Registration & Records

The Registrar's Office, located in room 103 of Woodburn Hall, is responsible for student registration, enrollment verification, academic records maintenance, transfer credit evaluation, academic catalogs, awarding degrees, MyBHSU assistance, withdrawals, and transcript services.

Privacy of Student Records
Black Hills State University takes the protection of the student and their records very seriously. Parents/legal guardians may have access to the academic or financial record of their child if that student has provided written consent to the university. Grades are not released via telephone, nor are they mailed unless an official transcript has been requested.

Find out more about Privacy and FERPA

Petition for Late Withdrawal

Contact Information

Address
Registrar's Office
Black Hills State University
1200 University Street, Unit 9666
Spearfish, SD 57799-9666

Office Hours
Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Mountain Time

Telephone Numbers

BHSU is offering more than 100 summer courses. View available courses list here.

If you're a Current Student, this could be your most productive summer ever! New Students, get an early start on your degree by registering for one of the many general education courses listed here.

Financial Aid

The summer aid application is available in the Financial Aid OfficeWoodburnrn 114), at BHSU-RC, or Summer Financial Aid.

You must complete the 2024-2FAFSASA using 2022 tax information at Federal Student Aid and the summer aid application to be considered for summer financial aid. Please contact the Financial Aid Office at BHSUFinancial@BHSU.edu to find out what aid you might be eligible to receive based on your summer enrollment.

Summer Academic Calendar Dual Credit Summer Course List

Academic Progress

 

Academic Policies

Privacy of Educational Records​

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy (ActFERPA) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of EducationFERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records. These rights transfer to the eligible student when he or she reaches the age of 18.

Generally, schools must have written permission from the eligible student in order to release any information—including grade and financial aid information—from a student's education record. The ideal scenario is for students to share their educational record(s) openly with parents, but sometimes there are situations that make this inconvenient or non-practical. In order to allow parents (or any other third party) access to their eligible child’s educational record(s), the eligible child must fill out thFERPA Educational Records Release Form and return it to Student Financial Services,Woodburnrn 115).

The regulations implementinFERPA permit the disclosure of directory information. BHSU may disclose, without consent, directory information such as name, dates of enrollment (start date and end date), academic level (undergraduate, graduate, professional), major field of study, date of graduation, degree awarded and home town. Generally, this directory information is releasable to any requesting person or entity (such as newspapers to announce awards, etc.) unless the student has followed the procedure to withhold disclosure of directory information. To prevent the disclosure of a student’s directory information, the eligible student must fill out the Directory Information Opt-Out Form and return it to the Registrar’s Office,Woodburnrn 103) by the 10th day of classes of the first semester during which the student is enrolled.

Graduation Information

Graduation - Students MUST apply for graduation in the Registrar’s Office by the following deadlines:

May Graduates - February 15
Summer Graduates - February 15
December Graduates - October 1

The application should be completed the semester prior to your graduation date. At that time we will evaluate your transcript and chosen major/minor requirements. Students with any questions in regards to graduation requirements, please contact the Registrar’s Office at 605.642.6092.

Apply for Graduation

Black Hills State University officially graduates students at the end of fall, spring, and summer terms. The University holds commencement ceremonies in May and December. All graduates are expected to be present for commencement. Summer candidates are invited to participate in the May commencement preceding the completion of their work. With the exception of summer graduates, students will not participate in the graduation ceremony unless all course work will be completed by the commencement date.

Requirements and Additional Information

Graduation FAQs

  • Depending on Catalog year, 120/128 minimum hours (baccalaureate degrees) (150 minimum semester hours for Professional Accountancy)
  • Depending on Catalog year, 60/64 minimum hours (associate degrees)
  • All major, minor, and professional education requirements must be met
  • 2.0 minimum institutional and cumulative grade point average (non-teaching degrees)*
  • 2.7 minimum cumulative grade point average (teaching degrees)*
  • 2.7 minimum grade point average in teaching major, teaching minor and professional education core (teaching degrees)
  • Thirty-six minimum upper division hours (courses numbered 300/400) (baccalaureate degrees)
  • System and Institutional general education requirements must be met
  • Must take exit examination for each major (baccalaureate degrees)
  • No more than sixteen hours of internship will be counted toward a major or a degree
  • No more than thirty-two hours can be earned by special examinations, correspondence, extension courses from other colleges and/or non-collegiate courses, other than military courses
  • No more than six hours will be accepted toward graduation or final GPA for participation in the following activities: physical education activities, wind ensemble, choir, small ensembles, jazz ensemble, forensics, theatre, yearbook or newspaper unless such participation is a requirement for a major or minor
  • Depending on Catalog year, a minimum of 30/32 hours (baccalaureate degrees) and 15/16 semester hours (associate degrees) must be earned from Black Hills State University
  • Depending on Catalog year, 15/16 hours (baccalaureate degrees) of the last 30/32 hours and 6/8 hours (associate degrees) of the last 15/16 hours preceding the completion of a degree must be earned from Black Hills State University
    Minimum number of credit hours in the major or minor that must be completed from Black Hills State University: fifty percent (50%)
  • Composite majors do not need to complete a minor
  • Degree seeking students may complete requirements for a minor at any regental university that has been approved to grant that minor. This minor will be recorded on the transcript in conjunction with a degree/major at that university or a degree/major at any other regental university. A minor will only be recorded on the transcript in conjunction with a degree and major.
  • Non-teaching, regular majors must complete a minor OR a second major
  • Bachelor of Arts candidates must complete twelve hours of a foreign language (Minimum of 4 courses of Beginning I & II and Intermediate I & II)
  • Remedial Courses (courses numbered below 100) will not be counted toward graduation
  • Coursework taken for graduate credit will not apply toward a baccalaureate degree

*In addition to the BHSU cumulative GPA requirement, transfer students must have a BHSU and transfer combined GPA of 2.0 for non-teaching programs and 2.7 for teaching programs.

The institution granting the degree determines the Honors Designation for its graduates. Honors for "commencement participation" are determined at the end of the semester prior to graduation. Honors for "transcript entry" are determined at the end of the final semester.

Baccalaureate Degree

To earn an Honors Designation at graduation the undergraduate student must meet both the following cumulative and institutional grade point averages:

  • Summa Cum Laude - equal to or greater than 3.90
  • Magna Cum Laude - equal to or greater than 3.70 and less than 3.90
  • Cum Laude - equal to or greater than 3.50 and less than 3.7

Associate Degree

To earn an Honors Designation at graduation, an associate-level graduate must meet both the following cumulative and institutional grade point averages:

  • With highest honor - equal to or greater than 3.90
  • With high honor - equal to or greater than 3.70 and less than 3.90
  • With honor - equal to or greater than 3.50 and less than 3.70

Depending on Catalog year, an associate-level graduate must have completed a minimum of 30/32 credit hours at the institution granting the degree. Courses that are part of a formal collaborative agreement among regental universities are considered to be earned from the institution granting the degree. (Also refer to BOR Policy 2:29.)

 

Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

Directory Disclosure

Education Records Release Form Directory Information Opt-Out Student Directory Information Policy Annual Disclosure