GBC Graduation Information

Congratulations Great Basin College 2023-24 graduates!

Find what you are looking for with topics including: Commencement, Graduation Regalia, Application, Continuing Students, Diplomas, Graduation with Honors, Graduation Requirements.

Commencement

The commencement ceremony for Summer 2024, Fall 2024, and Spring 2025 graduates will be held in May 2025. For the most up-to-date information refer back to this page. We will update this page as we have more information.

• Elko - May 17th (morning)
• Ely - May 10, 2025 (evening)
• Pahrump - May 10, 2025 (morning)
• Winnemucca - May 17th (evening)

Elko (get more information)

Winnemucca (get more information)

Pahrump (get more information)

Ely (get more information)

Graduation Regalia

Graduation Regalia will need to be purchased prior to the graduation ceremony. Custom graduation announcements and graduation apparel can be ordered on this site www.greatbasinshop.com. Caps, gowns, honor cords, and Phi Theta Kappa stoles are also available through the GBC Bookstore. Contact the GBC Bookstore at 775-753-2270 for more information.

• Students graduating with a Bachelor level degree will need a green cap and gown.
• Students graduating with an Associate level degree or a certificate will need a black cap and gown.
• Students graduating with honors will also need to purchase the appropriate honor cords and/or stoles.

Application

Each student seeking a degree or a certificate of achievement is required to submit a Graduation Application to Admissions and Records.  Multiple degrees/certificate of achievements require additional graduation applications, (i.e. one degree per application). The application fee is $20.00 (plus a $15.00 postage fee if you want your diploma mailed to you). Students enrolled in their last required class(es) should apply at the beginning of that semester.

If transfer credit is to be applied toward degree/certificate requirements, official transcripts from that institution must be received by GBC Admissions and Records by the time of application for graduation.

Application Deadlines:

• Fall Semester – October 15
• Spring Semester – March 15
• Summer Semester – July 1

Continuing Students

Students who continue taking classes at GBC after a degree or certificate is finalized should be aware that their degree status may be changed to non-degree seeking. Students who plan to strive toward a different degree or certificate should declare this in the space provided on the graduation application. This is especially important for students applying for financial aid; failure to declare a new degree could result in revocation of financial aid funds.

Diplomas

Students should legibly print their name on the graduation application exactly as they would like it to appear on their diploma. Successfully completed degrees/certificates will be posted to the students’ official transcripts approximately 6-8 weeks after the end of the graduating semester in which the application was filed. Printed diplomas will be sent to the nearest GBC campus for students to pick up in-person unless the $15 postage fee is paid at time of application. If the postage fee is paid, diplomas will be sent via certified mail to the mailing address provided by the student on the application. Be sure to contact Admissions and Records if the mailing address changes.

To order a replacement diploma please use the Diploma Request Form. Replacement diplomas can be printed from 2013 and after. The cost for a replacement diploma is $20 and includes postage.

Graduation with Honors

The Commencement Program honors will be based on cumulative grade point averages through the previous fall semester. Honors will be posted on student transcripts with the degree/certificate designations based on grades including the student's final semester.

• Cum Laude – Cumulative grade-point averages of 3.50 to 3.69
• Magna Cum Laude – Cumulative grade-point averages of 3.70 to 3.89
• Summa Cum Laude – Cumulative grade-point averages of 3.90 and higher*
  

* Bachelor's degree students will also need to earn an A in the program Capstone course to graduate Summa Cum Laude. Students with a 3.90 or higher who fail to earn an A in their capstone will graduate Magna Cum Laude.

To earn honors designation for an associate’s degree or certificate of achievement, students must complete 30 credits at GBC, excluding developmental and community education courses.

• To earn honors designation for a bachelor’s degree, students must complete 30 upper-division credits at GBC.
• Credits transferred from other institutions will not be used toward calculating grade point average.
• The number of in-residence credits excludes credits earned through the non-traditional credit or credit by examination processes.

Graduation Requirements

For Associate/Certificate Programs:
Graduating from GBC with an associate’s degree or certificate program requires all of the following:

• Completion of all courses in a prescribed associate’s degree or certificate program (a minimum of 60 credits for an associate’s degree and 30 credits for a certificate). You may select the program described in the current GBC catalog, the GBC catalog at the time of your initial enrollment, or the catalog year in which you officially declared a program of study, provided that the catalog is not more than 6 years old at the time of graduation. (You may not use year-to-year catalog combinations. If you have had major interruptions in completing your program, you should follow the current catalog.) For programs with a separate application process, the catalog year will be determined by your date of acceptance into the program.
• Completion of at least 15 semester credits while in residence at GBC, regardless of the number of semester hours completed elsewhere and transferred to GBC. NOTE: The College will accept up to 15 credits for non-traditional education (e.g., military training, POST, work experience, etc.) and up to 30 credits can be earned by examination (e.g., CLEP, Advanced Placement, Challenge Exams). However, non-traditional or challenge credit is not applicable to all degrees and such credits do not apply to the 15 credit GBC residency requirement.
• A cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. Your cumulative GPA is based on the total credits you have taken at GBC. Your cumulative GPA is determined by combining the points received for all your GBC courses and by dividing that total by the number of semester hours credited.
• Completion and filing of an Application for Graduation. If you are a candidate for a degree or a certificate, file your application, submit the $20.00 fee (plus a $15.00 postage fee if you want your diploma mailed to you), and processing will begin.
• Complete fulfillment of all financial obligations with the GBC Library and the Controller’s Office.

If you fail to meet degree/certificate requirements by the end of the semester following your application, submit a new application and repay the $20.00 application fee for a subsequent graduation date.

For Baccalaureate Programs:
Graduating with a baccalaureate degree requires all of the following:

• Completion of all courses in a prescribed degree program. You may elect to graduate under the catalog of the year of acceptance into a baccalaureate-level program or the year of graduation. Students who change their major must choose the catalog of the year of the latest change of major or the year of graduation. Whichever catalog is used, it cannot be more than 10 years old at the time of graduation.
• Attainment of the cumulative grade-point average required by your program, as well as any minimum grade in specific courses, as specified by the course catalog.
• Completion of at least half the number of credits required for a baccalaureate degree at a 4-year institution. A minimum number of 120 total credits is required, 42 of which must be upper division. To determine specific credit requirements, see the degree program of your choice.
• Completion of at least 32 credits in residence at GBC, regardless of the number of semester hours completed elsewhere and transferred to GBC. Challenge exam credit and other non-traditional credits to do not apply to the GBC residency requirement.
• Completion and filing of an Application for Graduation. If you are a candidate for a degree or a certificate, file your application, submit the $20.00 fee (plus a $15.00 postage fee if you want your diploma mailed to you), and processing will begin.
• Complete fulfillment of all financial obligations with the GBC Library and the Controller’s Office.

If you fail to meet degree/certificate requirements by the end of the semester following your application, submit a new application and repay the $20.00 application fee for a subsequent graduation date.

For More Information Contact

Great Basin College 
1500 College Parkway 
Elko, Nevada (USA) 89801
Phone: 775.327.2059
Email: admissions@gbcnv.edu

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Why Great Basin College

Great Basin College, "The Gold Standard in the Silver State", offers associate and baccalaureate level education in academic, career and technical fields. Welcoming over 4,000 students annually from all corners of the country, both online and at our various campuses and centers, GBC's presence extends across two time zones and spans more than 86,000 square miles throughout Nevada. A leader in rural higher education, GBC takes pride in developing students who are well-prepared to meet the demands of industry and who contribute to the success and prosperity of the local economy.