Carnegie Mellon University

Undergraduate Student Statute of Limitations

POLICY TITLE: Undergraduate Statute of Limitations
DATE OF ISSUANCE: This policy appears in the current issue of the Undergraduate Catalog.
ACCOUNTABLE DEPARTMENT/UNIT: Office of the Provost. General questions on policy content should be directed to the vice provost for education, ext. 8-5865. Contact the dean of your college with specific questions.
ABSTRACT: All units required for an undergraduate degree must be earned within eight years of the date the degree is granted.

Statement

All units required for an undergraduate degree, whether earned in residence, transferred from another institution or granted via advanced placement, must have been earned within eight years of the date on which the degree is granted. This statutory period can be extended by the dean of the student's college under the following conditions:

  • the courses taken prior to the statutory period still represent a reasonable part of the student's total academic program;
  • the prior courses provide adequate preparation for courses which must still be taken to fulfill the degree requirements;
  • there is a legitimate reason(s) for the student not completing the academic program within the statutory period.

A request for a waiver of the statute of limitations must be submitted to the dean of the student's college. The request for a waiver should address all of the above conditions for an extension. For cases in which a waiver is granted, the waiver covers specific courses and is intended for a specific period during which the program must be completed.