Graduation
To graduate with a certificate, diploma, or associate degree from Athens Technical College, a student must satisfactorily meet all curriculum requirements, the mandatory minimum credit hours, and the residency requirement for each credential. Students must complete a minimum of 25 percent of the coursework for each program of study with classes taken at Athens Technical College; no exceptions will be made to this residency requirement policy. A minimum graduation grade point average of 2.0, regardless of overall academic standing or cumulative grade point average, must be attained in order to graduate. A student's academic record will be evaluated by Registration & Records at the completion of each semester to determine if graduation requirements have been met for any eligible credentials.
All students must have completed a high school diploma or its equivalent before graduating with an associate degree or diploma program from Athens Technical College. Certificates may be awarded prior to the completion of a high school diploma or its equivalent.
If a student's enrollment has not been continuous since initial matriculation to the College, the individual's record will be evaluated for graduation based on the catalog in effect at the time of readmission. For students who change their program at any time during their studies at Athens Technical College, each student's academic history will be evaluated for graduation based on the catalog in effect at the time the program change was requested.
Graduation Application
All students must submit a graduation application to Registration & Records no later than the fourth week of the semester they plan to graduate. Any graduation applications submitted after the fourth week of the applicable semester will not be given priority in terms of processing awarding, and delivery; in addition, any late graduation applications are not guaranteed to be included in the graduation program for Commencement. Graduation application forms are available on the Registration and Records Graduation Information section of the Athens Technical College website. Students earning certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees must submit the required one-time, non-refundable $40.00 graduation fee to the cashier prior to submitting a graduation application to Registration and Records.
Students failing to submit their petition to graduate must have been enrolled in the college for at least one term during the 60 months preceding the time they submit their petition for graduation to the Office of Registration and Records.
Students who complete TCCs have their awards solely notated on their official transcript; no formal hard copy credential is extended.
Processing of Credentials
Diplomas and associate degrees are mailed to students six to eight weeks after the semester ends or final grades are assigned. All college financial obligations must be met to receive a credential or transcript. Students who complete technical certificates of credit will have the awards solely notated on their official transcript; no formal hard copy of certificates will be extended. Students who earned certificates of credit prior to Fall 2023 may request a formal hard copy credential to be sent to them by contacting Registration and Records and submitting the relevant fee.
Commencement Ceremony
Athens Technical College holds a graduation ceremony each year at the conclusion of Spring Semester to recognize associate degree, diploma, and certificate students who successfully complete their programs of study. Students must inform Registration and Records via the graduation application process if they plan to participate in the graduation ceremony. Students are expected to maintain, for future reference, copies of any graduation applications submitted, whether delivered directly to the Office of Registration and Records or via @student.AthensTech.edu email accounts.
The Spring Semester graduation ceremony is the only formal, sanctioned ceremony offered by Athens Technical College to recognize graduates. Students who will meet all requirements for one or more credentials by the conclusion of the current academic year's summer term, may participate in the related pinning and/or graduation ceremony. Students participating in the ceremony must wear academic attire purchased from the college bookstore. Academic attire (e.g., caps, gowns, related program-specific and/or honors regalia) must be free from ornaments, signs, posters, and/or decorations. Programs who wish to decorate academic caps must have prior approval from the Vice President for Student Affairs.
Honors
The college recognizes students as honor graduates if they earn a graduation grade point average of 4.0. The college recognizes students as presidential scholars if they earn a graduation grade point average of between 3.75 and 3.99 and as deans' scholars if they earn a graduation grade point average of between 3.50 and 3.74. Only students completing technical certificates of credit with 30 or more required credit hours, or diploma programs, or degree programs are eligible for recognition as listed above, and students must plan to meet all graduation requirements by the conclusion of the current academic year's summer term.