Office of the Registrar

Posthumous Degrees

A degree may be awarded to a student who dies prior to the completion of degree requirements if the following guidelines have been met:

  1. Request is made by a family member(s);
  2. Student was within two quarters of graduating;
  3. The Dean of the school attended by the student approves the awarding of the degree.

Procedure

The formal request (the Posthumous Degree Form) should be submitted to the Office of the Registrar. The Registrar will review the request and forward it, along with a copy of the student record and a graduation degree audit, to the dean of the student’s school for a final determination.

If approved, the formal request will be returned to the Office of the Registrar for action (degree posted and diploma ordered) and the Office of the Registrar will notify the family. If it is denied, the dean of the student’s school will notify the family and include a letter of explanation.

At UW Bothell, school deans have full authority over the awarding of a posthumous degree within the school they represent.