Bd. Min. 1-13-50, 12-7-63, 11-20-64, 2-12-66, 1-19-68, 12-16-77, 2-24-78 and amended 3-25-83, 10-5-07, 11-29-07, 10-24-08, 11-21-13; Amended Bd. Min. 9-26-19.
- Diplomas—The term “diploma” refers to documents issued to substantiate conferral of degrees awarded on the basis of academic credit granted.
- There shall be only one form of diploma used for the University of Missouri on all campuses, with the form to indicate in the date line the campus where the degree is conferred.
- Names of candidates for diplomas shall be presented to and approved by the faculty body responsible for the instructional program which leads to the degree. Names of candidates recommended by faculty bodies are to be presented to the Board of Curators for approval.
- Diplomas are to be ordered by the Office of the Director of Admissions or Office of the Registrar at the campus where the degree is conferred and will include the signatures of the President of the Board of Curators, the President of the University, the Chancellor, and the Dean or on campuses with no schools or colleges, the Provost. In selected cases it may be appropriate for the signatures of two or more chancellors or deans to be included.
- Diplomas shall be distributed by the Director of Admissions or the Registrar of the campus where the degree is conferred and this officer shall make and keep an official record of the degree and degree program for which each diploma was issued.
- Upon completion of all requirements for a degree, a student shall receive a diploma for such degree dated the next issuance date.
- Holders of diplomas from the University of Kansas City may, when a replacement is needed, be issued a duplicate diploma of the University of Missouri with the notation “replacement for diploma of year 19 ” written on the diploma.
- A fee may be charged for issuing a duplicate or replacement diploma.
- Diplomas for joint and collaborative degree programs —The term “joint” refers to programs in which the University of Missouri and a partnering institution collaborate, and in which the contributions of both institutions to the delivery of the academic content of the program are approximately equal; and the term “collaborative” refers to programs in which the University of Missouri and a partnering institution collaborate and for which the University of Missouri is predominantly responsible for delivering the academic content of the program.
- In addition to the requirements listed in Section A.2., candidates must also be approved by the person or body of the partner institution authorized to award degrees from that institution.
- Using the standard format and procedures for awarding of diplomas as indicated in Section A., diplomas for joint and collaborative graduate degree programs awarded pursuant to a cooperative agreement between the University of Missouri and other Missouri public four-year institutions of higher education who do not offer graduate degrees shall also include the name of the partner institution. (See section 173.005.2 (2) Missouri Revised Statutes Cum. Supp. 2007)
- For institutions of higher education and/or collaborative degrees not covered by Section 220.020B.2, the following rule shall apply. Using the standard format and procedures for awarding of diplomas as indicated in Section A, diplomas for collaborative degree programs awarded pursuant to a cooperative agreement between the University of Missouri and other four-year institutions of higher education shall include the words, “in cooperation with” followed by the name of the partner institution only if the quality of the partnering institution has been validated and approved by a campus screening committee, the Provost, the Chancellor, and the President or designee, applying the process and criteria established by the President after consultation with the Intercampus Faculty Council, with such consultation to take place prior to the original establishment of such process and criteria and prior to any amendment of said process and criteria.
- The format of the diploma issued for joint or collaborative degrees shall be approved by the President.
- Certificates—The term “certificate” refers to a formal award certifying the satisfactory completion of a postsecondary education program.
- Certificates may be awarded as:
(a) Postsecondary award certificate (less than one year) - an award that requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the baccalaureate degree) in less than 1 academic year (2 semesters or 3 quarters), or designed for completion in less than 30 semester credit hours. Usually, this award is completed in conjunction with a Bachelor’s degree.
(b) Post baccalaureate certificate - An award that requires completion of an organized program of study beyond the bachelor's. It is designed for persons who have completed a baccalaureate degree, but does not meet the requirements of a master's degree.
(c) Post-master's certificate - An award that requires completion of an organized program of study beyond the master's degree, but does not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctor's level. - The awarding of certificates shall be approved by the faculty body or member responsible for the educational program which leads to the certificate. The format of each certificate will be approved by the President. Certificates will include the signatures of University officials authorized by the President or a Chancellor.
- The Director of Admissions or Registrar of the campus where the certificate is issued will make and keep an official record of each certificate issued, including the date issued and a description of the program of instruction for which the certificate is issued.
- A fee may be charged for issuing a duplicate certificate.
- Certificates may be awarded as:
- Certificate of Completion – documents attesting to completion of non-degree academic program of study.
- Participation in or satisfactory completion of educational conferences, short courses, or non-credit courses of sixteen (16) or more contact hours of instruction,
- Satisfactory completion of programs of residency training in the health sciences, and
- Attendance at selected University-sponsored non-credit educational activities of at least six (6) but not more than fifteen (15) contact hours of instruction.
- The Executive Director of Non-credit programs or the dean of the school or college in the case of certificates for residency training will make and keep an official record of each certificate issued.
