Graduation Guarantee

Earning a degree in four years allows you to get a head start on achieving your goals of entering the work force or starting graduate school. FPU guarantees graduation within four years in the traditional undergraduate areas of study. We commit to providing the courses, advising, instruction and preparation. If you fulfill your responsibilities and are unable to graduate in four years, you will receive the needed courses the following semester at no cost in tuition or fees.

Incoming requirements

This guarantee is limited to basic graduation requirements of 120 minimum units including general education, upper-level and elective courses sufficient for a single major with no minor.

• Where options between courses are available, students are not guaranteed their first choice.
• This guarantee does not apply to “fifth-year” programs (teacher education credential requirements) or minimum units beyond graduation requirements (CPA qualifications, etc.) beyond the basic four-year bachelor’s degree.
• The guarantee does not apply to transfer students or to FPU's degree completion programs.
• Students not able to register for the courses needed within four years must complete the free course(s) within two terms of the end of four years (e.g. a summer and fall for those completing four years in the spring; or spring and summer for those completing four years in the fall).
• The four-year period may be extended for students required to leave the university for up to one year (see the Leave of Absence section) for medical, military or personal reasons.

Student responsibilities

To qualify for the guarantee students must:

• Meet with your mentor during the fall semester of the freshman year.
• Finalize a major and begin prerequisite or lower-division major courses by the second semester of the freshman year and keep that major until graduation.
• Complete at least 32 units per year (average 16 per semester) with passing grades in each course.
• Maintain a cumulative 2.0 GPA and remain in good standing behaviorally with the university.
• Meet with the mentor each semester for advising before registration opens and take the courses approved by the adviser/mentor that complete general-education and major requirements, in the appropriate sequence and as they become available.
• Register within the first week of registration every semester to gain a spot in the classes needed.
• Notify mentor if unable to register for an approved course so that an alternative plan can be made.
• Apply for financial aid and submit required documents by appropriate deadlines.
• Keep student account up-to-date. (Accounts not up-to-date may be placed on hold, preventing registration for courses.)
• Complete required courses successfully (see Academic Policies section for minimum acceptable grades) without dropping required or approved courses during a semester.