Students are responsible for making certain that their plan of study meets all degree and major requirements. Access academic resources, track key deadlines, and use degree-auditing tools to support your plan of study from matriculation through graduation.

Path to Degree Completion

1. Fulfill General Education Requirements

All undergraduate students must successfully complete Rice University's General Education as part of Graduation Requirements.

This includes:

• First-Year Writing-Intensive Seminar (FWIS) course
• Distribution Courses: Group I, Group II, and Group III requirements
• Analyzing Diversity (AD) requirement
• Lifetime Physical Activity Program (LPAP) course

2. Declare Your Academic Program

Undergraduate students must declare at least one major during (or before) the second semester of their second year in order to register for fall coursework for the third year.

• Adding Additional Majors, Minors, or Certificates: Students can also declare additional majors, minors, or university certificates after initially declaring a major.
• Advising: Contact the Office of Academic Advising (OAA) or the faculty major, minor, or certificate advisors to discuss areas of interest, course requirements, and programs of study.

3. Transfer Credit

If courses taken at another regionally accredited college or university have been approved for transfer credit, consult the following:

• Undergraduate Transfer Credit

4. Monitor Graduation Progress within Degree Works

Use Degree Works regularly to verify that registered and completed coursework fulfills graduation requirements.

• For further guidance, see the Degree Works Student FAQs.

5. Apply for Graduation

In your senior year, submit an Application for Degree via ESTHER by the Academic Calendar deadline to start the official graduation certification process.

• Learn more about Preparing for Graduation and Graduation.

Resource Directory

Academic Guidelines

• General Announcements (GA)
• Course Schedule & Catalog
• Academic Calendar
• Office of Academic Advising (OAA)

Degree Auditing & System Tools

• ESTHER
• Degree Works
• Degree Works FAQs
• Degree Works Official Certifiers

Transfer Credit

• Advanced Placement (AP) Credit
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit
• A-Level and Other International Exams Credit
• Transfer Credit

Graduation & Degree Conferral

• Application for Degree
• Graduation Overview
• Commencement Information