training) does not apply to the 45 credit hours required for departmental honors.

For students in approved linked undergraduate to graduate degree programs, all graduate hours applied to the undergraduate degree will be counted in the undergraduate grade point average, appear on the undergraduate transcript, and be used to determine departmental honors.

Individual departments may set other eligibility standards in addition to the University standards.

Contract Honors Courses

Students with a grade point average of at least 3.25 may transform any upper-division course into an Honors course on an individual basis. With the advice and consent of the instructor, students take one or more courses that can be converted into Honors. No grade below B is accepted for Honors designation. In addition, contract honors courses may be used to meet requirements for departmental honors. Interested students should contact the Perry Honors College for additional information.

Commencement

Commencement exercises are intended for students who are eligible and reasonably expect to complete degree requirements to graduate from the University within the current or following graduation period.

Commencement ceremonies are managed through the Commencement Office. Information about requirements for participation in commencement ceremonies is available at http://www.odu.edu/academics/graduation-commencement. To be eligible to participate in ceremonies, candidates must indicate their intent when they apply for graduation; any change, including changes to graduation dates, must be communicated to the Commencement Office.

May commencement ceremonies are intended for candidates graduating in May and students who expect to complete studies in August. December commencement ceremonies are intended for candidates graduating in December and students who completed studies the preceding August.

Students who expect to attend commencement ceremonies must have applied for graduation. Tickets will not be provided by the Commencement Office to students that have not applied. Participation in commencement ceremonies does not confirm that a degree has been (or will be) conferred. Degree conferral may take four to six weeks from the date of the commencement ceremony. With the exception of doctoral degrees, diplomas are not distributed at commencement.

Diplomas

Diplomas are mailed to the student's permanent address in Banner approximately 6-8 weeks after graduation. Students should verify address information in LEO when applying for graduation. 

The student’s legal name (as maintained in the official student record) and the degree title (Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, etc.,) appear on the diploma.  Neither the major nor the minor appears on the diploma, but will appear on the transcript.

Transcripts

Transcripts are provided by the Office of the University Registrar and are issued only as requested through LEO Online. Official electronic transcripts (PDF) can be ordered through Parchment, the University's electronic transcript service provider. Transcripts should be requested at least five business days before the date needed to allow for processing and delivery. Students picking up transcripts must present valid identification. Students may access and print unofficial transcripts for personal use through LEO Online at no charge.

All grades, academic standing, degrees awarded, and degree honors are included on the transcript. Recent graduates that need to show proof of the degree earned should confirm that the graduation status in Leo Online shows "Awarded" prior to ordering a transcript.

An official transcript carries the University Seal and an authorized signature. Official transcripts are usually mailed directly to educational institutions, employers, etc. Any transcript mailed to or given directly to a student will be marked, “Issued to Student.” Partial transcripts are not issued; each transcript must include the student’s complete record at Old Dominion University. A transcript of work completed at any high school or at any college other than Old Dominion University must be obtained directly from that institution.