{"id":3230,"date":"2026-02-09T11:00:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T17:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/policy\/?post_type=library&p=3230"},"modified":"2026-03-11T15:58:32","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T20:58:32","slug":"awarding-posthumous-graduate-degrees","status":"publish","type":"library","link":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/policy\/library\/awarding-posthumous-graduate-degrees\/","title":{"rendered":"Awarding Posthumous Graduate Degrees"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\n

Background<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

In January 2013, GFC document 602 was reviewed by a small working group which affirmed the
rationale for the original version, but suggested instituting slightly more generous criteria for awarding
posthumous degrees given the potential goodwill they can engender, and the comfort they may bring to
those who were close to the deceased. The group also suggested placing responsibility for determining
\u201csignificant progress\u201d toward the completion of a thesis or dissertation with the program faculty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

Policy<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
    \n
  1. Assumptions:\n
      \n
    1. Separate policies should be developed and followed for the award of posthumous degrees at graduate and undergraduate levels.

      Rationale: The award of graduate degrees is based on more than a collection of courses and hence the decision of whether or not a student has completed the majority of the work required for a graduate degree must be based on several criteria and comprehensive faculty review and recommendation. Criteria for posthumous degrees should differ at the master\u2019s and doctoral levels and in turn, distinctions made between master\u2019s programs which do and which do not require the thesis. Finally, the Graduate Faculty Committee must recommend all candidates for graduate degrees and GFC approval should be required for all posthumous degrees as well.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Separate policies should be developed for the award of posthumous degrees at the master\u2019s and doctoral levels.

      Rationale: See Rationale for A.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. \u201cCertifications of Accomplishment\u201d (as is proposed for undergraduate), should not be awarded at the graduate level.

      Rationale: The multiplicity of requirements and the varied number of credits required for specific graduate degrees, make it impossible to establish a median point or criteria for defining \u201csignificant accomplishment.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Initiation of Request\n
        \n
      1. A request for the awarding of a posthumous degree may be initiated externally (e.g. by the student\u2019s family ) or internally by the student\u2019s graduate program<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. Criteria for awarding posthumous graduate degrees\n
          \n
        1. Master\u2019s Degrees (For Programs not requiring a thesis or master\u2019s project): The student\u2019s graduate program must recommend the awarding of the degree, and verify the following:\n
            \n
          • the student had completed appropriate courses amounting to at least 75% of the credits required for the degree, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • the student had a minimum grade point average of 3.0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Master\u2019s Degrees (For Programs requiring a thesis or master\u2019s project):

            The student\u2019s graduate program must recommend the awarding of the degree, and verify the following:\n
              \n
            • the student had completed appropriate courses amounting to at least 75% of the credits required for the degree,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • the student had a minimum grade point average of 3.0, and <\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • the faculty committee supervising the project or thesis has certified that the work done at the time of the student\u2019s death reflects substantial progress towards completing the thesis or project.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Doctoral Degrees:

              The student\u2019s graduate program must recommend the awarding of the degree, and verify the following:\n
                \n
              • the student had fulfilled the requirements for dissertator status<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • the faculty committee supervising the dissertation has certified that the work done at the time of the student\u2019s death reflects substantial progress towards completing the dissertation

                Given these criteria, the degree shall be an earned (vs. honorary) doctorate.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • The Graduate Faculty Committee must nominate the student for the degree, in keeping with the process for conferring all degrees.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Recommendations for Action

                The proposed policy is effective following appropriate administrative approvals.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","uwm_wg_additional_authors":[]},"categories":[17,50],"topic":[22],"class_list":["post-3230","library","type-library","status-publish","hentry","category-faculty","category-faculty-general","topic-academics"],"yoast_head":"\nAwarding Posthumous Graduate Degrees - Policy Library<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/policy\/library\/awarding-posthumous-graduate-degrees\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Awarding Posthumous Graduate Degrees\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/policy\/library\/awarding-posthumous-graduate-degrees\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Policy Library\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-11T20:58:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uwm.edu\\\/policy\\\/library\\\/awarding-posthumous-graduate-degrees\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uwm.edu\\\/policy\\\/library\\\/awarding-posthumous-graduate-degrees\\\/\",\"name\":\"Awarding Posthumous Graduate Degrees - 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