Posthumous Degrees

Purdue University degrees

A candidate must have completed 85 percent of the credit hour requirements and most of the course requirements for the major in order for a Purdue University degree to be awarded posthumously.

  • A recommendation from the school faculty must be endorsed by the dean of the school.
  • The dean of the school and/or chancellor of the campus, as appropriate, must submit the recommendation to the provost for transmittal to the president. The names of the candidates approved by the president will be submitted to the Board of Trustees for final action.

  • A recommendation must be submitted only after fulfillment of the requirements specified to the head of the department (school) by the major processor.
  • The head of the department (school) must submit a request to the provost and dean of the Graduate School. The head of the department may choose to recommend awarding a nonthesis instead of a thesis degree.
  • The Graduate Council must endorse a recommendation from the provost and dean of the Graduate School.
  • The endorsement must be submitted to the provost for transmittal to the president.
  • The names of candidates approved by the president will be submitted to the Board of Trustees for final action.

For awarding of a posthumous degree requiring a thesis, these additional provisions will apply:

  • The student must have completed the research to the extent that a thesis or one or more articles in lieu of a thesis can be prepared.
  • The advisory committee must approve the research and results, including a thesis or article(s), and recommend the granting of the degree.

Commendation for attendance

If requested by the family, in cases where a student does not reach the milestone to be awarded a posthumous degree approved by the Board of Trustee policies, a certificate of attendance may be produced.

The certificate should be written on IUPUI letterhead or produced with official IUPUI logo with the following language, signed by the dean of the student’s school and the IUPUI chancellor:

Upon the recommendation of the dean of (enter student’s school here) and approval of the chancellor of IUPUI, a posthumous commendation is hereby conferred on (enter student’s name here) based on his/her attendance at IUPUI. This commendation is effective (enter date here).

The certificate will be provided by the registrar to the dean of the school for appropriate delivery to the family.

Approved by APPC and IFC Executive Committee 10/6/2014