Graduation Information

All students must apply for graduation no later than the fourth week of the semester in which they intend to graduate. This is done in two steps: 1) Applying for graduation, and 2) Submitting a final plan. The steps on how to do both are listed below.  Submitting a graduation application lets the university know you plan to graduate in an upcoming semester.  The Final Plan of Study submission is a preliminary audit of your requirements.  All requirements MUST be met in order to have your final plan of study approved.  See additional information about the Final Plan of Study below.

How to Apply for Graduation

For a smooth graduation, please follow these steps:

  1. Review your Standard Advisement Report in Student Admin to ensure you have satisfied all your graduation requirements.
  2. Make sure minors, double majors, and/or additional degrees are declared. Cancel any additional plans you are no longer pursuing.
  3. Apply to graduate through your Student Admin account.
  4. Submit your online Final Plan of Study for your major.
    1. This becomes available under Academic Requirements (Standard Report) after you have applied to graduate in Student Admin
    2. Once you submit your plan of study online, it is sent to your advisor for approval and then to the Degree Audit Office for final approval
    3. Approval is conditional based on successful completion of all in progress courses
    4. There will be a separate plan of study for each major and minor
    5. Honors students, please note: This plan of study is in addition to the Honors Scholar Final Plan of Study due on the last day of the semester before you plan to graduate
  5. Enter any comments if necessary
    1. All final plans will have a comments box for each major/s and minor/s
    2. Comments are ONLY necessary to explain an unsatisfied area
      1. i.e. You plan to take your final credits over the summer - this note must be added

Additional Information

General Timeline
  • Final plans are due by the 4th week of the graduating semester
  • Final plans can be submitted anytime between when a student has enrolled in their final semester's courses and by the 4th week of the final semester
  • Many students will submit a final plan once they have enrolled, but some will wait until their schedule is finalized (sometime during add/drop of the final semester)
Final Plan Comments
  • Comments are only needed when an area of the report is listed as unsatisfied
  • The comment should indicate why the area is unsatisfied and how it will be satisfied
Final Plan Denials
  • A denial to a final plan is not preventing a student from attending commencement
  • A denied plan typically means that something is not satisfied and there is no comment about it
  • A student can resubmit a denied final plan with a comment
Final Plan Approvals
  • The final plan is conditionally approved first by the advisor, then the department approver
  • The final plan then goes to Degree Audit for final processing, typically at the end of the semester or after the semester has ended
  • The final plan is a SNAPSHOT in time when it was submitted. If a student makes a schedule change after the final plan was submitted and approved, this will NOT be seen until the Degree Audit completes a final audit
  • Students should avoid making schedule changes after submitted OR they should wait to submit until their schedule is set
  • Students who HAVE to make schedule changes after having an approved final plan should reach out to their advisor ASAP

Graduation vs Commencement

The words 'Graduation' and 'Commencement' are often used interchangeably by students, but they refer to two different things!

Graduation
  • The official acknowledgement from the university that all requirements have been satisfied and your degree has been conferred
  • This typically happens after the final semester has ended
  • Degree Audit has confirmed a student's requirements have been met and they are marked for conferral of their degree
  • The transcript is updated to show degree conferral
  • The diploma is mailed out later
Commencement
  • The actual ceremony in May that celebrates all of the university's fall, spring, and summer graduates
  • There is only ONE commencement ceremony, which takes place in early May
    • Students finishing in December, May, and August are all eligible to participate in commencement
  • Students wear a cap and gown, invite family members, have their names read, and walk to receive their diploma holder (diploma's are mailed later)
  • Walking in the commencement ceremony does NOT mean that a student has graduated from the university
  • Student's finishing coursework in the summer term after commencement are still eligible to walk at the commencement ceremony, but will not officially graduate until August
  • For questions about commencement (tickets, cap/gown rental, photos, etc), please visit the Commencement website

    Deadlines

    December (Fall) Graduates
    • Final Plan of Study is due by end of September (4th week of final fall semester)
    • Please enroll in fall classes before submitting your Final Plan of Study.

    Note: Students who are taking courses during the winter session to finish the remaining graduation requirements must apply as Spring graduates.

    May (Spring) Graduates
    • Apply to graduate and submit a Final Plan of Study by mid February (4th week of the final spring semester)
    • Please enroll in spring classes before submitting your Final Plan of Study.
    August (Summer) Graduates
    • August graduates need to apply to graduate by end of March
    • Final Plan of Study is due by early June
    • Please enroll in summer classes before submitting your Final Plan of Study
    • If taking summer classes in transfer, students should confirm transfer equivalencies with their advisor and input them into the Notes section of the Final Plan submission