Graduation: Graduating Early

1. Complete a Change in Graduate Date Form (below) and submit it to your academic dean.
2. You should declare your intention to graduate early by the last day of classes of the semester prior to the one in which you wish to graduate. 

NOTE: Once you have been approved to graduate early, if you subsequently change your mind, your registration will be moved to the last enrollment window.

APC: Advanced Placement Credit

IPC: International Placement Credit

PMC: Pre-Matriculation Credit

If you graduate early, you may apply additional AP/IP/PM credits toward the 34 credits; these are called Acceleration Credits.

• If you are accelerating your degree by one semester and will graduate after seven continuous fall/spring semesters, you may activate up to 2 acceleration credits to be added to the 2 credits already allowed (for a total of 4 AP/IPC/PMC credits that will apply toward the 34 credits for graduation).

• If you are accelerating graduation by two semesters and will graduate after six continuous fall/spring semesters, you may activate up to 6 acceleration credits to be added to the 2 credits already allowed (for a total of 8 AP/IPC/PMC credits that will apply toward the 34 credits for graduation).

The following table shows the relationship of Acceleration Credits to graduation timing:

NOTE: Summers are unaffected and can be spent on service, research, study abroad, or in classes.

This means that if a student intends to graduate after six semesters and will use eight AP/IPC/PMC credits, they will need to complete 26 credits to graduate and 24 of these must be Duke courses. This limits the number of transfer or inter-institutional credits that apply to graduation. Note that such students may enroll in additional study abroad, transfer, or inter-institutional courses, and these may count for major and curriculum requirements, but they would not count toward the 34 credits required for graduation. 

When and where will I see my new graduation date?

If your dean approves the request, he/she will notify the appropriate offices of your anticipated graduation date change.  When the change is made, you will see your new graduation date on your Academic History on DukeHub. 

What if I wish to graduate early, but it’s at the end of the Summer terms?

If you wish to graduate at the end of the summer, the deadline is the last day of Summer Term II.

Would I still be able to walk in May Commencement?

If you are a senior and will graduate in September or in December, if you will have completed 29.0 credits by the end of the given Spring term, yes, you may walk in graduation exercises in May of that year. Alternatively, you can wait and participate in graduation exercises the following May. 

When would I receive my diploma?

Your diploma would be sent to you after you finish your last classes. 

Note that Duke only issues diplomas three times during the year: May (Spring graduation date); September (Summer II graduation date), and December (Fall graduation date).

Are there restrictions to the use of Acceleration credits?

Yes. To be able to use the extra credits, you must be continuously enrolled at Duke for your six or seven fall/spring semesters. You may not use acceleration credits to compensate for time taken away from Duke due to a leave of absence or withdrawal/suspension.

• Note that Summer terms are not included under the continuous enrollment requirement. Only continuous Fall and Spring terms will count.

See also:

• AP, IPC and Pre-Matriculation Credit
• Program I vs. Program II Requirements
• Change Graduation Date
• Degree Requirements
• Ninth Semester of Enrollment
• Credit Limitations and Restrictions