Posthumous Undergraduate Degrees

Posthumous Undergraduate Degrees

• Normally, a posthumous degree will be granted to a deceased student only under the following minimum conditions. The student must have:
  • Died within 12 months of the last registration;
  • Been in good academic standing such that eventual graduation was expected; 
  • For undergraduates in programs requiring 120 or more credits, completed at least 90 credits;
  • For undergraduates in programs requiring 90 credits, completed at least 72 credits.
• The posthumous degree must be recommended by the department and faculty council and be approved by Senate Executive. 
• Undergraduate students who were in an Honours program at the time of death but who are not eligible for a posthumous Honours degree may be recommended for the corresponding General degree, if the criteria for that degree are met. 
• Procedures:
  • On receiving notice of the death of a student, the Registrar determines if the student would be eligible for a posthumous degree and communicates this information to the department, the Secretary of Senate, and the President.
  • The President or delegate will communicate with the next of kin.
  • The posthumous degree will be noted as such in the Senate graduation list and the convocation program, but not on the diploma.
• Where possible, the diploma will be presented to the next of kin or their delegate

Policy on Undergraduate Certificates of Academic Achievement – in memoriam

• Normally, a “Certificate of Academic Achievement – in memoriam” will be awarded to a deceased undergraduate student if the following minimum requirements are met. The student must have: 
  1. Died within 12 months of the last registration; 
  2. Been in good academic standing such that eventual graduation was expected; 
  3. For undergraduate students in programs requiring at least 90 credits, completed at least 30 credits at Nipissing; 
  4. For students in all other programs, completed at least 50% of their degree requirements, unless otherwise determined by their program Chair or Director. 
• The certificate must be recommended by the department and faculty council and be approved by Senate Executive. 
• Procedures: 
  1. The request to award such a certificate may emanate from others, but the next of kin should approve, where possible. 
  2. The President or delegate will communicate with the next of kin 
  3. Where possible, the certificate will be presented to the next of kin or their delegate.