Graduating within four years is possible in most baccalaureate programs at Western.
If graduating within four years is a goal for you, you need to plan your academic program carefully beginning in your freshman year.

1. Check with the program you are majoring in to verify that it can be completed within four years. All programs that can be completed within four years have detailed plans of study showing exactly what courses you need to take in order to complete the program in that time frame. You can find these detailed four-year plans of study at the departmental office in which the program is located, or you may check the catalog for that program, where you will find either a four year plan of study or directions to the departmental website where the four year plans are posted. You can also find departmental websites through the western website: http://www.wku.edu/

2. Declare your major early in your college career and be sure that you are assigned an advisor. Generally, if you change your major, you may have to earn additional hours, which will delay your graduation.

3. Get to know your academic advisor in your major and make it clear to your advisor that you want to graduate within four years or as soon as possible. It will be important that you work out a detailed tentative plan of study that will enable you to graduate on your timetable. Your advisor will help you with the selection of your General Education courses and also with your selection of a minor, if one is needed for your program.

4. In order to ensure that you are able to enroll in the classes that you need, it is important that you take advantage of priority registration. This means that you will need to meet with your advisor before the priority registration period for which you qualify (i.e., senior, junior, sophomore, returning freshmen) and be ready to register at the earliest possible time. If for some reason you are unable to register for a class that you need, you should immediately confer with your advisor about your options.

5. In order to graduate as soon as possible, you will have to be flexible about when you take classes. That is, if your first priority is progressing rapidly through your program, you may have to take classes at times you might prefer to avoid or that are less convenient with your work or social schedule.

6. It is especially important that you file your degree program with the Office of the Registrar during the first semester of the junior year. This is a crucial check point for you and the university to determine if you are on track to graduate.

7. Needless to say, in order to graduate within four years, you will need to observe all university requirements. See the section of the WKU catalog that deals with the "Academic Requirements and Regulations." Work closely with your advisor to ensure that you are in compliance and are making good progress toward your degree. If your major is listed in the catalog as one that can be completed in four years, following the above guidelines will enable you to be on track to graduate in that time frame.

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