Degrees
- Complete all degree requirements as outlined in the curriculum guides for the Associate in Arts, Science, Fine Arts, Teaching-Secondary Mathematics, Engineering Sciences, Applied Science or General Studies degrees. The following should be completed prior to submitting a graduation application:
- Ensure that all official transcripts (high school, GED, college) used to satisfy degree requirements have been submitted to Enrollment Services, 2500 Carlyle Ave., Belleville IL 62221, by the last day of the term in which you plan to graduate. Note that these transcripts must be received directly from the issuing institution. Hand carried transcripts will not be accepted.
- Make an appointment to see a counselor at Belleville 618-235-2700, ext. 5206; Granite City 618-931-0600, ext. 7333; or Red Bud 618-282-6568, ext. 8114.
Submit a graduation application.
- Online: Log into eSTORM select Student Center and choose Application for Graduation from the dropdown box under Academics.
- On Paper: Type your information onto the graduation application, print the form and sign it. Mail or drop off your signed application at the Belleville Campus Enrollment Services office, the Sam Wolf Granite City administrative office or the Red Bud Student Development office.
You may submit a graduation application at any time of year. If the deadline has passed for the term you request, your application will be reviewed automatically the following term. If you do not choose a term, your application will be considered for the nearest term based on the deadlines below.
Application Deadline
|
Term for Graduation
|
| February 15 |
Summer |
| June 15 |
Fall |
| September 15 |
Spring |
NOTE: If the deadline falls on a holiday or weekend, applications will be due no later than the next business day. Your application is good for one semester. If it is denied, you will need to reapply for the following semester.
View your student advisement report to verify all degree requirements have or will be completed by the end of the term applied for.
Resolve all financial obligations to the college.
What to Expect
Upon review of your graduation application, you will be notified via your SWIC student e-mail account regarding your degree status. If you do not receive notification by the start of the term in which you plan to graduate, you should contact Enrollment Services in person or by phone at 618-235-2700, ext. 5281, to ensure your application was received.
If you still have remaining requirements (other than current/planned enrollment) you will be required to meet with a SWIC counselor to review academic planning. If, after meeting with a counselor, you believe that you will not be able to complete in the original application term, you should resubmit a graduation application for the next term in which you plan to graduate.
All applicants will be reviewed after grades are submitted at the end of the term. If you have completed all requirements successfully, you will receive confirmation in the mail from Enrollment Services at the end of the term. Your degree will be posted to your academic record immediately after confirmation, however, you will not receive your diploma for approximately two months. Your diploma will be mailed to the address indicated on your graduation application, so please notify Enrollment Services if it changes.
If you do not successfully complete your enrollment and/or pending requirements, you will receive notification indicating that your degree was denied. If you have any questions or concerns, you should immediately contact Enrollment Services at ext. 5281.
Certificates
Certificates of proficiency and certificates of completion are available in some programs. These certificates may be obtained upon completion of the following:
Complete all certificate requirements as outlined in your career program of study.
A minimum of 25 percent of the required credit hours/credit units must be completed through courses offered by Southwestern Illinois College. Consent of the program coordinator/department head, dean, and Vice President for Instruction is necessary for any variance from this requirement.
Achieve a minimum of a 2.0 cumulative grade point average in courses required for the certificate.
At the beginning of the term in which requirements will be completed, a certificate request must be turned in. If you wish to mail or drop off a request at the Enrollment Services Office at the Belleville Campus, the Administrative Office at the Sam Wolf Granite City Campus or the Student Development Office at the Red Bud Campus you can type your information onto the Application for Occupational Certificate, print the form and sign it before returning it to be processed.
Commencement
While we confer degrees each term, we only offer one graduation ceremony each year. The ceremony is held in May at the end of the spring semester. All degree candidates for the spring term and students who received degrees in the previous summer or fall term will be invited to participate in the ceremony. Students needing to complete requirements beyond the spring term will be invited to the ceremony in the following year. The specific date of the ceremony can be found on the college calendar.
Commencement Honors
At the annual graduation ceremony held each spring, students who have achieved an accumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher will be eligible to wear a blue tassel, which represents the achievement of honors, rather than a black tassel. The GPA that determines this achievement is the cumulative average through the fall term. Spring grades do not affect commencement honor status.
Verification of Degree
Official Transcript – Your official transcript is the official record of degree completion at Southwestern Illinois College. Transcripts are released only with your written consent. Please visit transcript information for the steps you can take to request your official transcript.
Diploma – After successful completion of coursework is verified by Enrollment Services, diplomas are mailed to students.
Telephone – It is the practice of Southwestern Illinois College to confirm or deny receipt of a degree over the telephone when requested. Typically these requests would come from potential employers, professional licensure agencies, or other colleges/universities. However, we will provide this information without confirming the identity of the caller, as we have no way of making formal identification over the phone. We do not, under any circumstance, release grade or GPA information over the phone. Releasing any information aside from degree and/or enrollment status (full-time or part-time) requires your written consent and is never released over the phone. If it is your preference that degree and/or enrollment status information is not released without your written consent, please submit a request to withhold directory information. A form may be obtained from Enrollment Services or you may submit your intentions in the form of a letter to the Enrollment Services office.