Graduation Requirements

Students who entered Geneseo in Fall 2022 to Summer 2024 must meet the following requirements to earn a baccalaureate degree from SUNY Geneseo:

1. Earn a minimum of 120 credits. A maximum of 60 credits can be transferred from two-year institutions, and a maximum of 90 credits are transferable from a four-year institution. In addition, a maximum of 10 credits in health and physical education courses (with no more than four credits in activity courses), a maximum of 8 combined credits in MUSC 160, MUSC 165, MUSC 271, DANC 265, DANC 365, and THEA 260, a maximum of 8 credits in ROTC, and a maximum of 15 credits in internships can be included within the 120 credits required for the degree. (Please also see section titled Credit Restrictions)
2. Attain at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average at Geneseo.
3. Achieve at least a 2.00 cumulative average in all courses in their major department applied toward completion of the major, and a 1.67 average or better in required related courses (i.e., any courses required by the major department which are outside its own academic discipline). (In addition, students seeking recommendation from the College for New York State initial certification must achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5.) Note that some majors require a cumulative average higher than a 2.0 to continue in their programs (see School of Business and School of Education).
4. Complete satisfactorily all courses required for the major (as specified by the descriptions of majors, minors, and courses in “Academic Programs”).
5. Complete successfully the Critical Thinking, Informational & Digital Literacy, discipline-specific practices of Written and Oral Communication, and Leadership & Collaboration requirements in the major (or first major, for students with multiple majors). Consult individual department offices for details.
6. Complete satisfactorily the requirements of the General Education Curriculum: Broad Knowledge, Intellectual and Practical Skills. Approved courses in each of the areas are described on the following website: gened.geneseo.edu
7. Complete satisfactorily at least 45 credits -toward graduation in courses at or above the 200-level, with at least 24 at the 300-499 level.
8. Offer toward graduation a minimum number of credits outside the major department or school, as indicated in the Bulletin for your academic year of matriculation.
9. All students must document an integrative or applied learning experience (whether within the major or outside of it—even via the co-curriculum).
10. Complete a minimum of 30 credits in residence at Geneseo. Credit earned in Geneseo intersession, summer sessions, or in on-campus evening courses counts as residence credit.
11. Complete and submit the graduation application.

Students who entered Geneseo in Fall 2025 or later must meet the following requirements to earn a baccalaureate degree from SUNY Geneseo:

1. Earn a minimum of 120 credits. A maximum of 64 credits (plus up to 15 additional upper-level major courses) can be transferred from two-year institutions, and a maximum of 90 credits are transferable from a four-year institution. In addition, students must complete 90 liberal arts and sciences (LASC) credits for a B.A., 60 liberal arts and sciences (LASC) credits for a B.S., and 30 liberal arts and sciences (LASC) credits for a B.F.A, as defined in state law. Please also see section titled Credit Restrictions, under Academic Policies, for limitations in many applied areas on credits that may be used toward the required 120.
2. Attain at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average at Geneseo.
3. Achieve at least a 2.00 cumulative average in all courses in their major department applied toward completion of the major, and a 1.67 average or better in required related courses (i.e., any courses required by the major department which are outside its own academic discipline). (In addition, students seeking recommendation from the College for New York State initial certification must achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5.) Note that some majors require a cumulative average higher than a 2.0 to continue in their programs (see School of Business and School of Education).
4. Complete satisfactorily all courses required for the major (as specified by the descriptions of majors, minors, and courses in “Academic Programs”).
5. Complete successfully the Critical Thinking, Informational & Digital Literacy, discipline-specific practices of Written and Oral Communication, and Leadership & Collaboration requirements in the major (or first major, for students with multiple majors). Consult individual department offices for details.
6. Complete satisfactorily the requirements of the General Education Curriculum: Broad Knowledge, Intellectual and Practical Skills. Approved courses in each of the areas are described on the following website: gened.geneseo.edu
7. Complete satisfactorily at least 45 credits -toward graduation in courses at or above the 200-level, with at least 24 at the 300-499 level.
8. Offer toward graduation a minimum number of credits outside the major department or school, as indicated in the Bulletin for your academic year of matriculation.
9. All students must document an integrative or applied learning experience (whether within the major or outside of it—even via the co-curriculum).
10. Complete a minimum of 30 credits in residence at Geneseo. Credit earned in Geneseo intersession, summer sessions, or in on-campus evening courses counts as residence credit.
11. After you complete 90 credits, submit the graduation application.

For information about graduation requirements for master’s programs, please contact the following:

School of Education: Peter Kalenda, pkalenda@geneseo.edu

School of Business: Lisa Wilder, lwilder@geneseo.edu

History Master’s: Justin Behrend, behrend@geneseo.edu

Graduate students with 12 completed credits are eligible to submit the graduation application.

Printed on your diploma are your name, degree, Latin honors (if applicable), and official graduation date. Your major(s) and minor (if applicable) will appear on your official transcript along with your degree and honors.

Students may elect to use their chosen name on their diplomas. Please ensure that your graduation application indicates your name exactly as you would like to see it on the diploma (including middle initial, if desired).

Important note: Some professional and licensing boards require the use of a legal name in the licensing process, so the use of a chosen name may delay or complicate a certification of the licensure process. It could also potentially complicate immigration or employment.

If the address changes before you leave campus after commencement, email graduationrecords@geneseo.edu with:

1. Your G# (G00XXXXXX)

2. The change that needs to be made

Once your diploma has been ordered, you can’t make an address change. Hopefully, you left a forwarding address with the post office, but if not, you will need to order a duplicate diploma.

You may have a hold on your account. The most common holds preventing diploma delivery are:

• Graduation Hold (GH): This hold is placed when a student’s graduation date has passed, but there are outstanding requirements preventing graduation. You need to contact your academic advisor or Department Chair immediately to determine a solution.
• Parking Fine (PF): You have an outstanding parking fine on your account. Payment can be made at the Parking & Transportation Office, Schrader Hall 19, or you can pay online. Students with outstanding parking fines when they finish their degree requirements will not be issued a diploma until the fines are paid.

If neither of these is the issue, please email graduationrecords@geneseo.edu.