A graduating student will fulfill all degree requirements published in the Bulletin. The student may complete the degree requirements published in the Bulletin at the time of admission or any Bulletin issued during continuous enrollment. All general requirements for graduation must be fulfilled as published in the current Bulletin.

A Graduation Contract must be completed and returned to the Registrar no later than one week after the start of the second semester of the student's junior year.

Any work taken at another institution must be recorded on the transcript before the degree is awarded.

The student must satisfactorily meet all financial obligations to the University, including payment of graduation dues, in order to obtain a diploma or transcript showing graduation. Graduation class dues are a mandatory non-refundable fee that covers expenses such as class gift, 25 graduation announcements, and miscellaneous class activities. This fee applies to campus as well as SWAUonline students. When a student returns to obtain an additional degree and graduation dues were paid as an initial Southwestern graduate, only half of the dues will be required for each subsequent graduation class. Graduation dues are charged to the student account at the beginning of the semester in which the student will graduate.

All graduates are expected to participate in the commencement exercises unless given permission by the Vice President for Academic Administration to graduate in absentia.

Candidates will receive instructions on ordering graduation regalia and announcements at the senior class meeting.