IUPUI Office of the Registrar

Posthumous Degrees

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Sadly, students sometimes die prior to completing requirements for their degrees. In some cases, schools are interested in conferring the degree posthumously in recognition of the student’s work and as a source of solace to the student’s family.

Should a posthumous degree be conferred, a diploma is made available to the student’s family. A transcript is not produced.

The procedures for awarding posthumous degrees vary somewhat between IU and Purdue. A school interested in conferring a degree should contact the Office of the Registrar at IUPUI to initiate the process.

As a general rule, the student must have been no more than one full semester away from degree completion to be considered for a posthumous degree. Purdue has a specific formula (see below). Posthumous degrees will be conferred with the next degree date following the student’s death.

IU Degrees

In case of a student’s death, the student’s school has the authority to award a degree. No additional approval is required.

The diploma is printed without additional notation. The degree is posted to the transcript and, as with all such cases, a “record closed by death” notation appears.

Purdue Degrees

Requirements for Awarding Posthumous Degrees

The awarding of a posthumous degree by Purdue University requires that the deceased students will have completed:

1. At least 85% of credit hours requirements; and
2. Most of the requirements for the major.

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

1. 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.
2. The advisory committee must approve the research and results, including a thesis or article(s), and recommend the granting of the degree.

Process for Approval

Baccalaureate, Associate, and Professional Degrees

1. A recommendation from the school faculty must be endorsed by the dean of the school.
2. 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.

Graduate Degrees

1. A recommendation must be submitted only after fulfillment of the requirements specified above to the head of the department (school) by the major professor.
2. The head of the department (school) must submit a request to the Vice President and Dean of the Graduate School. The head of the department may choose to recommend awarding a nonthesis instead of a thesis degree.
3. The Graduate Council must endorse a recommendation from the Vice President and Dean of the Graduate School
4. The endorsement must be submitted to the Provost for transmittal to the President.
5. The names of the candidates approved by the President will be submitted to the Board of Trustees for final action.

For Purdue degrees awarded posthumously, the word “posthumous” must appear on the diploma. The degree is posted to the IU transcript and, as with all such cases, a “record closed by death” notation appears.