Executive Policy 5.203 Executive Policy 5.203

University of Hawaii Program Credentials

Executive Policy Chapter 5, Academic Affairs
Executive Policy EP 5.203, University of Hawai‘i Program Credentials
Effective Date:  August 2026
Dates Amended:  May1995, June 1982, October 2014, August 2016
Responsible Office: Office of the Vice President for Academic Strategy
Governing Board of Regents RP 5.208, Conferring of Academic Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates
Review Date:  August 2029

To ensure the uniformity of style and format of Board of Regents certifications for all campuses of the University of Hawai‘i by establishing guidelines on wording, lay-out, size, print, color, paper, and proper signatures in printing diplomas.

No policy specific or unique definitions apply.

All certifications for University of Hawai‘i degrees, diplomas, and certificates as conferred by the Board of Regents shall be uniform in content and format.

1. Credentials covered by this policy.
   
   1. Certifications covered by this policy are those that are officially conferred by the Board of Regents of the University of Hawai‘i.  Such certifications exist in academic programs that have been authorized by the Board of Regents to offer (i.e., provide the training requisite to) specific certifications.  Such certifications include:
      
      1. All degrees: associate, bachelors, masters, doctoral, and first professional;
      
      
      2. Board of Regents’ approved certificates of achievement offered at the Community Colleges;
      
      
      3. Any other Board of Regents’ approved certificates.
   
   
   2. Certificates offered on the authority of the Chancellors, Vice Chancellors/Vice Provost, Deans, and other University officers are not included in this policy.  Certificates of Competence at the Community Colleges are an example of such certifications.


2. Wording.  The required wording of the Board of Regents conferred certifications shall be determined by the Vice President for Academic Strategy or designee and is displayed in Attachment 1.  This wording must be used.


3. Inclusion of the major.  Inclusion of the major is at the discretion of each Chancellor.
   
   When the major is included, it shall be limited to titles for academic programs of study that have received official Board of Regents approval.


4. Inclusion of the concentration within a major.  Inclusion of the concentration is at the discretion of each Chancellor.
   
   When included, it shall be limited to the titles that have been approved by the Board of Regents or the Chancellor or designee.


5. Inclusion of distinctions.  The following distinctions are granted by the Board: Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Summa Cum Laude using the grade point average (GPA) ranges described below:.
   
   Cum Laude: 3.5 – 3.69
   Magna Cum Laude: 3.70 - 3.84
   Summa Cum Laude: 3.85 – 4.0
   
   GPA will be determined without transfer grades included in the final calculation. Academic distinctions are awarded based on the student’s cumulative GPA.

Campuses with formal honors programs are permitted to continue the use of “With Honors” to designate distinctions for graduates fulfilling the campus honors program requirements.


6. Place of conferral.  The name of the city in which the campus is located should be used.


7. Signatures.  Three signature blocks are mandatory on all Board of Regents certifications, and a fourth may be used at the discretion of the Chancellors.  The mandatory signatures are:
   
   1. the Chair of the Board of Regents (on the lower left of the seal);
   
   
   2. the President of the University (on the lower right of the seal); and
   
   
   3. the Chancellor of the degree conferring campus (on the upper left of the seal).
      
      The fourth signature block (if used at all) will be placed on the upper right side of the seal, above the President’s block and may be one of the following:
      
      
      1. Deans of degree conferring schools or colleges at UH Mānoa, UH Hilo and UH West O‘ahu, or
      
      
      2. Vice President for Community Colleges.
      
      The campus Chancellor shall be the only signature on campus certifications.



8. Seal.  All Board of Regents certifications will include the official seal of the University of Hawai‘i.


9. Language.  All qualified students receive a first set of an official credential with an application for graduation. Each set of printed credentials will include an English and Hawaiian language diploma and an English language electronic diploma.


10. Date of conferral. The last day of term, based on the UH academic calendar in which the student completed their program requirements, shall be used.


11. Chosen name. Students may elect a chosen name on their diploma based on procedures outlined in EP 7.302.


12. Cases for certifications.  Board of Regents certifications may be issued to students as inserts inside a case which bears on its face the name and the official seal of the University of Hawai‘i, and at the discretion of each campus, the name of the campus.


13. Changes in style of print, size, paper and use of color in certifications, and cases may be approved by the Vice President for Academic Strategy or designee if deemed aesthetically preferable and if possible, within financial constraints.


14. Cost of credentials.  Transaction and service fees covering the cost of the credentials are established in RP 6.203, Part III(B)(3) and Part III(C) and promulgated separately.

There is no policy specific delegation of authority.

Office of the Vice President for Academic Strategy
Telephone: (808) 956-6897
Email: ovpas@hawaii.edu

A. Link to superseded Executive Policies in old format https://www.hawaii.edu/policy/archives/ep/

B. Link to Administrative Procedures in old format https://www.hawaii.edu/policy/archives/apm/sysap.php

C. EP 7.302 – Chosen Name, Pronouns, and Gender Identity

No Exhibits and Appendices; however, refer to Attachment 1 as described above in Part III(B).

    President