1. Overview

   This policy establishes guidelines for awarding graduate degrees posthumously (excluding clinical doctorates awarded by the heritage college of osteopathic medicine).

   See also policy 12.001, for undergraduate degrees.

   At the request of a parent, guardian, spouse, or child of the decedent, or of a faculty member in consultation with a family member, Ohio university will award a master's or doctoral degree posthumously to a student. The student must be in good academic standing at the time of death and in a degree program. This policy outlines the minimum criteria for awarding a posthumous degree; individual degree programs may decide to set higher standards, or not to award posthumous degrees. Any program choosing not to award a posthumous degree, or deciding to impose higher standards, must notify both the vice president for research and creative activity and dean of the graduate college and the university registrar.

2. Minimum standards

   1. Master of fine arts

      Admittance into candidacy; completion of at least seventy-five per cent of coursework, required hours, and requirements for the degree; and approval of thesis proposal.

   2. Other master's degrees

      Completion of at least seventy-five per cent of coursework, required hours, and requirements for the degree.

   3. Clinical doctorates

      Completion of at least seventy-five per cent of coursework, required hours, and requirements for the degree.

   4. Ph.D. or Ed.D.

      Admittance into candidacy, which includes approval of dissertation proposal; a portion of dissertation beyond the proposal has to be written.

3. Program-specific guidelines

   Guidelines established by individual degree programs will be recommended by the faculty, department chair, or school director, and dean, with final approval by the provost. Guidelines must identify the individuals who would be involved in recommending the awarding of the degree.

   In deciding whether an individual has met the program's requirements for the posthumous degree, the student's faculty advisor should be consulted. The award of a posthumous Ph.D. or Ed.D. degree must be approved by the student's doctoral program or dissertation committee.

4. Process

   Any interested party may initiate consideration of awarding the degree, but the formal request must come from the family member to the student's academic dean (the dean of the college that awards the degree).

   The dean sends a memo to the office of the registrar asking that the degree be awarded posthumously as of the appropriate graduation date. This memo must indicate that the request came from or was approved by the family. A copy of the request should also be sent to the vice president for research and creative activity and dean of the graduate college.

   The office of the registrar will waive the graduation application or re-application fee.

   The office of the registrar will mail the diploma to the family member or, if desired, give it to the dean or other appropriate university official for presentation in a private gathering as a special gesture to the family. Upon the request of the academic dean, the office of the registrar will make a special effort to produce the diploma early.

Reviewers

Proposed revisions of this policy should be reviewed by:

1. Dean of Students

2. Vice President for Research and Creative Activity and Dean of the Graduate College

3. Associate Provost for Academic Affairs

4. The Dean of every college with a graduate program, except the Dean of the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine

5. The Dean of every regional campus with a graduate program.

6. Faculty Senate

7. Graduate Council

Forms, References, and History

1. Forms

   There are no forms that are specific to this policy.

2. References

   The following item is relevant to this policy:

   1. Policy 12.001, "Posthumous Awarding of Undergraduate Degrees."

3. History

   Draft versions of this policy that were circulated for review, their cover memos, their forms, and Reviewers' comments on them are available on the

   The only prior version of this policy was approved on March 6, 2008.